The '80s Michael Mann Crime Drama Series Nobody Talks About (But Should)

Before "The Sopranos," "True Detective," or any other intense crime series that told one gripping story over the course of a season, there was "Crime Story," Michael Mann's groundbreaking show from the '80s. Despite being one of the first primetime series to boast the serialization that would come to define prestige TV years later, "Crime Story" doesn't have the recognition among mainstream audiences the way it should.

In 1986, Mann was riding high on the success of the "Miami Vice" TV show, giving him the freedom to try something ambitious for his next series. So he executive-produced "Crime Story," which was created by Chuck Adamson and Gustave Reininger and premiered on NBC that fall. Set in the 1960s, the show followed Lieutenant Mike Torello (Dennis Farina) and mobster Ray Luca (Anthony Denison) as they battled each other on opposite sides of the law while also forming a grudging mutual respect.

Every episode of "Crime Story" ended with "To Be Continued ..." This was unusual for the era. Only soap operas told ongoing stories like this; primetime shows might dabble with a two-part episode or have some long-term story arcs, but they were typically episodic. "Crime Story," meanwhile, trusted that its audience would follow along every week. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly in 2012, Mann recalled, "There was a lot of discussion between [NBC president] Brandon Tartikoff and myself about how do you hook viewers in in so strong a way that they're following you — because this is all brand new, this is virgin territory."

Audiences, apparently, weren't ready for this level of commitment to the small screen. Though the premiere drew in 30 million viewers, ratings dropped immensely once NBC moved "Crime Story" to Tuesday night, where it was up against ABC's hit "Moonlighting." It ended after Season 2, which had moved the action from Chicago to Las Vegas. In the same EW interview, Michael Mann noted that the production company behind the expensive-to-make period drama was facing financial challenges, which didn't help. The cancellation thwarted Mann's plan to eventually have the show jump ahead from the '60s to the '80s, which shows just how ambitious and sweeping the story was.

By the '90s, TV viewers were apparently more ready for serialized cop dramas. Shows like "Homicide: Life on the Street" and "NYPD Blue" would successfully do what "Crime Story" never got the chance to. "The Sopranos" and "The Shield" dominated the next decade, and in the streaming era, it seems as if there's a new crime story premiering basically every week. Perhaps it's because of the many, many successful serialized crime shows that have flourished in the wake of "Crime Story" that Mann's series is overlooked, even if TV historians certainly recognize its importance.

Currently, "Crime Story" is streaming on Peacock, Prime Video, Tubi, and more, so it's easy to watch. It's worth checking out — especially because of all the guest stars.

Going back and watching "Crime Story" feels almost like a time machine because you can see so much of what would become prestige TV and the modern entertainment landscape in the canceled-too-soon series. It's also a time machine because you can see a bunch of famous actors in early roles, many of whom were just up-and-comers and would become incredibly famous soon after.

In addition to stars Dennis Farina and Anthony Denison, the main cast also featured notable actors like Stephen Lang, Andrew Dice Clay, and Ted Levine. The list of guest stars who appeared in small roles across the 43 total episodes of "Crime Story" is astounding. Julia Roberts, Debbie Harry, Ving Rhames, Christian Slater, Michael Rooker, Pam Grier, Stanley Tucci, Bruce McGill, David Hyde Pierce, Dennis Haysbert, Fred Savage, and Gary Sinise all made appearances on "Crime Story." Miles Davis, the famed jazz musician, also made a cameo appearance in Season 1.

With a roster of actors like that, you'd think "Crime Story" would be more widely talked about as one of the best police dramas of all time.