In the pantheon of American police procedurals, most take place in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, or some other popular big city on the East or West Coast (Chicago the exception). But, one wonders-- given that for years it was the murder capital of the U.S. and almost all the news coming out of the city focused on its insane crime rate --why Detroit never got its due.

Well, Detroit 187 attempted to remedy that, achieving a coup by getting a big star (Michael Imperioli, just a few years after his stint on The Sopranos) to head up a very photogenic cast. The show aired for just one season (2010 - 2011), with a complete story arc over 18 episodes (no cliffhanger ending just before the show was cancelled, which unfortunately happens all too often).

Its ratings were not terrible but they were middling, hence its cancellation. In viewing its one and only season, the audience will note that its creators clearly had other storylines in the works, and from what I've read they did attempt to shop it around to other networks after ABC cancelled it. But to no avail. Which is a shame, since many popular television programs which ended up running for years, started with a shaky first season, as the tone of the show and the characters were being fleshed out. Which is what I feel happened here:

While Detroit 187 was never going to be another Law and Order or NYPD Blue, given its somewhat lighter comedic overtones, there was a lot of potential with the show--

It managed to nab some good guest stars-- Chadwick Boseman, Jerry Adler (a mini Sopranos reunion), Giancarlo Esposito (yes, that Giancarlo Esposito), and even Michael Imperioli's real-life son Vadim, playing his son on the show! And though many episodes were merely okay, several showed real potential, especially towards the end of the season. There is a major character death that you'll never see coming, shortly before Game of Thrones made it more commonplace.

Given a chance, I don't think Detroit 187 would've been a long-running show, but the potential was definitely there for a well-rounded, complete and solid three- or four-season run, with perhaps 70 or 80 episodes (I've long wished American broadcast television would go this shorter route, rather than beating a show to death; I think it would lead to a vast improvement in storytelling, continuity and coherence, regardless of the show's genre).

Later on, I might return to this thread to share my own guesses as to what future storylines were/could've been planned for this show . . .