East New York is off to a solid start. There's a very strong NYPD Blue and Hill Street Blues vibe to it. I grew up in a neighborhood a lot like this one and the realism is palpable. Poor people doing what they can to get by, grinning politicos whose only objective is lining their pockets, etc... But this show is not in any way a downer. It presents a group of flawed characters who all bring substantial baggage to the table. The reliable Jimmy Smits and Amanda Warren are perfect in major roles. Old pro Richard Kind plays the usual idiosyncratic character that always fits him like a glove. Let's hope it's not a flash in the pan.

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