"Hill Street Blues", 30 years later

In the 1980's, when I was renting what was known as the "Teeny Apartment" in Daly City, overlooking the Walgreen's sign that stayed on all night, I became addicted to the TV show "Hill Street Blues."  I was in my 30's and I wondered, while watching it, if I was too old to become a cop. I seriously considered finding out if I could still apply, but I never followed up on it.  My Mom had given me $100 to buy a television and I had a tiny black and white model, which I watched while sitting on the floor in front of it, after the kids went to bed in the only bedroom in the apartment.  It was too loud to watch it from the couch (where I slept) because it would keep the kids awake, so I sat on the floor, like a kid watching "Sesame Street," engrossed in the plot, the characters, the cops and the criminals.  Whatever night it was on, maybe Tuesday or Wednesday, I planned nothing for that night except watching the show.  It, in some ways, defined my week.

It is now possible to get "HSB" on DVD through the library but it is also available on youtube, at least some episodes. Poor quality, poor sound, but it's there.  I do not have a computer that would allow me to watch it on youtube, but I do have access to such a computer while I am at work, on the evening shift.  (I sincerely hope the owners of the hotel do not read this blog.) Imagine my happiness when I discovered it was alive and just waiting for me to watch it! 

Sadly, all the episodes do not hold up to the 30 years of lag time from then until now. But really, what has held up for those 30 years?  Certainly not my body. Not my mind, not my stamina, not my blood pressure, not my moral compass....... nothing.  The only thing about the show that works is that it is still  entertaining and it takes me back to a time when I needed a TV show to get me through the week.  I can appreciate it on that realm, and when I do, it's a pleasure to watch.

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