The TVB trailers have killed the suspense. Sylvia Costas' Sipowicz is not just critically injured but dead, bringing season six of NYPD Blue (Pearl, 8.30pm) to an emotionally-charged close in tonight's finale.
Detective Andy Sipowicz has had more than his fair share of tragedy, with the violent deaths of his son and now his second wife. The gritty realism that is supposed to underpin NYPD Blue has given way to the melodramatics of television. Sylvia Costas has died for Sharon Lawrence to extend her career. Lawrence turned a one-time appearance in 1993 as Assistant District Attorney into a long-running, Emmy-nominated stint, culminating with her character's marriage to Dennis Franz's Sipowicz and the birth of the couple's child, Theo. But since 1997, her appearances have been few and far between, with Lawrence pursuing new roles in sitcoms and film.
The producers had felt that there wasn't any more they could do with the mum. Lawrence gave them an ultimatum at the beginning of the season - to give Costas a more juicy role or get rid of her. Despite the troubled lives of its detectives, NYPD Blue is essentially a police drama, and the writers found it difficult to maintain the compelling story-line for the mother figure. The court-house shoot-out has been a suitably dramatic exit.
The challenge for the next season will be how to juggle Sipowicz's new role as a tragic single father with his commitment to the 15th Detective Squad. But in an Internet chat forum, Franz assures fans that NYPD Blue will remain focused on the latter. 'We don't see him as much with his son as we do him on the job,' he said.
But Costas' death serves to boost Sipowicz's character with new sympathy. The chunky man is short on sex appeal, in appearance and dress and we know he needed the help of the little blue pill to boost his sex life with his wife. But his tragic personal story ensures that he can continue to win the hearts of millions of housewives round the world, to the point of becoming an unlikely sex symbol. Franz has no regrets about Costas' departure. 'I would rather the character of Sipowicz be surrounded with all of his troubles than if life was uncomplicated and smooth for him, because I think that would make for not very interesting television or not a very interesting character,' he said.
In the next season, Sipowicz will be given time to recover from the tragedy. But after that, his relationship with his ex-wife, Katie (Debra Monk), will take a new turn, though nothing will be smooth between them. In tonight's episode it is she who is there to lend him support.
