Shades of Blue

:

Season 1
  • Network: NBC
  • Series Premiere Date: Jan 7, 2016
Season #: 3, 2, 1
User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 217 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 174 out of 217
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 217
  3. Negative: 30 out of 217
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User Reviews

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  1. KouleA
    Jan 7, 2016
    10
    Great acting, Jennifer Lopez and Ray Liotta are perfectly suited to each other. The series is very intriguing, "Shades of Blue" has great potential. 10 out of 10
  2. Luc525
    Jan 8, 2016
    10
    Great acting. Lopez is amazing as Harlee Santos. The series is very intense and fast paced. Definitely I can't wait to watch 2nd episode. I highly recommend, it's not typical cop show.
  3. efege58
    Jan 16, 2016
    10
    La serie está bien y Jennifer López es una buena actriz, pero entrar en la piel de una mujer policía maquillada y peinada como si fuera a posar para una portada le quita realismo a la serie. Ella es una mujer hermosa, eso no se lo puede quitar nadie, pero actuar va precisamente de meterte en la piel de otra persona y no creo que una policía que sale a diario a la calle a enfrentarse a unLa serie está bien y Jennifer López es una buena actriz, pero entrar en la piel de una mujer policía maquillada y peinada como si fuera a posar para una portada le quita realismo a la serie. Ella es una mujer hermosa, eso no se lo puede quitar nadie, pero actuar va precisamente de meterte en la piel de otra persona y no creo que una policía que sale a diario a la calle a enfrentarse a un montón de problemas y arriesgar su vida, lo haga con dos toneladas de maquillaje en la cara y de laca en el pelo. Creo que tiene una buena oportunidad con esta serie de mostrar que es algo más que una buena actriz y una cara bonita, así que necesita meterse en el papel de lleno, creando una visión del personaje que sea más creíble, al menos esa es mi opinión. Gracias.… Expand
  4. Danton
    Jun 15, 2016
    10
    "Shades of Blue" makes for great television. It is full of drama and suspense that keeps viewers wanting more. Jennifer Lopez in the lead role as Harlee Santos, gives a stellar performance, definitely one of the highlights of her long career. The character of Harlee has a lot to her and Jennifer does a great job of showing the complexity of this character. Ray Liotta also gives a strong"Shades of Blue" makes for great television. It is full of drama and suspense that keeps viewers wanting more. Jennifer Lopez in the lead role as Harlee Santos, gives a stellar performance, definitely one of the highlights of her long career. The character of Harlee has a lot to her and Jennifer does a great job of showing the complexity of this character. Ray Liotta also gives a strong performance in the role of Wazz. I definitely think there should be some Emmy Buzz around these two performances. If season two proves as gripping as the first, this show will be gracing our screens for years to come… Expand
  5. chrisjlover
    Jan 8, 2016
    10
    That was the best thing I ever seen. Lopez's acting is so good, and with Liotta in the cast, it's just great. Great production. great screenplay, great acting. Everyone should watch it.
  6. ChargerRodger
    Jan 21, 2016
    10
    I found it very entertaining, I thought the story was great and I think it can only get better. I think the acting is the centerpiece of the show. Liotta and Lopez are amazing.
  7. stillprettycute
    Jan 29, 2016
    10
    Loving the breath of fresh air this show is bringing me. What a nice change from the "Reality" garbage every flick of the channels has been bringing. Lopez and Liotta are outstanding. Do I think Liotta's character needed to take the spin it does,( not so much, however, I think I am basing my critique on Liotta's prior work is all. Considering the host of writers, producers and such, theyLoving the breath of fresh air this show is bringing me. What a nice change from the "Reality" garbage every flick of the channels has been bringing. Lopez and Liotta are outstanding. Do I think Liotta's character needed to take the spin it does,( not so much, however, I think I am basing my critique on Liotta's prior work is all. Considering the host of writers, producers and such, they are following suit with their diverse work, and so we shall see WHY ( if any specific reason) that spin was written. When an hour flies by and leaves you hanging for more, it is in fact to me a hit and hard to come by these days. Dieting, exercising, losing weight, couples damn near killing each other, therapy and/or boot camps have played themselves out in my opinion. I hope the show continues, channel 4 has struck a little piece of "silver" with this "gold shield" show. This weeks episode January 28, awesome! Waiting once again for next Thursday......yessssssss… Expand
  8. Gizjos30
    Jan 31, 2016
    10
    This is a good show and is very intense with twist and turns. Jennifer Lopez is amazing as Harlee, I don't think she is recognized as she should be. I'm glued to the tv every week and can't get enough.
  9. sebasjlo16
    Sep 28, 2017
    10
    great performance, the commitment that makes jennifer the role of harlee is to admire, the plot that has the story is the classic drama of corrupt cops, makes interesting the series of events that happens and what harlee would be able to get to do in order to protect his own, simply a fascinating
  10. DaRange
    Jan 22, 2016
    9
    Fantastic new TV drama. What makes this show different and better than most is the terrific acting by Liotta and Lopez. To me, it's what carries the show. While the storyline is good, the personal interaction between Lopez and Liotta is excellent
  11. Theros666
    Mar 9, 2016
    9
    I think it's a different way to make a police drama that we are used to. I find the story arcs much more compelling and interesting than in other shows that mostly take care of the bad of the week like CSI or Without a trace. I think JLo and Ray Rilotta do excellent performances in the episodes I seen so far (8 i think) and I'm really happy that the show is renewed already for a 2ndI think it's a different way to make a police drama that we are used to. I find the story arcs much more compelling and interesting than in other shows that mostly take care of the bad of the week like CSI or Without a trace. I think JLo and Ray Rilotta do excellent performances in the episodes I seen so far (8 i think) and I'm really happy that the show is renewed already for a 2nd season. Will see if the end of the season don't screw it up but looks really promising… Expand
  12. cmskkg
    Jan 24, 2019
    9
    Absolutley loved this show. The cast did such an amazing job in character. I am hoping to find other shows similar to watch.
  13. RaiderRow
    Mar 31, 2016
    8
    As a big fan of The Shield, I hesitate to watch bad cop shows for fear they might imitate and ruin an iconic series. I don't understand why people are giving this show negative reviews, the writing is good; Lopez and Liotta do a fantastic acting job as does the rest of the cast. The story is quite good too. After reading the negative reviews here, I went in assuming I wouldn't get past aAs a big fan of The Shield, I hesitate to watch bad cop shows for fear they might imitate and ruin an iconic series. I don't understand why people are giving this show negative reviews, the writing is good; Lopez and Liotta do a fantastic acting job as does the rest of the cast. The story is quite good too. After reading the negative reviews here, I went in assuming I wouldn't get past a couple of episodes. I was pleasantly surprised. If you haven't watched this show yet, get into it with an open mind and don't pay attention to the nay sayers until you watch it yourself.… Expand
  14. Trigueiro
    Sep 23, 2020
    8
    It is not influenced by the opinion / criticism of the media. The series is good and makes us very curious to follow the entire first season.Jennifer is very convincing in her role as well as the cast.
  15. Bluesmanuk
    Feb 27, 2016
    8
    It took a couple of episodes to really get into it and have understanding of the characters but as the show has progressed, the little twists and turns make for a very enjoyable experience. It pulls no punches and is a gritty show that is still wrapped up in typical Hollywood style gloss that manages to sit nicely in the middle. I'll be watching to the end of the season for sure.
  16. kzanzi
    Apr 7, 2016
    8
    Pleasantly surprised by the quality of the show. Lots of twists and turns and some good drama. I'll watch season 2. Very curious where they go in season 2 because of the way season 1 ended.
  17. quincytheodore
    Jan 9, 2016
    7
    The execution can be sketchy and cliché, but its core characters and cast seem to hold up decently.

    Jennifer Lopez is really donning the moniker "Jenny from the Block". Her acting works have gained mixed reception and Shades of Blue will continue that tradition. The leading actors give a presentable performance and the drama appears to be in working shape, however some of the police    The execution can be sketchy and cliché, but its core characters and cast seem to hold up decently.

    Jennifer Lopez is really donning the moniker "Jenny from the Block". Her acting works have gained mixed reception and Shades of Blue will continue that tradition. The leading actors give a presentable performance and the drama appears to be in working shape, however some of the police works are following frigid formula of crime drama, not to mention a couple of angles are shady and unconvincing.

    Female leads in cop series admittedly look like models, for example leads of Castle or Quantico, which is not entirely a bad and might even be appealing, but it doesn't enhance the reliability aspect of the series. What Jennifer brings is the occasional moments where her character is approachable. At these times she can shed the celebrity persona and delves into the character, although there's still inconsistency in this regard.

    Harlee Santos (Jennifer Lopez) is a single mother and corrupt cop who is also being chased by FBI. The character can be appealing as the movie plays out the family and camaraderie cards, but it often transitions into intentionally excessively independent woman stereotype or simply become too melodramatic. Fortunately, the supporting cast helps alleviate these few sloppy instances.

    Ray Liotta as Wozniak, the patriarch in the police squad, this is a role he’s comfortable with. He plays the crude mentor and protector who harbor secret vices presentably well. Warren Kole as Stahl, the FBI agent is charming in creepy kind of way. There's a solid foundation for character development here, although it's not without a lingering inkling that these are crime drama clichés. Furthermore, this translates into some of the police works that just look too outlandishly crafted.

    The premise holds together sufficiently, "Shades of Blue" has a decent start and relatively suspenseful set-up. If it follows these core directions instead of trails from other shows, it should find some degree of success.    … Expand
  18. royv
    Feb 18, 2016
    7
    Matt Wosniak……he’s the king of his crew, there are no real lieutenants. Paranoia stemming from conflict drives his bents, bouts of depravity that demand release….he has no regard for watered down justice; he’s an enforcer of the law in the spirit of Robin Hood, allowing for ‘necessary’ crime for economic neutrality, a fragile but stable peace is maintained in neighborhoods and precinct,Matt Wosniak……he’s the king of his crew, there are no real lieutenants. Paranoia stemming from conflict drives his bents, bouts of depravity that demand release….he has no regard for watered down justice; he’s an enforcer of the law in the spirit of Robin Hood, allowing for ‘necessary’ crime for economic neutrality, a fragile but stable peace is maintained in neighborhoods and precinct, but the feds have made week his Achilles heel, a crew member whom has from fear compromised his brand of policing, challenged his love for she and her daughters wellbeing, and have ramped up his schizophrenic ways………Waosniak is ‘shades of blue’ all others are necessary appendages along for the ride…without him the show has no teeth…it’s Thursday and the 8 o clock hour is brilliantly filled!!!!… Expand
  19. Iamcritical86
    Oct 18, 2017
    7
    Not bad. I've been watching this show from the very beginning. I actually like J-Lo better as an actress than a singer... even though I hear she's an arrogant **** Anyways... she's still, she's still Jenny on the cock!
  20. jeremyp
    Jan 23, 2016
    6
    This series has great expectations considering the two leads. Unfortunately they get a B grade script. Take the stars out and it's mediocre indeed. By episode 3 the "will he or won't he" theme has worn thin of drama, and the FBI guy is as shallow a character as in most prime time cop shows. Throw out the script, rewrite it, ditch the FBI guy, and the DA, make Liotta straight (not thatThis series has great expectations considering the two leads. Unfortunately they get a B grade script. Take the stars out and it's mediocre indeed. By episode 3 the "will he or won't he" theme has worn thin of drama, and the FBI guy is as shallow a character as in most prime time cop shows. Throw out the script, rewrite it, ditch the FBI guy, and the DA, make Liotta straight (not that there's anything wrong with a gay cop, but here it's just meant to wake us up) and maybe it can be rescued.… Expand
  21. ScienceAdvisor
    Jan 8, 2016
    6
    A middling procedural with nothing new to offer except that it has Lopez & Liotta in it, and they are not enough to see the show renewed, except that Lopez is one of the Eight (!) Executive Producers. A good general rule of thumb, is that if it takes more than five EPs to get a show made, chances are it is not long for this world. When one is an extremely rich star, that speaks to herA middling procedural with nothing new to offer except that it has Lopez & Liotta in it, and they are not enough to see the show renewed, except that Lopez is one of the Eight (!) Executive Producers. A good general rule of thumb, is that if it takes more than five EPs to get a show made, chances are it is not long for this world. When one is an extremely rich star, that speaks to her comittment and belief in her own show.

    Overall it is just standard NBC-fare, as Salke & Sanders continue to run the Network into the ground. They distance themsevles from the productions (and reality), making decisions based on paper and numbers alone. The result is another show with AAA stars that sounds great on paper, but two days on the set would have resulted in some serious changes to the rest of the team (director and writers). For some reason S&S simply cannot be bothered to find good showrunners, just people that act like one.    … Expand
  22. boneshaker34
    May 31, 2016
    5
    The rookie cop needs to die already...if you want to see a good cops on the fringe show, then just check out The Shield or Chicago PD. They need to stop making Ray Liotta's character so dumb...and JLo should have already put a bullet in the fed who's handling her. I'm just saying.
  23. Ripandread
    Jan 11, 2016
    5
    “Shades of Blue” is a later day version of “Public Morals.”

    Jennifer Lopez and Ray Liotta are the bookends that hold the show together but viewers have to wonder how long this cat and mouse game can play out as the head of the crooked team of cops (Liotta) finds out who the FBI informant is.

    As for Drea DeMateo, her character should be delegated to a guest-starring role.
  24. pythag0ras
    Mar 27, 2016
    5
    Its ..ok. Its basically The Shield except for the screw-ups they make in every episode (no spoilers) . Things just tend to happen alot that make you say "oh come on , that would never happen". Ray Liotta is great in this , but Jlo is just ..meh. If you can shut off your brain enough to overlook the missteps, its decent. the gay stuff didnt bother me because im not a homophobe, just likeIts ..ok. Its basically The Shield except for the screw-ups they make in every episode (no spoilers) . Things just tend to happen alot that make you say "oh come on , that would never happen". Ray Liotta is great in this , but Jlo is just ..meh. If you can shut off your brain enough to overlook the missteps, its decent. the gay stuff didnt bother me because im not a homophobe, just like any other sex scenes IMO… Expand
  25. stu771
    Apr 8, 2017
    4
    The acting is fair at best which is surprising with such a talented cast. The story line is very hard to swallow especially for anyone who knows anything about NYPD procedures which makes it totally unbelievable and unwatchable. I don't know who their NYPD consultants are but they need to be fired.
  26. jaw102895
    Feb 5, 2016
    3
    What is happening to my new favorite show??? You've got these incredible actors and an amazing story going on here. We look forward to thursday nights because of this show. Last couple episodes have us uncertain with the distasteful scenes of oral sex. It quickly became clear this will not be a family show with our high school students. Especially last nights episode. I turned itWhat is happening to my new favorite show??? You've got these incredible actors and an amazing story going on here. We look forward to thursday nights because of this show. Last couple episodes have us uncertain with the distasteful scenes of oral sex. It quickly became clear this will not be a family show with our high school students. Especially last nights episode. I turned it off. That is where i draw the line. I am not going to allow this to be shown in my household. Please please please can this be done without the oral sex.… Expand
  27. tpotz
    Jan 28, 2016
    2
    Liotta gay??? Gimme a break! Started out with great potential, super star power, but is steadily sliding into a script with no credibility and no redeeming value. Too bad. Not worth sticking with.
  28. GerardMan
    Feb 12, 2016
    2
    The shows first episode was really good and has gone backwards each week after.
    Not worthy of a hour of my life anymore...
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  29. ShinobiJutsu
    Apr 3, 2016
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I gave it 4 episodes, and found it very difficult to get through all of them. Here's why:
    1. J-Lo does a passable job as the lead actress. For a show that is character-driven and features her in every other scene, passable isn't good enough. She sure is nice to look at, though, and they deliver copious amounts of tight pants shots, reminding us why we love her. But the writing is so bad that she must tell pointless lies, so she has to tell more lies to get out of them. Like when she tells Liotta that her daughter got in a car accident to get out of a later meeting with him, when she could have just as easily told him that her daughter had a super-important recital later. But no, the truth would have been too easy there.
    2. The writing is some of the worst I've encountered on any show, ever. I know that sounds hyperbolic, but there are too many idiotic turns to name, such as:
    3. The FBI agent (Stahl) who seems determined to get her killed; calling at all times of the day and arranging meetings too close to the precinct like he doesn't understand how using an informant works. He shows up at her house and adds an unnecessarily creepy vibe to what would be a routine operation if he just dialed it back. Instead, he's hanging out in plain sight of Ray Liotta's character and not even attempting to be discreet about an operation that hinges on discretion. Writers manufacturing drama by making characters do stupid things.
    4. The FBI agent's boss (the black lady, forget her name because she's irrelevant), who imposes 24-hour deadlines every 24 hours, as if she's determined to ruin the case. Sending feds to an informant's house without telling her handler about it. Sure, that's how the feds work. The writer's are using these arbitrary deadlines as a means to increase drama, when, again, law enforcement 101 tells us you can't build an informant-based case in a single day, or two, or even weeks.
    5. The girl from Supranos who moves a body and covers up a murder so she can sell her house. Seriously? This is after she sexted her husband's alleged lover, met up with her, and had the best sex ever, even though the lover had no idea it was a woman the very next day. Seriously? She is obsessed over her husband's potential cheating, so her solution is to cheat on him? Dumb.
    6. The rookie, who has to remind us literally every time he's on screen that he's not OK with shooting an unarmed man in the first episode. I get it, but let the guy talk about something else for a scene so he seems like a real person and not a vessel of guilt. Also, why wouldn't they just say the guy had a shiny controller in his hand that looks like a gun and he was playing a game with loud gunshots? Is IA that unreasonable that they wouldn't say it was clean after finding a loaded weapon and heroin right next to the guy? Again, the truth would have saved everybody a headache.
    7. I don't know the name of the generic urban black cop who the producers felt we needed to say things like "My man is hittin' it! Give me the details, playa!" but everything he says sounds like a caricature of a person rather than an actual person. Nobody who makes detective talks like a failed rap artist who refers to himself as "King Pantydropper". Kill him off, please.

    That said, Ray Liotta is pretty good and J-Lo sure is attractive, hence the 2 points. The rest of it is pure, color-by-numbers cop drama, and you're better of re-watching The Shield.    … Expand
  30. spud
    Mar 6, 2016
    1
    Did someone forget to tell Jennifer Lopez that she cannot act? Quick, someone do us all a favor and drop her an email. Ray Liotta offers a slightly better performance than he was in years (which does not mean, by this point, much) and the series does attempt (mostly unsuccessfully) to tackle some problematic and potentially interesting subject matter, but that is not enough to make ShadesDid someone forget to tell Jennifer Lopez that she cannot act? Quick, someone do us all a favor and drop her an email. Ray Liotta offers a slightly better performance than he was in years (which does not mean, by this point, much) and the series does attempt (mostly unsuccessfully) to tackle some problematic and potentially interesting subject matter, but that is not enough to make Shades of Blue anything but a poorly cast, badly-written, cliché-ridden, mediocre (irrelevant, even) TV show.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

37
#37 Most Discussed TV Season of 2016
50
#50 Most Shared TV Season of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 30
  3. Negative: 2 out of 30
  1. Collider
    Reviewed by: Chris Cabin
    Jan 21, 2016
    40
    Unfortunately, the truth of the matter is that Shades of Blue has no shading in character or story, and is more interested in reiterating transposed views of family values than dealing with the tough and often very ugly subject matter it purports to confront.
    Read full review
  2. Newark Star-Ledger
    Reviewed by: Vicki Hyman
    Jan 20, 2016
    75
    Yes, this is "The Shield," with more gloss and less shock, and the story starts to strain as Harlee's FBI handler Warren Kole (Robert Stahl) shows an unhealthy interest in his undercover agent and the series worryingly starts to veer into "Enough"/"The Boy Next Door" territory. But the increasingly fraught dance between Harlee and Wozniak is absorbing and even occasionally nail-biting, and certainly reason enough to give Shades a shot.
    Read full review
  3. New York Magazine (Vulture)
    Reviewed by: Matt Zoller Seitz
    Jan 8, 2016
    80
    The whole cast is pretty much perfect for the story Shades of Blue is trying to tell. Lopez makes a fine lead--she's tough and unsentimental here, and even though they've made her look gorgeous, you don't necessarily think of her as a glamorous character. But it's Liotta's show.
    Read full review
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