Wiseguy: Season 1

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Mixed or average reviews based on 7 Critic Reviews

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Season Details & Credits

CBS | Season Premiere Date: September 16, 1987

Starring: Cecil Hoffmann, Jim Byrnes, Jonathan Banks

Summary: Created by Steven J Cannell, Wiseguy veered from traditional "bad guy of the week" police procedurals by--unusually for its time--breaking the drama into lengthy multi-episode story arcs (generally 3 per season) that followed an Organized Crimes Bureau case to its logical conclusion, though there were some stand-alone episodes as well. TheCreated by Steven J Cannell, Wiseguy veered from traditional "bad guy of the week" police procedurals by--unusually for its time--breaking the drama into lengthy multi-episode story arcs (generally 3 per season) that followed an Organized Crimes Bureau case to its logical conclusion, though there were some stand-alone episodes as well. The first three seasons centered on an undercover FBI agent played by Ken Wahl (replaced by Steven Bauer in the fourth and final season), while Jonathan Banks (later of Breaking Bad) co-starred as his boss. One of the first-season story arcs featured a breakout performance by a then-unknown Kevin Spacey.… Expand

Creator: Frank Lupo and Stephen J. Cannell

Genre(s): Drama, Suspense

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Season 1 Episodes

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S1:E22. Date With An Angel
Air Date: March 28, 1988
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S1:E21. Dirty Little Wars
Air Date: March 21, 1988
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S1:E20. Phantom Pain
Air Date: March 14, 1988

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Critic Reviews

100

Marvin Kitman

Jul 12, 2013

Had something special about it from the start: the mood, the writing, the acting. All the great series establish a mis-en-scene, a special environment that you can cut with a knife. I felt I was in a different place watching "Wiseguy." [30 May 1988]

Steve Sonsky

Feb 5, 2014

It's a simple idea with deceptively intriguing permutations. Plus, it's extremely well- made, to boot -- if, occasionally, inevitably, cliche-crazed. But hey -- it is TV. [16 Sept 1987, p.D1]

Clifford Terry

Feb 5, 2014

Coming from Cannell, Wiseguy is, of course, all sweat and swagger, bullets and babes, breeziness and bravado. Men's bowling teams are advised to schedule their nights around this one.[16 Sept 1987, p.7C]

John J. O'Connor

Feb 5, 2014

Mr. Wahl has the kind of brooding good looks that could attract ratings - that is, if the public is ready for still another blood-and-guts romp on television. Read full review

Robert P. Laurence

Feb 5, 2014

The cliches just keep on coming, from crooked cops to a mobster's innocent daughter in law school (at UCLA, no less) to those great, great lines: "Come on, Sonny, let's go. [16 Sept 1987, p.F-9]

Howard Rosenberg

Feb 5, 2014

The notion that a two-bit pug with Geraldo Rivera's swagger could work his way into the highest echelons of organized crime is absurd, but consistent with the rest of the story. It's a tossup which has more holes, the plot or the bodies that pile up here in one of those all-purpose, everyone-gets-blown-away-who-deserves-to-get-blown-away endings...With any luck, this show is history. Read full review

Tom Shales

Feb 5, 2014

Wiseguy deposits blank-faced lump Ken Wahl onto the screen for a preposterous and desultory crime saga about a sullen undercover cop who infiltrates the mob and will spend each episode almost getting found out, but miraculously squeaking through. [16 Sept 1987, p.D1]

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Seasons & Episodes

56

Series Overview
Season 4

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- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: November 10, 1990
Season 3

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- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: September 20, 1989
Season 2

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- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: October 26, 1988
Season 1

56
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: September 16, 1987
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  S1:E22. Date With An Angel
  Air Date: March 28, 1988
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  S1:E21. Dirty Little Wars
  Air Date: March 21, 1988
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  S1:E20. Phantom Pain
  Air Date: March 14, 1988
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  S1:E19. Blood Dance
  Air Date: February 22, 1988
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  S1:E18. Squeeze
  Air Date: February 15, 1988
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  S1:E18. Blood Dance
  Air Date: February 14, 1988
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  S1:E17. Not For Nothing
  Air Date: February 8, 1988
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  S1:E17. The Squeeze
  Air Date: February 7, 1988
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  S1:E16. The Merchant of Death
  Air Date: February 1, 1988
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  S1:E16. Not for Nothing
  Air Date: January 31, 1988
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  S1:E15. Player to be Named Now
  Air Date: January 25, 1988
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  S1:E14. Smokey Mountain Requiem
  Air Date: January 18, 1988
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  S1:E14. Player to Be Named Now
  Air Date: January 7, 1988
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  S1:E13. Fascination for the Flame
  Air Date: January 11, 1988
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  S1:E12. Independent Operator
  Air Date: January 4, 1988
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  S1:E11. Last Rites for Lucci
  Air Date: November 19, 1987
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  S1:E10. No One Gets Out of Here Alive
  Air Date: November 12, 1987
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  S1:E10. Last Rites for Lucci
  Air Date: November 11, 1987
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  S1:E9. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
  Air Date: November 5, 1987
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  S1:E9. No One Gets Out of Here Alive
  Air Date: November 4, 1987
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  S1:E8. A Deal's a Deal
  Air Date: October 29, 1987
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  S1:E8. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
  Air Date: October 28, 1987
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  S1:E7. Prodigal Son
  Air Date: October 22, 1987
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  S1:E6. One on One
  Air Date: October 15, 1987
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  S1:E5. The Birthday Surprise
  Air Date: October 8, 1987
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  S1:E4. The Loose Cannon
  Air Date: October 1, 1987
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  S1:E3. New Blood
  Air Date: September 24, 1987
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  S1:E2. Wiseguy (2)
  Air Date: September 16, 1987
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  S1:E1. Wiseguy (1)
  Air Date: September 16, 1987
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  S1:E1. Wiseguy (Pilot)
  Air Date: September 16, 1987