Joe Bash

Joe Bash is an American comedy-drama television series that aired on ABC from March 28 to May 10, 1986. Starring Peter Boyle as a weary and embittered New York City Police Department beat cop, it was created by veteran TV producer Danny Arnold following his successful New York City police detective sitcom Barney Miller. The production company was Tetagram Ltd., with Arnold and Chris Hayward serving as the show's executive producers. All six episodes were written by the team of Arnold, Hayward and Philip Jayson Lasker, with Arnold directing all but the fifth episode, which was directed by John Florea.

Synopsis

A darkly urban comedy-drama shot without a studio audience or laugh track, the series starred Peter Boyle as the veteran, semi-corrupt cop marking time until retirement, and Andrew Rubin as his naive rookie partner, Officer Willie Smith. Series creator Danny Arnold described the lead character as "a beat patrolman with thirty years on the force. He's become so completely disillusioned and such a terrible cynic that he's written off the world." In recurring roles were DeLane Matthews as streetwalker Lorna, the only person with whom the misanthropic Bash could be even somewhat close;Val Bisoglio as Sgt. Carmine DiSalvo; Michael Cavanaugh as Lt. Pendleton; and Larry Hankin as diner-owner Stu. It was set in the 33rd Precinct in Manhattan, represented via a deliberately theatrical set reminiscent of a stage play.