As a retired cop, I watch a lot of cop shows on TV. I recently had the chance to pick up a set of the DVDs of Robbery Homicide Division and was reminded why I liked this show so much and how bad most other cop shows are in comparison.It's refreshing to see realistic police work- things like sitting on a robbery suspect for 3 days with nothing happening. Search warrants that are not instantaneous. Detectives that look like detectives- wearing suits and ties and clean shaved or with normal facial hair. Detectives with notepads writing things down. Morbid humor at crime scenes ("He missed the bus, but the bus didn't miss him!"). Lawyers that keep their clients from talking to police. Then there's one of my pet peeves- cops entering a tactical situation indoors while wearing sunglasses. It doesn't happen on this show. One of the most memorable scenes for me comes from "Free and Clear" where Lt. Cole confronts an armed kidnapper holding a shotgun on the victim. The suspect gets about 1 syllable out and Cole double-taps him with his gun, then secures the suspect's weapon. I've read the show had great technical advice from the LAPD and it is evident. Another plus for me is the lack of foul language or overly graphic scenes.The dialog was well-written. The characters and the cases were very believable. Tom Sizemore's quirkiness while apparently a reason for the downfall of the show also made Lt. Cole a realistic and interesting character.Having watched and enjoyed Michael Mann's earlier Miami Vice (1984) and Crime Story (1986 with the late real life cop turned actor Dennis Farina), I see elements of both here. It's unfortunate we only got 13 episodes of this greatness, but that is all too often the way of quality television, especially in our instant-gratification modern world.

I really like Robbery Homicide Division. Tom Sizemore is excellent in this role. Whoever is doing the camera work is taking the best pictures of Los Angeles I have ever seen, from every angle and from every neighborhood. Tom Sizemore's office is in a high rise building in downtown Los Angeles and the view from the windows showing the freeways day and night make me feel like I am inside the building looking out and the view is magnificent. I also like the way the story gets right to the point. Tom Sizemore is a no nonsense, brilliant detective. This program is shown on channel 2 at 10:00PM on Fridays.

It may wear thin but so far two for two. Sizemore's quirks, real issues (so far cops for hire/scandal, gangs), and a very current juxtaposition of that great and tarnished "to protect and serve" enigma work very well. Even with great casting and good writing, East coast based cop shows are embarrassing predictable and dangerously thin (How big is the L&O franchise now?). And let's can both CSI's - Vegas crime lab as big as Quantico? In Miami, Caruso and Delaney still have those psycho NYPD Blue nauseating 'quiet and tense' personas.I abhor helicopter MOVIES so I can't explain why I thought the opening episode's 'Air Unit' tracking was so cool as a very routine fact of life in L.A. "Bag 'em" in L.A. is a stun shot, not your gritty and cute 'body bag' line back East. One hairline crack already though.. why didn't they stun him a second round instead of forcing his hand and wasting him on the front lawn??Thumbs Up! Let's go 4KING20!

Robbery Homicide is a television show that should not be missed, Tom Sizemore showing off one of his best performances to date. This show is quite like the Movie HEAT - which was also created by Michael Mann and starred Tom Sizemore (but he was a robber in the film - compared to the lead lieutenat in R.H.D.) The Show is gritty while stile keeping its entertaining edge - no doubt it will keep you watching until the final climax. Great co-star and guest star performances (First Episode starred Mario Van Peebles (who starred in ALI also directed by Michael Mann)). Think of this show similar to NYPD Blue or The Shield - but not as dark and dirty as The SHIELD. Similarities are common in many cop dramas - so you can make your own assumptions on what this show is like! The best part of it all, The CAMERAS are used very well and precise- showing exactly the right thing at the right time.