I have to be honest...i expected a mediocre performance from some of the actors in the cast of this show. However, Jennifer Lopez really delivers a good performance, very credible very dynamic, unlike some of her earlier work in the film industry. I recommend this tv-show!

The premise of dirty cops isn't new to television drama, but to place them at the centre of the show and ask the audience to like them...well that's a risk. However, when you have Jennifer Lopez and Ray Liotta leading the cast list, their charisma and presence allied to strong writing gets you on their side. And when you have Liotta - so renowned for his portrayals of psychopathic gangsters - playing a policeman you have the right to raise an eyebrow or two. Liotta a cop? Surely some mistake. Not in terms of casting it isn't, because 'Shades of Blue' is a white knuckle ride of a moral debate. Do cops need to be like the criminals they seek in order to be able to catch them? Or does the fact that they spend their time nosing round in the darker side of human interaction cause them to become morally corrupt? As Mick Jagger sang in the iconic Rolling Stones song 'Sympathy for the Devil', 'every cop is a criminal...'.But we're getting ahead of ourselves here. 'Shades...' stars Lopez as Harlee Santos, a New York cop and single mother working as part of a team of detectives led by the amoral Matt Wozniak (Liotta). She tries to combine her frenetic, dubious and occasionally violent working life with the role of bringing up a teenage daughter alone and the financial and personal hardship that sometimes comes with parenthood.Each episode brings with it a crime procedural storyline while there is a plot arc running through about Wozniak's team and their casual blurring of the line between the right and wrong side of the law. Their activities have caught the attention of the FBI's anti-corruption unit and Harlee is forced to work with them as a 'rat'. Much of the tension throughout the first series centres on Harlee's moral dilemma over her duplicity, which is given greater credence as the story of how she came to work with Wozniak is told. Her back story is skilfully handled and realistically shot with Lopez looking believably younger in the flashback sequences. The drama is very much character led with sterling performances from all the leads with Liotta particularly outstanding and Lopez making a good fist of a conflicted cop - although her perfectly coiffured locks may be beyond the daily reach of your average New York detective in reality. The supporting cast includes a strong turn by Drea De Matteo as Detective Shirley Nazario adding to an already impressive CV after roles in 'The Sopranos', 'Joey' 'Desperate Housewives' and 'Sons of Anarchy'. In the second series Anna Gunn (Skyler White from 'Breaking Bad') joins the cast in a recurring role as a new plot arc is introduced. 'Shades of Blue' has already been commissioned for a third series. Well written and shot, 'Shades...' offers plenty in terms of twists and turns that surprise and satisfy and never come across as contrived. It may not be to everyone's taste - especially if you like your cops squeaky clean and viewed through rose tinted glasses - but if you like pacey, gritty contemporary dramas that don't duck difficult issues, this is probably for you and it provides a perfect antidote for old-fashioned creaky offerings such as 'Blue Bloods' - but that's another story!Check out reviews and so much more at undercoverofthewrite.wordpress.com

Shades of Blue is by far the best show on TV. Each and every week this show keeps you on the edge of your seat. The actors and writers all deserve awards. I love, love this show and can't wait for the next episode. The season finale was shocking and amazing. I DVD it every week, so that I can watch it a second time. Great show and I hope this show has a very long run.

I don t normally write reviews but in this case I felt compelled. This show deserves a higher rating. I would be OK with 7.5 to 7.9 comparing it to other shows for example: Lethal weapon 2016. Reasonably it's energetic and smart the content is not too dense the acting is solid and on point from the main characters to the supporting cast. That's what I do. Watch movies and read. Sometimes I even pretend to write, but I'm not fooling anyone