The NYPD Blue reboot seemed like a sure thing at ABC ahead of new series pickups back in May. The original series was an iconic critical and ratings winner for the network and the reboot seemed to gain some excitement. Surprisingly, the show did not go to series but it was announced that the show was going through some retooling for potential midseason consideration but now it appears those hopes are dashed as well.
This particular iteration of NYPD Blue, a sequel series to the original Emmy-winning series, is dead and is not being redeveloped. Adding more finality to this decision is that the cast was released in June but ABC is still holding out some hope that they can make some version of the series work.
ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke said at the ABC TCA summer press tour that “There are conversations about continuing it but possibly in a different iteration.” She didn’t really go into what didn’t work about the reboot and why redevelopment wasn’t a possibility but she seemed very open to bringing it back in one incarnation or another.
The NYPD Blue pilot starred newcomer Fabien Frankel and co-starred original cast members, Kim Delaney, and Bill Brochtrup. The sequel centers on Theo (Frankel), the son of Dennis Franz’s Detective Andy Sipowicz character from the original series, who tries to earn his detective shield and work in the 15th squad while investigating his father’s murder.
