‘New York Undercover’ Reboot Eyed By ABC

[raze]

With all the reboots happening on TV, it was only a matter of time. One of the leads will probably be a rapper. Who would you cast?

​

‘New York Undercover’ Reboot Eyed By ABC From Dick Wolf & Ben Watkins

https://deadline.com/2018/12/new-yo...by-abc-from-dick-wolf-ben-watkins-1202514591/

ABC, which is rebooting its iconic series NYPD Blue, also is looking to bring back another 1990s New York cop drama, Dick Wolf’s New York Undercover. I hear ABC is in talks for a new incarnation of New York Undercover, which will be written by Hand of God creator Ben Watkins. The project from Wolf Entertainment is expected to be a co-production between Universal TV, where the company is based, and ABC Studios.

Wolf would executive produce with Watkins and Wolf Entertainment’s Arthur Forney and Peter Jankowski.

Created by Wolf and Kevin Arkadie, New York Undercover aired on Fox for four seasons, between 1994-98. It starred Malik Yoba and Michael DeLorenzo as two undercover detectives in New York City’s Fourth Precinct. It was the first police drama on American television to feature two people of color in the starring roles.

Wolf’s agent, WME’s Rick Rosen, hinted at the project during a Paley Center Q&A on Tuesday night, where he said that Wolf “is reviving one of his shows from years ago – it’s a franchise you can redo” that “doesn’t necessarily have to have the same cast” to make it a success. He noted that there were multiple networks bidding on it.

I hear ABC and New York Undercover‘s original network, Fox, were interested in the revival. As a procedural, New York Undercover can be reinvented with new characters and cast. Even the original series rebooted itself in the fourth and final season with a largely new cast joining Yoba and Season 2 addition Lauren Velez as the other series regulars exited.

Wolf already has a series order from NBC for a new Law & Order series, Law & Order: Hate Crimes, to launch next season. He currently has veteran Law & Order: SVU and the three Chicago dramas on NBC and freshman FBI on CBS. This would be his first series on ABC since the 2003 Dragnet reboot, which aired for one season.

Meanwhile, ABC is currently casting its NYPD Blue pilot.

Watkins created and served as showrunner of Hand of God, which ran for two seasons on Amazon. He also executive produces Apple’s upcoming series Are You Sleeping, starring Octavia Spencer, Lizzy Caplan and Aaron Paul. Previously, Watkins rose from staff writer to executive producer over the seven-season run of USA’s Burn Notice. He is repped by WME and Hirsch Wallerstein.

​

 

[The Untouchable GDFOLKS]

If it was another era, like the early 2000's I would be all for it, but now Hell NAW.

All we would get is a bunch of cops in skinny jeans, tight v-neck t-shirts with purple dreads.

Oh and you know they will be throwing in a gay character that has to have a sex scene every episode even if it doesn't fit into the plot.

 

[easy_b]

I don’t know

 

[Complex]

Maybe if it was on Netflix or Amazon

 

[34real]

no reboot just air the reruns and let it be.....great show,they made old ideas new and urban

 

[EPDC]

Show was a product of its time. It would only work if they keep it multicultural, which was one of the biggest aspects of the OG.

Doubt they could make it work today though. Broadcast Network TV show writers are lazier and don't take as many chances and writers of yesteryear.

It might work on FX or another cable Network, but regular over the air ABC Broadcast? Nah, it will be formulaic.

 

[clitsational]

no homos this time and i'm in

​

 

[Duece]

This is a favorite show for me, I do not want it messed with.

Don't mess with the classics.

If you want to make New York Undercover fans happy, remaster it in HD with the original music on Blu-Ray or release it on a streaming service.

Times have changed, New York City is not the same, the music is not the same, the vibe is not the same.

I could ramble on more but I think yall get the point.

 

[geechiedan]

already got it cast for ya

 

[THE DRIZZY]

Show was a product of its time. It would only work if they keep it multicultural, which was one of the biggest aspects of the OG.

Doubt they could make it work today though. Broadcast Network TV show writers are lazier and don't take as many chances and writers of yesteryear.

It might work on FX or another cable Network, but regular over the air ABC Broadcast? Nah, it will be formulaic.

This is a favorite show for me, I do not want it messed with.

Don't mess with the classics.

If you want to make New York Undercover fans happy, remaster it in HD with the original music on Blu-Ray or release it on a streaming service.

Times have changed, New York City is not the same, the music is not the same, the vibe is not the same.

I could ramble on more but I think yall get the point.

Cosign both.

 

[Ceenote]

no homos this time and i'm in

​

Right!!

 

[THE DRIZZY]

If it was another era, like the early 2000's I would be all for it, but now Hell NAW.

All we would get is a bunch of cops in skinny jeans, tight v-neck t-shirts with purple dreads.

Oh and you know they will be throwing in a gay character that has to have a sex scene every episode even if it doesn't fit into the plot.

Yeah they would have them looking weird as hell.

 

[The Untouchable GDFOLKS]

Yeah they would have them looking weird as hell.

I guess they would have to look wierd to infiltrate the bad guys since all “thugs” dress like fags now.

 

[THE DRIZZY]

I guess they would have to look wierd to infiltrate the bad guys since all “thugs” dress like fags now.

Ya know!

Man I miss the days of Timb boots, Carhart jackets, Avirex coats, Pele Pele jeans, and Air Force 1s.

 

[Duece]

The music is a part of the original show's vibe.

Every week you'd see a who's who of artists from that era, all of whom were talented and made good memorable music.


Look at today's music

If they reboot NYU, what kind of a music are they gonna listen to when they go to Natalie's?

A mumble rapper that looks like a drag queen

Some lame ass white rapper pushing a fag agenda

Or an R&B singer that sings like half of their tongue is swollen.

 

[THE DRIZZY]

The music is a part of the original show's vibe.

Every week you'd see a who's who of artists from that era, all of whom were talented and made good memorable music.


Look at today's music

If they reboot NYU, what kind of a music are they gonna listen to when they go to Natalie's?

A mumble rapper that looks like a drag queen

Some lame ass white rapper pushing a fag agenda

Or an R&B singer that sings like half of their tongue is swollen.

Yep the musical score of that show was outstanding. Today's music not so much. I am oldschool when it comes to music.

 

[HIGH CALIBER]

It’s gotta be done right tho ... but you know Hollywood they will have Roseanne Lt Virginia, Katt Williams playing Det J C &
John Leguizamo play
Det Eddie

 

[Dr. Truth]

If it was another era, like the early 2000's I would be all for it, but now Hell NAW.

All we would get is a bunch of cops in skinny jeans, tight v-neck t-shirts with purple dreads.

Oh and you know they will be throwing in a gay character that has to have a sex scene every episode even if it doesn't fit into the plot.

lil Uzi Vert and Lil Pump going to play The cops. Them two faggits going to end up getting married by season 2

 

[fonzerrillii]

To be on the real...

I just want this mutherfucker on Blu-ray or at least a gawd damn dvd.

The only copies out there are fucking Tv rips..

Shit is a crying shame.

 

[Africanama]

I can see it work. In some aspects, Luke Cage had that NY Undercover vibe to it. As long they don’t try to get too cute with it, I can actually see it have a longer run than the original show and the original show had contract disputes that ruin that show’s run.

 

[MistaPhantastic]

In this era - wouldn't even bother watching.
Williams and Torres would both be female; one of them will probably be a lesbian. Morena will be a gay dude or a "trans woman". Lee Wong will be Lea Wong. Cooper will still be a white woman. They will still have the two nemesis detectives, who will still be black and white males but they will be complete and utter fuck-ups.
The whole thing would be all identity politics and no substance.
And remember, Hollywood keeps the emasculated black male as a centerpiece even to this day. If Coogler had his hand in it, or maybe even Peele, I might consider it but for the most part, they only remake those shows to "re-imagine" them to fit their agenda.
I don't really fuck with regular shows much anymore.

 

[Aww Skeet Skeet!]

No thanks. They would fuck it up.

 

[playahaitian]

To be on the real...

I just want this mutherfucker on Blu-ray or at least a gawd damn dvd.

The only copies out there are fucking Tv rips..

Shit is a crying shame.

could they EVER afford that original music though?

 

[Louis Koo]

didnt VladTV interview Malik Yoba and he talked some shit about something?

 

[Dannyblueyes]

I used to love NYU when I was in highschool. Looking at a rerun a few years ago that show was AWFUL!

The clothes made no sense, especially Torres. JC would drop everything in the middle of an investigation to go check on his son every time he bumped his head or had a nosebleed.

Worst of all, both JC and Torres were working undercover in the same neighborhood they grew up in. How did they not get made immediately? Harlem isn't even that big.

If they were to reboot Dick Wolf cannot be involved! Let it be a writer with fresh eyes who can scale back some of the ridiculousness of it

 

[grownazzblakman]

I don’t know

I can see it work. In some aspects, Luke Cage had that NY Undercover vibe to it. As long they don’t try to get too cute with it, I can actually see it have a longer run than the original show and the original show had contract disputes that ruin that show’s run.

could they EVER afford that original music though?

With all the reboots happening on TV, it was only a matter of time. One of the leads will probably be a rapper. Who would you cast?

​

Assist.

I would definitely make the cast bigger. Make it an ensemble cast. Add more cops. Keep it diverse. Make them all part of some large Undercover Unit (or Special Task Force), operating in various parts of the city. That way, you can tell LOTS of different (interconnected) stories. And tell MORE of them. (And I would bring some old character names back and/or change the names / or add new characters. See below)

Here's my Casting Suggestions....

The Undercover Street Cops

Mike Colter as "Detective J.C. Williams"
(Luke Cage from "Luke Cage")

JR Ramirez as "Detective Eddie Torres"
(Julio from "Power")

Simone Missick as "Detective Nina Moreno"
(Misty Knight from "Luke Cage")

Domenick Lombardozzi as "Detective Tommy McNamara // aka Shots"
(Herc from "The Wire")

Jessica Henwick as "Detective Meizhen Chen" // aka Macy"
(Colleen Wing from "Iron Fist")

Felicia Pearson as "Detective Lucasia Maxwell // aka Lucky Max"
(Snoop from "The Wire")

Dascha Polanco as "Officer Nellie Soria"
(Dayanara Diaz from "Orange Is the New Black")

Michael Potts as as "Sergeant Alex Stone"
(Brother Mouzone from "The Wire")

Lewis Tan as "Detective Royce Okano"
(Zhou Cheng from "Iron Fist")

Drea de Matteo as "Detective Gina Ricciarelli"
(Adriana from "The Sopranos")


The Brass

Ruth Wilson as "Lieutenant Virginia Cooper"
(Alice Morgan from "Luther")

Ken Jeong as "Chief Medical Examiner Wong"
(He is a Doctor in real-life )

Chris Bauer as "Captain Arthur O'Byrne"
(Frank Sobotka from "The Wire")

Charles Dutton as "Police Chief Douglas"
(Roc Emerson from "ROC")

Giancarlo Esposito as "District Attorney Guzman"
(Gus Fring from "Breaking Bad")

Lela Loren as "A.D.A. Reynolds"
(Angela Valdez from "Power")

 

[ansatsusha_gouki]

If it was another era, like the early 2000's I would be all for it, but now Hell NAW.

All we would get is a bunch of cops in skinny jeans, tight v-neck t-shirts with purple dreads.

Oh and you know they will be throwing in a gay character that has to have a sex scene every episode even if it doesn't fit into the plot.

The story can be about the universe the producers would throw in a gay character just to please the gay community....

 

[fonzerrillii]

could they EVER afford that original music though?

You figure it out...

 

[Adam Knows]

no reboot just air the reruns and let it be.....great show,they made old ideas new and urban

i'd be happy with just that... what fucked it up though, music rights????

 

[Adam Knows]

Assist.

I would definitely make the cast bigger. Make it an ensemble cast. Add more cops. Keep it diverse. Make them all part of some large Undercover Unit (or Special Task Force), operating in various parts of the city. That way, you can tell LOTS of different (interconnected) stories. And tell MORE of them. (And I would bring some old character names back and/or change the names / or add new characters. See below)

Here's my Casting Suggestions....

The Undercover Street Cops

Mike Colter as "Detective J.C. Williams"
(Luke Cage from "Luke Cage")

JR Ramirez as "Detective Eddie Torres"
(Julio from "Power")

Simone Missick as "Detective Nina Moreno"
(Misty Knight from "Luke Cage")

Domenick Lombardozzi as "Detective Tommy McNamara // aka Shots"
(Herc from "The Wire")

Jessica Henwick as "Detective Meizhen Chen" // aka Macy"
(Colleen Wing from "Iron Fist")

Felicia Pearson as "Detective Lucasia Maxwell // aka Lucky Max"
(Snoop from "The Wire")

Dascha Polanco as "Officer Nellie Soria"
(Dayanara Diaz from "Orange Is the New Black")

Michael Potts as as "Sergeant Alex Stone"
(Brother Mouzone from "The Wire")

Lewis Tan as "Detective Royce Okano"
(Zhou Cheng from "Iron Fist")

Drea de Matteo as "Detective Gina Ricciarelli"
(Adriana from "The Sopranos")


The Brass

Ruth Wilson as "Lieutenant Virginia Cooper"
(Alice Morgan from "Luther")

Ken Jeong as "Chief Medical Examiner Wong"
(He is a Doctor in real-life )

Chris Bauer as "Captain Arthur O'Byrne"
(Frank Sobotka from "The Wire")

Charles Dutton as "Police Chief Douglas"
(Roc Emerson from "ROC")

Giancarlo Esposito as "District Attorney Guzman"
(Gus Fring from "Breaking Bad")

Lela Loren as "A.D.A. Reynolds"
(Angela Valdez from "Power")

you're probably going to see most of them lined up in marvels new sets of tv shows on their service

 

[raze]

Assist.

I would definitely make the cast bigger. Make it an ensemble cast. Add more cops. Keep it diverse. Make them all part of some large Undercover Unit (or Special Task Force), operating in various parts of the city. That way, you can tell LOTS of different (interconnected) stories. And tell MORE of them. (And I would bring some old character names back and/or change the names / or add new characters. See below)

Here's my Casting Suggestions....

The Undercover Street Cops

Mike Colter as "Detective J.C. Williams"
(Luke Cage from "Luke Cage")

JR Ramirez as "Detective Eddie Torres"
(Julio from "Power")

Simone Missick as "Detective Nina Moreno"
(Misty Knight from "Luke Cage")

Domenick Lombardozzi as "Detective Tommy McNamara // aka Shots"
(Herc from "The Wire")

Jessica Henwick as "Detective Meizhen Chen" // aka Macy"
(Colleen Wing from "Iron Fist")

Felicia Pearson as "Detective Lucasia Maxwell // aka Lucky Max"
(Snoop from "The Wire")

Dascha Polanco as "Officer Nellie Soria"
(Dayanara Diaz from "Orange Is the New Black")

Michael Potts as as "Sergeant Alex Stone"
(Brother Mouzone from "The Wire")

Lewis Tan as "Detective Royce Okano"
(Zhou Cheng from "Iron Fist")

Drea de Matteo as "Detective Gina Ricciarelli"
(Adriana from "The Sopranos")


The Brass

Ruth Wilson as "Lieutenant Virginia Cooper"
(Alice Morgan from "Luther")

Ken Jeong as "Chief Medical Examiner Wong"
(He is a Doctor in real-life )

Chris Bauer as "Captain Arthur O'Byrne"
(Frank Sobotka from "The Wire")

Charles Dutton as "Police Chief Douglas"
(Roc Emerson from "ROC")

Giancarlo Esposito as "District Attorney Guzman"
(Gus Fring from "Breaking Bad")

Lela Loren as "A.D.A. Reynolds"
(Angela Valdez from "Power")

Good picks. I'd go with Winston Duke for J.C. Williams, bring back Lauren Velez as the LT (can't remember what happened to her character), and get somebody like Wesley Snipes for Police Chief or District Attorney.

 

[ThaBurgerPimp]

Shocked neither Fox or FX jumped on this..

or NBC so they could set it in the Law & Order universe

 

[Duece]

Giancarlo Esposito was in the original as Adolfo Guzman

 

[HAR125LEM]

"NYU" (Sorry) was my home(show) away from home when I moved to Oregon in the early 90s.
Once all these White Cats knew I was from NYC (especially Harlem), the (stupid) questions never stopped. LOL

I absolutely LOVED that fuckin' show.
It's style and musical interludes were like no other show at the time.
And loved Patti D'arbanville.

I'm not watching any fuckin' Reboot.
Stop Fuckin' with our memories already!

 

[Duece]

"NYU" (Sorry) was my home(show) away from home when I moved to Oregon in the early 90s.
Once all these White Cats knew I was from NYC (especially Harlem), the (stupid) questions never stopped. LOL

I absolutely LOVED that fuckin' show.
It's style and musical interludes were like no other show at the time.
And loved Patti D'arbanville.

I'm not watching any fuckin' Reboot.
Stop Fuckin' with our memories already!

As a native New Yorker, do you think it's even possible to such a show in modern day New York and still have the same effect?