There is hardly a television season that goes by without some form of crime drama included in the programming. This is not a recent phenomena; it has been this way just about as long as families have sat in front of that glowing box in our living rooms. Over the years there has been just about every permutation possible for this venerable genre. While most series try to find some gimmick or another to separate their show from the rest of the pack one stands out for being middle of the road; ‘Nash Bridges’. It was not a high tech wonderland like the current forensic shows that abound now. It also doesn’t have a talking car or fancy gadgets. What it does have is a middle age detective trying to hold on to his life and job as he solves the crime of the week. This was a transitional series for CBS. For years they were getting the reputation for what has been called geriatric crime dramas with series that included ‘Diagnosis Murder’ and ‘Murder she Wrote’. Now they eye ball network scores big with a younger audience with the CSI franchise. ‘Nash Bridges’ was somewhere in the middle. It contained a character that middle aged men could readily identify with. He had many of the same foibles that men of this age group understood. Nash played by television action veteran Don Johnson, a two failed marriages, an adult daughter and now settled into middle management. He works as an inspector in the Special Investigation Unit for the San Francisco police force. This is a more humanistic view of a TV detective than is usual depicted. This is not to say that this show is a touchy feely one. It had great appeal to even younger audiences with a good dollop of action in every episode. It started out its six season run as a mid year replacement. As such it only had a meager eight episodes to grab its audience. It always remained strong in the ratings and was only cancelled because of the escalating cost of production. This first season is available on DVD through CBS Paramount. If you have been a fan it is a must have. For those out there new to the show this is an excellent introduction.

The series was created by Carlton Cuse. Previously he worked on the television western ‘The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.’ Afterwards he would go on to writing and producing for the mega hit ‘Lost’. The best thing about this series is how well the characters are drawn. They are flawed but not overly so; you might say relatable to the typical audience member. Nash is always ready with a witty retort or smart mouth remark. This is not new especially for a TV police detective but here it appears to have a different origin. Nash is basically great at his job but unable to make his personal life work out. He has two ex-wives and a grown up daughter. He is not able to fully connect with his daughter, Cassidy (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe). He had enough problems dealing with women on a romantic plane but to have one in his life that is his daughter is difficult for him to adjust to properly. Nash has achieved a considerable rank in the department and is entrusted as a member of an elite unit but there is still some potential for moving up in the ranks. His one big talent besides his determination is his almost photographic memory that helps him piece together the smallest details. The success at work is used by him to give some semblance of order to his world. Nash is portrayed as a detective that has to be in the thick of things in order to solve a case. Bridges is not a desk jockey. Johnson may have a few more years behind him than he did in ‘Miami Vice’ but he can still chase a bad guy with the best of them.

Bridges best friend and former partner is Joe Dominguez (Cheech Marin). He retired from the SFPD to open his own private detective agency but within a few episodes of this first season has to rejoin the force and the SIU because of a problem with his retirement and pension paperwork. He is always on the look out for a get rich quick scheme of some sort and frequently needs Bridges to help him out of a sticky predicament. Joe is quick of wit and dedicated not only to the work but his friend. He is also able to find some sort of humor in almost any dire situation. Most people remember Marin as part of the seventies pot oriented comedians ‘Cheech and Chong’. Actually he is an accomplished actor and very talented even without a bong in his hands. One character of sorts that helped pull in the younger male demographic is Bridges’ car; a yellow 1971 Plymouth Barracuda convertible with a 426 Hemi engine; once again Johnson gets primo wheels to tool around in. Of course there are a number of other quirky characters around to round off the bunch. Inspector Harvey Leek (Jeff Perry) is the most technologically savvy of the group. The only thing he loves more than his job is the Grateful Dead. The youngest member of the team is Inspector Evan Cortez (Jamie P. Gomez). Nash sees a younger version of himself in Cortez. Since he is young and handsome you just know that something is going to develop between him and Cassie.

Some of the story lines and situations of this series echo Johnson’s previous hit, ‘Miami Vice’. While the color palette is more varied there is the same ‘in your face’ attitude. This is established right from the start. In the first scene of the first episode Bridges is undercover. To prove he is not a cop he is told to cut a rope that is holding a police detective over a highway. He swings the blade a couple of times but it is too dull. He then walks away from the deal only to be called back by the crooks. This is an older and more mature Sonny Crockett but he still has the nerve and attitude for the street. In this show though the deal may be for stolen computer chips instead of drugs but the action is still there. There is the usual assortment of crimes for Bridges and the crew to solve each week; heroine dealers, bomb threats, gang wars and arms dealers. Each topic provides the means for more action than actual detective work but they are fun to watch.

To the credit of CBS Paramount this is more than the usual plain vanilla DVD set for an older series. There are commentary tracks for selected episodes and a writer’s round table discussion about how the stories were developed. There is an interesting featurette about how Johnson and the original gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson came up with the original premise of the series. It is an enjoyable series that will certainly become a favorite in your collection.