Beverly Hills Buntz

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Beverly Hills Buntz was a short-lived spinoff from Hill Street Blues. It aired on NBC during the 1987-88 season.

[edit] Overview

The show was a 30-minute 'dramedy', that was a hybrid between light private eye fare and a sit-com. The main character, Norman Buntz, was previously seen as a morally and ethically questionable cop on Hill Street Blues. The series has the character quitting the police force, moving to Beverly Hills, and becoming a private investigator. In a programming experiment, NBC president Brandon Tartikoff announced that this show would be a "designated hitter" and was originally given prize time slots once a month following Cheers and Night Court. The other two "designated hitters" that season were Bruce Weitz and Nancy Walker sitcom, "Mama's Boy" and the second season of Edward Asner drama The Bronx Zoo. Eventually, Buntz was scheduled Fridays at 9:30pm between Night Court and Miami Vice in March 1988. The line-up didn't click for Night Court and "Buntz" but gained Miami Vice a fifth season with an improved performance having moved from 9pm back to 10pm.

Three pilots of "Buntz" were filmed including one by director Hal Ashby.

Thirteen episodes were filmed, of which only nine were broadcast. The first episode was broadcast 5 November 1987 and the last on 22 April 1988. The series starred Dennis Franz as Norman Buntz, and Peter Jurasik as Sid 'The Snitch' Thurston. Dana Wheeler-Nicholson joined the cast and former "Blues" character 'Irwin Bernstein' played by George Wyner made an appearance.