BBC America's 'Copper' a mix of 'Deadwood' and 'CSI: 1864'

BBC America branches out with its first from-scratch series, set, not in England, but, instead, in late-19th-century New York. "Copper" (10 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19), a mix of "Deadwood" and "CSI: 1864," is the creation of Will Rokos ("Southland") and Tom Fontana, the creator of HBO's "Oz" who was also largely responsible for the 1990s-era masterpiece "Homicide: Life on the Street."

"Copper" does not reach "Homicide" levels of greatness in its premiere -- really, what show could? -- but Sunday's pilot at least suggests "Copper" may offer "Oz"-level attention to character development once it gets up on its feet.

The 10-part series is set in 1864 in New York's Five Points neighborhood, where Irish-American cop Kevin Corcoran (Tom Weston-Jones, "MI-5") tries to keep the dirty, dusty streets of New York safe from criminals -- and other cops who believe themselves to be above the law.

Perhaps the greatest flaw in the "Copper" pilot is the challenge in telling Corcoran apart from his 6th Precinct partner, Francis Maguire (Kevin Ryan). Both have long, wavy hair.

Corcoran's first case involves the murder of a young girl he believes to be the prostitute he gave an egg to earlier in the day -- but she looks cleaner dead than she did alive. For assistance in determining how the girl died, Corcoran turns to Matthew Freeman (Ato Essandoh, "Damages"), an African-American doctor he met during the Civil War.

Freeman does the whole "CSI"-crime-lab routine, albeit in a rudimentary fashion, adhering clay to a dummy's head and hitting it with assorted objects until he finds a walking stick that makes a mark similar to what he observed on the dead girl's body.


Corcoran's investigation leads him to the home of his wealthy friend, Robert Morehouse (Kyle Schmid, "Blood Ties"), another of Corcoran's Civil War compatriots. It seems likely that Corcoran's efforts to bring the killer to justice will stretch over multiple episodes. He may even get assistance from the lead suspect's sophisticated wife (Anastasia Griffith, "Damages").

The "Copper" premiere also alludes to Corcoran's backstory, which involves a missing wife and a deceased daughter, whose grave Corcoran visits. Corcoran and his cronies also make routine visits to Eva's Paradise, a kinder, gentler whorehouse (or so viewers are told) run by Eva Heissen (Franka Potente, "Run Lola Run").

With so many previously established relationships on display, "Copper" has the ability to go in multiple directions. The friendship between Corcoran and Freeman is most interesting from the start, particularly given Freeman's plan to move to rural, northern Manhattan with his skittish wife (Tessa Thompson).

And the mystery of Morehouse's background also intrigues. He clearly has money and refers to a father who seems like he might be one of New York's powerbrokers. What sort of past do Morehouse and Corcoran share from their war days?


But there's enough to recommend about "Copper" that it's worth tuning in to see how the series develops.

Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service,

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