Essentially a buddy cop drama with a feminist twist, the CBS series combined gritty procedural plots with a refreshing portrayal of female friendship.
We’ve had strong female detective duos since – Scott & Bailey, Rizzoli & Isles, True Detective’s Danvers and Navarro – but these were the original and best. Hard-drinking career woman Christine Cagney (Sharon Gless) and working mother Mary Beth Lacey (Tyne Daly) were chalk-and-cheese but as an NYPD pairing, they were unbeatable. Essentially a buddy cop drama with a feminist twist, the CBS series combined gritty procedural plots with a refreshing portrayal of female friendship. Colleagues at their Manhattan precinct were vividly drawn. Hair was big, sweaters were cowl-necked and badges were flashed. Every year during its run, one of the two leads won the Emmy for Best Actress.