Naked City - Set 2

I remembered watching "Naked City" reruns late at night on a local NYC station when I was younger so when I saw that some episodes were released on dvd in a "best of" format, I thought I'd buy a set and refresh my memory. I've been hooked ever since. This is a great show, and a great showcase of '60s New York. A scene in one episode, not necessarily on this set, was filmed in the original Penn Station. I was born after it was razed and, while I've seen photos of it in books, nothing compares to actual footage. It's a shame that Sony/Columbia has not released full season sets of this show, and that Image Entertainment only released "best of" sets. Hopefully someday all 4 seasons of this show will see the light of day on dvd.

This television show is one of the great TV shows. This set is even better than set 1 even though set 1 is great too. The episodes are full of very realistic people and incidents and a humanity to all the characters. There are no absolute bad guys or good guys. The good guys can be hot tempered and moody and the bad guys are sometimes very difficult to see through their goodness. The stories are 3 dimensional and and exciting. The direction and scripts are wonderful. The show won several Emmys for its editing. The love of actors and acting is something that stands out in the show. There is actually one episode where a young man who is a homicidal tries to get away with it by scaring people to death with fake props such as a knife and a gun. Nancy Marchand, Aldo Ray, Sandy Dennis etc. star in episode and create memorable characters. This show must have been an actor's dream and because it was the first TV show actually filmed on NYC streets the show could probably draw in the greatest actors and actresses from the stage. It has a very different feel to it than Hollywood cops shows and a grittier and more complex image. It's sad that this show has been lost in the memory of so many people.

"JUST WONDERFUL" The way TV use to be and sadly to say no longer is.

The 138 episodes (all in B&W) of the police drama "Naked City" were originally broadcast on ABC from 1958-1963. The series started in a 30-minute format (39 episodes), took a year long break and return in a 60-minute format. The series was filmed in the old Biograph Studios in the Bronx, famous as the studio where D.W. Griffith got his start.

Image Entertainment's 3 DVD release "Naked City - Set 2" contains an assortment of twelve of the hour-long episodes from seasons 3 and 4. The titles, episode numbers, and original air-dates are detailed below.

Although the title makes it sound like a racy exploitation series it is actually the total opposite. Many consider this gritty crime drama the best ever of its genre and the title reflects a focus on stripping away the glamour off NYC and exposing its ugly inside; at least to the extent that they could get away with on broadcast television during those years.

"Naked City" is a follow-up to the 1948 film noir feature of the same name. Both movie and television series utilized extensive location shooting and they definitely have a different feel than the Hollywood product of that era. Also unusual was featuring jazz music by Billy May and Nelson Riddle.

The show never stopped changing its cast and was a bit like "Police Story" in this regard, as it designed to showcase its many great guest stars (it drew a lot of big names from Broadway); and this variety was the show's greatest asset.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.


7 March 1962: (3-21) Today the Man Who Kills the Ants Is Coming
25 April 1962: (3-26) The Sweetly Smiling Face of Truth
9 May 1962: (3-27) And If Any Are Frozen Warm Them!
23 May 1962: (3-29) The Multiplicity of Herbert Konish
6 June 1962: (3-31) The Rydecker Case
13 June 1962: (3-32) Memory of a Red Trolley Car
26 Sept 1962: (4-2) Idylls of a Running Back
3 Oct 1962: (4-3) Daughter Am I in My Father's House
10 Oct 1962 (4-4) And By the Sweat of Thy Brow
17 Oct 1962 (4-5) Kill Me While I'm Young So I Can Die Happy
31 Oct 1962 (4-7) Go Fight City Hall
28 Nov 1962 (4-11) Dust Devil on a Quiet Street

I barely remember this TV show when I was a kid. I had remembered the line..."There are 8 million stories in The Naked City..this has been one of them." I knew it had been a quality show, so I decided to take a chance & buy the first season. WOW! The guest stars are many & the acting & stories are tops above any of the trash on TV today. I like how the lead actors never hog the spotlight, but add their special abilities episode after episode. The locations, black & white photography & music all add to this special show. One also has the option of watching this with original commercials. I now own all the Naked City sets that one is able to purchase! As usual, Amazon was first rate in their delivery to me within 5 days. Anyone who likes quality detective shows would go for this series. This & Peter Gunn are my favorites. FIVE STARS!