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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Thursday, March 28, 2024

In 'Shades of Blue,' Jennifer Lopez is a cop guilty of corruption and unoriginality

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Actress Jennifer Lopez on the set of the new TV show "Shades of Blue" on Nov. 10, 2015 in New York City.

Amidst the deluge of midseason television premieres, Jennifer Lopez’s new NBC police crime drama “Shades of Blue” (2016) seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle. Starring in and producing the show, Lopez is clearly the main draw, but, unfortunately, it is hard at times to praise anything other than her.

Many tend to forget that Lopez got her big break in Hollywood, not as a musician, but instead as an actress, beginning with her role as the famous Tejano singer Selena in the film of the same name. In a sense, “Shades of Blue” represents a valiant effort by Lopez to reclaim some of the film cred she  lost after a string of bad movies, including the box office bomb "Gigli" (2003) and critical failure "Monster-in-Law" (2005). The show is largely successful in this goal, as Lopez reminds the audience why she is a star in every scene.

From her subtle New York accent to her convincing emotional portrayal of a single mother that would do anything for her daughter, Lopez fills her character, Detective Harlee Santos, with much believability in a show that mostly lacks it. Even though Lopez plays a corrupt cop in a precinct full of them, the viewer can feel her character grapple with the consequences of her decisions, and that nothing in this television world is as clear cut as any of the characters want it to be.

Without giving away too much of the plot, the show mostly revolves around the struggle of what it takes to be a good cop in a rough part of New York City, as this group of officers does whatever it takes to keep the peace. In fact, the show literally opens with Santos and her rookie partner Michael Lowman, played by Dayo Okeniyi, dealing with a drug bust gone very wrong. The opening scenes do a decent job establishing the premise of the show by quickly introducing the viewer to this harsh reality.

However, “Shades of Blue” struggles due to an underdeveloped plot and a cast that lacks imagination. While Lopez’s character is supposed to have razor-sharp instincts, she gets busted by machinations that seem too simply contrived to succeed. Even worse, Special Agent Robert Stahl, played by Warren Kole, fails to stand out as the FBI agent responsible for bringing in Lopez’s character. These jarring inconsistencies dampen the appeal of “Shades of Blue” because they take away from the show’s few strengths.

Yet it is not all doom and gloom, as Ray Liotta takes on exactly the kind of role one would expect him to play. Normally, this would not be a compliment, yet Liotta does such a good job at playing the tough but morally questionable leader that it is possible to forgive the offense of unoriginality. Like most characters on the show, Liotta’s Matt Wozniak is later revealed to have a deep secret that only further enhances the show’s tendency to question basic morality. Emmy-winner Drea de Matteo also stars as another corrupt detective, though her character seems too underutilized for an actress of de Matteo's caliber.

“Shades of Blue” is by no means a terrible show. It is just not a particularly good one. The show comes off as Lopez’s pet project and completely delivers on this front, because Lopez reminds the audience why she is one the most successful entertainers of this generation. If the show can overcome the many hurdles it currently faces, then “Shades of Blue” stands a chance at being not just another guilty pleasure but a stellar cop drama combining the moral ambiguity of a Shonda Rimes show and the impact of a beloved drama such as “The Wire (2002-2008).”

Summary Jennifer Lopez shines on an otherwise fairly formulaic pilot for NBC’s “Shades of Blue” as the show lacks finesse in its dealing with morally complex issues and weaving an original plotline.
2.5 Stars