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The Job (TV series)
Encyclopedia
The Job was a single-camera television
comedy drama about a New York City
police officer named Mike McNeil (Denis Leary
) -- who indulges in adultery
, alcohol
, cigarettes and prescription drug
abuse—and his fellow 'bumbling detective' pals. The show, which appeared to borrow the tone and look of NYPD Blue
for semi-satirical purposes, was built around the Mike McNeil character, but relied on a strong ensemble cast
. The show filmed entirely on location in New York City.
from 2001 until its cancellation in 2002. ABC heavily promoted the formula-defying show in the beginning, but its ratings plunged very soon after its debut. The show was respected by many TV critics anyway, due to its 'real life'-like dialogue, multi-dimensional characters, and understated-yet-sharp wit. Episodes often produced hysterical laughs at unexpected points in the plot, and succeeded in making its amoral protagonist appealing to viewers who would never want to know such a person in their real lives. The series debuted in the spring of 2001 with 6 episodes, and was renewed for the following season. However, in the wake of the attacks of September 11, 2001, the show's second season premiere was pulled, and the second season did not air until the spring of 2002. At the time, the ABC network was trying to modify its schedule to reflect the more family-friendly programming its parent corporation, Disney, was known for.
, Nip/Tuck
, and Arrested Development.
, Lenny Clarke
, Diane Farr
, Adam Ferrara
, John Ortiz
, Julian Acosta
, Keith David
, Wendy Makkena
and Karyn Parsons
. Many of the principal actors went on to either star or guest star in the FX
network's Denis Leary
-produced Rescue Me
. In Rescue Me, the lead character (played by Leary) is very similar to Mike McNeil, but is a fireman
.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
comedy drama about a New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
police officer named Mike McNeil (Denis Leary
Denis Leary
Denis Colin Leary is an Irish-American actor, comedian, writer and director. Leary is known for his biting, fast paced comedic style and chain smoking...
) -- who indulges in adultery
Adultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
, alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
, cigarettes and prescription drug
Prescription drug
A prescription medication is a licensed medicine that is regulated by legislation to require a medical prescription before it can be obtained. The term is used to distinguish it from over-the-counter drugs which can be obtained without a prescription...
abuse—and his fellow 'bumbling detective' pals. The show, which appeared to borrow the tone and look of NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan...
for semi-satirical purposes, was built around the Mike McNeil character, but relied on a strong ensemble cast
Ensemble cast
An ensemble cast is made up of cast members in which the principal actors and performers are assigned roughly equal amounts of importance and screen time in a dramatic production. This kind of casting became more popular in television series because it allows flexibility for writers to focus on...
. The show filmed entirely on location in New York City.
On Air
It aired in the U.S. on ABCAmerican Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
from 2001 until its cancellation in 2002. ABC heavily promoted the formula-defying show in the beginning, but its ratings plunged very soon after its debut. The show was respected by many TV critics anyway, due to its 'real life'-like dialogue, multi-dimensional characters, and understated-yet-sharp wit. Episodes often produced hysterical laughs at unexpected points in the plot, and succeeded in making its amoral protagonist appealing to viewers who would never want to know such a person in their real lives. The series debuted in the spring of 2001 with 6 episodes, and was renewed for the following season. However, in the wake of the attacks of September 11, 2001, the show's second season premiere was pulled, and the second season did not air until the spring of 2002. At the time, the ABC network was trying to modify its schedule to reflect the more family-friendly programming its parent corporation, Disney, was known for.
On DVD
The complete series (19 episodes) was released on DVD in the U.S. in May 2005. Although the series' approach was rather novel for its time, aspects of it parallel (at times) other offbeat series like SeinfeldSeinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
, Nip/Tuck
Nip/Tuck
Nip/Tuck is an American drama series created by Ryan Murphy, which aired on FX in the United States. The series focuses on McNamara/Troy, a plastic surgery practice, and follows its founders, Sean McNamara and Christian Troy...
, and Arrested Development.
Cast
Other cast members include Bill NunnBill Nunn
-Early life:Nunn was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of William G. Nunn, Jr., a well-known journalist and editor at the Pittsburgh Courier, as well as an NFL scout. Nunn's paternal grandfather was the first African American football player at George Westinghouse High School.Nunn was a...
, Lenny Clarke
Lenny Clarke
Lenny Clarke is an American comedian and actor, famous for his thick Boston accent and role as Uncle Teddy on the series Rescue Me. During the 1970s, as related in the Comedy Central roast of Clarke's friend Denis Leary, Clarke ran for mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts. When asked by Leary what...
, Diane Farr
Diane Farr
Diane Farr is an American actress. She is known for her roles as FBI agent Megan Reeves in the CBS television series Numb3rs and Laura Miles on Rescue Me.-Life and career:...
, Adam Ferrara
Adam Ferrara
Adam Ferrara is an American actor and comedian who is currently playing the role of Chief "Needles" Nelson on the critically acclaimed FX series Rescue Me and is also a co-host on the U.S. version of Top Gear...
, John Ortiz
John Ortiz
John Ortiz is an American actor and Artistic Director/Co-Founder of LAByrinth Theater Company.-Career:In 1993, John made his film debut as Al Pacino’s young cousin ‘Guajiro’ in Carlito’s Way. He went on to appear in over 30 films including El Cantante, Take the Lead, Before Night Falls, Amistad,...
, Julian Acosta
Julian Acosta
Julio "Julian" Acosta was a versatile minor league baseball player who won 96 games as a pitcher, collected at least 749 hits as a batter and spent time at first base and in the outfield. He also spent several years pitching in Cuba and was a manager for a couple of seasons.He began his career as...
, Keith David
Keith David
Keith David Williams , better known as Keith David, is an American film, television, voice actor, and singer. He is perhaps most known for his live-action roles in such films as Crash, There's Something About Mary, Barbershop and Men at Work...
, Wendy Makkena
Wendy Makkena
-Career:Born in New York City, Makkena started her acting career in 1986 and appeared in the TV show Santa Barbara. She later landed her first movie role in Eight Men Out...
and Karyn Parsons
Karyn Parsons
Karyn Parsons is an American television and film actress and model best known for the role of Hilary Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.-Early life:...
. Many of the principal actors went on to either star or guest star in the FX
FX Networks
FX is the name of a number of related pay television channels owned by News Corporation's Fox Entertainment Group...
network's Denis Leary
Denis Leary
Denis Colin Leary is an Irish-American actor, comedian, writer and director. Leary is known for his biting, fast paced comedic style and chain smoking...
-produced Rescue Me
Rescue Me (TV series)
Rescue Me is an American television drama series that premiered on the FX Network on July 21, 2004, and concluded on September 7, 2011. The series focuses on the professional and personal lives of a group of New York City firefighters in the fictitious Ladder 62 / Engine 99 firehouse.The show...
. In Rescue Me, the lead character (played by Leary) is very similar to Mike McNeil, but is a fireman
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
.