The reviews for the NBC 1999 Mini Series "To Serve & Protect" are all over the map on this website. Fact is, the two movies were not awful as some indicate but this was hardly Shakespeare. Essentially this is a solid police procedural with multiple (maybe too many) underlying story lines helping it maintain it's interest through three plus hours of film.
The basic premise is simple...Three generations of Dallas PD Police Officers all work together to catch a serial killer. Craig T Nelson (TV's "Coach" and the Poltergeist films, et all) is the lead as the current Chief Of Detectives Tom Carr. His father Howard, who retires after a long and distinguished career early in the film is played by Emmy Winner Richard Crenna. Amanda Detmer plays the newest addition to the long running Cop family, Tyler, a recent Police Academy Grad. For good measure we get lots of Tom's partner Brad (John Corbett) who is every bit as effective a cop as he is a womanizing ladies man. Tom is convinced that a recent string of unsolved homicides is the work of one predator even though the Dallas Police Chief initially doesn't think so. Eventually Tom convinces him otherwise and the fun begins.
Along the way we get revelations about the strained relationship between Father-Daughter Tom & Tyler, including an unplanned pregnancy and her changing her name to attend (and graduate) the Academy without her father's knowledge. There is a fledgling romantic entanglement between Brad & Tyler, and Howard's personal investigation post retirement into the murders of his other son & daughter in law, who's own son (struggling with being gay) is now being raised by Tom. Sound confusing ? It is to an extent as this mini series seems to head off in several different directions outside the serial killer investigation.
You get the impression that NBC may have had plans to turn this into a weekly series (thus the multiple unrelated side stories involving so many characters). In any event the film is muddled in the middle parts switching back & forth between the Gay story, Howard's investigation, and the somewhat creepy romance between Brad & Tyler (given that Tyler is much younger than Brad and he is her Dad's partner!). The film bogs down after a strong start and becomes a bit of a confusing mess of sorts.
Buidling towards the end the film picks up considerable steam. Putting the Gay story lines and improper romance in the rear view mirror the film focuses much more on solving the serial case and the unlikely killings of Tom's brother & sister in law. The conclusion brings all the principle characters together in a confrontation with the serial killer (the other case having already been solved). It's a bit predictable but satisfying and everyone of note is involved.
Nelson does a good job in the lead, playing a tough cop who none the less second guesses himself at home and shows far more sensitivity away from work than he shows on the job. Crenna isn't utilized near enough given his ability (and the many overlapping story lines involving his character's kids and grand kids) but he acquits himself well in a limited role as the older, wiser, teacher to Amanda Detmer's head strong, immature rookie cop (he even gets in on the action end in a shoot out with drug dealers). Detmer also is solid, adding some depth to an otherwise one dimensional self focused character, allowing the audience to understand a bit where she comes from emotionally (when she is given a chance which isn't often enough in a script that too often calls for her to be the bitter child without exploring why). The cast in general is quite good, the problem is the abundance of confusing and unrelated side stories that keep diverting the viewers attention.
Still, at roughly 3 hours length without commercials this is not a bad view, in fact it has it's share of entertaining moments and the audience will be happy with the conclusion of two biggest story lines (the two separate murder investigations). A good pick up at the right price.
The basic premise is simple...Three generations of Dallas PD Police Officers all work together to catch a serial killer. Craig T Nelson (TV's "Coach" and the Poltergeist films, et all) is the lead as the current Chief Of Detectives Tom Carr. His father Howard, who retires after a long and distinguished career early in the film is played by Emmy Winner Richard Crenna. Amanda Detmer plays the newest addition to the long running Cop family, Tyler, a recent Police Academy Grad. For good measure we get lots of Tom's partner Brad (John Corbett) who is every bit as effective a cop as he is a womanizing ladies man. Tom is convinced that a recent string of unsolved homicides is the work of one predator even though the Dallas Police Chief initially doesn't think so. Eventually Tom convinces him otherwise and the fun begins.
Along the way we get revelations about the strained relationship between Father-Daughter Tom & Tyler, including an unplanned pregnancy and her changing her name to attend (and graduate) the Academy without her father's knowledge. There is a fledgling romantic entanglement between Brad & Tyler, and Howard's personal investigation post retirement into the murders of his other son & daughter in law, who's own son (struggling with being gay) is now being raised by Tom. Sound confusing ? It is to an extent as this mini series seems to head off in several different directions outside the serial killer investigation.
You get the impression that NBC may have had plans to turn this into a weekly series (thus the multiple unrelated side stories involving so many characters). In any event the film is muddled in the middle parts switching back & forth between the Gay story, Howard's investigation, and the somewhat creepy romance between Brad & Tyler (given that Tyler is much younger than Brad and he is her Dad's partner!). The film bogs down after a strong start and becomes a bit of a confusing mess of sorts.
Buidling towards the end the film picks up considerable steam. Putting the Gay story lines and improper romance in the rear view mirror the film focuses much more on solving the serial case and the unlikely killings of Tom's brother & sister in law. The conclusion brings all the principle characters together in a confrontation with the serial killer (the other case having already been solved). It's a bit predictable but satisfying and everyone of note is involved.
Nelson does a good job in the lead, playing a tough cop who none the less second guesses himself at home and shows far more sensitivity away from work than he shows on the job. Crenna isn't utilized near enough given his ability (and the many overlapping story lines involving his character's kids and grand kids) but he acquits himself well in a limited role as the older, wiser, teacher to Amanda Detmer's head strong, immature rookie cop (he even gets in on the action end in a shoot out with drug dealers). Detmer also is solid, adding some depth to an otherwise one dimensional self focused character, allowing the audience to understand a bit where she comes from emotionally (when she is given a chance which isn't often enough in a script that too often calls for her to be the bitter child without exploring why). The cast in general is quite good, the problem is the abundance of confusing and unrelated side stories that keep diverting the viewers attention.
Still, at roughly 3 hours length without commercials this is not a bad view, in fact it has it's share of entertaining moments and the audience will be happy with the conclusion of two biggest story lines (the two separate murder investigations). A good pick up at the right price.
