San Francisco Special Investigations Inspector Nash Bridges (Don Johnson) tries to bust bad guys, while also dealing with his teenage daughter and two ex-wives.

CRITIQUE

Nash Bridges was a midseason replacement series in 1996, a cop show that blended police procedurals with buddy comedy and a bit of family drama as well.   The result works better than it should, particularly since too often the crime storylines are one-note and unconvincing: too many of them simply have Nash taunting the over-obvious bad guy, which puts Nash’s family and friends in danger, until the bad guy is killed at the end.

Still, the shows get more entertaining as they go on here, particularly once the emphasis starts sliding more toward humor.  Don Johnson does a good job giving Nash an appealing edge that keeps this watchable; no matter how the scripts try to up the stakes, it’s always obvious that Nash will save the day in the end, which made this serve as TV comfort food for 6 seasons and 122 episodes.

This first season only consisted of 8 episodes, and it’s interesting to see the show trying to find its footing.  The smartest move was the use of Cheech Marin, who doesn’t even make the official opening credits here, but who steals pretty much every scene he is in as Nash’s private eye pal Joe, adding some wry humor to the tale.

The rest of the cast is solid as well, and though Nash’s family drama (he has two ex-wives and a teenage daughter) is somewhat pat, it does somehow work to fill in the time between chase scenes and detective work.  The one jarring thing comes in the eighth episode, when they completely re-imagine Nash’s first wife Lisa (Annette O’Toole); where early in the series she is buttoned-down and upset about Nash putting her family in danger, suddenly she is giddy and trying to get involved in cases herself, which proves a bit eye-rolling.

Ultimately this isn’t classic, but it is compulsively undemanding and watchable, an amiable string of somewhat-unmemorable criminal investigations that get by pretty well on Don Johnson’s grin and Cheech Marin’s one liners as they cruise around in Nash’s iconic yellow convertible Barracuda.  Worth a rental if you’re in the mood.

THE VIDEO

Nash Bridges is presented in a 4:3 aspect ratio.  The visual look is okay, but not great.

THE AUDIO

Nash Bridges is presented in Dolby Digital.  Dialogue, music and sound effects come through clear.

THE EXTRAS

There are two Commentaries, one on episode 1 featuring creator Carlton Cuse and Cheech Marin, and the other on episode 4 featuring Don Johnson.  The first is okay, but Johnson’s is just sort of odd; it feels like it was edited from a conversation he is having with someone who has been cut out.

Writer’s Roundtable Season 1 is an interesting 19-minute present-day conversation between the main five writers on the series looking back at it.  Most have gone on to do better stuff, including Cuse, who co-created Lost, and Shawn Ryan, who created The Shield.

On Set Interview With Don Johnson and Cheech Marin is a short 2-minute bit shot at the time, in which the actors discuss the show.

Don Johnson and the Original Gonzo Idea is a 7-minute present-day interview with Johnson, in which he talks about how the show idea came out of a conversation he had with friend and neighbor Hunter S. Thompson.

There’s also an original network Promo Piece for the show, a few minutes long.

FINAL THOUGHT