Winner 1981

Hill Street Blues

NBC Television, MTM Enterprises

Hill Street Blues wins a Peabody Award for NBC and MTM Enterprises. This unique portrayal of police work in a decaying section of a big city has an air of realism that so many similar programs lack. Writers and co-producers Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll deserve much of the credit for this realism. The dangerous, often violent, sometimes depressing, yet frequently humorous events that face the “Blues” are skillfully blended with the sometimes unethical compromises demanded by police department politics. Excellent acting by a superb cast brings out the toughness of the “Blues” yet never destroys the compassion necessary to temper the hardness. This refreshing approach to the problem of law enforcement is well deserving of recognition. Thus, a Peabody Award to NBC and MTM Enterprises for Hill Street Blues.