Public Morals - Cop Rock may be Steven Bochco's commonly accepted biggest failure, but as far as I can find, Public Morals is his only one-episode wonder, and his only true sitcom, airing on October 30, 1996. It was based around a group of detectives in a city's vice squad, and the actors included Donal Logue and Peter Gerety, of Homicide fame, and the first season of the Wire, along with possibly either groundbreaking or offensive gay administrative assistant played by Bill Brochtrup whose character was imported from NYPD Blue. The most interesting thing I can find about this show is it's one and only IMDB user comment, under the subject heading "Not Bad" by goomba8, "I saw this in it's original one-show run, and have it on tape somewhere. I didn't think it was any worse than 75% of the comedies on TV. I know that if there had been a second show, I would have watched it. The word was out that this was going to be some sort of low-level, politically incorrect comedy show, and it was reviewed badly before it aired, so I kinda knew by the first commercial it would be gone." Impressive.
Total Security - A series apparently so obscure it doesn't even have a wikipedia page, or is mentioned anywhere on the site, random poster Marty McKee, added a two sentence summary on IMDB describing the show as an "anti-Rockford Files" about a high tech security firm in which an odd couple of private investigators take on cases including blackmail, divorce and murder. The series starred James Remar and James Belushi and featured an early few episodes with Jason Biggs. It appears that 6 or 7 of the 13 episodes made aired in 1997.
Brooklyn South - This ensemble cop drama attempted to do for uniformed cops what NYPD Blue did for detectives and even won an Emmy award for best directing in a drama series. It featured such cast mates as Adam Rodriguez, who is apparently some guy on CSI: Miami, Dylan Walsh who would become Sean on Nip/Tuck, Yancy Butler, who starred in Witchblade (and apparently is also the daughter of Lovin' Spoonful drummer Joe Butler) and Doogie Howser's dad James B. Sikking. It lasted for a full season before getting canned.
City of Angels - Entirely unrelated to the movie of the same name, Bochco attempted to enter the medical world again in this drama, apparently noteworthy as the first primarily African-American medical drama to air on network TV. It featured established stars such as Blair Underwood, Vivica A. Fox, and Michael Warren of Hill Street Blues fame, and future stars (stars is a relative term) such as Maya Rudolph, Gabrielle Union, and Hill Harper who would go on to be some guy in CSI: Miami. It lasted one season, or two half seasons rather - from January to December 2000, before getting the axe.
Philly - Kim Delaney made the ill-fated decision to leave NYPD Blue to star in this lawyer drama in which she was a partner in a small law firm with Tom Everett Scott. It lasted it a whole season, but nothing was doing - low ratings got it canned. Co-stars included Homicide's Kyle Secor and Terminator 3's Kristanna Loken.
Blind Justice - Yes, it's true - this is pretty much one of those TV series that were created just for the name (can anybody say Saving Grace?). It's, as you might guess, about a recently blinded police detective who is out to prove he can still do the job. Castmates include 24 sixth season actresses Marison Nichols (Agent Nadia Yassir in 24) and Rena Sofer (Jack's mom). The midseason replacement lasted 12 episodes and was not renewed.
Over There - Steven Bochco went to basic cable and FX to take on the war on Iraq, marking another minor first - the first scripted show about an ongoing US military action. The show shows such luminaries as Erik Palladino, who apparently was in a Law & Order: SVU episode I saw recently, and Josh Henderson who played Nicolette Sheridan's nephew on Desperate Housewives. It was panned for taking no stand on the war in any way, and lasted all of 13 episodes.
...to be continued when Steven Bochco puts out five or so more failed shows
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