Stephen J. Cannell has been responsible for a large number of successful Television shows over the years, but one of my favorites was “Wiseguy.” This was a show I followed through its entire run, and one that I had always wished I had recorded. The shows central character during its initial seasons was Vinnie Terranova (Ken Wahl), who was an undercover FBI Agent. Though it might seem that shows that feature cops or FBI agents are pretty much done to death, occasionally some originality slips through. Such was the case when Cannell envisioned “Wiseguy.” Up until recently, most series of this type pretty much ran their plotlines on an episode-by-episode basis, with little real character development. When “Wiseguy” premiered in 1987, viewers were treated to a whole lot more. The series was made up of ‘story arcs’, where each one of Terranova’s assignments would take up several episodes. This allowed more complex plotting and strong character development.

For example the first story arc, “The Steelgrave Arc,” Terranova had to infiltrate a branch of the mob controlled by Sonny Steelgrave (the late Ray Sharkey). During the course of those ten episodes, Terranova did indeed get himself ‘inside’ but also formed a strong relationship with Steelgrave, much like that of a brother. So as the arc came to a close, the emotional impact was much stronger than what you might normally have in a one-episode type sting operation.

The series was further enhanced by the ‘see-sawing’ of the characters. Wahl’s portrayal of Terranova painted him as a somewhat tortured figure. The secret he was keeping had a strong effect on his psyche, as there were temptations to do the wrong thing. He actually had to be kept in line by his boss, Frank McPike (Jonathan Banks), and his ‘lifeline’ within the bureau “Uncle Mike” (“Highlander’s” Jim Byrnes).

It was a real treat re-visiting the series with the release of this first story arc on DVD by Studio Works Entertainment. The four-disc set offers up all ten episodes of the “Steelgrave Arc”, and even includes a couple of bonus episodes that bridge the gap between this arc and the next. These two episodes also allow a look into the lives of a couple of the peripheral characters.

The set also includes commentary by Ken Wahl on two of the episodes, and two really good interviews with Stephen J. Cannell, and Jonathan Banks. It also has something I wish I would see on more DVD sets, a gag reel. It’s always fun to see characters from a favorite show messing up and cutting up.

Some other good news is If you’re ‘wise’ enough to pick up this first DVD set of “Wiseguy”, and find yourself totally hooked on the show, the second story arc, “The Profitt Arc” should be available in December. This arc was every bit as good as the first, and starred a young Kevin Spacey and Joan Severance as Mel and Susan Profitt, powerful drug and munitions dealers. And as you know, anything with Kevin Spacey is going to be good. As it is, I’m hoping that Studio Works will release the entire series, then follow it up with the 1996 reunion TV movie. Trust me, it’s that good.

Starring: Ken Wahl, Ray Sharkey, Jonathan Banks, Jim Byrnes
Extras: Audio Commentary by Ken Wahl on Selected Episodes, Interviews with Stephen J. Cannel (Co-creator) and Jonathan Banks (Frank McPike), Gag Footage,
Specifications: Full Screen, 5.1 Audio
Studio: Studio Works Entertainment
Release Date: 8/26/2003
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website 1
Website 2

We'll give Wiseguy - Season 1 a B.