Steven Bochco

Steven Bochco – Life, Career, and Creative Legacy

Discover the life and influence of Steven Bochco — the American television writer-producer behind Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, NYPD Blue, and more. Trace his biography, career innovations, philosophy, and key quotes.

Introduction

Steven Ronald Bochco (December 16, 1943 – April 1, 2018) was a transformative force in American television drama. As a writer, producer, and showrunner, Bochco reshaped the medium by introducing ensemble storytelling, serialized plots, and character complexity. He co-created or led many landmark series including Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, and NYPD Blue, leaving a lasting imprint on how television dramas are conceived and produced.

Early Life and Family

Steven Bochco was born in New York City to artistic parents: his mother, Mimi, was a painter, and his father, Rudolph Bochco, was a concert violinist and immigrant from Poland.

He had a sister, Joanna Frank, who became an actress.

Youth and Education

In 1961, Bochco enrolled at Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in Pittsburgh to study playwriting and theater.

During and after his academic years, he began writing for television, honing his craft in the writers’ rooms of early shows.

Career and Achievements

Early Career & Television Writing

Bochco’s entry into television came via writing and story editing roles at Universal Television, where he worked on series such as Ironside, Columbo, McMillan & Wife, Delvecchio, The Invisible Man, and Griff. Columbo episode "Murder by the Book" (1971), among others.

He also contributed to film projects (e.g. The Counterfeit Killer in 1968) and worked on Silent Running (1972) and a Double Indemnity TV adaptation.

In 1978, he left Universal to join MTM Enterprises, where he would gain greater creative freedom.

Breakthroughs & Defining Shows

Hill Street Blues (1981–1987)
Bochco co-created Hill Street Blues (with Michael Kozoll) for NBC — a gritty, ensemble police drama that diverged sharply from the procedural norms of the time.

At first, Hill Street Blues had low ratings, and NBC nearly canceled it. But strong critical response helped it survive and ultimately succeed.

L.A. Law (1986–1994)
Following the success of Hill Street Blues, Bochco co-created L.A. Law, a legal drama focusing on attorneys and ethical conflict. L.A. Law became a popular and critically lauded show, garnering many Emmy Awards and influencing later legal dramas.

NYPD Blue (1993–2005)
Later, Bochco teamed with David Milch to produce NYPD Blue, pushing the envelope in terms of realism, complexity, and moral ambiguity in policing. NYPD Blue was controversial at first (for language, nudity, and tone) but ran for 12 seasons and became an influential model of modern TV drama.

Other Projects & Experiments
Bochco founded Steven Bochco Productions in 1988, and under that banner he launched new shows like Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989–1993) and the ambitious but failed Cop Rock (1990) — a musical police drama. Cop Rock is often cited as a bold misstep, yet it reflects Bochco’s willingness to experiment.

He went on to produce series such as Hooperman, Murder One, Brooklyn South, City of Angels, Philly, Over There, Raising the Bar, and Murder in the First. Murder in the First (2014–2016).

Innovations & Influence

Bochco’s signature contributions to television include:

• Ensemble casts & narrative complexity: Rather than a single star or case per episode, his shows wove multiple storylines across characters.

• Serialized storytelling in prime time: Subplots and character arcs would carry over episodes, foregoing the strict episodic reset model common in earlier TV dramas.

• Gritty realism & moral ambiguity: He brought in a tone that embraced darkness, ethical conflict, and flawed characters, contributing to the maturation of television drama.

• Pushing network boundaries: Bochco often clashed with network executives over tone, content, and vision, insisting on creative integrity.

• Cultivating talent & collaborative writers’ rooms: He was known for discovering and nurturing writers, actors, and directors who would go on to great careers.

Critics and peers often cite Bochco as one of the architects of the “modern television drama” — his influence echoes in later “Golden Age” series.

Personality, Beliefs & Philosophy

Bochco was known for being fiercely dedicated to truth in storytelling — not sanitized or formulaic versions of life, but complexity, messiness, and conflict.

He also embraced risk: even after the spectacular failure of Cop Rock, he remained unapologetic, viewing creativity as a gamble.

His work life was reputedly intense — demanding, collaborative, and driven by a moral seriousness about what television could accomplish.

In interviews, Bochco acknowledged that as time passed, his tastes diverged from many network executives, giving him a sense of being somewhat out of sync with evolving industry norms.

He also dabbled in fiction writing: he authored the novel Death by Hollywood (2003) and his memoir Truth Is a Total Defense: My Fifty Years in Television (2016).

Legacy and Influence

Steven Bochco’s legacy is profound:

• His innovations paved the way for serialized, character-driven dramas — the kind that dominate prestige TV today.

• Many contemporary showrunners cite him as an inspiration and foundational influence.

• His shows (Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, NYPD Blue) remain benchmarks in their genres.

• He won multiple Emmy Awards, Writers Guild awards, Peabody Awards, and was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.

• Even his failed experiments (like Cop Rock) are often discussed as bold examples of trying to push the medium.

• His ethos of artistic integrity over commercial safety continues to resonate among writers and creatives in television.

Selected Quotes by Steven Bochco

While Bochco is less often quoted than some writers or actors, here are some reflections and public sentiments attributed to him:

“If you end up creating a show with seven, eight, nine characters — ask yourself how you can appropriately dramatize that many characters within the framework of an hour television show?” — a reflection on the challenges of ensemble storytelling.

“We were really inventing it as we went along.” — about Hill Street Blues’ early seasons, describing how the show’s style emerged through experimentation.

“Sometimes, you go down swinging.” — in reference to taking creative risks such as Cop Rock.

These remarks reveal Bochco’s mindset: ambitious, experimental, and committed to pushing boundaries.

Lessons from Steven Bochco

1. Innovation demands risk
   Bochco’s willingness to try Cop Rock even after successes shows that growth often requires stepping into uncertain territory.

2. Structure and story can evolve
   He reimagined what television drama could be — multi-threaded, serialized, character-rich.

3. Artistic integrity matters
   Even when pressured by network forces, Bochco often stood firm on his creative vision.

4. Collaboration is central
   His strength lay in shaping writers’ rooms, mentoring talent, and building ensembles.

5. Failures are part of the journey
   Not every project succeeds. Bochco accepted failure as part of a long creative arc, not as the end.

Conclusion

Steven Bochco transformed the landscape of television drama. By championing ensemble casts, serialized storytelling, moral complexity, and network bravado, he left a legacy that endures in every modern prestige drama. His life reminds us that innovation is born of risk, that storytelling must reflect the messiness of life, and that a creator’s vision—if held with courage—can reshape an entire medium.