Original title
The Commish
Released
9/28/1991
Origin country
US
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Production companies
ABC Productions, Stephen J. Cannell Productions, Three Putt Productions, aka Productions
Status
Ended
Number of seasons
5
Number of episodes
94
Tony Scali is a former Brooklyn cop now the Police Commissioner of a small upstate city. But for Scali, this is no desk job. He's a tough yet compassionate boss, a loving husband and father, and a hands-on law enforcer with an unorthodox style of bending the rules. From parenthood to politics, from sex crimes to murder cases, one man takes it day-to-day with offbeat humor and street- smart skill.
Tony is threatened with criminal negligence after the son of a prominent lawyer hangs himself in his cell.
The commissioner sets out to trap a serial rapist in a Santa Claus mask who's been terrorizing the city.
Rachel refuses to believe Tony when he tells her that her school teacher colleague, Jim Hollister, is a child molester.
After receiving a pair of baffling death threats, Tony initiates around-the-clock surveillance of his unsuspecting family.
Tony initiates a sweep to find a pair of missing cops; devises an ingenious way of keeping an habitually drunk driver off the road; and deftly handles an "extraterrestrial," all the while being scrutinized by a committee searching for a new police commissioner for New York City.
Two missing cops have been found under water, there a jail hunger strike going on and tony's up for the nypd commissioner job.
Tony is pursued by a woman he suspects is filing false complaints.
Tony butts heads with both a tough cop who is overzealous in his handling of criminals, and a hard-nosed management consultant hired by the city in a cost-cutting effort.
Tony is doubly stymied when identical twins both initially confess to the same murder, then, in a surprise about-face, accuse each other of the crime. Also, Arnie finds romance with a kindred soul, a phone-sex operator named Gloria.
A serial killer has been mutilating the bodies of Eastbridge tradsients and homeless people - and Tony begins to suspect the perpetrator's identity.
During the holiday season, Tony investigates the murder of an elderly woman allegedly killed in her home during a Christmas burglary; matches wits with a mugger, and defends a homeless woman who's been sleeping in the manger of a Holy Family creche.
After Commissioner Scali's friend and colleague, Chief of Detectives Irv Wallerstein, is struck down during a bloody encounter with hijackers, Tony becomes obsessed with finding the assailant!
Vietnamese gangs threaten Eastbridge and Tony steps in to help.
A mugging triggers a woman's repressed mernosy of her brother's murder, which she witnessed as a child. The suspect, free for the past 35 years, is tracked to the unlikeliest of hiding places by Tony and a visiting friend, L.A. homicide detective Paulie Pentangeli.
After seeing his mother killed by a stranger, a boy withdraws deep into himself, prompting a sympathetic Tony to step up his efforts to catch the murderer.
The unwelcome appearance in Eastbridge of white supremacists leads to a murder, with the suspicion soon arising that one or more of Tony's associates may be implicated.
After he shoots a woman in a drunken domestic squabble, Officer Kelly becomes the victim of a terrorization campaign.
Tony and Paulie investigate a puzzling arson case in which the husband of a beautiful woman appears to have been murdered.
Tony winds up in one of his own jail cells when he runs afoul of an imperious judge who's hiding a fearsome secret.
Tony attempts to protect an informant from a mysterious hit man, while Stan Kelly enjoys a romantic encounter with a beautiful new Eastbridge arrival.
Tony is embarrassed, then enraged, as a publicity-seeking "video vigilante" metes out even more bizarre and harsh punishment to offenders.
Mike Cermak - star high-school hockey player, recovering addict, and good friend of the Scali family - becomes a prime drug-ring suspect.
The daughter of one of Tony's friends is missing, so he and Paulie pose as porn film investors to find out the truth.
Tony escapes from the kidnappers with the help of the porn producer and then they pursue a film entrpreneur.
David is the only witness to a shooting involving his best friend and a bullying classmate. Tony pursues the case unaware of David's knowledge of the shooting. The victim’s father, skeptical of police justice, plans to mete out his own.
Tony is astonished to discover a wealthy socialite is the proprietor of a prostitution ring. The socialite is murdered, but not before Tony's name is discovered in her rolodex of clients.
The town is in shock when a heart is cut from a corpse at the funeral home. Meanwhile, the town believes a recluse taints halloween treats.
An old friend of Tony's is having marital trouble—which could be causing deadly incidents.
Rachel redecorates. One of Tony's friends, who harbors a secret, is a target from an escaped convict.
Rachel goes into labor, Tony is kept away due to a friends crisis.
Rachel becomes the target of a killer when she witnesses a murder whilst grocery shopping.
While Tony suffers from loss of sleep after becoming a father again, he puzzles over the case of a rapist who has diplomatic immunity.
A notorious mob boss retires to Eastbridge and, in turn, the crime rate rises.
Things are not going well for Tony: he's carjacked of his gift of a new car for Rachel, a patient from psychiatric hospital escapes, things are further complicated because the escapee is a master of disguise. Tony also suffers with kidney stones, which means that he has to go to hospital leaving Cyd in charge.
While Stan is having problems protecting Carmela from a curse, Tony thinks that a video dating service's client is a homicidal thief.
Tony hunts for a kidnapped infant who is seriously ill.
David's behavior and school works deteriorates. A group of young men from a prep school commit a burglary and one of them suspiciously disappears.
The son of Nick Collette arrives in Eastbridge, which causes more trouble for Tony and a local businessman.
Following on from the previous episode; Nick Collete seeks revenge and Tony continues his crusade to bring him to justice.
A man takes his ex-wife hostage. Things are further complicated by the involvement of one Tony's officers. The psychic who found the ring Tony was giving to Rachel in a previous episode returns, but this time with a warning about Tony's planned anniversary dinner but, is there an ulterior motive?
When budget cuts hit the Eastbridge PD, the majority of officers call in sick. This leaves the remaining officers to tackle a series of "push-in" robberies. Rachel goes to a her school reunion without Tony, but instead of going by herself she accepts the offer to attend with an old school beau.
A new reality police show comes to town. Meanwhile, a former movie star is implicated in her ex lover's murder.
A rapist is targeting blind female college students. Rachel makes an investment in art.
Tony receives mysterious telephone calls from someone who can help solve a drug dealer’s murder. Rachel gets a good job offer that, ultimately, could mean a move to Buffalo.
Tony and the head of a juvenile care centre clash when Tony suspects the man is responsible for the disappearance and probable murder of a missing girl. The two have history after the suicide of another girl at the same centre years before. Tony and Rachel's home life is tested when Rachel relocates to Buffalo.
Following the discovery of human bones at a location used by the juvenile centre Tony continues to bring his suspect to justice. Rachel and Tony make a decision about their respective careers.
After their decision regarding their careers Tony struggles to cope with his new job as a P.I. while Rachel finds it much easier to adjust. He also butts heads with his replacement so he reaches out to Cyd and for help.
Someone close to David dies as a result of a drug overdose and he struggles to cope with the harsh realities of law enforcement when Tony's hand is forced by outside agencies. Officers Baker, Kelly and Rose go undercover at a burger joint.
Rachel is being framed for murder after Tony's probe of a criminal network goes wrong.
Tony's city-council pal won't vote for a Japanese businessman's purchase of prime Eastbridge real estate. In a second short story arch, juvenile delinquents rob a flower shop.
The Scali's babysitter accuses an Eastbridge high school quarterback of rape, Tony must investigate despite the mixed feelings of the community. Stan's ego is bruised when his girlfriend knocks out a man who punched Stan.
The police are puzzled by two aged armed robbers; is everything as it seems? Cyd breaks up with her boyfriend and strange things start happening immediately thereafter.
Stan's fiance, Monica is implicated in assisting in a robbery. Tony discovers Monica was previously in trouble with the law before with her old boyfriend. Meanwhile, Rachel puts Tony on a health plan.
Amanda Hannington Wallace, the wife of a local multi-millionaire, is found dead her her mansion. When the autopsy is performed, the coronor advises Tony that the death does not look like an accident.
When a donor heart meant for a sick little girl is stolen, Tony heads up a team of detectives bent on finding the heart before anything can happen to it or the little girl. The thief makes themself known when he contacts her desperate parents and demands a $75,000 ransom for the missing heart.
Rachel's cousin Benny is a used car salesman, and Tony doesn't know what to believe when a case involving the murder of a young woman leads him right back to Benny's used car lots. When Tony realises that Benny is involved in drug smuggling, he gives Benny one last chance to explain himself.
The recent beatings of many members of the homosexual community prompts Hank Radovich to come out to his fellow officers, none of which are very accepting of the news. While investigating the beatings, John Hibbs is himself taken hostage and beaten, and although he was initially disdainful of Hank's sexual preference, he learns to accept his partner and friend.
Cyd finds the body of a young woman who appears to have died from an overdose of angel dust. The only witness is a young man named Billy, who the opposing attorney ridicules during a preliminary hearing because of his physical and mental handicaps. Further investigations lead the cops to a number of recently missing dogs.
A young woman is found dead and evidence leads Tony to a friend of his, a Priest who teaches local kids boxing
Tony and Rachel have a fight, and Tony begins throwing himself into his job. When Rachel is taken hostage in a bank robbery and also forced to go on the road, Tony tries his best to get her back, but the FBI soon assumes jurisdiction over the case, leaving Tony out of the loop.
After the body of Gary Ellis is found, the case soon leads Tony to Gideon Fisher, the father of David's girlfriend Sheri. Tony demands that David stop seeing Sheri, but David rebels, and he and Sheri run off together.
Residents of an apartment block employ their own security after one of them is attacked and a number of them are burgled. The residents feel safer but a what cost?
The wife of one of Tony's officers is killed by a drunk driver, leaving him with an eight-year-old daughter. The investigation leads to prominent surgeon Harris Clark who has a history of DUI offences. When Clark gets a suspended sentence and is found dead, suspicion turns to the officer.
Rachel is shocked when the mother of one the children she helps doesn't want her daughter's art featured in a magazine. It transpires that her estranged husband is a child molester and the mum's on the run. Elsewhere Tony's suicide awareness program cause a rather strange reaction from an actor neighbour he brought in to help.
More than anything Stan wants to become a sergeant, but the sergeant's test isn't the only obstacle in his way. He also needs to prove that he can follow a case from start to finish. Tony assigns him to the case of drug dealer Terry Ross, which he figures won't be that hard for Stan. Stan soon falls for Gail, Terry's estranged wife, and starts to think everything will be okay.
The force must rally themselves after Stan's death in a car explosion. Tony feels particularly bad, because he can't forget that he was the one who assigned Stan to work on the Ross case in the first place. After promising Stan's parents that he will find the man who killed their son, Tony launches a full-scale war on Terry Ross, not realising that Ross has hired someone to take care of the Scali family once and for all.
After being struck with a ball, Tony is hospitalized and it looks like he is going to be permanently paralyzed. But his family refuses to give up on him, and enlists the help of physiotherapist Dan Boylan to help him walk again. With Tony out of commission, Cyd is put in charge of the murder investigation of officer Joe Ratowski.
Tony's attempts at physical therapy are proving unsuccessful, and despite the love and support of his family he is beginning to lose hope that he will ever walk again, and is preparing to spend the rest of his life in the wheelchair. Cyd has the chance to take a job out of Eastbridge, but doesn't want to leave Tony in a noose. While she considers her decision, she continues to work on the Joe Ratowski murder case, which is looking more and more like an 'inside job'.
While investigating an armed robbery, Tony goes undercover and hires an escort to get some important information. He is shocked to see his friend Ralph's daughter, who is barely 18, show up, preparing to spend the night with him. Tony convinces her to get out of drugs and prostition and promises not to tell her father, but when tragedy strikes, Tony has no choice.
Isaac and Grace Caldwell are illegal immigrants who own and operate a small electrical shop. After they witness a murder, Tony has to convince the two to testify, which he does by promising them citizenship. They agree, happy that the child Grace is carrying can be born in America, but joy turns to tragedy when Isaac is shot.
While an officer who is posing as a crooked cop in order to expose a crime ring which be be the genuine article who has problems as tony also suspects him.
While working on an embezzlement and a kinapping case Paulie starts to becomes to emotionally involved.
A corrupt ex-officer that Tony imprisoned seeks revenge upon his release.
Tony uncovers a plot to frame an innocent man for the murder of a fellow patient at a mental institution.
An old student of Rachel's starts hinting that he saw his stepmother commit murder.
Officer Lopez is suspended after he fatally shoots a robber the press have nicknamed 'The Ghost'. Later, Tony believes that he see's the same man in a pawnshop. At home, the Scali's hire a contractor to do some simple DIY, but the costs keep spiralling.
An old friend of Tony gets his life back on track with help from a retirement hotel resident.
Tony helps a man find his estranged family who entered and then left a witness protection program. The family are also hunted by a mob boss.
David is caught shoplifting, meanwhile Tony finds out an accident victim was in debt to a loan shark and that he was also a polygamist.
A gangster who Tony's mother was dating is found killed. The main suspect is Tony's father.
Tony is accused of sexual harassment by an computer technician.
A serial sex-offender is found not guilty then later murdered. A prior victim's relative targets those he feels responsible for the failure to jail him.
While trying to solve a major gold robbery, Tony must rely on help from a conman.
Tony and Paulie travel to Brooklyn to help investigate the reopening of the case of their fallen friend and officer.
Tony and Paulie take on a shady investment broker at his own game. All the while, Rachel and Tony are in emotional turmoil awaiting the results of Rachel's breast cancer test results.
A hopeless teenager gets a help from Tony and Paulie.
While investigating the murder of his friend's daughter, tony gets help from a New York police officer.
Tony and Connie Muldoon close in on the serial killer, Connie's daughter might be the next victim.
Tony faces the biggest challenge of his career when an murder case from his past resurfaces.
Tony faces the biggest challenge of his career when an murder case from his past resurfaces.
During a high - profile serial murder case a old mentor of tony becomes involved with the case.
During a high - profile serial murder case a old mentor of tony becomes involved with the case.
While on the trail of an arsonist, the commish notices that all the clues point to the wife father's.
While on the trail of an arsonist, the commish notices that all the clues point to the wife father's.
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