Parents' Guide to

East New York

TV CBS Drama 2022
East New York TV show: poster image

Common Sense Media Review

Joly Herman By Joly Herman , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

Social issues mix with guns in gritty police drama.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

age 18+

Watch something else instead

Oh my here comes another attempt by CBS to try and steal some Blue Bloods thunder. As a retired NYPD Detective I'm a real stickler for details when it comes to cop shows. So as you might imagine when I saw the previews for the upcoming CBS police procedural EAST NEW YORK bells and whistles went off and left me with a bad impression before it even debuted. The show brings back a gray-haired Jimmy Smits as two-star Assistant Chief Suarez. Watching the official trailer Assistant Chief Suarez (Smits) is shown in uniform at a double homicide wearing 2 SILVER stars on his shoulders and on his collar. First off, all 1, 2, 3 and 4 star Chief ranks in the NYPD use gold stars not silver. Silver stars are military issue not NYPD issue. Second, and probably the main reason why I won't be watching is Smits character is shown wearing a 4 star Chief of Department shield instead of a 2-star Assistant Chief shield. Why would they pay so little attention to detail? They couldn't find a 2-star Assistant Chief shield anywhere? This is what you get when you don't have an ace Police Technical Advisor on staff such as Blue Bloods Detective Jimmy Nuciforo. You can bet the rent Nuciforo would have prevented that obvious gaff from making the final cut. Yeah, I know to many it may seem petty, but in my opinion fresh out the box your show can't make such obvious mistakes like that. Skimp on the little stuff in your pilot you'll be skimping on big stuff down the road. Shame on Executive Producers Andrew Maher, Christine Holder, Mark Holder, Michael Robin, Mike Flynn and William Finkelstein for going cheap and not having an NYPD Technical Advisor on staff. Shame also on Jimmy Smits who is a veteran of police procedurals and should have never agreed to wear a 4-star Chief of Department shield when his role is that of a 2-star Assistant Chief.

What's the Story?

In EAST NEW YORK, the creators of NYPD Blue have teamed up to take a stab at a police drama in a changing world. Deputy Inspector Regina Haywood (Amanda Warren, Dickinson) is taking a big risk becoming the commanding officer of Precinct 74. She's a veteran cop who's pretty familiar with the demands of the high-crime area of Brooklyn, New York, having grown up visiting relatives there. But she doesn't expect a shooting outside a nail salon to draw her into a drama that polarizes politicians and the officers awaiting her leadership. Can she get the force to keep pace with the changes she wants to put into place? Or will her desire to create a community-centered police force get her fired?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Times have changed for U.S. police forces, and the creators of CBS's 2022 police drama are betting the genre is ready for a change, too. In East New York, when detectives deny a perpetrator his right to a lawyer during an interrogation, a sharp knock from inside the two-way mirror stops them mid-sentence. The new C.O. asks cops from her team to move into local government housing to get to know their neighbors. The mayor shows up at a crime scene to check in on things. Everyone is on edge.

Things wrap up pretty handily by the end of the hour; the script does feel confined to the commercial format. On the other hand, the acting is poised to soar. Jimmy Smits (Obi-Wan Kenobi, In the Heights) doesn't mess around, and veteran character actors like Richard Kind (Inside Out) and Michael Potts (The Wire) can be relied upon to bring intensity and humor. With its quick-cut editing and a decent soundtrack, this show may signal a new day for network police dramas.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about communication in East New York. How do officers communicate their morals and ethics to one another and to their community? Why is good communication crucial?

  • After the killing of George Floyd in 2020, U.S. police forces have been under scrutiny, and it also bolstered the Black Lives Matter movement. Can you see the influence of this social shift in this show?

  • The lead character in this show is a woman who has faced challenges in her career based on her gender and race. Which role models do you think might be an inspiration for someone in her position?

TV Details

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East New York TV show: poster image

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