I can’t be bothered doing individual posts for each character at the moment, so check out the new character lineup (link opens in a new window) and let’s learn about a few of your soon-to-be-favourite TV cops:
BEN MARTINEZ
Martinez is a greenhorn who has no idea what The Precinct is, why it exists, and what its officers do all day. Having become an officer when The Sarge thrust a badge at him, this barely changes during the course of the season, but with the help of brother officers Digby and D’Arcy, he quickly learns to handle stakeouts, suspect chases, illicit sexual trysts and masculine brooding, before ultimately falling victim to the horrors of party drugs.
BENITA “BEN” JESSUP
Outwardly a tough female officer with something to prove, Jessup is somewhat confused about her direction in life, her sexuality, and various other things we may not have time to cover.
BEN DIGBY & BEN D’ARCY
Longtime partners Digby & D’Arcy are best described as The Precinct’s larrikins: hazing of new recruits is their department. Comparing them to such amusing, dangerous screen partners as Riggs and Murtaugh, Tango and Cash or Daryl and Ossie would be unnecessary, and embarrassing for me as a writer of supreme originality. Suffice to say that when the chips are down, these guys can put their thumbs to the floor and their backs against the wheel. HOLD TIGHT!
BEN FALLON & BEN SANDHURST
Fallon and Sandhurst are your standard angry secondary characters. Since they’re not “the greenhorn”, “the pretty boy” or “the brooding loner”, they have taken up massive substance abuse; alcoholism for Sandhurst, drugs for Fallon. They spend their time being loud and destructive and hoping someone will notice.
BEN PADGETT
Padgett returns from a long-term undercover assignment in Episode Three and finds himself unprepared for the demands of everyday life: he’s seen and lived far too much. Another brooding loner, he naturally is happy to join Ackersley on a doomed renegade mission.
THE SARGE
Tough but fair, The Sarge has a tendency to fly off the handle and spew cop clichés like “That’s not the way we do things at The Precinct!” and “Hand in your gun and badge — you’re done for the day!” Still, he’s blue through and through, and takes great pride in his work, which generally consists of yelling, switching partners around and keeping the Mayor off everyone’s arse.
MR LOWINSACK
A little old bearded Jew who runs the bagel shop next door to The Precinct. Just like everybody’s grandfather, complete with slightly disarming hugs and kisses, Mr Lowinsack always has a friendly word or an oily paper sack full of ponchke (doughnuts) for his favourite Precinct officers. But is there more to him than the beard and flour-dusted fingers?