TV Rundown: ‘Real Housewives’ + ‘Detroit 187’

Detroit 187

Season 1, Episode 3

ABC

There’s My City

This is my favorite episode of “Detroit 187” so far, hands down.  The first two episodes were a little rocky, which is to be expected for a new show and especially for a show that switched from documentary style to a more traditional set up.

In this episode we see more of the city.  We get to see those beautiful old homes in various states of disrepair that dot much of Detroit’s landscape.  Did you see those doors? The molding! The floors!  Such beauty.  Brush Park and Michigan Central station provide notable backdrops for much of the episode.

Det Fitch and a recovering Det Washington team up to investigate what on the surface appears to be a standard breaking and entering gone wrong. Of course upon further review, the story goes deeper than that. The storyline brings in urban planning issues (Shrinkage!), developer greed, media responsibility and the complexities of community activism.  We’re starting to get some layers folks. I love it.

There’s another storyline about a murder and a car, but it’s not that interesting.  Oh and one of the detectives threatens a suspect with the death penalty. There is no death penalty in Michigan. I know it’s fiction and it doesn’t have to be spot on with everything, but I’m sayin.

The show is getting better, finding its stride. I’m looking forward to next week’s episode and finding out more about Det Fitch’s New York secrets and how this evil developer angle will play out.

Do you think the show is getting better?