Fall TV: Blair Underwood, Detroit, Boris Kodjoe & Terrence Howard

Detroit 187

ABC

Premieres September 21

Full disclosure, I am totally biased towards anything that is about my hometown. “Detroit 187” explores my beloved and beleaguered city from the perspective of homicide detectives.  There’s a lot of bad stories about Detroit in the press and honestly, it’s all basically true, but there is more to Detroit than murder, abandoned houses and corrupt politicians.  I’m hoping that “Detroit 187” is able to do for Detroit what “The Wire” did for Baltimore. And that is present Detroit’s shortcomings in a powerful, comprehensive way that not only brings much needed attention and resources to Detroit’s ills, but also starts a national conversation about common issues that plague inner cities.  I’ll be watching this show and I will be very critical.  They need to get this right.  I want to love it, but I know I might not. The show has an impressive cast that includes Michael Imperioli (Chris on “The Sopranos”), Aisha Hinds (the fake voodoo woman from “True Blood”) and James McDaniel (Arthur on “NYPD Blue”).  That’s promising. Now I just how  hope they have good writers.  Also, I better not hear the word “soda” (we say “pop”) and I better see some clean gators.