King of the 'Hill Street' Quiz: How Much Do You Know About TV Icon Steven Bochco?

Bochco helped create, produce, and write 'Hill Street Blues', which ran until 1987. When it premiered in 1981, it ranked 87th out of 96 shows. But winning eight Emmys made it a hit in its second season.

Barbara Bosson, who played the ex-wife of police captain Frank Furillo, was married to Bochco in real life. The couple divorced in 1997.

These days, continuing story arcs, where the storylines strech over multiple episodes, are common. But "Hill Street Blues" was the first cop drama to try it. Other show innovations included large ensemble casts and use of handheld cameras.

Bochco was also the driving force behind "L.A. Law." In terms of ratings, this one actually did better than "Hill Street Blues."

When the legal drama "Civil Wars" was cancelled, one of the lawyers (Alan Rosenberg) and a legal secretary (Debi Mazar) joined the cast of "L.A. Law." It was the first time that primetime characters had moved from one drama series to another on a different network.

Bochco wanted to bring more realism to his police dramas, and that's exactly what he did with "NYPD Blues," which started its run in 1993. The show employed sexual content and blunt adult language not previously shown on network TV.

ABC leveraged the raw nature "NYPD Blue" by displaying a (rather titillating) warning message to parents before the pilot episode. The episode merely displayed very brief flashes of buttocks.

Neil Patrick Harris became "Doogie Howser, M.D.," a 1989 comedy about an exceptionally intelligent teenage boy becoming a doctor. The show launched Harris into worldwide fame and greatly added to Bochco's legend.

"Cop Rock" actually combined police drama with singing and dancing, and it was a cringe-inducing headscratcher from start to (merciful) finish. It lasted for 11 episodes, about 11 more than necessary.

"Bay City Blues," about a minor league baseball team in Bay City, Michigan, lasted just four episodes.