‘Shades of Blue’ Begins Final Season Deep in Corruption

Alci Rengifo

NBC’s “Shades of Blue” is one of those shows where a good cop is trapped in a swirl of violent, bloody corruption. There is no genre more cynical about the honesty in systems of authority than the cop show. But as a series the premise can run out of gas fairly quickly, and so “Shades of Blue” begins a third season that will actually be its last. Jennifer Lopez and Ray Liotta have made quite the interesting, gritty pair in this show. They have the toughness and vulnerability noir requires. The series is gearing up to close as it should, with plenty of brave decisions and deadly backstabbing.

Following the chaotic events of the last season, during which detective and FBI informant Harlee Santos (Lopez) tried to commit suicide, she now finds herself testifying before a committee on deep corruption in the NYPD. Aware of her recent history, the committee is skeptical about her current state, but she insists she has enough to blow the lid off the shady happenings going on with the boys in blue. Cut to three weeks earlier, Harlee and Lt. Matt Wozniak (Liotta) try to pull off a drug deal at a bear which results in a shoot out, the discovery of a woman’s body and the killing of a man who turns out to be yet another cop. This surprises Wozniak and Harlee because they should be aware of who else in the department are moonlighting as drug dealers. While Harlee struggles with wanting to get answers legally, Wozniak isn’t blocked by any morals and waits while detective Nazario (Drea de Matteo) beats the bartender to get some information. Haunted by her recent suicide attempt and the sickening feeling of being knee deep in underhanded dealings, Harlee makes it to clear Wozniak that she wants out of his circle.

As far as police procedurals on TV go, “Shades of Blue” has never been a bad offering. It feels like a leftover from the 90s era that produced “Homicide: Life on the Streets,” “Law & Order” and “NYPD Blue.” Top tier names like Lopez and Liotta in the leads have always assured a certain, respectable level of acting. As the final season begins, Lopez is efficient in playing Harlee as someone who has been through too much and has now reached the end of her limit. Her character arch has always been quite dark, ranging from framing her abusive father for murder to going along with Wozniak’s schemes. But now she is ready to separate. There are some strong moments in the season premiere where see the sheer stress Harlee now lives with. In one scene she shoots a witness but doesn’t look like the hard-edged J.Lo of yesteryear, now she shakes and looks horrified. Fellow corrupt cop Michael Loman (Dayo Okeniyi) appears and coolly explains how they will manipulate the scene to explain it all officially to their superiors. Loman has come a long way from the rookie learning the ropes in earlier seasons, now moving like an expert at corruption. Ray Liotta has never lost his edge as Wozniak, although in this episode he has a scene at juvenile hall playing chess with the kid who shot him a few episodes back, of course it is also part of a sly way of manipulating a young witness to illegal activities.

The tone of the season seems to be one of rough separation. It is difficult to detach from a toxic environment that has already fully sucked you in. Harlee tells Wozniak she’s done but he mocks the idea that she could ever find peace moving upstate with her boyfriend (“so you’re gonna move upstate and see what your favorite casserole is?”). In another scene Harlee apologies to Loman with heartfelt regret over guiding him in the ways of becoming a corrupt cop. Harlee’s handler, Stahl (Warren Kole), remains on the run as well, and fans (if there is such a base) will be tuning in to see what has become of him, after two seasons of seeing him become obsessed with Harlee. A final, mysterious shoot out at the end of the season premiere, set up as a carjacking finds two other detectives murdered, and we wonder if it is a message being sent to Harlee, because even corrupt officers have some kind of omerta code in TV land.

“Shades of Blue” didn’t last long enough to make much of an impact, it is another case of an old school style being overshadowed by all the peak TV material trying new things. But the final season should at least be worth watching for Lopez and Liotta. It began as a show about corrupt officers, it now starts ending as a hard road to find redemption. Harlee will try to leave it all as this show prepares to leave the airwaves.

“Shades of Blue” season three premiered June 17 at 10 p.m. ET and airs Sundays on NBC.