Wiseguy
Series

Wiseguy (1987)

2 critics 37 lists ★ 6.6 TMDb 60 min 4 seasons CrimeDramaAction & Adventure

Vinnie Terranova does time in a New Jersey penitentiary to set up his undercover role as an agent for the OCB (Organized Crime Bureau) of the United States. His roots in a traditional Italian city neighborhood form the underlying dramatic base throughout the series, bringing him into conflict with his conservative mother and other family members while acting undercover as syndicate enforcer.

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Where to watchStreaming availability by region · data by JustWatch

The Generation GapWhat our critics say

The Broadcast Fossil
The Broadcast FossilBoomer

Wiseguy from '87, now that was a show that really dug into its characters. Ken Wahl played Vinnie Terranova, an undercover agent, but he'd stay embedded with a crime family for a whole story arc, not just one episode. So you got to know the bad guys, and you felt the stakes for Vinnie. It wasn't your usual weekly wrap-up. This was proper serialized storytelling, making you tune in every week to see how the whole, complicated thing would unfold.

from “7 Broadcast Revelations You Ought to Rediscover” →
The Cathode Rebel
The Cathode RebelGen X

Forget the weekly case, *Wiseguy* was all about the deep dive. Vinnie Terranova went so deep undercover, he practically became the criminals he was investigating, blurred lines and all. It pioneered long, serialized story arcs, each one a mini-series in itself, exploring the psychology of power and corruption with brutal honesty. Dark, intense, and dramatically gripping, it was unlike anything else on network TV, a true innovator.

from “11 Static Shocks That Built My Brain: The Real TV You Missed” →

Featured in 37 lists

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