DAILY DIRT: Female TV cops don’t get enough credit

“Cagney and Lacey” was a major hit police drama back in the Big ’80s, a program I feel has stood the test of time for some important reasons … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 310 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Female detectives/law enforcement officers have rarely gotten the respect they deserve on network television.

Today I offer my favorite characters from this genre who I feel have set the bar in this category.What all three of these medal winners have in common are real-life flaws that were also integral parts of many of these shows’ storylines. “Cagney and Lacey” was a landmark show in this regard. Not only did it feature two women in leading roles normally handled by only men (at that point in TV history), but it showcased two women who actually came across as extremely human and vulnerable. Chris Cagney battled alcoholism and Mary Lacey was confronting problems on the home front, all the while trying to save the world behind their badges.

Gold medal (tie): Chris Cagney (Sharon Gless) and Mary Lacey (Tyne Daly), “Cagney and Lacey” (1982-88): This show had everything, especially compelling lead characters. There was the usual slam-bang police work, but there was also a careful crafting of their off-duty lives as key elements of the ongoing series, which was one of the finest overall from the decade in question.

Silver medal: Lilly Rush (Kathryn Morris), “Cold Case” (2003-10): My only complaint about this otherwise marvelous program was it rarely dove into the after-hours lives of the principal characters. Rush was an incredibly appealing personality, and I always thought the character would have been even more appealing if we had been able to know more about her other than the arrests. I’m currently in the process of re-watching the entire series and it may be even better the second time around.

Bronze medal: Jane Tennant (Vanessa Lachey), “NCIS Hawai’i” (first season): Lachey is a newbie, in her rookie season on the first-year CBS procedural. She’s got legit star power. I could see her as a gold medal candidate down the road. She’s also the real-life wife of singer/TV personality Nick Lachey.

2. Time to celebrate the music of another favorite baby boomer year.

Today’s is 1968, one of my all-time favorites. These were the top 10 songs from that marvelous 12-month period:

• 1. “Hey Jude,” by the Beatles: At 7:11, one of the longest songs ever to reach No. 1.
• 2. “Love Is Blue,” Paul Mauriat Orchestra: My all-time favorite instrumental.
• 3. “Honey,” by Bobby Goldsboro: Arguably the saddest song ever recorded.
• 4. “(Sittin’ On The Dock) Of The Bay,” by Otis Redding: The best effort ever from the late, great Mr. Redding.
• 5. “People Got To Be Free,” by the Rascals: My third-favorite Rascals song behind “Good Lovin'” and “Girl Like You”.
• 6. “Sunshine Of Your Love,” by Cream: This song helped make Eric Clapton a household name.
• 7. “This Guy’s In Love With You,” by Herb Alpert: Still a great, great song today. For the record, Herb is now 87.
• 8. “The Good, Bad And The Ugly,” Hugo Montenegro: A rarity to have two instrumentals in a year-end top 10.
• 9. “Mrs. Robinson,” by Simon and Garfunkel: I have always loved the line about “Joe DiMaggio”.
• 10. “Tighten Up,” by the Archie Bell and the Drells: Hated this song back then. Still do.

Songs that should have been in the top 10: No. 13 “Mony, Mony” by Tommy James and the Shondells, No. 14 “Hello I Love You,” by the Doors, No. 16 “Cry Like A Baby,” by the Box Tops, No. 19. “Midnight Confessions,” by the Grass Roots, No. 22 “I Wish It Would Rain,” by the Temptations.

For anyone interested, this would be my top 10 for 1968:

• 1. “Midnight Confessions,” by the Grass Roots.
• 2. “Cry Like A Baby,” by the Box Tops.
• 3. “I Wish It Would Rain,” by the Temptations.
• 4. “Love Is Blue,” by Paul Mauriat Orchestra.
• 5. “This Guy’s In Love With You,” by Herb Alpert.
• 6. “Mrs. Robinson,” by Simon and Garfunkel.
• 7. “Mony, Mony” by Tommy James and the Shondells.
• 8. “Hello I Love You,” by the Doors.
• 9. “People Got To Be Free,” by the Rascals.
• 10. “Sunshine Of Your Love,” by Cream.

3. Some of the most entertaining “Found on Facebook” moments from the past few days:

• “Always bring an extra pair of pants when you play golf, in case you get a hole in one.”
• “Don’t order hay for your horse from Amazon. After a few days, they ask you for your feed back.”
• “Just when you think it’s impossible for animal to play sports … boom! You see a fish bowl.”
• “A man retired from the police department and opened a yard-work company. He called it Lawn Order.”
• “She fell in love with a crane operator and got let down.”

Steve Thought O’ The Day — Some 54 years later, Steve is still upset the Grass Roots did not have the No. 1 song in 1968.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. He doesn’t carry a badge.