Critical reception to the series was primarily negative during its run, but television studies author Cary O'Dell questions whether that stemmed from contemporary sexism.

A detective and action-adventure television series,[1][5] Lady Blue revolves around Chicago investigator Katy Mahoney (Jamie Rose), her violent means of dealing with criminals and tension with her co-workers.

[2] The New York Observer's Bryan Reesman described Mahoney as "the fiery red head" with a "trigger happy" personality and "violent excesses".

[2][6] Mahoney's reliance on violence is emphasized in the opening scene of the pilot; she sees a bank robbery while she is in a beauty parlor, shoots and kills three of the perpetrators, and returns to the salon for a pedicure.

[1] McNichols is portrayed as fond of chili dogs and appreciative of Mahoney's more unorthodox methods of handling criminals, although he still criticizes her reliance on violence.

[1] Describing Aiello's performance, O'Connor wrote that McNichols "offer[ed] an uncanny impersonation of the punch-drunk Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom in a 1940's movie".

[5] Mahoney's father, brother, and married lover were killed in the line of duty before the series begins, and O'Connor connected these events to the character's "toughness and determination to survive".

[5] Other characters include detective Gino Gianelli (Ron Dean) and his wife Rose (Diane Dorsey), Officer Cassidy (Bruce A.

[10][11] Mexican actress Katy Jurado appeared in the pilot as cocaine kingpin Dona Maria Theresa,[8] and American actors Ajay Naidu and Jim Brown portrayed "worldly-wise waif" Paquito and a "South Side drug czar", respectively.

[16] To prepare for Lady Blue, Rose watched Clint Eastwood films (including the Dirty Harry franchise) and practiced steadying her gun hand.

[23] In response to the criticism, Rose said that Lady Blue was set in "more of the heroic fantasy world" and compared Mahoney to a superhero; she explained that series was not intended to be a realistic representation of the police.

[7][21] ABC announced that it ordered a limited number of episodes of Lady Blue in its new time, but the series would be moved to another day "without interrupting the weekly flow" if it was successful.

[21] The series was later moved to Saturday nights at 9 pm EST, when it aired against The Golden Girls[5][25] and continued to receive complaints of excessive violence.

[8][23] Although O'Connor criticized the series for its "mindless violence and questionable law enforcement",[5] Anderson felt that the show had potential:[7] "Perhaps, with a little more seasoning on the Chicago police department, Jamie Rose might become a star.

In response to the pilot, Grove also panned its writer Robert Vincent O'Neil for copying ideas from Clint Eastwood films and the 1971 movie The French Connection.

According to O'Dell, criticism of Mahoney and the series' ultimate cancellation were the results of sexism: "Was such rebellion, contempt for authority, and brutal tactics considered too 'unfeminine'?"

The author felt that Lady Blue was ahead of its time, contrasting Mahoney's negative reception with the positive reaction to the titular protagonists of the 1991 film Thelma & Louise, who have developed a legacy as "newfangled feminist icons".