[1] The series stars Michael Chiklis as Anthony Joseph "Tony" Scali, a former NYPD detective who is now the police commissioner in the small fictional suburban New York town of Eastbridge, and tends to work through problems with humor and creativity more often than with violence or force.

A daughter, Sarah Lou, named after her maternal grandmother Sarah Metzger (Rachel's mother) and Lou Donello (an old friend and former partner of Tony's), and played by twins Justine and Dayna Cornborough, was born to Tony and Rachel in the eighth episode of the second season, "A Time to Be Born".

Scali had three different lieutenants at his precinct during the show's run; Lt. Irving "Irv" Wallerstein (Alex Bruhanski), his longtime buddy and second-in-command, was killed in the line of duty in the eleventh episode of Season 1, "The Fourth Man", after appearing in only a few episodes and was replaced by Lt. Paul "Paulie" Pentangeli (John Cygan), his childhood best friend.

The star cops who also worked closely with Scali included Stanley Oliver "Stan" Kelly (Geoffrey Nauffts), Carmela Theresa Antonia Pagan (Gina Belafonte), and hot-headed Richard "Ricky" Caruso (Nicholas Lea).

Series regular Kelly was killed off at the end of season three, whereas other characters such as Pagan would simply disappear for longer stretches inexplicably.

[1] The character Tony Scali was based on the real-life 30th Commissioner of New York City's Department of Correction, Anthony Schembri, the son of an Italian immigrant, who grew up in Brooklyn.

Though the series was originally slated to air on CBS, unresolved casting differences led Stephen J. Cannell to cease pre-production with that network.