Bochco expresses understanding of ABC time changes, but worries about “NYPDs” new competition on Wednesday night. “NYPD” now occupies the 10PM timeslot against NBC’s “Law & Order” while “Philly” will take over “NYPD’s” old Tuesday slot. ABC explains its refusal to renew NYPD just yet as a sound decision from a business standpoint.  By A. Long

While the director stays close to Philadelphia for personal reasons of family and preference, the new location creates a more organic space for filmmaking, spurring more original ideas. For the set of the farm, Shyamalan rented 100 acres of fields at the Delaware Valley College to plant 40-acres of corn and construct an entire farmhouse. After the movie’s production, the house was torn down and all of the corn was donated to the school. The director claims to deliberately focus the settings of his plots in the Philadelphia-area (for example Bucks County and the Eastern State Penitentiary).  By A. Long

To keep the film within Pennsylvania, Shyamalan orders casting calls in local cities.  By A. Long

Deggan explains the controversial racial issues of the show "Philly". He questions Bochco’s lack of consideration for the implications of an all-white core cast defending black offenders for Philadelphia. Racial groups such NAACP, La Raza, and many minority viewers have expressed outrage that 21^st century television does not better reflect the changing composition and increasing diversity of our society. By A. Long

Kim Delaney leaves “NYPD Blue” in order to star in Bochco’s new “Philly.” The agreement is a win-win situation for the actress as she is guaranteed a returning role to “NYPD Blue” should the show be canceled after 13 episodes. Bochco states that he felt Delaney was underutilized on the current show and welcomed the opportunity to write a new role for her. While two roles of Diane Russell and Kathleen Macguire are women working around criminals and male coworkers, the new character of Kathleen is less cynical and damaged. Delaney interviewed several Philadelphia-based defense lawyers in preparation for her role.  By A. Long

Gallo speculates that the public acceptance of Bochco’s trial drama depends on former “NYPD Blue” star Kim Delaney’s performance as Kathleen Macguire. The character roles are fairly similar: strong candid females with inexplicable drive to set things right. The city is subtly a background, with few differences from New York City.  By A. Long

M. Night Shyamalan’s films often feature a fascination with the middle class family. His films appeal to wide ranging audiences and demographics. As Hollywood’s highest paid screenwriter, Shyamalan is on his way to becoming a modern auteur, opening a film with his name.  By A. Long

Bochco’s recent wartime drama portraying the war in Iraq fails to receive much audience attention. Gray contends that while the show is worthwhile and deserves a larger audience, both the smaller cable network and unresolved ending of an ongoing war contribute to its low exposure. Perhaps the audience feels like they are simply watching the news in drama form.  By A. Long

Delaney is reluctant to leave comfortably established role in “NYPD,” but expressed more confidence when Bochco is confirmed as the show’s executive producer.  By A. Long

M. Night Shyamalan’s Contributions to the Greater Philadelphia Film Office.Philadelphia has experienced a recent loss of projects to Canada. The success of M. Night Shyamalan’s films have created a new industry understanding of Philadelphia as a production center, increasing resources and experiences available to support future productions. The convention center and two city-owned warehouses have recently been transformed into free municipally run soundstages. Pinkenson explains that GPFO has always served as a nonprofit organization for the local film community.  By A. Long

M. Night Shyamalan attended school in an upscale Episcopalian institution in suburban Philadelphia. Instead of film focusing on crop circles and the simple alien supernatural, the director constructs a narrative of a higher supernatural to center on themes on faith and miracles. By A. Long

M. Night Shyamalan further centers the film’s themes on lost faith and later redemption of the protagonist Graham Hess. He connects worship beyond just the characters, but into a more self-conscious worship of cinema, the motivation of audiences to repeatedly attend screenings in movie theatres. Whether in reverence or otherwise, the director cleverly uses silence as a device for plot and representation.  By A. Long

Promotion of “Philly”.  By A. Long

Promotion of Signs.  By A. Long

Promotion of "Philly".  By A. Long

A positive review from a local critic declaring the film “a satisfyingly taut suspenser.”  By A. Long

Signs is shot in various locations in the Philadelphia area, mainly Doylestown, Morrisville, and Newtown. M. Night Shyamalan has a close association with these locations as his home is in close proximity, in Gladwyne, PA. Perhaps his own connections with the setting as well as the narrative was the cause of his devastation when his earlier film Unbreakable failed to connect well with audiences.  By A. Long

Rutenberg examines the causes for increases in explicit language present in “Philly” as opposed to his previous “NYPD Blue.” Broadcast television has been long characterized with significant give-and-take exchanges between censors and producers to gradually lower standards. Traditionally, standards on broadcast have been higher due to public accessibility versus the anything-goes cable network, which has recently been posing a threat to network’s market share. Changing censorship rules are molding the movement of both television and pop/local culture. Bochco continues to demand looser restrictions.  By A. Long

Back to Bochco. Mark-Paul Gosselaar, who played Detective John Clark on Steven Bochco's NYPD Blue from '01 to '05, will rejoin his old boss on the new hit drama, Commander in Chief. The show (and many other produced by Bochco) have difficulties generating interest within the younger viewer demographic. Positive local reception of his shows remain concentrated in much older viewers, with an average age of almost 60.  By A. Long

A positive review from a local critic declaring the film “a moody horror/thriller elevated by deft staging and the director's well-known narrative gamesmanship.”  By A. Long

“Philly” is scheduled to run during “NYPD Blue’s” timeslot on Tuesdays. NYPD Blue’s performance in its new timeslot on Wednesday worries Bochco, since the network has not renewed the show for its 10^th season. The network hopes the Tuesday timeslot will capture the established NYPD audience.  By A. Long

The President of the NAACP, Kweisi Mfume, calls the fall's major-network lineup a ''virtual whitewash,'' highlighting the blatant absence of black, Latino, or Asian actors in prominent roles in the new shows premiering on ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox. Mfume called this ''a glaring omission,'' adding that ''African-Americans make up 13 percent of the population; we feel that our presence should be appropriately reflected.'' However, well-known producer, Steven Bochco, is creating a new show with a predominately Black cast.  By A. Long

Philadelphia –born actress Kim Delaney was arrested Malibu, California on suspicion of drunk driving. She was arrested and given two years probation, $300 fine, and ordered to attend a safe driving class as a result of her arrest for drunken driving.  By A. Long

M. Night Shyamalan targets an ordinary audience. He wants to make a cross-generational movie for everyone from parents, children, grandchildren. Shyamalan uses his vision to transform a B-movie genre of alien invasion into an emotional tale of faith and belief. The film’s prevailing theme of the resilience of the human spirit led critics to interpret the film as almost a response to September 11^th.  By A. Long