Wiseguy (TV series)

Did You Know?

• The series was created by Stephen J. Cannell and Frank Lupo, who previously co-created The A-Team, Riptide, and Hunter.
• In 1997, TV Guide ranked the episode "Blood Dance" number 14 on its "100 Greatest Episodes of All Time" list.
• The "Dead Dog Records" arc from Season 2 is omitted from most DVD and streaming releases due to music rights issues.

Synopsis

The series followed Vincent "Vinnie" Terranova, an undercover agent of the OCB, a fictional FBI division. Unlike similar series, Wiseguy was serialized over multiple episodes telling self-contained stories called cycles, each with its own set of central characters. Vinnie is released from prison after an 18-month sentence to establish his cover. After his training agent is murdered by Mafia boss Dave Steelgrave, Vinnie infiltrates the Steelgrave organization, earning the trust of Dave's brother Sonny. He becomes Sonny's second-in-command but feels conflicted by genuine friendship and the need to lie to his mother about his work. When an attack lands his mother in the hospital, Vinnie reveals the truth to her; his contacts Frank McPike and Lifeguard conceal this breach from superiors. The OCB sets up cameras at Sonny's bachelor party, where Sonny murders his rival. The arc ends with doubt about whether Vinnie can overcome guilt over betraying Sonny.

Main characters

Vincent Michael "Vinnie" Terranova (Ken Wahl) is a 30-year-old undercover agent who infiltrates criminal organizations. He is estranged from his family due to an 18-month prison sentence meant to establish his cover; OCB regulations forbid him from telling the truth. His brother Peter, a Catholic priest, knows the truth under the seal of the confessional. In the episode "Prodigal Son," Vinnie reveals his work to his mother Carlotta after she is hospitalized, reconciling with her. Frank McPike (Jonathan Banks) is Vinnie's superior officer, assigning cases and coordinating backup. He became OCB Regional Director after Vinnie's release. McPike often has Vinnie arrested on trumped-up charges to talk without revealing his identity. He has a troubled marriage and separates from his wife after diverting recovered money for her liver transplant.

TV film

In 1996, ABC commissioned a reunion film with Ken Wahl, Jonathan Banks, and Jim Byrnes reprising their roles. The story retconned the series, disregarding season four: after deserting following Stem's suicide and problems with his stepfather, the FBI reassigned Vinnie to a wiretapping detail. He is ordered to infiltrate the organization of criminal boss Paul Callendar (Ted Levine). The film explored themes of betraying people Vinnie had grown to care about. Though a critical success, it aired against NBC's Thursday night Must See TV lineup and drew few viewers. Wahl had suffered a broken neck in 1992, leaving him in near constant pain, making him unlikely to handle the role's demands. The film was the last time the original cast appeared in their roles. It was rerun on Sleuth in 2008 and released overseas on Video CD but is no longer commercially available.

Home media/streaming/rebroadcast

In May 2009, Mill Creek Entertainment acquired rights to release Wiseguy on DVD in Region 1, releasing the complete first season on August 25, 2009. On March 9, 2010, Mill Creek released Wiseguy: The Collector's Edition, a 13-disc set with 67 episodes from all four seasons, omitting the seven-episode "Dead Dog Records" arc due to music rights issues. Beyond Home Entertainment released all four seasons on DVD in Region 4, also without that arc. On August 12, 2022, Visual Entertainment released Wiseguy: The Complete Collection, a 14-disc set featuring all 75 episodes for the first time on DVD. The first season became available on iTunes on April 28, 2008. As of 2022, the series (except the "Dead Dog Records" arc) streams on Peacock, Tubi, Roku, Pluto, FILMRISE, freevee, and Amazon Prime. As of 2022, Circle and Ace TV rebroadcast the series, including the arc; as of 2023, Retro TV also includes it.