The Commish

Michael Chiklis starred as Police Commissioner Tony Scali in the ABC television series. Before his gritty role in The Shield, Chiklis played a much warmer, by-the-book suburban cop on this show. The series helped establish him as a leading man in television during the early 90s.

The series follows Tony Scali, the charismatic police commissioner of the fictional town of Eastbridge, New York. It focuses heavily on his home life with his wife Rachel and son David, alongside his duties solving local crimes. It originally aired from 1991 to 1995 on the ABC network.

The series has been featured on retro television streaming platforms like Crackle and Pluto TV at various points. In the mid-2020s, Mill Creek Entertainment also released a complete series DVD box set. Fans often look for it on free, ad-supported platforms due to its classic television status.

Unlike grim, realistic police shows, The Commish was largely a lighthearted procedural that emphasized family values and community policing. Tony Scali was portrayed as an approachable, everyday guy rather than a hardened, cynical detective. It fit the mold of early 90s network television on ABC, prioritizing case-of-the-week resolutions.