“Crime Story” is an American television drama series created by Gustave Reininger and Chuck Adamson. It debuted in 1986 and aired for two seasons on NBC. Michael Mann, who had previously worked on “Miami Vice,” served as the executive producer, having left that series to focus on “Crime Story” and direct the film “Manhunter.” The show launched with a two-hour pilot that was also shown in theaters, drawing an audience of over 30 million viewers. Initially, it aired on Friday nights following “Miami Vice” and continued to attract a large viewership. However, NBC later moved it to Tuesday nights at 10 pm, where it competed with ABC’s “Moonlighting,” leading to a decline in ratings and its eventual cancellation after two seasons.
Set in the early 1960s before the Beatles’ rise to fame, the series followed the intense rivalry between Lt. Mike Torello and mobster Ray Luca, each determined to bring the other down. Luca began his criminal career on the streets of Chicago, became a member of the Chicago Outfit, and was later sent to Las Vegas to oversee their casinos. Torello, leading a special Organized Crime Strike Force, relentlessly pursued Luca. Both Torello and Luca, along with Torello’s friend Ted Kehoe, grew up in Chicago’s “The Patch” neighborhood, also known as “Little Sicily” or “Little Italy,” which was the territory of the Forty-Two Gang. The show was notable and sometimes controversial for its serialized format, featuring a continuous storyline throughout the season, unlike the episodic format typical of TV shows at the time.