Two of ‘Boston’s Finest’ Give Inside Scoop on the Show
Two of the Boston Police Department officers featured on TNT’s “Boston’s Finest” reality show executive produced by Donnie Wahlberg spoke about having cameras following them, being on television, charity work and the New Kids on the Block. Ryan Mason, 34, from West Roxbury, and Skye Robinson, 32, from Roxbury, met up with Patch at Boston Police Headquarters at the same time. Patch: What unit are you in? Mason: Fugitive Unit – citywide. I started in BPD in 2005, and started in the Fugitive Unit in 2010, before that I was in District 4 and B-3. Robinson: I’m in the Youth Violence Strike Force. On the show it’s referred to as the gang unit. I started on BPD in 2006 in C-11 (Dorchester), and started in 2010 with the Youth Violence unit. Patch: Were you given a choice to be on the show? (Laughs….) Mason: That’s a good question. We were. We weren’t completely forced into doing it. I saw it as a good opportunity to promote the two non-profits I’m involved with – Parkway in Motion, and Cops for Kids with Cancer. And TNT and Donnie (Wahlberg) have said they will include the charity work in upcoming episodes. Robinson: Yes, I was. I chose to be in it with limitations. I didn’t mind if they’re filming at work. I didn’t feel comfortable with them coming into my personal life. Patch: Why did you want to be on the show? Mason: I think our department and officers we work with across the city is one of the most philanthropical group of people i’ve seen. As much bad as we’ve seen, we see a lot of good. I don’t think there is a profession that takes care of the community more than we do on the job and outside the job. Patch: Has the show affected the way you do your job? Mason: No. People do recognize us now. But it hasn’t affected us. We’re still doing things the way we did. You do get recognized by some people in the city due to large amount of advertising done. Robinson: No, not at all. I think what the show has done has made people a little more comfortbale in speaking with you. They see you and say “Hey, Boston’s finest!” No, I just deny, “No, that’s not me.” People we are stopping for police business, the first thing is “Oh, am I going to be on ‘Boston’s Finest?’” or “I can’t believe you’re on ‘Boston’s Finest.’” Mason: The day after the premiere a woman answered the door while I was serving a warrant (for her son) and asked where the cameras […]
What Did You Think of ‘Boston’s Finest?’
Editor’s note: We’ll avoid any major plot details in this post, but we can’t swear the comments will remain spoiler free. If you want to comment about specifics, please be kind and add a spoiler alert to the top line. After weeks of hype, “Bostons Finest” finally premiered Wednesday night. The TNT reality series follows Boston Police officers as they patrol the city. The show opened to strong reviews and a litany of excited tweets from the department itself. The first episode focused on a fugitive hunt in Southie and Dorchester, a melee in Hyde Park, and an officer’s bittersweet field trip to Lynn. And while other cop-based reality shows you’ve heard of focus on foot chases and shirtless arrests, “Boston’s Finest” took the time to introduce officers and tell their stories before getting into the nitty gritty of arrests and manhunts. What did you think? Were you impressed by the first episode or did you find it wanting? Does the show reflect well on Boston and its police department? Tell us what you think in the comments below. And please, flag any spoilers before you begin! South End Patch
‘Boston’s Finest’ Premieres Wednesday
TNT’s new reality show, “Boston’s Finest,” premieres Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 9 p.m. The unscripted show, which is executive produced by Donnie Wahlberg, follows the men and women of the Boston Police Department, promising “an up-close and very personal look at what it takes to protect and serve one of America’s greatest and most distinctive cities,” according to the show’s website. “Unlike many unscripted series about law enforcement, ‘Boston’s Finest’ will follow the fearless actions of the entire Boston Police Department, including beat officers, detectives, SWAT, fugitive and special task forces, as well as members of the highly decorated Gang Unit,” the TNT show description states. Some of the promotional shots from the show were filmed in Charlestown, and a few of the views shown in the video above may look familiar to local residents. So far, “Boston’s Finest” has gotten mostly positive to middling reviews. The Hollywood Reporter called the show a “well-made inside look at the Boston PD [that] will draw in fans of police procedurals.” Variety.com gave the show a B- “for effort,” saying that “‘Boston’s Finest’ fits the mold; if only the mold weren’t quite so well worn.” Media Life Magazine reports that the new show doesn’t necessarily do anything wrong but doesn’t offer anything new or creative to the genre, either. So what do you think: Does “Boston’s Finest” look like a show you’ll be tuning in to? What do you think of the above promotional video? And if this subject doesn’t do it for you, what kind of Boston-based reality show would you watch? SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch