TriBeCa (TV series)

TriBeCa
Genre	Drama
Created by	David J. Burke
Opening theme	Me Phi Me ("Keep It Going")
Composer(s)	James McVay (1.7) Lisa Harlow Stark (1.7) Eddie Jobson (1.2, 1.4) Anton Sanko (1.6) Galt MacDermot (1.3) Peter Lurye (1.6)
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	7
Production
Executive producer(s)	David J. Burke co-produced by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal
Production company(s)	Montana Beach Productions TriBeCa Productions TriStar Television
Distributor	Sony Pictures Television
Release
Original network	Fox
Original release	March 23 – May 4, 1993

TriBeCa (also known as Tribeca) was a television drama anthology series^[1][2] created by David J. Burke and co-produced with Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal for TriBeCa Productions in 1993^[3][4] that aired on the Fox Network. The series theme song, "Keep It Going," was performed by the alternative hip hop artist Me Phi Me.^[5]

For his performance in the lead role of Martin McHenry in the season opener, "The Box," Laurence Fishburne won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.^[6]

Noted for attracting “actors, screenwriters and directors of uncommon quality,”^[7] and set in New York City's lower Manhattan neighborhood of TriBeCa, the series was aired by the Fox Broadcasting Company. The stellar casts, with series regulars Philip Bosco and Joe Morton, included Eli Wallach, Kevin Spacey, Kathleen Quinlan, Melanie Mayron, Judith Malina, Carl Lumbly, Richard Lewis, Carol Kane, Debbie Harry, Dizzy Gillespie and Danny Aiello III.

Directors and screenwriters included David J. Burke, Hans Tobeason, John Mankiewicz of the prolific Mankiewicz family, Barry Primus, Bryan Spicer, Jeffrey Solomon and several actors in the series, among others.

Episodes

TriBeCa aired seven episodes in its single 1993 season:^[8]

1. "The Box".^[6] Laurence Fishburne, Carl Lumbly, Victoria Dillard et al.
2. "Honor". Stephen Lang, Keith David, Tamara Tunie et al.
3. "The Hopeless Romantic". Peter Boyle, Cara Buono, Ron Eldard et al.
4. "Heros Exoletus". Ernie Hudson, Kathleen Quinlan, Casey Siemaszko, Kevin Spacey et al.
5. "The Rainmaker". Jesse Bradford, Betty Buckley, Jeffrey DeMunn, Lisa Eichhorn, Richard Kiley et al.
6. "The Loft". Dizzy Gillespie, Debbie Harry, Bill Irwin, Rya Kihlstedt et al.
7. "Stepping Back". Adam Arkin, Eileen Brennan, Carol Kane, Richard Lewis, Melanie Mayron, Eli Wallach et al.

References

1. "Robert De Niro". Hollywood.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-25. De Niro segued into television production as the executive producer of "Tribeca" (Fox, 1993), a short-lived dramatic anthology series set and shot on the streets of downtown New York. He employed the talents of several actors turned directors—Primus, Melanie Mayron and Joe Morton—to helm some episodes. Debut as an executive producer.
2. Danny Duncan Collum (May 14, 1993). "Robert De Niro Presents Tribeca". National Catholic Reporter. [O]ne of the truly notable entries in the ever-dwindling field of serious, hourlong TV drama. Surprisingly it is on the Fox, which clawed out a "fourth network" niche mostly with raucous half-hour comedies and hourlong adolescent hormone operas.
3. John J. O'Connor (March 30, 1993). "A Serious Show On Fox. Seriously". The New York Times. What's most impressive so far about "TriBeCa" is the level of production quality. With Mr. Burke, Mr. De Niro and Jane Rosenthal as the executive producers, "TriBeCa" is obviously not going to be your average, somewhat tacky weekly series. Its overall "look" is striking. One production designer is Santo Loquasto, whose work has brought inimitable distinction to a good many Woody Allen films. In fact, the shots of lower Manhattan that accompany the opening credits are as seductive as any city tour in an Allen movie.
   “No doubt the involvement of Mr. De Niro in this project helps attract actors of substance, those who, like Mr. Fishburne, Mr. Lumbly and Mr. Lang, offer performances that are leagues beyond the standard television movie. Gifted veterans like Andre Gregory and Judith Malina can be spotted in future shows.
4. James Doolittle (April 13, 1993). "Fox's 'Tribeca' taps anthology format for good drama". The Daily Collegian. Much of the praise must go to series creator and co-executive producer David J. Burke, who brings the same sense of character development and realism that propelled his last series, CBS's Wiseguy.
5. "Tribeca summary". TV.com. The series theme song, Keep It Going, which sampled James Brown's voice, was performed by alternative hip hop artist Me Phi Me.
6. "The Box". IMDb. A cop (Laurence Fishburne) tries to deal with the death of his older brother, a stockbroker murdered and robbed on his morning run through Battery Park. His tortured efforts to open a puzzle box that his late brother gave him parallel his efforts to find peace with himself. A splendid start for the series, with Fishburne's Emmy Award-winning performance as the anguished cop. Series regular Joe Morton makes his first appearance as a mounted policeman.
7. John J. O'Connor (May 4, 1993). "SJF, 40ish, Pressured In TriBeCa". The New York Times. TriBeCa has attracted actors, writers and directors of uncommon quality. Without having to commit to long-term contracts, they have been allowed to stretch themselves in ways that commercial television rarely affords. "TriBeCa" is the kind of project that probably cannot survive in a totally commercial environment. But then, public television has no money to support such ventures. It's the dreadful television bind.
8. TriBeCa - 1993 TV Series at the Internet Movie Database (Episodes Cast lists Awards)