This article is about the TV series Boomtown. There's also an article on the gaming community Boomtown.

Boomtown was a U.S. television action/drama series produced by NBC. The name is a nickname for its setting, Los Angeles.

Overview

The show's premise was that of a criminal investigation each week, seen from various points of view including the investigators, the lawyers, paramedics, reporters, victims and criminals. Despite the show's innovative style - similar to that of Akira Kurosawa's film Rashomon - the show received mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike.

The series premiered on September 29 2002 and was renewed for a second season. However - to satisfy the network, and falling ratings - the producers abandoned the show's unique style and changed around the cast, but after two episodes had aired of the new season, the show was cancelled.

The show received several awards and nominations, including Emmy Awards, Golden Satellite Awards and Television Critics Association Awards .

Boomtown was created by Graham Yost.

Cast

Main Cast

• Gary Basaraba as Officer Ray Hechler
• Jason Gedrick as Officer Tom Turcotte
• Neal McDonough as David McNorris, Deputy D.A.
• Lana Parrilla as Teresa Ortiz, Paramedic
• Donnie Wahlberg as Detective Joel Stevens
• Mykelti Williamson as Detective Bobby 'Fearless' Smith
• Nina Garbiras as Andrea Little, Reporter (Season One)

Recurring Cast

• Megan Ward as Kelly Stevens
• Dorian Harewood as Ron Hicks
• Kelly Rowan as Marian McNorris (Season One)
• Erich Anderson as Ben Fisher (Season One)
• Vanessa L. Williams as Katherine Pierce (Season Two)

Season Synopses

Season One

Pilot

A drive-by shooting is investigated from several angles. We meet Fearless, a man with a list of things to do before he dies, and a habit of telling stories; Joel, who is still attempting to hide the suicide attempt of his wife Kelly; Teresa, the kind-hearted paramedic who was on duty the night of the attempt; David McNorris, the manipulative deputy D.A.; his mistress, reporter Andrea Little; Ray Hechler, a cop under suspicion of being dirty; and his young partner Tom.

Possession

After a telemarketer overhears a murder plot on the phone, Joel, Fearless, Ray and Tom scramble to find him; while David and Andrea find the pressure of their affair building.

The Squeeze

A prominent attorney gets murder charges against him dropped, and everyone takes different paths in an attempt to get him to confess.

Reelin' In The Years

After Joel and Fearless solve the murder of his father's former partner, Tom and Andrea face their past.

All Hallow's Eve

On Halloween, David is stunned when Andrea breaks up with him on the same night that Marian accuses him of adultery; while Ray and Tom go undercover to save Teresa - whose ambulance has been hijacked.

The Freak

Ray and Tom investigate a bizarre case while Fearless risks his life to save a little girl, because of a haunting memory of an old war buddy.

Insured by Smith & Wesson

When Ray goes undercover into a hostage situation inside a sporting goods store, he discovers that the store manager is a former actor of Ray's favorite '80s TV show. While attempting to convince the manager to help him save the day, Ray's illusions are shattered.

Crash

Fearless's ex-girlfriend joins he and Joel on a case to crack an insurance fraud ring.

The David McNorris Show

While Joel and Fearless investigate the death of a teenage girl, McNorris makes some dirty deals which collapse just as his marrige does.

Coyote

Joel and Fearless must convince Andrea to face a psychotic homeless man who she went to school with to find a kidnapped teenager.

Monster's Brawl

On a tip from Teresa, Joel, Fearless, Tom and a slowly falling apart David team up to convict a group of filmmakers inspiring homeless people to kill each other.

Sinaloa Cowboys

A simple domestic disturbance call becomes a life-changing event for Ray and Tom as they find themselves in the middle of a drug war; while Joel and Teresa grow closer.

• Having only ordered 18 episodes instead of the usual 22, and given the less-than-stellar ratings, NBC put the show on a two-month hiatus before it returned in March. Oddly, the show wasn't even given any episodes during May sweeps.

---

Home Invasion

Joel and Fearless must reluctantly let Andrea in on their case when they discover a group of killers who stake out a family home before killing the family in their sleep.

Execution

On the night of his execution, a criminal gives McNorris an ultimatum: save his life or risk the death of a kidnapped cop. While McNorris attempts to save him, Ray and his fellow officers attempt to take a more pragmatic course, unaware of what they are up against.

Storm Watch

Ray, Joel, Tom and Fearless are locked down in the station along with their fellow cops when a mole is suspected and Ray has no choice but to ask Andrea - who almost cost him his badge a year earlier - to help; meanwhile McNorris continues on a downward spiral.

Fearless

In a rather different episode (featuring only one point-of-view, Fearless's), Fearless investigates the shooting of a drug dealer, and faces his past.

Blackout

With his wife having left him, and Andrea refusing to take him back, McNorris finds himself drinking into blackouts, which ultimately leads him to wake up with blood on his car. When he learns about a hit-and-run incident, he begins to act fearfully and his suspicions tip off Joel who is working with Fearless, Ray and Tom to crack the case.

Lost Child

Already agonising over his feelings for Teresa, Joel is put on the case of a kidnapped newborn. While Fearless, Andrea, Ray and David (preparing for rehab) investigate, Joel finds himself finally confronting his wife's suicide attempt and the death of their newborn daughter; while Tom finds himself being coerced into snitching on Joel.

Season Two

Despite the lackluster performance of season one, Boomtown was renewed for a second season. The producers decided to focus more on the investigative side, so Andrea was written out of the show, and Teresa joined the police academy.

The Love of Money

• Special Guest Star Rebecca DeMornay as Sabrina Fithian

Joel, Fearless, Ray and Tom work together to investigate a group of cop killers, who threaten Joel's family. Joel has Robbery/Homicide detective Katherine Pierce reassigned to their division to assist. Meanwhile, David recovers in rehab and Teresa considers her future.

Inadmissible

• Special Guest Star Rebecca DeMornay as Sabrina Fithian
• Stacy Keach as Mac McNorris
• Roma Maffia as Sally Jacobson

Ray and Katherine testify against the cop killers; David comes out of rehab and gets straight onto the case despite his recent alcoholism; and Teresa joins the police academy.

---

After only two episodes of the season, the series was cancelled. The four remaining episodes were aired on December 27 and 28 2003.

---

Wannabe

Joel and Fearless investigate when Teresa discovers a body at the police academy; Ray, Tom and Katherine work to stop a gang of thieves who psoe as police officers.

Haystack

A gang of fleeing bank robbers take a group of hostages at a shopping center, including Teresa.

The Hole-in-the-Wall Gang

• Special Guest Star LeVar Burton as Marvin Lloyd

A frat boy killed and buried in the wall of a frat house twenty years ago is found, and David, Katherine, Joel and Fearless investigate.

The Big Picture

• Guest Star Virginia Madsen as Erika Ashland

Not following his instincts on a domestic disturbance call, Tom is horrified when the woman goes missing and the chief suspect is murdered; so he works with Katherine in a desperate effort to find the truth.

Awards

2003 - Casting Society of America - Nominated - Best Casting for TV

2003 - Emmy Awards - Nominated - Outstanding Main Title Theme Music (Philip Giffin )

2003 - Image Awards - Nominated - Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series - Mykelti Williamson

2003 - Image Foundation Awards - Winner - Best Supporting Actress (TV) - Lana Parrilla

2003 - Television Critics Association Awards - Nominated - Oustanding Program

2003 - Television Critics Association Awards - Nominated - Individual Achievement in Drama - Neal McDonough

2003 - Television Critics Association Awards - Winner - Outstanding Achievement in Drama

2003 - Television Critics Association Awards - Winner - Outstanding New Program of the Year

2004 - Golden Satellite Awards - Nominated - Best Television Series, Drama

2004 - Golden Satellite Awards - Winner - Best Supporting Actor in Drama Series - Neal McDonough

DVD

The first season is now available on DVD.