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18

This television series, involving the good guys against the bad guys, had won more awards than any other dramatic series ever, yet was cancelled by NBC in the year 1987. Which show was it?

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With its chaotic morning roll calls and overlapping, naturalistic dialogue, this groundbreaking police procedural revolutionized the television drama in the 1980s. Set in a precinct in an unnamed, gritty American city, the series followed a large ensemble cast of officers and detectives, weaving together their professional and personal lives in serialized storylines. This was a stark departure from the standard, self-contained "case-of-the-week" format common at the time, offering a more realistic and nuanced look at law enforcement where the lines between right and wrong were often blurred. The show was, of course, Hill Street Blues.

During its run, the series was a critical darling, earning a staggering 98 Emmy nominations and 26 wins. This haul established a record for a dramatic series that would stand for 16 years. Despite this unprecedented acclaim, by its seventh season, the show faced a combination of declining ratings, high production costs associated with its large cast, and the departure of key actors. The death of Michael Conrad, who played the beloved Sergeant Phil Esterhaus and delivered the show's iconic line, "Let's be careful out there," was a particularly significant blow. Faced with these challenges, NBC made the decision not to renew the series, and its final episode aired in May 1987.