Wiseguy: Mel Profitt/Drug Ring--Season 1, Part 2

For its brief and shining run, Wiseguy was one of television's gold standard series, although the story arc structure that made it so innovative and addictive also turned out to be the obstacle that kept the series from being widely syndicated. Any letdown over the demise of Ray Sharkey's Sonny Steelgrave in Part 1 (VL-11/03) of this innovative crime series' debut season disappears as soon as future Oscar-winner Kevin Spacey walks on in Part 2 as the wealthy, powerful, and completely certifiable Mel Profitt. This four-disc set contains all 11 episodes in the Profitt arc, and while his nemesis Ken Wahl, as Organized Crime Bureau undercover agent Vinnie Terranova, may be the star of Wiseguy, it's Spacey's show all the way. Unlike his relationship with the late lamented bad guy Steelgrave, there is no danger of Terranova coming under Profitt's influence: a genius paranoiac manic-depressive, Profitt is aptly described as a man with "a few cars off the track." And together with his sister Susan (Joan Severance), who administers drugs to her brother intra-toe (leading to Spacey's signature line “only the toes know”), he achieves "psychotic critical mass." Also worthy of mention is William Russ as presumed Profitt triggerman Roger Lococco, who serves as Vinnie's entree into this "new world of wealth, power, and pleasure" (not to mention drug trafficking and international arms dealing). DVD extras include sparse audio commentary on one episode by Wahl, a bonus episode, and over an hour's worth of interviews with cast and crew. Highly recommended. (D. Liebenson)