Moses Johnson, a promising Black high school athlete, gets swept up in the Chicago criminal justice system when he is arrested as a supposed gang member after an officer dies during a drug bust gone wrong. Franklin Roberts, who has promised his wife that he will retire as a public defender, takes on Johnson’s case because he recognizes its potential to upend the entire Chicago judicial system, challenging the institutional racism and endemic corruption at its heart. The series was informed by deep research into the city’s history, as well as the personal experiences of executive producer-writer J. David Shanks, who grew up as a young Black man on the South Side and later became a Chicago police officer before entering the world of film and TV.

For thoughts on 61st Street: The Complete First Season, please check out my thoughts here.

Video Quality

The first season of 61st Street comes to Blu-Ray with a top notch 1080p presentation that represents this show without issue. The series features some very distinct Chicago locations which are presented with great depth and clarity on this disc. Deep colors from the urban landscapes and costumes make an impression alongside some cold and metallic interiors. From the palpable heat of the daytime scenes to the darker, shadowy moments, the skin tones and facial details are precisely rendered in a way that brings a great immediacy to the material. Small facial features are readily visible, such as the sweat gathering on foreheads under the intense pressure. Black levels are deep without any crush or banding popping up as an issue. No instances of compression artifacts crept up thanks to a solid encode. There is no reason to complain about this release.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that does everything that is asked of it. The music and score establishes a distinct tone for the series that properly fills up the room on this track. There is a bit of weight to the low during a few key sequences. Ambient activity makes an impression in the rear channels which help flesh out the world. The dialogue primarily stays anchored in front center channels and comes through crisp and clearly. This track never encounters anything that presents as an issue this season. It does a fine job of making sure no elements ever overpower the exchanges of dialogue. RLJE has once again delivered with this audio experience. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.

Special Features

Making Of 61st Street: A seven-minute piece in which the cast and creative team discuss the motivations behind the show, what makes it so powerful, the focus on characters, the casting of the ensemble and more.

61st Street – Cast Roundtable: A great 10-minute piece in which the cast and creative team gather to discuss their work on the show, the societal issues that are being tackled, what the show means for them on a personal level, what they hope the audiences derive from watching the show and more.

Final Thoughts

The first season of 61st Street can be a very tough viewing experience as it parallels many of the real-life horrors that plague the world day in and day out. Yet, it feels somewhat irresponsible to ignore these injustices in our storytelling, and this series does its best to bring some authenticity and gravity to material. There are moments that are a bit too heavy-handed, while others are a bit too unrealistic, but for the most part it delivers something that makes an emotional impact while remaining truthful. The performances in the show are simply terrific, and the pacing is impressive over this tight eight-episode season. RLJE Films and AMC have delivered a Blu-Ray with a great A/V presentation and a couple of special features. If the show sounds interesting and you are up for something emotionally heavy, this is worth checking out. Recommended

61st Street: The Complete First Season is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: RLJE Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.