When Rick Schroder takes Jimmy Smits' place as one of the leads of "NYPD
Blue" next season, his new job will entail gunplay, profanity, and the
occasional nude scene -- none of which was required in his last series
leading role (at age 12) in 1982's "Silver Spoons." "NYPD Blue"'s
producers worried at first that Schroder's past image as a cherubic
child star might be an issue with viewers of the gritty cop show. "But
he did a fine job in the casting session, and he's certainly credible as
a detective," says coexecutive producer Bill Clark. "He played good with
Dennis, and that's what got him the part." Smits will say farewell on
the season's fifth episode, and Schroder, 28, will first appear on the
sixth, as a new detective assigned to be Dennis Franz's partner.
Casting a young actor instead of a peer of Franz's -- like Smits and
first-season partner David Caruso -- could be an attempt to shake up the
show and lure in a fading audience: "NYPD Blue" had a 14% ratings drop
this season (following a 12% decline the year before). Schroder will
certainly pique viewer curiosity. "The choice is a big surprise," says
Entertainment Weekly television critic Bruce Fretts. "They could have
had just about any TV actor they wanted, and nobody expected the kid
from 'Silver Spoons' to get the gig. The producers must have seen
something in him that we haven't seen yet."