Melinda's character Cyd Madison, introduced in the second season of this cop show, was the Chief of Detectives on the somewhat comical Eastbridge PD. In some ways a prototype of Scully (interestingly, Glen Morgan and James Wong, future X-File writers, worked on The Commish at the same time), Cyd Madison was sadly underused during her two seasons on the show. Only a few episodes really centered on Cyd, alas. (Check for a pre-Hercules Kevin Sorbo as Cyd's ill-fated boyfriend in one episode - much like Scully, Cyd's luck with romance was less than stellar. OTOH, none of her boyfriends were psychos with talking tattoos.) Melinda left after two seasons on the show, her character taking the job of police commissioner in a town near Eastbridge. Perhaps for the best, she didn't appear in either of the Commish TV movies produced after the show was cancelled. Comments on a few of my favorite episodes follow.
(NB - if anybody knows the title of the episode where Tony gets fired, please email me! I haven't found an episode guide, and they didn't show the title during the episode itself.)
Adventures in the Skin Trade (2/2) - First aired 9/26/92 and 10/3/92. An FBI agent working undercover at a porno movie/drug dealing operation, Cyd appears here in a micro-mini skirt and hair more oily than an Alaskan beach. You can't help but love her, especially when she saves title character Tony Scalli in a nice twist. "You're a cop...and I'm a cop!" In the end of the second half of this two part episode, Cyd has been kicked out of the FBI and joins the Eastbridge PD. And there was much rejoicing.
Dying Affection - A deranged madman is obsessed with Cyd, showing his love by sending her dead birds and killing her boyfriend. Straying close to 'damsel in distress' syndrome (one of my pet peeves), this episode is still one worth watching. The one with the most air time for Melinda, if my memory doesn't fail me.
A Little Heart - First aired 12/18/93. I love this one for purely shallow reasons, in that it lets us see Cyd all dressed up and drop-dead gorgeous in an operation to catch a Santa Claus prone to petty burglarly. Like I said, shallow. But she looked great, every inch a lady.
Tony Gets Fired - Another episode with a good dose of Cyd. In this one, Tony Scalli is framed and fired. Rather than promote his second in command, the brilliant town council hires a crooked outsider. That's Republicans for you. Cyd shines, torn between loyalty and duty. In the end, of course, she makes the right choice. A very nice episode.
