Detectives Drink Espresso

#1: Post by **Anthony** » March 31st, 2009, 11:14 am

Last night, after a long day of writing, I was vegging, surfing, and landed on a show called "Castle." In this show, the author (Castle) is drinking terrible coffee in the police station and decides to buy an espresso machine for everyone in the office (even the antagonist brought in for questioning thought the coffee sucked). The espresso machine was called an "Espresso Intenso"-but in no way resembled the Lavazza Blue Espresso Machine that takes the "Espresso Intenso Capsules." There is probably no relation between the names anyway (but correct me if I am wrong). There was no great latte art poured for the cap, and the shots that were "pulled" from the PF looked like drip. There didn't seem to be a tamping station (it was probably supposed to be a superautomatic), and I didn't see any beans or capsules. But hey, that's not the point.

Espresso machines and espresso is now de rigueur. The setting is not a café, a restaurant, a university, a Nike sports' shop, Intel, etc., but a police station. Compare this to the old "Hill Street Blues." Would Norman Buntz (Dennis Franz) or Michael (Mick) Belker (Bruce Weitz)-or any of the criminals for that matter-have insisted on espresso? Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying this is bad. Heck, when I saw them unpack the espresso machine, I was ready to cheer. But it is an interesting commentary on our cultural sensibilities that on national primetime, now the stale, reheated, drip coffee drinks in a rundown police station, have become replaced by gleaming new, stainless steel espresso machines and espresso drinks, and that the "I'll drink it in a dirty cup" homicide detectives have become (in principle, at least) coffee aficionados. That's a big shift.

Anthony

#2: Post by **kemperj** » March 31st, 2009, 11:39 am

Anthony,

I am a retired detective lieutenant and the coffee scenario you describe on all of the police shows is very correct. Almost all of us drank several pots of whatever we could get ours hands on everyday. No matter how old or stale, as long it was hot and had caffeine, it was OK. One thing we did have was a cheap coffee service, but we really abused the coffee. One detective was taken out of the office by ambulance believing he was having a heart attack. Turned out, he had had too much coffee.

I darn near caused a revolution when I placed an order for a box of decaf to go with the regular coffee. I had noticed that by mid afternoon many guys were bouncing off of the walls because of too much coffee; Not to mention perceived heart attacks.

Although I have now graduated to a decent espresso machine and home roaster, I'm not sure that all the years of horrible coffee hasn't ruined my taste buds. I hate to admit it, but when everyone describes all of the different taste of coffee I am envious. About the best I can do is bitter or sour and strong or weak.

Jeff

#3: Post by **Marshall** » March 31st, 2009, 12:08 pm

"Detectives Drink Espresso" So do moms.

Last week was the (awful) premier of a new show with Cheryl Hines, called "In the Motherhood." The moms' hangout is the (barely disguised) LaMill Coffee Boutique in Silver Lake. It was so annoying to see them block part of the view of Paul Pratt's customized LM FB80. If I'd been directing, I would have arranged the cast on either side, with frequent close-ups of the hammered brass body.

#4: Post by **roastaroma** » March 31st, 2009, 12:22 pm

Tell you what -- I write screenplays, and after I finish my current project, I'll write a script about a barista's struggle for excellence "in a world of mediocrity".

Seriously, I've been contemplating this for some time. (Don't worry, I won't forget about the grinder!)

Ciao,
Wayne

#5: Post by **Jacob** » March 31st, 2009, 12:35 pm

A little inspiration

Roast Me: A Love Affair With Liquid Gold - Part One

Roast Me: A Love Affair With Liquid Gold - Part Two

#6: Post by **Bushrod** » March 31st, 2009, 2:18 pm

Emerson Cod on Pushing Daisies drank coffee he made on his desk with a Hario vac pot in one episode.

He never used the commercial lever machine at The Pie Hole.

#7: Post by **Eiron** » April 7th, 2009, 1:33 pm

Anthony wrote:... In this show, the author (Castle) is drinking terrible coffee in the police station and decides to buy an espresso machine for everyone in the office ... There was no great latte art poured for the cap, and the shots that were "pulled" from the PF looked like drip. There didn't seem to be a tamping station (it was probably supposed to be a superautomatic), and I didn't see any beans or capsules. But hey, that's not the point. ...

I noticed these things as well. For a TV show, I wouldn't be surprised if the set crew simply plumbed a tube & poured regular coffee thru it for the close-up shot!

Anthony wrote:Espresso machines and espresso is now de rigueur. The setting is not a café, a restaurant, a university, a Nike sports' shop, Intel, etc., but a police station. Compare this to the old "Hill Street Blues." Would Norman Buntz (Dennis Franz) or Michael (Mick) Belker (Bruce Weitz)-or any of the criminals for that matter-have insisted on espresso? ...

Well, keep in mind the premise of the show: "Well-to-do NYC bad boy pulp fiction author becomes female detective's police station gadfly." Even using the artsy low light shots at the station, the contrast is stark between the author's life & the lives of the detectives he romanticizes about in his books. The detectives toil at their work, provided with the barest of essentials. The author has it all, & bestows a meager portion of it upon the downtrodden.

Not for the benefit of the detectives, mind you. It's simply because he's spending lots of time at the station & can't stand the brew! Well, that & the fact that he wants to be liked by the crew so they'll continue to include him in their case investigations.