D.E.A. is an American drama series which was aired on Fox as part of its 1990–91 lineup.
"D.E.A." was based on true stories of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Shot in "cinéma vérité" style, the program combined recreated scenes using actors with actual surveillance footage and film of actual newscasts covering the stories depicted.
Production.
The original concept of the show came from showrunner/creator Richard DiLello, who claimed that he'll create a hybrid format for the show that will combine elements of documentary (including newsreel footage and interviews) with drama.
The project was soon pitched to Lorimar Television, which was in turn pitched to the fast-growing Fox Broadcasting Company.
On May 14, 1990, the Fox Broadcasting Company announced that they would pick up the series for the new Friday night schedule, alongside reality program "America's Most Wanted", which was shown at 8:00-9:00pm.
Fox apparently had considerable confidence in this concept. When the initial version garnered low ratings and was put on hiatus, before its return the program was retooled into "DEA—Special Task Force", which placed more emphasis on the agents' personal lives and showed less graphic violence. The revamped show premiered in April 1991, but also failed to achieve significant ratings and the program was canceled for good in June 1991.
Reception.
The show received mostly positive reviews by critics. The San Francisco Examiner called the show "the biggest breakthrough of the new season."
References.
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