City plays role in TV's “Chicago Code”

Television writer and producer Shawn Ryan, who created the Emmy-winning police drama “The Shield,” wanted the city of Chicago to play a big part in his next show.

Ryan, 44, grew up in Rockford, and his many trips into the city for Cubs games and concerts instilled in him a deep love for the look and feel of Chicago.

“It's such an amazing town, but I think it, and the Midwest in general, tend to get ignored by movies and TV,” Ryan said during a phone interview. “I knew I wanted to set a show there before I even came up with the characters.”

His new show, “The Chicago Code,” premieres at 8 p.m. Monday on Fox. Cops are once again at the forefront (as they were in “The Shield”), but the show also delves into the political corruption that continues to be a defining element of the city.

“There's this huge, colorful history in Chicago that's all about corruption,” Ryan said. “How could I not use that?”

“The Chicago Code” revolves around the city's first female police superintendent, Teresa Colvin (Chicago native Jennifer Beals), and Colvin's attempt to take on corrupt alderman Ronin Gibbons (Delroy Lindo). The other key character is Colvin's former partner, tough cop Jarek Wysocki (Jason Clarke).

One of the striking things about “The Chicago Code” is the way it “grabs” Chicago locations — not just the expected shots of the lakefront and the Loop, but also neighborhoods on the North and West sides.

Ryan said the crew spent six days of every eight-day shoot on location in the city. Normally, that ratio is reversed; most shows spend two days on exteriors and six days shooting indoors, he said.

“It's an expensive way to do it, and it's hard on the crew and hard on the actors,” Ryan said. “But in the end, I think it results in a show that doesn't look like any others, and will present Chicago in a way you rarely see.”

It also makes the show feel authentic, a trait that Ryan insisted upon. He and cast members took ride-alongs with Chicago officers in the Austin neighborhood, and a current Chicago detective, John Folino, serves as technical adviser.

Ryan, who works as both a writer and executive producer on the show, said he's particularly proud of the cast he was able to assemble for “The Chicago Code.”

“Getting all these folks together wasn't easy, but I couldn't be happier about it,” he said. “Watching actors like Jennifer and Delroy and Jason bring these characters to life is a real privilege.”

Ryan got involved in television after he won a playwriting award while studying at Middlebury College in Vermont. He moved to Los Angeles and found work as a writer on a variety of shows.

His career took off when he created “The Shield,” a show that won consistent acclaim during its seven-season run on the FX cable network. “The Shield” premiered in 2002, a time when dramatic storytelling on television was, in the wake of the success of HBO's “The Sopranos,” becoming more complex and sophisticated.

“Right now, I think TV does this kind of thing better than movies,” Ryan said. “The movie studios aren't interested in producing a Great American Drama anymore. But television is doing it. You see something like ‘Mad Men,' and it's like reading a novel, whereas most movies are short stories.”

<b>“The Chicago Code”</b>

Debuts at 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 7, on Fox