Nash Bridges
debuted on March 29, 1996 on the CBS
Television network. The show starred
Don Johnson as an Inspector (later
Captain) with the San Francisco
Police Department's elite "Special
Investigations Unit". As the show
begins, he's in his 40s,
twice-divorced, and dealing with a
feisty teenage daughter, Cassidy
(played by Jodi Lyn O'Keefe). Nash
convinces recently-retired Inspector
Joe Dominguez (played by Cheech
Marin) to return to the force to
partner with him. Nash and Joe
cruise the streets of San Francisco
in Nash's electric yellow 1971
Plymouth Barracuda convertible, a
gift from Nash's brother Bobby just
before Bobby left for the Vietnam
War. Bobby Bridges was reported as
MIA, but turns up in later seasons.
Nash's father Nick (played by James
Gammon) suffers from mild dementia
and has a habit of getting kicked
out of nursing homes. He eventually
moves in with Nash, and is often
involved in comic subplots.
Aiding Nash in his police work is the technically savvy Harvey Leek (played by Jeff Perry), a middle-aged "Deadhead" (a die-hard Grateful Dead fan), and young, hotheaded Evan Cortez (played by Jaime P. Gomez, 1996–2000), who has an off-and-on, stormy relationship with Cassidy. In later seasons, additional Inspectors and other supporting characters were added and subtracted from the main cast. For the first nine episodes, the commander of the SIU was Lieutenant A.J. Shimamura (played by Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa in season 1-2 only), a character that was written off after he failed to be promoted to Captain. (The character was said to have returned to his native Hawaii.) Shimamura's departure opened the door for Bridges to be promoted to Captain, and given command of the SIU.
Aiding Nash in his police work is the technically savvy Harvey Leek (played by Jeff Perry), a middle-aged "Deadhead" (a die-hard Grateful Dead fan), and young, hotheaded Evan Cortez (played by Jaime P. Gomez, 1996–2000), who has an off-and-on, stormy relationship with Cassidy. In later seasons, additional Inspectors and other supporting characters were added and subtracted from the main cast. For the first nine episodes, the commander of the SIU was Lieutenant A.J. Shimamura (played by Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa in season 1-2 only), a character that was written off after he failed to be promoted to Captain. (The character was said to have returned to his native Hawaii.) Shimamura's departure opened the door for Bridges to be promoted to Captain, and given command of the SIU.
