"The Division is an American police drama TV show created by Deborah Joy LeVine and features Bonnie Bedelia. The show follows a group of female detectives and officers in the San Francisco Police Department. It first aired on the Lifetime television network on January 7, 2001, and ended on June 28, 2004, after 88 episodes."

Overview

The show followed the lives of five female police officers working in a division that handles serious crimes, led by Captain Kate McCafferty (Bonnie Bedelia). The stories included challenges the women faced in both their jobs and personal lives, as they worked to manage both areas. Topics covered in the series included alcoholism, drug addiction, homophobia, and sexual abuse.

The series first aired on January 7, 2001, and received a 3.1 rating. It had the largest audience of any original series on basic cable that year. The show ended after four seasons on June 28, 2004, and was the network's second longest-running scripted series.

After it was canceled, The Division was shown again on the Lifetime network in different time slots until 2007. In 2007, the show was also aired on Lifetime Real Women. Starting in September 2018, the series became available on Start TV through broadcast syndication.

Cast and characters

• Captain Kaitlyn "Kate" McCafferty is the leader of SFPD's Felony Division and has a teenage daughter.
• Inspector Jinny Exstead comes from a family of police officers and sometimes does not follow rules strictly, which causes disagreements with Captain McCafferty.
• Inspector Candace "C. D." DeLorenzo has faced difficult challenges in her past. She leaves her job between season 3 and season 4 after being injured while working.
• Inspector Magdalena "Magda" Ramirez is a mother to a young son. She is a close friend of her partner, Jinny Exstead.
• Inspector Angela Reid is a confident and direct investigator. She leaves the Division at the end of the first season.
• Inspector Peter Torianno is DeLorenzo's first partner. He leaves the Division halfway through the first season.
• Inspector Nate Basso is DeLorenzo's second partner. He joins the Division in the second season. After DeLorenzo leaves at the end of the third season, Basso is paired with Raina Washington.
• Officer/Inspector Raina Washington joins the Division in the second season after Reid moves to another position. In the third season, she is promoted to Inspector and later works with Basso in the final season.
• Officer Stacy Reynolds is a new officer hired in the final season by McCafferty to help with police services.

• Jose Yenque as Gabriel 'Gabe' Herrera (2001–04)
• Jacob Urrutia as Benjamin Ramirez (2001–04)
• Alex Rocco as John Exstead Sr. (2001–04)
• Allen Cutler as Casey Exstead (2001–04)
• Scott Plank as John Exstead Jr. (2001–02)
• Tanya Vidal as Lily Ramirez (2001–03)
• Jay Harrington as Theodore Blumenthal (2001–02)
• Michael MacRae as Steven (2001)
• D. B. Woodside as Daniel Reide (2001)
• Morgan Brayton as Amanda McCafferty (2001)
• James Avery as Charles Haysbert (2002–03)
• Troy Evans as Dusty (2002–03)
• Robin Thomas as Louis Perillo (2002–04)
• Lauren Tom as Nora Chen (2002)
• Dean Cain as Insp. Jack Ellis (2003–2004)
• Linda Gehringer as Dolores (2003–04)
• David Sutcliffe as Dr. Michaelson/Jonah (2003)
• Jon Tenney as Hank Riley (2004)

• Peter Coyote as Ross (2002)
• Sara Rue as Amanda McCafferty (2002–03)
• Paige Hurd as Chloe Newland (2003)
• Daniel Morton as Detective Lawson (2003) (uncredited)
• Roma Downey as Reagan Gilancy (2004)
• Kim Fields as Principal Ogden (2004)
• Rebecca Gayheart as Suzanne Richland (2004)
• Nia Peeples as Sandra Prestiss (2004)
• Zachary Levi as Todd (2004)

Home media

A DVD set with all four seasons and the pilot episode was released by Visual Entertainment in Region 1 on March 19, 2018.

In 2025, this show is not available to watch online on Paramount+ or Amazon Prime Video. Instead, it is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution through CBS Media Ventures.

Awards and nominations

• Won the Outstanding Entertainment Program Drama award in 2004 (tied with "Without a Trace").

• Nominated for Best Actress in a Television Drama, Lisa Vidal (2004).

• Nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Television Series, Lisa Vidal (2002).

• Won the BMI Cable Award, Jeff Eden Fair (2004).
• Won the BMI Cable Award, Starr Parodi (2004).
• Won the BMI Cable Award, Jeff Eden Fair (2003).
• Won the BMI Cable Award, Starr Parodi (2003).

• Nominated for Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Guest Starring Young Actress, Joy Lauren (2003).
• Nominated for Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Guest Starring Young Actor, Shawn Pyfrom (2002).

• Won the TV Drama Series Episode award in 2002 (for the episode "Intervention").
• Nominated for Performance in a Drama Series Episode, Nancy McKeon (2003).
• Nominated for Performance in a Drama Series, Nancy McKeon (2003).
• Nominated for Performance in a Drama Series Multi-Episode Storyline, Nancy McKeon (2004).