Character Arc
Christine Cagney is a single, ambitious New York City police detective whose drive to advance in the department defines much of her arc. Confident, sharp-tongued, and fiercely independent, she contrasts with her partner Mary Beth Lacey both in temperament and in personal circumstances, and their differences become a recurring source of both friction and deep loyalty. Cagney's professional ambition leads her to pursue promotions and to push herself hard within a workplace that does not always reward women equally.
Over the course of the series, Cagney's personal life is explored with unusual candor for the period. Her relationship with her father, a former police officer, and her gradual confrontation with her own struggles, including a storyline addressing alcoholism, give the character emotional depth beyond the cases she investigates. Her romantic relationships are frequently complicated by her commitment to her career, reinforcing the show's interest in the trade-offs faced by professional women.
Throughout the show, the partnership between Cagney and Lacey remains the steady center of her story. Even as the two clash over methods, values, and personal choices, their mutual respect and friendship endure, and Cagney often reveals vulnerability to Lacey that she conceals from others. The role became closely identified with Sharon Gless, who assumed the part early in the regular series and earned major awards recognition for it.