Greg Medavoy

Gregory Medavoy was a fictional character in the television series "NYPD Blue". He was played by Gordon Clapp from the third episode of the first season to the second to last episode of the series, when he retired. Aside from squadmate Andy Sipowicz he was the longest running regular character in the series.

Often on the receiving end of jokes about his bumbling speech, Medavoy often provided viewers with comic relief for the series' duration. Despite his faults, he turned out to be a skilled detective who earned respect through his tenacity and inventiveness, though the other cops did continue to treat him with some contempt due to his tendency to drone on about arcane subjects and his general eagerness to be liked.

Initially, he was unhappily married to a nagging woman by the name of Marie, whom he caught cheating on him. He had an affair with Donna Abandando, the squad receptionist, and Medavoy's existing marriage made the relationship difficult. Finally after the pressure was too much for Abandando to cope, she ended things with Greg, who attempted to return to his marriage. This failed, and he was attracted to coworker Abby Sullivan - who revealed that she was a lesbian. He fathered her child via artificial insemination.

In season 7, Medavoy was partnered with Baldwin Jones, a strong and likable new detective. The two soon grew a friendship that was tested by Greg's neuroses and the younger Baldwin's irritation over them, but survived. Medavoy also overcame a witch hunt against him by new Lt. Bale, who tried to wreck Greg's career after learning he was working in a part-time job at a bar, which is not allowed. After a short suspension he upbraided Bale's autocratic ways and called him a bully and a coward. Greg carried himself with a noticeable increase in confidence afterwards.

In the final few episodes, Medavoy retired in order to join the real estate business with his new girlfriend Bridget, whom he'd met on a fraud case. At his retirement party, Greg expressed his love for both the job and his fellow coworkers. The toast made was the traditional NYPD toast "to the guy that invented this job".