The year is 2008 and NYPD Detective Sam Tyler is chasing a criminal when he is hit by a car. When he wakes up the year is 1973 and he is thrust into a world that is so similar yet so different. Sam's desperately trying to understand what happened to him.

Forced to use a different moral code and without hi-tech crime fighting techniques, Sam clashes with his new boss at the 125th Precinct, the hot-tempered Lieutenant Gene Hunt (Harvey Keitel), who would rather use his fists than his brain to solve a crime. Hunt, who has earned the adoration of the men under him, does his best to hide his humanity behind a gruff exterior and great gut instincts, in contrast to Sam’s more politically correct cutting edge style. But the two begrudgingly combine to make a powerful team – whether they like it or not.

Then there are the other squad members of the 1-2-5. Detective Ray Carling (Michael Imperioli), a big, mean guy in a street-fight with life. Ray may be a rough, tough sexist, but when the chips are down, he’s a handy guy to have in your corner. Until Sam came along, Ray was the golden boy of the force and Gene’s go-to guy. It’s the man’s man against Sam’s charming wit, charisma and eerie futuristic knowledge of not just police procedure – but the whole culture – that puts them toe-to-toe in this face-off for Gene’s approval.

Annie Norris (Gretchen Mol) is a member of the Police Women’s Bureau. At a time when females were only allowed to do menial tasks and not real police work, she’s the smartest person in the room. Little does she know that her dream of becoming a real cop will come true. Right now she’s struggling to deal with being undermined, under-used and in general against the sexism of the times. However she’s the one person Sam can turn to to help guide him in his new reality. Theirs is a strong bond. After all, they’re both outcasts.

In his 2008 life, Sam was in love with Maya Daniels (Lisa Bonet) and, although Maya and Annie will never meet, Annie’s workplace battles have paved the way for Maya to become a full-fledged cop. But a fascinating, unique love triangle evolves between Sam’s "real" in-the-moment friendship with Annie, his longing to get back to Maya and the fantasy of what could be.

Just how will Sam deal with all this ambiguity while trying to remain a top detective, as he desperately attempts to get back to 2008? He might just find that things aren’t so dissimilar in New York circa 1973 and 2008.