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COPS (series): Difference between revisions
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{{work|wppage=Cops (TV program)}}
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{{quote|''[[Real Song Theme Tune|Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do?]]''}}
''COPS'' was a reality show that was "filmed on location with the men and women of law enforcement", which means it was incredibly cheap to make. It was also the [[Long Runners|longest-running]] [[Reality Show]] on television (it
The basic premise was as follows: camera crews follow police officers in various cities as they go about their jobs. While your average police officer's job is generally mundane, ''COPS'' makes it look rather... well, not glamorous, but certainly more action-packed than usual. There were generally a few chases, a few drug busts, a couple of prostitution busts, and more than a few instances of ([[Shirtless Scene|usually shirtless]]) trailer trash. Only ''[[Jerry Springer]]'' has more trailer trash per episode than ''COPS''.
''COPS'' dealt with issues from basic domestic disturbances to neighborhood disputes and complaints; the camera crew is wearing body armor and, in some cases, they're peace officers themselves. (
It's been parodied more than a few times, but you can't argue with success.
There have been disagreements between police departments and production companies, especially when it comes to the "right to privacy" provisions of US (and Canadian) law; film and television crews
Eventually, it was decided, in consultation with the producers of ''COPS'', that the individual's right to privacy should be respected, and that the faces, license-plates, and addresses of those featured on the show must be obscured in post
Two studies carried out in 2004 indicated that the show was skewed toward showing white people as police or non-violent criminals, while black and Hispanic people were shown as violent criminals more often than they are in Real Life. It wasn't until 2020 that this became an issue to the broadcasters, when a black man was killed by police one week before the 2020 season of the show was scheduled to begin. The show was pulled from the schedule, and cancelled two weeks later.
Not be confused with the animated series ''[[COPS (animation)|COPS]]''.
{{tropelist}}
* [[Blatant Lies]]: Yes, ''of course'' the police can't tell you are drunk.
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* [[Unbuilt Trope]]: By the time the term "[[Reality TV]]" was invented and became a popular genre, this show was already considered a [[Long Runner]].
{{Examples|Fictional Versions and Parodies include:}}
== Comic Books ==
* ''[[The Simpsons]]'' had a version following Springfield PD, changing the theme tune to "Bad cops, bad cops..."▼
* ''[[Transmetropolitan]]'' gives us ''CPD Live''. "Today, another deadly, spine-tingling mission for the girls and boys in [[The Future Is Noir|black]], the City Police Department!"▼
* One episode of ''[[The X-Files]]'', "X-Cops", was [[Documentary Episode|filmed this way]] - the policemen the camera crew were following became involved in Mulder and Scully's latest case.▼
* ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bocmVZXXY8w TROOPS]'': a camera crew follows a group of [[Star Wars|Imperial Stormtroopers]] as they keep the peace in an insignificant corner of the Dune Sea on Tatooine, dealing with Jawas, bounty hunters, or a couple whose boy has run off with that crazy hermit.▼
== Film ==
* ''[[Shrek]] 2'' had something like this when the fairy tale characters are watching the magic mirror TV showing Shrek, Donkey, and Puss In Boots being arrested by knights during a pursuit. "You are watching ''Knights''".
* ''[[Saints Row]] 2'' has the FUZZ missions, where you dress up like an officer and go [[Police Brutality|assault people with blunt objects]].▼
** Noted in that it's a very obvious parody of the show and you are given the missions by an opportunistic TV producer.▼
* ''[[My Name Is Earl]]'' had two episodes of ''COPS'' based in their town.▼
* ''[[Reno 911!]]'' is a parody of this series.▼
* ''[[CSA: Confederate States of America]]'' had [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMSKAZObGxQ a fake commercial for "Runaway"], a parody of this show based around finding runaway slaves. Even its theme song sounds suspiciously like a version of ''[[Real Song Theme Tune|Bad Boys]]'' done by a bluegrass band instead of a reggae group.
* The film ''Dirty Cop, No Donut'' and its sequel, ''Dirty Cop 2: I Am a Pig''.
▲* ''[[Transmetropolitan]]'' gives us ''CPD Live''. "Today, another deadly, spine-tingling mission for the girls and boys in [[The Future Is Noir|black]], the City Police Department!"
== Live-Action TV ==
▲* One episode of ''[[The X-Files]]'', "X-Cops", was [[Documentary Episode|filmed this way]] - the policemen the camera crew were following became involved in Mulder and Scully's latest case.
▲* ''[[My Name Is Earl]]'' had two episodes of ''COPS'' based in their town.
▲* ''[[Reno 911!]]'' is a parody of this series.
== Video Games ==
▲* ''[[Saints Row]] 2'' has the FUZZ missions, where you dress up like an officer and go [[Police Brutality|assault people with blunt objects]].
▲** Noted in that it's a very obvious parody of the show and you are given the missions by an opportunistic TV producer.
== Web Original ==
▲* ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bocmVZXXY8w TROOPS]'': a camera crew follows a group of [[Star Wars|Imperial Stormtroopers]] as they keep the peace in an insignificant corner of the Dune Sea on Tatooine, dealing with Jawas, bounty hunters, or a couple whose boy has run off with that crazy hermit.
== Western Animation ==
▲* ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'' had a version following Springfield PD, changing the theme tune to "Bad cops, bad cops..."
{{reflist}}
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Reality TV]]
[[Category:Nonfiction Series]]
[[Category:American Series]]
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