COPS (series): Difference between revisions

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''[[Real Song Theme Tune|Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do?]]''
 
''COPS'' is a reality show that is "filmed on location with the men and women of law enforcement", which means it's incredibly cheap to make. It is also the [[Long Runners|longest-running]] [[Reality Show]] on television (it premiered in 1989); the show has a proven formula that has remained popular for years, and it is part of the longest unchanged nightly schedule in American television ([[FOXFox]]'s Saturday night schedule; the other show in that schedule is ''[[Americas Most Wanted|America's Most Wanted]]''). ''COPS'' is arguably the most realistic [[Reality Show]] on television: there is absolutely no script and no narration outside of the opening credits; everything you see is real people in real situations.
 
The basic premise is 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's 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''.
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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 production. People who sign waivers appear without [[Pixellation]], so every drunk, naked ranting guy being handcuffed said at some point, "Yes, I want to appear on TV like this." Ninety percent of arrested suspects opt to appear without blurring.
 
Not be confused with the animated series ''[[COPS (Animation)|COPS]]''.
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=== Tropes: ===
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=== Fictional Versions: ===
* ''[[The Simpsons]]'' had a version following Springfield PD, changing the theme tune to "Bad cops, bad cops..."
* 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.
* ''[[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''".
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* ''[[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!"