Cops overdose

Late last night I watched around 7 episodes of “Cops” that were backlogged on my Tivo. It’s a good thing you can speedily skip the commercials with Tivo - because although each episode is supposed to fill up half an hour - it can often reduce to 20 minutes of viewing after ads have been skipped!

I like this program. Why? Because it’s in the same genre (and timeslots) as those forensic crime investigation programmes that show on Discovery or Sky One late at night. It’s basically educational junk TV. Compelling viewing - but invariably just an insight into someone else’s plight. I also like it for it’s catchy reggae theme tune! Fox TV seems to have the broadcast or distribution rights to the series - and their website indicates that over 500 episodes have been shown so far:

“COPS, the groundbreaking series that was instrumental in launching the reality genre with its cinema vérité style, has penetrated the American psyche unlike any other show in television history and has earned its place in popular culture. The four time Emmy Award nominated series hit its 500th milestone episode last season, surpassing the records of venerated classics “My Three Sons,” “Murder She Wrote” and “Hawaii Five O” (12 seasons each) and maintaining bragging rights with all time favorites such as “60 Minutes,” “20/20” and FOX’s “America’s Most Wanted” as the longest running programs currently on primetime television. The series entered its 15th season this fall.

COPS premiered on the FOX network March 11, 1989 to critical acclaim and record ratings. The series’ cameras have captured barricaded suspects, spectacular car chases, undercover drug raids and busts and a myriad of domestic disputes that offer vivid and often unsparing glimpses into the human condition.

COPS has profiled law enforcement agencies in over 140 different cities in the United States and also has filmed in Hong Kong, London, Central and South America, Moscow and Leningrad. It was the first American television program allowed to follow the police in the former Soviet Union.”

So - to celebrate the show in a Route 79 style - I knocked up a “Cops” musical photo-montage below. Turn up volume and Enjoy.

“Bad boys, bad boys
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
When they come for you (Repeat)”
By Inner Circle

Posted by jag at August 31, 2003 11:51 AM