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'''''COPS''''' is an [[United States|American]] [[documentary television series]] that follows [[police officer]]s, and [[sheriff]]'s deputies during patrols and other police activities. It is one of the longest-running [[television program]]s in the [[United States]] and the second longest-running show on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]. Created by [[John Langley]] and [[Malcolm Barbour (television producer)|Malcolm Barbour]], it premiered on Saturday [[March 11]], [[1989]], and has aired 749 episodes as of August 7, 2008. It won the American Television Award in 1993, and has earned four [[Emmy]] nominations. <ref>[http://www.cops.com The Official COPS Website<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> On September 30, 2007, ''COPS'' began its 20th season with a highlight episode called "20 Years Caught on Tape." The 21st season of the series is the first season to be aired in [[high definition]]. |
'''''COPS''''' is an [[United States|American]] [[documentary television series]] that follows [[police officer]]s, and [[sheriff]]'s deputies during patrols and other police activities. It is one of the longest-running [[television program]]s in the [[United States]] and the second longest-running show on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]. Created by [[John Langley]] and [[Malcolm Barbour (television producer)|Malcolm Barbour]], it premiered on Saturday [[March 11]], [[1989]], and has aired 749 episodes as of August 7, 2008. It won the American Television Award in 1993, and has earned four [[Emmy]] nominations. <ref>[http://www.cops.com The Official COPS Website<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> On September 30, 2007, ''COPS'' began its 20th season with a highlight episode called "20 Years Caught on Tape." The 21st season of the series is the first season to be aired in [[high definition]]. |
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''COPS'' is broadcast by [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] (with repeats from earlier seasons syndicated to other networks, including [[truTV]] (formerly CourtTV) and [[G4]]), and follows the activities of police officers by embedding camera crews with police units. The show's formula follows the [[Cinéma vérité]] convention, with no narration or scripted dialog, depending entirely on the commentary of the officers and on the actions of the people with whom they come into contact. |
''COPS'' is broadcast by [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] (with repeats from earlier seasons syndicated to other networks, including [[truTV]] (formerly CourtTV) and [[G4 (TV channel)|G4]]), and follows the activities of police officers by embedding camera crews with police units. The show's formula follows the [[Cinéma vérité]] convention, with no narration or scripted dialog, depending entirely on the commentary of the officers and on the actions of the people with whom they come into contact. |
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The show has followed officers in 140 different cities in the United States, and also has been shot in [[Hong Kong]], [[London]], and the former [[Soviet Union]]. Each episode is approximately 22 minutes in length, and typically consists of three segments, with each segment being one or two self-contained police incidents, usually lasting about 5-6 minutes. |
The show has followed officers in 140 different cities in the United States, and also has been shot in [[Hong Kong]], [[London]], and the former [[Soviet Union]]. Each episode is approximately 22 minutes in length, and typically consists of three segments, with each segment being one or two self-contained police incidents, usually lasting about 5-6 minutes. |
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Revision as of 17:44, 10 October 2008
| Cops | |
|---|---|
Cops logo. | |
| Created by | John Langley |
| Starring | Harry Newman (announcer) |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of episodes | 749 |
| Production | |
| Running time | approx. 22 min. (excluding commercials) |
| Original release | |
| Network | FOX |
| Release | March 11 1989 – present |
COPS is an American documentary television series that follows police officers, and sheriff's deputies during patrols and other police activities. It is one of the longest-running television programs in the United States and the second longest-running show on Fox. Created by John Langley and Malcolm Barbour, it premiered on Saturday March 11, 1989, and has aired 749 episodes as of August 7, 2008. It won the American Television Award in 1993, and has earned four Emmy nominations. [1] On September 30, 2007, COPS began its 20th season with a highlight episode called "20 Years Caught on Tape." The 21st season of the series is the first season to be aired in high definition.
COPS is broadcast by Fox (with repeats from earlier seasons syndicated to other networks, including truTV (formerly CourtTV) and G4), and follows the activities of police officers by embedding camera crews with police units. The show's formula follows the Cinéma vérité convention, with no narration or scripted dialog, depending entirely on the commentary of the officers and on the actions of the people with whom they come into contact.
The show has followed officers in 140 different cities in the United States, and also has been shot in Hong Kong, London, and the former Soviet Union. Each episode is approximately 22 minutes in length, and typically consists of three segments, with each segment being one or two self-contained police incidents, usually lasting about 5-6 minutes.
The show is well known for its theme song, "Bad Boys," performed by reggae group Inner Circle.
History and background
COPS was created by John Langley and his producing partner Malcolm Barbour. In 1983 Langley worked on Cocaine Blues, a television series about drugs. As part of his research he went on a raid with drug enforcement officers and was inspired to create a show focusing on real-life law enforcement. In the late 1980s, after producing a series of live syndicated specials called American Vice: The Doping of a Nation with Geraldo Rivera, Langley and Barbour pitched the COPS show concept to Stephen Chao, a FOX programming executive who would one day become president of the Fox Television Stations Group and later USA Network. Chao liked the concept and pitched it to Barry Diller, then CEO of the FOX Network. A Writers Guild of America strike was occurring at the time, and the network needed new material. An unscripted show that did not require writers would be ideal for FOX, and to this day COPS remains one of the only completely unscripted and unplanned "reality" shows.
The first episode aired in 1989 and featured the Broward County, Florida, sheriff's office. The original concept of the show was to follow officers home and tape their home lives along with their work. After a while this concept was deemed too artificial by Langley and was abandoned. Eventually, the format of three self-contained segments with no narrator, no music, and no scripts would become the show's formula. The first segment is usually an action segment to hook the viewer, followed by two unrelated segments.
Early episode localities include the Pacific Northwest cities of Portland, OR and Tacoma, WA. Other locations include Boston, New York City, Jersey City and Passaic County, NJ, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Brevard and Palm Beach Counties in Florida, New Orleans, Dallas/Fort Worth, Cleveland, Kansas City, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Fresno.
In one episode, the sound mixer, a former EMT, assisted a police officer in performing CPR. In another episode that took place in 1998 (season 11 Episode 4, first aired 1/23/1999)[2] in Atlanta, a COPS camera operator, who was coincidentally a Las Vegas Reserve Police Officer, had to drop the camera and assist an Atlanta Police officer in wrestling a suspect into custody. The Police Officer, it turned out, had been severely injured during a foot pursuit; meanwhile, the soundman picked up the camera and continued shooting the action which eventually made air. Because the camera crew was dressed in tactical gear, no one noticed the camera man in front of the camera. In another episode, an officer is searching a suspect and pricks his finger on a hypodermic needle in his pocket.
Until the end of Season 18 all episodes of COPS began with the disclaimer; "Due to the graphic nature of this program, viewer discretion is advised." Since Season 19, the disclaimer has been shortened to "Viewer discretion is advised." It is used on special edition episodes, such as the "naked" episodes. Previous seasons of special edition episodes also used that disclaimer. This is then followed by - with the exception of the third season - "COPS is filmed on location with the men and women of law enforcement. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law." The first and second season disclaimer was slightly different by stating "COPS is filmed on location as it happens. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law."
DVDs, books and syndication
Recently, several themed DVDs have been released, some of which include profanity and sexually explicit footage cut from the network version. They are entitled COPS: Shots Fired, COPS: Bad Girls, and COPS: Caught in the Act. A COPS: 20th Season Anniversary two disc DVD was released in the US and Canada on February 19, 2008,[3] In 1993, COPS went into syndication on cable and over-the-air channels. As of 2008, it currently appears on cable on truTV and G4. Seasons 19 and 20 are available for download from the iTunes Store.
On May 29, 2007, COPS 2.0 premiered on G4, featuring repeats of episodes with trivia, expert commentary, live web-enabled chat and facts about the law enforcement officers featured in each program.[4]
In 1999, Hank Barr published The Jump-Out Boys, a book giving a behind the scenes look at the production and taping of COPS.
COPS in popular culture
As one of the longest running shows in the history of television, COPS has many references to it in popular culture, and is a popular subject for parody. The success, longevity, and popularity of COPS has also influenced many different television shows and documentaries on law enforcement (see List of television series influenced by COPS).
References
External links
