Are cop shows a bad influence on people?

[The Cool Thatguy]

There was "The Shield" where the main character was an outright bad guy who thought he was doing some good. They kinda tempered him a bit over the course of the show though ... and I don't think he was racist, so they didn't make him that bad...(although from his actions dealing with civilians I'm sure he'd be labelled a racist cop)

His actions were despicable across the board, but God damn did he throw out racist slurs all the time. His treatment of others usually depended on how it helped him, though. The best example would be when he blackmailed Julian over his homosexuality, only later to be visibly uncomfortable when Julian denied that part of himself completely.

[Captain Smith]

On a technical note, most police shows have zero idea on firearms usage. Law and Order, SVU is an atrocity of firearms procedures. Olivia, in constant rebellion against the system, would have been transferred to the property room. All the Law and Order shows violate rights all the time.

Public radio has a show (which I couldn't find) of a scholarly team who watch 1800 or so hours of COPS and found it distorted procedure terribly. My take away was some officer usually pontificating over some sad sack with a minimal amount of drugs. It was a great show to show why drugs laws for marijuana should be abolished and penalties minimal for personal use of a substance.

[caj]

I loved "In The Heat Of The Night".

A lot of the 'good ol' boys' had a problem with Virgil Tibbs in the beginning but they got over it fairly quickly. But the town of Sparta had a lot of racism in it.

[Frontier]

I was just watching it on Netflix recently and realized how unlikely it is a show like Gotham would air as is in today's climate.

[Hypestyle]

I was just watching it on Netflix recently and realized how unlikely it is a show like Gotham would air as is in today's climate.

Didn't Gotham already happen in today's climate? technically pre-George Floyd, but in the midst of all the other police/vigilante incidents from 2014-2019..


--- police shows gradually replaced cowboy westerns as the preferred, uh, "law & order/morality drama" for much of American television. I don't see mainline network television embracing stuff like The Wire, certainly not with the premium-cable style liberties.

Ricardo Tubbs on Miami Vice was a step up in the 80s, but still sort-of the sidekick to the much-more-marketed Don Johnson.

Especially from the 90s forward, I'm glad for shows that allowed black characters to be a focal point, like Andre Braugher's character on Homicide -- and of course now on Brooklyn 99.

By now, the maverick veteran cop, maverick rookie cop are well worn tropes that various folks still get into, even if they are "hip" to the formula.


we'll just have to see what happens with the fall premieres and mid-season shows. I personally hope for more shows that go beyond the more easy tropes. But of course, that might not "sell" to the TV executives.

[Tofali]

They need to create a show(s) that deals solely on corrupted cops like BBC's Line Of Duty. I want a US version of Ted Hasting nicking bent coppers.

[The Cool Thatguy]

I was just watching it on Netflix recently and realized how unlikely it is a show like Gotham would air as is in today's climate.

I think it would slide by. All the cops but Jim were corrupt but we rarely saw that, none of the villains had any real association with reality

[Güicho]

Ricardo Tubbs on Miami Vice was a step up in the 80s, but still sort-of the sidekick to the much-more-marketed Don Johnson.

Further was a A Man Called Hawk spun-off of Spenser: For Hire, and novels by Robert B. Parker, into his own show.

[godisawesome]

The way I’d see it is that crime drama shows could probably use some more fo the existential conflict and flaws caused by *mundane* failures, flaws, and concealments in the system - maybe have the Internal Affairs officer get treated as an overworked and depressed official who bluntly states that the DA and department are failing to do their duty, and it’s going to blow up in their faces with an in concept man dead... then it does, and make that an entire subplot.

Perhaps have a show where an effort to reform the police begins, and we see which officers react as oath-bound servants of justice, which ones clearly have something to hide... and which ones are desensitized enough to their responsibilities to coddle the latter “on principle.”

From a pragmatically creative perspective, having the frailties and inadequacies of police supervision shown even in precincts that would pin Vic Mackey to the wall could go a long way.

Audiences are used to the idea of the occasional over-the-tip crooked cop dealing drugs, moonlighting as a hit-man, or becoming their own gangland kingpin. How are they going to react to a bad cop who’s “just” aggressive and douchey enough to break a smack-talking kids nose, handcuff him, and when confronted about it by another cop, bring to bear the “brotherhood of blue” BS... and see it actually save him from sufficient punishment?

There’s a lot of “office politics” that can become a hell of a lot more interesting when systemic racism, “warrior cop” mentality, and everyone being armed comes into account.

And of course, there’s nothing worth woth maybe focusing a bit more on the civilian perspective of things. Heck, that could even be an entire part of a series pitch itself.

[Frontier]

I think it would slide by. All the cops but Jim were corrupt but we rarely saw that, none of the villains had any real association with reality

Even Jim's not much better sometimes. And Harvey, too...

[The Cool Thatguy]

Even Jim's not much better sometimes. And Harvey, too...

True, but again, the style of the show left it very much disconnected with reality.

[Starter Set]

Why in hell anyone would watch a cop show is beyond my comprehension.

[The Cool Thatguy]

Why in hell anyone would watch a cop show is beyond my comprehension.

I will admit, my current distaste for how police resist basic reforms has influenced my viewing choices. I love Nathan Fillion, but can't bring myself to watch 'The Rookie'.

There are some good shows out there, or there were. The first Law and Order didn't have virtually any police brutality, Brooklyn 99 follows the rules overall, as did Major Crimes.

Flashpoint, old show, holds up even better these days.

[batnbreakfast]

Why in hell anyone would watch a cop show is beyond my comprehension.

True Detective, Fargo...

[Agent Z]

I grew up with Scooby Doo cartoons and kid mystery novels like Nancy Drew. I guess I watched police procedurals because they were basically the adult equivalent of that stuff.