"Star Cops" (1987) TV series

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Writer:

Chris Boucher (writer) (episodes)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

6 July 1987 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The adventures of the International Space Police Force, led by Nathan Spring. The Star Cops are made up of officers from all over the world...

Plot Keywords:

Space | Police | Moon

Cast

David Calder	...	Nathan Spring / ... (9 episodes, 1987)
Erick Ray Evans	...	David Theroux (8 episodes, 1987)
Trevor Cooper	...	Colin Devis (8 episodes, 1987)
Linda Newton	...	Pal Kenzy (8 episodes, 1987)
Jonathan Adams	...	Alexander Krivenko (6 episodes, 1987)
Sayo Inaba	...	Anna Shoun (4 episodes, 1987)

Also Known As:

"Space Cops" (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

55 min (9 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Trivia:

The series suffered from a number of problems, including the very different approaches of the two directors assigned to the series, Christopher Baker and Graeme Harper, which led to a noticeable lack of continuity between episodes, and the strained relationship between writer Chris Boucher and producer Evgeny Gridneff. Boucher has said that he did not feel Gridneff consulted him with certain key decisions regarding the series and he never liked Gridneff's choice of the theme song and incidental music, which he considered completely inappropriate. Boucher also disliked the decision by the BBC to make the show entirely on videotape, as he had hoped it would also have a film budget. He was also critical of the BBC's decision to schedule the programme in the summer months at 8:30 in the evening on BBC2, thereby almost guaranteeing a small audience.

Quotes:

Nathan Spring: You leave Earth and anything you forget to bring with you will kill you. Anything you do bring with you which doesn't work properly will kill you. When in doubt, just assume *everything* will kill you.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Cult of...: Star Cops (#1.3)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

It Won't Be Easy

It`s Sci-Fi But Not As We Know It

I remember when STAR COPS was schedulded to be broadcast in 1987 we saw the sort of hype that also greeted the BBC`s recent crime drama HUSTLE , possibly the most hyped show in the BBC`s history . Strange then that STAR COPS was shown on BBC2 at 8.30 on weekday evenings at the height of Summer . I did think someone high up at the BBC didn`t want this show to succeed .

But I think the reason for its failure lies in the hands of the production team . Anyone heard of Chris Boucher ? He`s the former script editor of BLAKE`S 7 and creator of this show which led me to believe we`d be seeing some gritty dramatic SF show , but we didn`t . Look at the show`s title STAR isn`t the operative word , COPS is and Boucher has created a show that is just another crime drama using the gimmick of having it set in space . People get killed outside the Earth`s orbit and it`s up to this London cop and his multinational colleagues to solve the crimes which are usually commited by the mafia or greedy corporate companies

Sorry to be cynical since a lot of people on this page seemed to have enjoyed it but even the gimmick of having this show set in space doesn`t stop it from being nothing less than a pretty dire crime series . It`s supposed to be set in the late 21st century but do we find out what 21st century Earth looks like ? No because everything is filmed inside an office or a restaraunt and if there`s any outside location work done the script is specifically written so that it will take place in a park so that the BBC won`t have to break the bank with convincing set designs

We won`t be seeing a second series of STAR COPS but we will be seeing a new series of DOCTOR WHO next year which should restore the BBC`s reputation as being the prime server of quality sci-fi