Cop Rock (1990– )

In what must have been one of the shortest lived series on network television, "Cop Rock" was part "Real Stories of the Highway Patrol" and part "The Sound of Music". After chasing down a ... See full summary »

Creators:

Steven Bochco, William M. Finkelstein

Stars:

Tony A. Angelo, Anne Bobby, Ronny Cox

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Tony A. Angelo	...	Cop (11 episodes, 1990)
Anne Bobby	...	Officer Vicki Quinn (11 episodes, 1990)
Ronny Cox	...	Chief Roger Kendrick (11 episodes, 1990)
David Gianopoulos	...	Officer Andy Campo (11 episodes, 1990)
Larry Joshua	...	Capt. John Hollander (11 episodes, 1990)
James McDaniel	...	Officer Franklin Rose (11 episodes, 1990)
Ron McLarty	...	Det. Lt. Ralph Ruskin (11 episodes, 1990)
Mick Murray	...	Det. Joseph Gaines (11 episodes, 1990)
Peter Onorati	...	Det. Vincent LaRusso (11 episodes, 1990)
Barbara Bosson	...	Mayor Louise Plank (10 episodes, 1990)

Storyline

In what must have been one of the shortest lived series on network television, "Cop Rock" was part "Real Stories of the Highway Patrol" and part "The Sound of Music". After chasing down a criminal, the force would take to the street for an organized dance number, then haul the guy back to HQ. This may have been the only series to have been based on a Broadway musical format.

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Plot Keywords:

police | television flop

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Genres:

Drama | Musical

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 September 1990 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Grantsville, Utah, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

20th Century Fox Television, Steven Bochco Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min 60 min (11 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In one episode, 'James B. Sikking' reprises his character (Lt. Howard Hunter) from Hill Street Blues. Another episode features cameos by Jimmy Smits and Michele Greene, as their characters from L.A. Law.

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Connections

Referenced in Community: Home Economics (2009)

User Reviews

Busted for Being Criminally Ambitious

I remember Cop Rock fondly. It was an attempt to deliver the Broadway musical style to the popular police story genre. Now, I'm not one of those "Aren't we so cosmopolitan" self-congratulatory Broadway mavens, but I can appreciate a storyline interrupted by a soliloquy, even if it's musical - even if it's rock music! I distinctly remember an excellent opening scene of one episode, where the police are busting a crowd purchasing pot, loading the customers on a bus, as one detainee sings heartily about his civil rights being trampled. The cast was truly exceptional for a TV show, but the producers did not have proper respect for the amount of time and polishing necessary to deliver Broadway style entertainment. There was a lot of good stuff, but such material cannot be extruded at the rate needed for the voracious TV box. The general public could not forgive the uneven quality. I can't blame them, but there were payoffs for the patient. Live audiences collude with the performers, but TV viewers want to be entertained NOW, or they will click to the other 120 channels.

There was a clever end tacked on the final episode. It opens up with Ronny Cox and Curtis Vonde-Hall talking, and you quickly realize that they are not playing their characters. They are playing themselves discussing the impending cancellation. It's over when the fat lady sings, so the final pullaway has the entire cast onstage, with a Wagnerian Valkyrie, singing goodbye. Cool.