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32 reviews in total

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10 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
Very bizarre, 20 January 2003
Author: app354 from United States

"Cop Rock" was a typical police drama, except for the fact that it was also a MUSICAL. Everybody sang: the cops, the criminals, even the judge and jury in the courtroom during trials. With its many lavish song-and-dance routines and catchy tunes, "Cop Rock" was almost like a Broadway musical adaptation of "Hill Street Blues".

"Cop Rock" was heavily promoted by ABC in the weeks before its premiere in the fall of 1990. Apparently, ABC thought that they had a huge hit on their hands, even though it was the first-ever cop show/musical on TV. Not surprisingly, the show was savaged by critics and ignored by audiences. Despite the large amounts of publicity and money invested in the series (which was one of the most-expensive TV shows ever made up to that point, at a cost of nearly $2 million an episode), it was canceled after only three months.

In my opinion, "Cop Rock" was a very unique show. Although the singing wasn't always that great, the songs were usually decent. Randy Newman wrote a number of good songs for this series (including the opening theme, "Under The Gun", which he also performed). The problem with "Cop Rock" was that it combined two genres that do not go well with each other. I can understand why "Cop Rock" was not able to catch on with TV audiences: not only was it a musical series with fictional characters and weekly storylines (something never seen before on American network television), but it was also a police show. Also, with the exception of the Broadway-style musical numbers, the show was average at best.

VH1 reran an all-day marathon "Cop Rock" a few years ago, but the series is not currently on cable (as far as I know). I think this original (but strange) series would be perfectly suited for a network like Court TV.

"Cop Rock" was a show that was far from perfect, but it was definitely very memorable.

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10 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
The most daring and innovative show ever to air on broadcast TV, 11 July 2006

Author: walter907 from USA

When I talk to friends about the dismal failure of most TV execs to break out of their cookie-cutter molds which produce nothing but hours of so-called "reality TV" or another reworked movie-of-the week, I can still point to this show as the boldest idea I've ever seen on TV.

I was stunned that someone had the guts to create a show this different. I watched the first show and was blown away - it was excellent! My only worry, even before the first episode aired, was that it would be nearly impossible for them to keep up the schedule of creating entirely new music week after week, even with the great talents of Randy Newman, (writing music has to be 20x harder than writing dialog). I don't remember if I saw every episode but I was greatly impressed with what I saw - something completely new and original on TV.

So, I knew the show was doomed from the start but I still continue to applaud the attempt - it turned out better than I was expecting and I will be looking for it on DVD to add to my very small collection of must-have TV shows.

[ The only other TV show which comes to mind that I'd call groundbreaking was the short-lived series, Firefly, (first in my must-have collection); a space Western, literally, but even Joss Whedon didn't dare try to have his characters SING every week! (He did however create a single musical episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" which was also outstanding). ]

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7 out of 9 people found the following review useful:
cop rock: extremely underrated, 21 July 2005
Author: BuckinghamAlice from United States

this show was actually better than the promos would have made it seem. it was by all means innovative, unlike anything else in the time or since. why this show failed is beyond me. the music was catchy and the characters represented the same caricatures we love to watch in law and order and shows of the like. perhaps the selling point (or point of no return, depending upon how you look at it) was the combination of the two. if this show had been produced as a run of the mill cop show it probably would have been popular, and maybe still airing today. but this was a time when the American viewing audience was not willing to take a chance on something new. while the songs used provided a great insight into the minds of the characters, they were the obvious downfall of a promising drama. please join me in my continued mourning of a show that was never allowed to reach it's potential.

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6 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
Busted for Being Criminally Ambitious, 27 June 2002
Author: Phil Brady (pizzaburn@yahoo.com) from Philadelphia

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.

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5 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
Great Show, Highly Under Appreciated, 8 January 2003
Author: dragonsheart-1 from Salina, Kansas

I liked this show and never did understand why people thought it was stupid for people to be breaking into songs, you never hear that used against other musicals! The songs were good, fit in with the story and expressed a lot of feeling/ideas that couldn't have been told as well by dialogue! The cast was great, both acting and singing, especially since most of the songs were song during the shot instead of dubbing them in later. The final show was great, be nice if more shows let the actors say good-bye when a series was ended. Other people have commented on this show being a head of it's time, and it was. cause there were several subject that "Cop Rock" did that most shows at that time wouldn't have touched! If you get a chance you watch "Cop Rock", do so but with an open mind. If people had given this show it probably would have run a couple season at least, just depending on how long they could keep the songs and stories tied together.

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3 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
cop rock, 31 December 2004
Author: kasvstar from United States

if ever there was a show that went whimsical on you, it was this one. one gets in the mood to watch another Steven b. "real" cop show and wham! a full blown Broadway musical production begins and the giggling starts and then on to the guffaw and the laughing won't stop! it is a joy that won't let you stop smiling. i have most of these episodes on vcr tape...i am missing 2 of the last ones. if anyone has them, i would like to get a copy, please? every time i have a friend over and i put this on...it starts "as what the heck is this?" and goes on to "i've never seen this before, when was it on?" and finally, "how come it went off the air? this is great!" i guess some of us just see the world with just a tilt of the funny bone and can enjoy life a little on the slanted side of humor! kasvstar

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3 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Ahead of its time, 6 November 2001
Author: MadMax-47 from Virginia

Quite like Twin Peaks, this was an idea so far ahead of its time that most viewers just don't get it. Add this to the fact that the average TV junkie is looking for either soap operas or shoot-em-ups, and it's easy to understand how Cop Rock was doomed from the start.

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3 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Totally Underrated show, 13 April 2004
Author: L (ctowner1@aol.com) from ny

No one takes this show seriously! Perhaps for SOME cause, but not for good cause. First of all, remove the singing (which took up what? maybe 20% of the screen time?) and you have a GREAT cop show. Peter Onorati's performance/character is one of the best cop characters ever presented on the screen - he walked the ambiguous line between good and bad perfectly!

AND - the songs weren't ALL that bad! I'd say on an average show you got 1 stinker, 2 mediocre, and 1 good/very good song. In particular, I recall fondly the final episode of the series which had 3 very good songs, including one by a racist politician dreaming about being lynched and one by the jury deliberating on a trial.

Hey - if they're ever showing this on TV, feel free to let me know - I'd LOVE to see these again!

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Overview of "Life and Times" for Cop Rock, 19 March 2012

Author: livingevernow from United States

We watched Cop Rock from the outset and once (quickly) grasped the interplay of drama with meaningful dialogue (But "said" in Song!), details of each show were by no means diminished by the musical aspect; rather an interlude proceeding directly into some confrontation. Although removed from TV after one season, it's departure left many wondering why? Had people (critics) become So entrenched in the status quo that there was no room for very well done innovation? It was sad to realize that the viewing public and critics were so very shallow and unable to see the deeper interplay of the two genres; each dovetailing quite well with the other. There will never be another TV show as "Cop Rock" likely because so many are unable to "let themselves go" and See the entire show/plot/songs/outcomes as what was really an attempt at a new genre for thoughtful enjoyment.

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2 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
20th Anniversary of Cop Rock! ... Demand it on DVD NOW!, 24 February 2010
Author: Cop Rock from United States

More info at: http://CopRock.info

Cop Rock is an Emmy Award winning American television series that aired on ABC from September 26, 1990 through December 26, 1990. The show, a police drama presented as a musical, was created by Steven Bochco, who also served as executive producer.

Inspired by Dennis Potter's 1986 BBC drama serial The Singing Detective, Cop Rock combined musical theater with police drama, the latter a genre in which Bochco had already been very successful with Hill Street Blues. The series featured an ensemble cast that mixed musical numbers and choreography throughout story lines. For example, one scene in a courtroom had the jury break into song, proclaiming "He's Guilty" in Gospel style. Another episode had a lineup of Hispanic suspects proclaim in song "We're the local color with the coppertone skin / And you treat us like we're guilty of some terrible sin." Its theme, "Under the Gun", was sung by Randy Newman, who opened each episode performing it in a music video-style credit sequence. The show also featured crossover appearances from other Bochco series. In one episode, James B. Sikking reprises the role of Lt. Howard Hunter from Hill Street Blues, while another episode featured cameos by LA Law stars Jimmy Smits and Michele Greene. Sheryl Crow appears as a back-up singer in the final episode.

The show on ABC ended after 11 episodes. The high-powered production talent became infamous as one of the biggest television risks of the 1990s. The final episode concludes with the cast breaking character and joining crew-members in performing a closing song.

Despite its short run, the series still has been rebroadcast three times, in the 1990s on VH1, on A&E Network, and in the 2000s on Trio.

Mike Post was the music supervisor on Cop Rock. Post appeared in the Cop Rock opening sequence as the musician in the dark glasses sitting next to Randy Newman and playing the keyboard.

Starring: Teri Austin, Anne Bobby, Barbara Bosson, Ronny Cox, Vondie Curtis-Hall, David Gianopoulos, Larry Joshua, Dennis Lipscomb, Paul McCrane, James McDaniel, Ron McLarty, Mick Murray, Peter Onorati, William Thomas, Jr., Kathleen Wilhoite

PLEASE JOIN THE FAN PAGE AT: http://CopRock.info

http://facebook.com/pages/Cop-Rock/308237078978

COP ROCK 20th Anniversary!

Sign-up for DVD notice!: http://bit.ly/CopRockDVD

SIGN the petition!: http://petitiononline.com/CopRock

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