Copper (2012– )

Set in the Five Points neighborhood of New York City in the 1860s, focusing on a rugged young Irish cop who is forced to navigate his unruly and dangerous immigrant neighborhood while ... See full summary »

Creators:

Tom Fontana, Will Rokos

Stars:

Kevin Ryan, Tom Weston-Jones, Kyle Schmid

Cast

Series cast summary:
Kevin Ryan	...	Detective Francis Maguire (16 episodes, 2012-2013)
Tom Weston-Jones	...	Detective Kevin Corcoran (10 episodes, 2012)
Kyle Schmid	...	Robert Morehouse (10 episodes, 2012)
Anastasia Griffith	...	Elizabeth Haverford (10 episodes, 2012)
Ato Essandoh	...	Doctor Matthew Freeman (10 episodes, 2012)
Dylan Taylor	...	Andrew O'Brien (10 episodes, 2012)
Kiara Glasco	...	Annie Reilly (10 episodes, 2012)
Tessa Thompson	...	Sara Freeman (9 episodes, 2012)
Franka Potente	...	Eva Heissen (9 episodes, 2012)
Ron White	...	Captain Ciaran Joseph Sullivan (7 episodes, 2012)
Geordie Johnson	...	Norbert Morehouse (7 episodes, 2012)

Storyline

Set in the Five Points neighborhood of New York City in the 1860s, focusing on a rugged young Irish cop who is forced to navigate his unruly and dangerous immigrant neighborhood while interacting with the uptown Manhattan crowd and the black community.

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Plot Keywords:

new york city | neck slashing | ledger | flophouse | mortician | 

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Taglines:

New York, 1865. There are no city limits.

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

BBC America [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 August 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

Copper - A törvény ára

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cineflix Studios, BBC America, Shaw Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

42 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Trivia

The gun fights are shot with real guns from the 1800s, and Anastasia Griffith said that the "props guys are so excited by the guns".

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Quotes

Detective Kevin Corcoran: I have a favor to ask.
Elizabeth Haverford: Well that's fortunate. I've brought you here to ask a favor of my own.
Detective Kevin Corcoran: [pulls out Elizabeth's letter] Next time, could you ease up on the rose water? I will not hear the end of it at the precinct-house.
Elizabeth Haverford: Embarrassing you was not my intention. It's just the way I smell.

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Crazy Credits

In the opening credits, there is a map showing the Five Points as it stood in the show's time period.

User Reviews

Not like anything else

When I first saw the trailer for Copper, I figured it would be like a continuation of 'Gangs of New York.' How wrong I was. Though the setting of Copper mimics that of 'Gangs,' it goes further beyond into the seedy underbelly of the Five Points. It focuses not on revenge or the Civil War, but rather what problems plagued the detectives that tried to keep order in a lawless town.

On its own, Copper is a unique perspective on how justice was done in America. Essentially, the show is about Kevin Corcoran, a detective in the Five Points who stops at nothing to get his man, even the ones that think they are above the law. He relies heavily on his partner, Francis Maguire, during the inevitable trouble that follows them wherever they go. Kevin also invokes the help of a black doctor, Matthew Freeman, whose brilliant mind helps the detectives identify certain characteristics of victims that will lead to the killer. But their relationship is tricky due to the fresh wounds that are present from a recovering nation after the Civil War.

This show is not at all shy or subtle in its approach as to how things were back then. From the issues of race, class, peer pressure, and the common practice of child prostitution, nothing is left untouched by Copper. This show is certainly not afraid of offending people and you know what? That's what makes it so good to watch.

Tom Weston-Jones commands the screen from the first glance and refuses to let go as we are introduced to more characters. He gives an air of mystery and respectability to his role as Kevin Corcoran. He and his co-stars are able to carry the load of heavy scenes that might otherwise make viewers uncomfortable in an understated way. The fact that the bulk of them are complete unknowns (at least in America) allows the audience to watch without any preconceived notions about what to expect.

Overall, I really liked the pilot. It has serious potential as it was able to balance a certain number of characters with intertwining story lines that make sense. It would be easy for the writers to back away from the uncomfortable situations that the characters get into, but I hope they don't. The raw talk and bold themes are what make this show unique.