Cops is an American docu-reality television series created by John Langley and Malcolm Barbour that follows police officers, constables and sheriff's deputies during patrols and other police activities. It is one of the longest-running television programs in the United States.
The series premiered in the USA on Fox on 11 March, 1989.
Cops premiered in South Africa on TopTV's Fox Entertainment channel, beginning with Season 17, on Sunday 16 May 2010, at 16h30. See "Seasons" below for seasonal broadcast dates and times.
Season 24 premiered on Fox Entertainment on Wednesday 18 January 2012, at 15h45. New episodes broadcast in a double bill daily, seven days a week. There are 35 episodes in the 24th season.
Synopsis
Often called the original reality show, Cops was a novelty when it first aired on the upstart Fox network in 1989, forever transforming the TV landscape. Over 20 seasons and more than 750 episodes later, the show remains as compelling and unpredictable as ever.
The rawest and the realest of all so-called reality shows, Cops allows viewers to ride along with the men and women of law enforcement every week as they take on everything from domestic disputes to car chases.
From the crazy and bizarre to the seriously dangerous, Cops never fails to surprise, startle and entertain.
The show is well known for its theme song, "Bad Boys", performed by reggae group Inner Circle.
History
"How are you going to do a show with no narration, no host, no script? You’re mad. It’ll never work."
That was what John Langley heard over and over when he originally presented the idea for Cops to network executives. But Langley was sure they were wrong.
Earlier in his career as a producer, Langley had done a film called Cocaine Blues, in which he had followed officers around the country, filming them as they knocked down doors and chased bad guys while executing drug busts.
Langley still recalls the adrenaline rush. "I was the third guy through the door. For the first time I knew what it felt like to be a police officer, putting myself in danger, not knowing what was around the corner. My heart was beating so fast."
Langley knew if he could bring viewers into that experience, they’d be hooked.
But he had a hard time convincing anyone else. Street Beat, as it was originally titled, was repeatedly turned down by every network through the early 1980s.
Meanwhile, the critical success of Cocaine Blues lead the fledgling company to a produce a series of highly rated syndication specials featuring a young reporter named Geraldo Rivera. The shows were a laundry list of crime topics: murder, terrorism, child prostitution, the Mafia.
Producing those shows gave Langley the knowledge, experience, and street cred to try again with Cops.
In 1988, Langley and his former partner Malcolm Barbour sat down with a young programming executive at the nascent Fox network. Steven Chao had seen the live drug busts that were part of the Geraldo shows, and wanted to meet the guys who pulled off the coup.
At the time, Fox Broadcasting Company was struggling to gain ground and brand identity against the "Big Three": ABC, NBC and CBS.
Chao recalls hearing the idea of "riding around with cops" and thinking it was absurd. But it was also authentic, edgy and, at the time, wholly unique. Just what the emerging fourth network needed. So he was willing to give it a try.
To produce the pilot, Langley called on Broward County (FL) Sheriff Nick Navarro. Langley had worked with Nick years earlier while filming the Geraldo shows. The public relations risks were obvious. But in spite of his reservations, Navarro said yes: "What is life without some risk?"
Cops debuted on the Fox network on March 11, 1989 to critical acclaim... and controversy.
Critics and audiences across the country were swept away by the unprecedented rawness and unpredictability of "the first reality show" to ever air on network TV; and many of the featured officers quickly achieved celebrity status – with several of them appearing on the late night TV interview circuit.
For some, however, the show was too raw, too real – and articles appeared questioning whether the risky business of law enforcement was really appropriate TV fodder for the viewing public at large.
But America was hooked, and Cops quickly garnered a rabidly loyal following of millions that persists to this day.
Seasons
Note: Series exclusive to Fox Entertainment. The first 16 seasons did not air in South Africa. Season 21 aired before Season 20.
Season 17 (35 episodes)
Premiere: 16 May 2010 | Finale: 1 June 2010 | Daily, 16h30 (double bill)
Season 18 (36 episodes)
Premiere: 2 June 2010 | Finale: 19 June 2010 | Daily, 16h30 (double bill)
Season 19 (36 episodes)
Premiere: 20 June 2010 | Finale: 7 July 2010 | Daily, 16h30 (double bill)
Season 20 (38 episodes)
Premiere: 7 May 2011 | Finale: 25 May 2011 | Daily, 15h45 (double bill)
Season 21 (36 episodes)
Premiere: 3 December 2010 | Finale: 20 December 2010 | Daily, 14h30 (double bill)
Season 22 (36 episodes)
Premiere: 5 August 2011 | Finale: 22 August 2011 | Daily, 15h45 (double bill)
Season 23 (22 episodes)
Premiere: 16 October 2011 | Finale: 26 October 2011 | Daily, 15h45 (double bill)
Season 24 (35 episodes)
Premiere: 18 January 2012 | Finale: 4 February 2012 | Daily, 15h45 (double bill)