What is it? Cop Rock, complete series, 11 episodes on three discs from Shout! Factory
When? Now
How much? $29.93
What's the story? In 1981, a man named Steven Bochco created a complex, dramatic, revolutionary series centering on the police force of a major city. That ground-breaking series, called Hill Street Blues, helped change the television landscape forever.
Then in 1990, he made another rule-breaking police show designed to change the world of TV. It didn't go quite as well.
Cop Rock starts like many other cop shows: it's a dark night in a crime-ridden city and dedicated police officers initiate a raid at a drug house. Hazy lighting and frenzied action add to the chaotic, intense atmosphere. And then something surreal happens.
The perpetrators and bystanders start rapping.
Yes, this is a gritty police drama. But it's also a musical and, at any given moment, police officers, lawyers, perpetrators and just random bystanders could break into song.
What about the plot and characters? The characters include a young officer who may be too compassionate for her own good (Anne Bobby), the vain mayor (Barbara Bosson) and a detective charged with unlawfully shooting a suspect (Peter Onorati). As for plot, the episodes address issues such as jail overcrowding, bribery and baby-selling operations.
To be honest, it's hard to follow when you're sitting there in horrified anticipation of the next musical number.
Creating this show was a bold, risky move, but it didn't pay off. Cop Rock lasted less than a full season and has gone down in TV history as one of the small screen's biggest flops.
But does it deserve that title? Well, that depends.
Those looking for a truly bizarre piece of 1990s pop culture or something in the "so bad it's good" category might be satisfied. But as a serious piece of drama? It's pretty darn bad and can cause a major case of secondhand embarrassment.
Watching, there's a cognitive dissonance, where your brain can't quite believe what your eyes are seeing and your ears are hearing. Did the jury's rollicking "He's Guilty" number really turn the courtroom into a church revival? Did a group of cocaine-addicted yuppies protest their arrest via a pop-techno song? Did a bunch of guys break into song in a gym's workout room?
Yes. It all happened.
Gritty cop dramas can be good. Musicals can be good. But, at least in this case, the two genres mix about as well as chocolate and pot roast.
And yet, for all the bad, there's something to be said for a show that's this wacky and took such a huge risk.
Are they at least good singers? Most of them do a pretty good job, yes.
Are the songs good? Not really, no. But with rap, power ballads, techno and gospel tunes, there certainly is a variety.
Are there extras? The pilot episode has text commentary. There's also a lengthy interview with Bochco and another with Bobby. They're pretty enlightening, explaining exactly how and why people thought this was a good idea. And, yes, plenty of people at the time thought it was a terrible plan.
New this week: Call the Midwife, Season 5; Devlin, complete series; Lou Grant, Season 1; Major Crimes, Season 4; Outsiders, Season 1; The Wonder Years, Season 5.
Next week: Suits, Season 5.
Style on 05/22/2016