Cop Rock (1990) (Manic Episodes) (FROM THE ARCHIVES)

[@bootypounder666]

Imagine living in an alternative universe where cop rock became as popular as csi.

[@KaitlynMutt]

I feel like Cop Rock could be resurrected successfully as a Netflix series.

[@lucapeyrefitte6899]

KC it really could

[@fatimagic1365]

definitely. but only if they played it as a parody or critique of cop shows. what made the original fail was the tonal dissonance between the dick wolf-style "gritty realism" and...basically, glee. if they played the show as a self-aware black comedy, it could work.

[@PoopaChallupa]

Not anymore....

[@SiRenfield]

Now I have this image of the show being rebooted a la the 21 Jump Street movies. I mean for better if worse it wouldn’t be hard to remake it as a comedy a la Brooklyn 99 meets Crazy Ex Girlfriend

[@dragonfruitjam5977]

this was the first Manic Episodes I ever saw, and that chorus line of grinning cartoon policemen has haunted me ever since

[@kristenk214]

Thank you, thank you! I'm a Criminal Justice major who loves musicals, and ridiculous tv shows. Knowing this exists made my day.

[@VideoCop]

theres sooo many of these lost tv shows from years ago that are sadly locked up with no way to access them. I wish they would get released along with the plethora of failed tv pilots.

[@disgruntledfish8276]

If you want to check it out, I'm pretty sure the episodes are on UA-cam.

[@kristenk214]

Disgruntled Fish thanks. I was going to search UA-cam tonight.

[@kristenk214]

VideoCop yes, the world needs to know about Coprock!

[@theoriginalmrjguill3803]

It was over before it started >.

[@MasterFhyl]

This show apparently won 2 prime time Emmys, and was nominated for 3 more...

[@angelmarie2281]

I come from Karaoke and this appears in my feed. You spoil me!

[@UTFan666]

Oh, side note: The Judge, in that courtroom scene was the guy that played Judas, in the original Jesus Christ Superstar movie. Just a bit of trivia for ya. :)

[@lucapeyrefitte6899]

Tara Sojourn oh wow really? Didn't know that cuz Jesus Christ superstar was interesting

[@julioagua]

Oh my god... he was the best on JCS!!!!

[@Pipkiablo]

Maybe if they get some big name musicians attached to write the musical numbers and writers that don't take the show so seriously, they could have a Netflix reboot...I'd expect at least one 80's hair metal song in there somewhere.

[@Gaianna1]

I am so happy you are re-posting from the archives!
The blip.tv loss is still felt to this day.

[@DoReMi123acb]

well said friend. still miss that site

[@michaelwithay]

Alysha L I'm pretty sure all of her old stuff was on dailymotion. It's invisible until you follow her and dailymotion decides you get to see them

[@Titanic_Trash]

Alysha L All the OL stuff is on Phelous's website

[@tsarstepan]

No idea what this blip.tv is but I'm glad the Movie Nights archives is filled with bad movies reviews worth greater than their weight in gold.

[@WritInWater]

The show seems ridiculous, but I think that ending was awesome. How else were they going to wrap it up in one segment? Have a character 'wake up' and learn it was all a dream? At least this was an original ending, and I think pretty brave - with a bit of an 'up your's' to the execs who cancelled the show.

[@edisonlima4647]

Given the point at which the story is cut into that scene, it clearly looks like they were not told about the cancelation until the last moment, so I would say they had reason to be pissed and to end it with an "Well, F you, too" song.
And you are right, a meta complaint is waaay more memorable than just being another one of a million shows that just stop without any end or send out.

[@elegantdisarray]

I agree. I kinda respect it ✌️

[@paulpincemin1242]

Wow Allison, this was... surreal

[@Rebochan]

I watched this back in the Blip days, coming back now that Cop Rock has become THE VOICE OF A GENERATION

[@Mattteus]

that ending reminds me of The Gary Shandling Show in that they went 'meta'... then again, that was common in the 90s

[@Scatscar1985]

Wait, so Ronny Cox was in TWO music-leaning dramas - he played Charles Esten's dad on "Nashville" - which also a finale with everyone singing...

[@Jillbles]

At a guess, Paul McCrane is there because he was in the movie Fame, has a great voice, and had been on a Hill Street Blues episode.
My Mom loved Hill Street Blues & LA Law, and musicals. So of course we watched this as it happened. Literally my only lasting memory of it was the selling-her-baby-for-drugs song. I was 14; it... it really stood out, at the time. Such a pretty song, sung so well, in a OMG WTF situation.

[@VelvetTeacake]

Ah, happy memories of watching this streamed. Mamyor returns~

[@AllisonPregler]

MAMYOR HUNGRY!!!

[@STAROMEGA54]

i always thought this was just a joke from community, BUT IT WAS REAL ! WHAT, WOW!

[@caesarorzell600]

Why did I get all teary-eyed at the end?

[@fuckoff8388]

Caesar McCaslin #BringBackCopRock

[@UTFan666]

This is one of my favorite shows. I love musicals and this was just awesome. I was so upset when they canceled it, but they went out in style, as far as I'm concerned. I do have to make a point on the two songs you have issues with. The song with the mother selling her baby, was not inappropriate. It was supposed to be heartbreaking and poignant, here she is singing to a child, she loves, yet her addiction is causing her to give up.
The other song, where the mother is crying over her murdered kid, is no different then why Rap (Actual Rap) exist. Why Jazz exists and why Blues exists. As a ppl with no power, in their own country, dealing with all the things we have hand to deal with for generations, we had to come up with a way to, at least, express our pain, in order to deal with it. Real Rap, was about the horrors of drugs, death and despair, in the Black Community. It's how we cry for help, while knowing there's none coming. So please, try and understand the reason for a musical number before you assume its "out of place" or "inappropriate".

[@julioagua]

I agree. Someone bursting into song in the saddest or weirdest of situations is never inappropiate on musicals... that is what musicals are about!

[@mutsortima174]

The spiritual successor to Cop Rock would be Aaron Seltzer and Jason Friedberg's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

[@ashtonevans2427]

Thank you so much for this. Never knew about this show. So many good actors I didn't know could sing. Cohagen from Total Recall belting out tunes. My mind will never be the same.

[@karenelizabeth1590]

I'll always love vintage Lupa videos, but it's still worth noting that Allison has noticeably improved her voice over the years

[@TomHead_Headtoon]

I think I was one of the few fans of the show when aired. I thought it was a gas! Thanks Alison!

[@RavenPryde]

I’ve had that damn “Be Careful Out There” song from an episode of Cop Rock stuck in my head since the 90’s when my dad was channel surfing and ended up on ABC for a couple minutes... thank you for not using it :)

[@Tareltonlives]

I'm kinda sad they cut it so short. It's beautiful mess

[@billmilligan7272]

I thought I was the only one who remembered this weird thing. Give "Scorched", an even more obscure show from the same year.

[@JarrodBaniqued]

Here from Last Week Tonight

[@JarrodBaniqued]

Looking at the lyrics, I think For the Record is the perfect distillation of the relationship between media and the criminal justice system in this country

[@barrythechopper]

These songs remind me of those cartoon clips like "How a bill becomes a law" and such.

[@shinybeast8946]

I can't believe something like this existed.Holy shit, this is hilarious.

[@Jones23Boy]

I've been waiting for someone besides Mojo to talk about this little gem of television history....

[@DiarraHarris]

I'm glad someone reviewed this.

[@grapeshot]

I remember when the show first came out and I was reading the editorial in a TV Guide back when there was such a thing. The person that pinned the editorial said the person that developed this show took careful aim and shot themselves in the foot.

[@billmilligan7272]

I remember when, week after week, I kept seeing ads "on the next episode of Cop Rock" and wondering how the hell out hadn't been cancelled yet.

[@theadamblock]

Long time fan but just stumbling over this one after John Oliver’s bit. I cannot think of a more ill conceived idea for a tv show.

[@RIVALContentJammerz]

It reminded me of Teen Witch

[@dunes8817]

What an odd, intriguing mess.

[@mattakudesu]

Are you fucking kidding me? In what parallel universe did they think a cop drama/musical would work?

[@theoriginalmrjguill3803]

"You can get it if you really want. But you've got to try. Try and try. You'll succeed at last...I know it." Just ask the Governor from Woodbury.

[@matthewjarek3026]

I think John Oliver just made Cop Rock a new cult classic by introducing it to the right generation. US!

[@brianfuller5868]

I actually watched this and I didn't think anyone remembered it.

[@SanFran51]

Sometimes you just have to wonder what went through the Network executives heads when they greenlit this.

[@hazzah1007]

I remember, 14 years old or so and seeing this show advertised on Entertainment Tonight and getting physically angry that anything so atrocious was greenlit.

[@shinybeast8946]

It was hilarious, we could use something like this today.

I would totally watch a Netflix or Hulu revival of this.

[@SpiderandMosquito]

I still this premise has merit. I don't know, I like musicals and I like the idea of an otherwise straight-laced procedural drama being one.

[@joelross9911]

Holy crap this show had Vondie Curtis-Hall (Ben Urik from daredevil) and Ronny Cox(lots I mainly know him as senator McKenzie from SG-1 in it.

[@theoriginalmrjguill3803]

Hey, it's Dr. Romano from ER O.o. He's alive and well I see. And he still has his other arm. Nice.

[@dreamlandnightmare]

I still can't believe this existed in our reality.

[@Kentrc11]

Sheesh.
This is unbelievable.
SPACE JESUS H FUCKING CHRIST.
When's the reboot or video game tie-in coming out?

[@johnwitkus]

I expect a big budget reboot

[@cbfall]

We can only hope!! :-)

[@paulpincemin1242]

John Witkus Called "SWAT Jingle"

[@markuscriticus8278]

I DEMAND a big budget reboot.

[@Melodyofthesea78]

The "SWAT jingle" sounds like a song off of a Christmas special......to Cop Rock....if it had actually done well.

[@fuckoff8388]

This show sounds AWESOME

[@pl2584]

I want to watch this now.

[@schaperart]

How can you not have anything about the song Baby Merchant??? Or Let's Be Careful Out There?

[@giuseppeianniello1998]

Apparently, in one episode there’s an appearance by singer Sheryl Crow pre-career

[@Thkaal]

Someone forgot the Annie rip off from the eighties and which there was a bunch of Orphans who are adopted and oh look they were a musical

[@miker.9138]

They did not, in fact, ride again.

[@fatimagic1365]

6:22 imagine if fin tutuola sang this song to john munch after that time he got shot in the ass

[@mathieuleader8601]

this needs to get a reboot

[@johnnyvenus5435]

Baaaaaaby Meeeerchant!

[@VideoCop]

WTF? I've never heard of this, HOW DOES THIS EXIST?

[@miker.9138]

OMFG, they actually brought out a "fat lady" to sing at the end.

[@ralphyetmore]

I never even heard of this. :-O

[@ThatGothicChick]

5:04, holy shit, is that "trying to hide my badlness with a mullet" guy from Soul Taker???

[@billsandiego3385]

I found the idea hilarious! Singing police officers!

[@brianfuller7691]

I watched all 11 episodes and honestly some were better than others. But it was a hard sell and a bad marriage. With catchy to painful, mostly painful. Officer Vicky Quinn is the very talented Ann Bobby.

[@JBiggsofWSNC]

The CNN series "The 90's" brought me here.

[@Lady_Yuna]

2:24 The president from the 1990 Marvel Captain America movie.

[@kalebsantos72]

elizabeth1325 huh neat

[@zwordsman]

I want to see this
andi want netflix to make a series like this now
Actually
i want one along the lines of Highlander, or about an asssassin sorta thing.

[@meghanphillips3495]

Fun fact: Mayor Too Ugly Too Run was played by Stephen Bochco's wife (and eventual ex-wife) Barbara Bosson. Hmmmm...makes you wonder.

[@heidifedor]

Actually it wasn't that odd for gritty dramas, or comedies, to have an occasional musical episode. However they only happened once throughout an entire series, but not every episode.

[@H3len50]

I have never even heard of this show. How did this show happen..hahahah

[@bootypounder666]

This made remember that there is a csi inspired jukebox musical staring hugh Jackman from like the early 2000's.
Does anyone remember what im talking about ?

[@dngillikin]

Yeah, I remember it - Viva Laughlin, an Americanization of the BBC's Blackpool which starred David Morrissey from the Walking Dead and David Tennant. The Jackman version was axed after two episodes.

[@ErinHeartpenny]

Allison, have you ever seen Blackpool? It's sort of the same idea, the BBC did a cop show musical with David Tennant but they didn't write any original songs. You should check it out, it's not as obscure as this, but you might like it!

[@TimmyTickle]

There was a short-lived American remake, Viva Laughlin, which had the involvement of Hugh Jackman.

[@meredithfaraday9435]

Tim Mackie I remember Viva Laughlin!

[@theoriginalmrjguill3803]

I got a musical for this hot mess of a show......"Hey, this was really fun. We hope you liked it too. Seems like we've just begun. When suddenly we're through. Goodbye, goodbye, good friends, goodbye Cause now it's time to go .But, hey, I say, well, that's OK Cause we'll see you very soon, I know Very soon, I know. " :D This show wasn't meant to be.....for many reasons.

[@rikukicksass07]

Am I the only person who thinks the guys that made yakuza could make this work?

[@Arrowdodger]

So, all of them worked for Dick Jones?

[@dreamlandnightmare]

Wasn't the redhead cop in this show also the Boddicker goon who got melted with acid?

[@J0r]

This is like R. Kelly's trapped in the closet

[@brendakrieger7000]

🎤🎸🎶

[@carcosacommune]

Holy hell, is that Todd from Community?

[@RIVALContentJammerz]

Was that Anne Bobbi?

[@TheUrg7]

#Imdb Gerald Parrish

[@culwin]

That ending though.... wtf...

[@Diamondelle84]

Came here from CNN's The 90's

[@Cdr2002]

4:15 racial profiling song? Relevant!

[@thenightrider2121]

I don't know. It could be funny if all songs were done at inappropriate​ times but not enough to last a season.

[@BradHominem]

American kitsch never sounded so good.

[@depanth]

last call for. . . cholesterol
haha, seems like a ton of cringe-worthy lyrics. nice! :P

[@billsandiego3385]

depanth Almost all the songs were cheesy. They almost all rhymed too lol

[@seanmatyas3938]

I'll stick with real cop shows with singing like The Wire the Musical...thank you very much.

[@IzzySoDope]

Terrible 😂

[@mutsortima174]

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is just as abysmal as Cop Rock.

[@princesstamika]

wow, white people trying to dig deep and soul sing is super grating. like that whole style of faux blues with no rhythm is very irritating. this is why i hate musicals (other than not being able to relate).