Cop Rock was a short-lived Steven Bochco television series on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in 1990. It was an attempt to combine the police drama (a format in which Bochco had been very successful earlier with Hill Street Blues) with musical theater. For example, one scene in a courtroom had the jury break into song, proclaiming the verdict "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." The theme song, "Under the Gun", was performed by Randy Newman, opening each episode with a music video-style credit sequence featuring Newman performing. Image File history File links Cop-rock. ... Steven Ronald Bochco (born December 16, 1943) is an American television producer and writer. ... The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) operates television and radio networks in the United States and is also shown on basic cable in Canada. ... This is a list of television-related events in 1990. ... Hill Street Blues was a serial police drama that first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. ... Musical theater (or theatre) is a form of theatre combining music, songs, dance, and spoken dialogue. ... For jury meaning makeshift, see jury rig. ... Gospel music may refer to the religious music that first came out of African-American churches in the first quarter of the twentieth century or, more loosely, to both black gospel music and to the religious music composed and sung by predominately white Southern Gospel artists. ... Randall Stuart Randy Newman (born 28 November 1943) is an American songwriter, arranger, singer and pianist who is notable for his mordant pop songs and for his many film scores. ... A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music, most commonly a song. ...

The show 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. James Sikking (b. ... L.A. Law (1986 - 1994) was one of the most popular television shows of the 1980s and 1990s. ... Jimmy Smits as President Matt Santos on The West Wing. ... Michele Greene (b. ...

Negative Critical Reaction and Cult Status

The series produced widely divergent opinions. During its initial run, many television critics, expecting the show to be like Bochco's previous cop show Hill Street Blues, hated Cop Rock and dubbed it "the worst television show ever". This opinion was echoed by viewers, who stayed away from the show in droves.

ABC, which had signed off on the series sight-unseen and had given Bochco complete creative control, cancelled the show after 11 episodes. In the final episode, cast members Ronny Cox and Vondie Curtis-Hall talk about the cancellation, and bring the whole cast in to sing one final song, "It Ain't Over Til the Fat Lady Sings" -- a song which does in fact end with a "fat lady" singing. Ronny Cox as Former Vice-President Robert Kinsey in Stargate SG-1 Daniel Ronald Cox (born Saturday, July 23, 1938 in Cloudcroft, New Mexico and grew up in Portales, New Mexico. ... Vondie Curtis-Hall (born September 30, 1956 in Detroit, Michigan) is an African-American actor and film director. ...

Legacy

Despite the show's rapid demise, Bochco's career quickly bounced back with ABC, who greenlighted Bochco's follow-up series NYPD Blue, a more traditional cop show. Cop Rock meanwhile was sold into syndication and aired on VH1 and Trio networks, who flaunted the "worst television show ever" reputation of the series. Cop Rock has gone on to become a cult classic in the "so bad it's good" genre. There is also a small but vocal fan base who enjoy the show as a genuine musical drama, and don't regard it as camp. NYPD Blue was a long-running American television police drama set in New York City. ... VH1 (spelled VH-1: Video Hits One until 1994) is an American cable television channel that was created in January 1985 by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Communications and owners of MTV. It and sister channel MTV are currently part of the MTV Networks... Trio (or TRIO) was an American cable and satellite television channel owned by NBC Universal. ...

Cast

• Teri Austin - Trish Vaughn
• Anne Bobby - Ofcr. Vicki Quinn
• Barbara Bosson - Mayor Louise Plank
• Ronny Cox - Chief Roger Kendrick
• Vondie Curtis-Hall - Det. Warren Osborne
• David Gianopoulos - Ofcr. Andy Campo
• Larry Joshua - Capt. John Hollander
• Dennis Lipscomb - Sidney Weitz
• Paul McCrane - Det. Bob McIntire
• James McDaniel - Ofcr. Franklin Rose
• Ron McLarty - Ralph Ruskin
• Mick Murray - Det. Joseph Gaines
• Peter Onorati - Det. Vincent LaRusso
• William Thomas Jr. - Det. William Donald Potts

Teresa Teri Austin is a Canadian-born actress. ... Barbara Bosson (born November 1, 1939 in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, USA) is an American actress who has starred on television and in film. ... Ronny Cox as Former Vice-President Robert Kinsey in Stargate SG-1 Daniel Ronald Cox (born Saturday, July 23, 1938 in Cloudcroft, New Mexico and grew up in Portales, New Mexico. ... Vondie Curtis-Hall (born September 30, 1956 in Detroit, Michigan) is an African-American actor and film director. ... Dennis Lipscomb is an American actor of both leading and supporting roles. ... Paul McCrane as Dr. Romano on ER. Paul David McCrane (born January 19, 1961) is an American movie, television and theatre actor. ... James McDaniel (Born March 25, 1958 in Washington, D.C.) is an American stage, film and television actor. ... Peter Onorati was born and raised in Boonton, New Jersey. ...

Episode List

• Episode 1: Cop Rock: Pilot Episode - Airdate: September 26, 1990

• Episode 2: Ill-Gotten Gaines - Airdate: October 3, 1990

• Episode 3: Happy Mudder's Day - Airdate: 10 October 1990

• Episode 4: A Three-Corpse Meal - Airdate: 17 October 1990

• Episode 5: The Cocaine Mutiny - Airdate: 24 October 1990

• Episode 6: Oil of Ol' Lay - Airdate: 31 October 1990

• Episode 7: Cop-a-Felliac - Airdate: November 7, 1990

• Episode 8: Potts Don't Fail Me Now - Airdate: November 21, 1990

• Episode 9: Marital Blitz - Airdate: December 5, 1990

• Episode 10: No Noose Is Good Noose - Airdate: December 12, 1990

• Episode 11: Bang the Potts Slowly - Airdate: December 26, 1990

Also see

Hull High - Another television series with musical segments that debuted (and was cancelled) in 1990 Hull High was a television series which aired in the United States on the NBC television network in 1990. ...

External links

• Cop Rock at the Internet Movie Database
• TRIO: pop, culture, tv.
• Jump The Shark
• Television Heaven
• TV Graveyard
• Cop Rock, Hill Street Blues and L.A. Law
• Cop Crap