This ABC show was one of two 1990 drama series that featured Broadway-style song-and-dance numbers. The other was NBC’s Hull High.
This – a police drama that was also a musical – was the networks’ idea of innovation. Viewers didn’t quite know what to make of it.
Focussing on the work of the LAPD, a typical episode would present the traditional police procedural but with the cast breaking into song and dance routines at opportune moments, and a line-up of suspects would bemoan racial profiling in a tuneful style.
Everybody sang, Dennis Potter-style: the cops, the crooks, even the judge and jury during the trials.
Hull High was cancelled first, and by December, Cop Rock was ABC’s lowest-rated series. It, too, was cancelled after only three months and 11 episodes, with some $25 million in production costs down the chute.
The final episode ended with the cast breaking character and joining crew members in performing a closing song.
Cop Rock has gone down in history as one of the worst TV shows of all time.
Officer Vicki Quinn
Anne Bobby Officer Andy Campo
David Gianopoulos Captain John Hollander
Larry Joshua Officer Franklin Rose
James McDaniel Det. Lt. Ralph Ruskin
Ron McLarty Det. Joseph Gaines
Mick Murray Mayor Louise Plank
Barbara Bosson Det. Vincent LaRusso
Peter Onorati Chief Roger Kendrick
Ronny Cox Cmdr. Warren Osborne
Vondie Curtis-Hall Det. Bob McIntire
Paul McCrane Trish Vaughn
Teri Austin Sidney Weitz
Dennis Lipscomb Det. William Donald Potts
William Thomas Jr.
Focussing on the work of the LAPD, a typical episode would present the traditional police procedural but with the cast breaking into song and dance routines at opportune moments, and a line-up of suspects would bemoan racial profiling in a tuneful style.
