Line #19 Series/CopRock


1	[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/CopRock_7347.jpg]]
2	->''Think of it like ''Film/PitchPerfect'' crashed into ''Series/TheWire'', and there were absolutely no survivors.''
3	-->-- '''Creator/JohnOliver''', ''Series/LastWeekTonight''
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5	''Cop Rock'' was a 1990 police drama presented as a {{musical}}. Creator/StevenBochco made it in an attempt to replicate the success he had with ''Series/HillStreetBlues'', the acclaimed gritty police drama. He largely reused its premise but in musical form. This experiment definitely didn't work, possibly due to the dissonance of cheery, happy songs appearing spontaneously in an otherwise relatively serious police drama. In the show, the ensemble cast mixed musical numbers and choreography throughout storylines, for example, bursting into songs during court trials. It's just as bizarre as it sounds, and became infamous for its strange premise and stranger execution.
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7	It has the honor of being rated #8 on the TV Guide List of the 50 Worst TV Shows of All Time, and #29 in ''[[Literature/WhatWereTheyThinkingThe100DumbestEventsInTelevisionHistory What Were They Thinking? The 100 Dumbest Events in Television History]]''. You could, of course, watch it for the {{camp}} factor without taking it seriously, [[SoBadItsGood and you might enjoy it]]. Heck, Bochco never regretted making it, calling it "the most fun I’ve ever had in my life".
8	----
9	!!Tropes used by the series:
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11	%%* {{Camp}}
12	%%* CrowdSong: Used often.
13	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Mayor Plank’s introduction is a VillainSong about her taking bribes. This aspect of her character was dropped shortly after and never brought up again, despite it having potential problems for her political career.
14	* EndOfSeriesAwareness: The show ended with the characters completely BreakingTheFourthWall and acknowledging the show's end. In song, of course.
15	* IntercontinuityCrossover: Characters from ''Series/HillStreetBlues'' appeared often.
16	* GospelRevivalNumber: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWwNTSj2Cy0 "He's Guilty!"]]
17	%%* IntercourseWithYou: The "Bumpty Bumpty" song.
18	* MoodWhiplash: ''Everywhere'', from the premise itself to the songs.
19	* MusicalWorldHypotheses: Definitely the "Alternate Universe" hypothesis fits here. Any attempts to make this fit into Adaptation Hypothesis go right out the window when people actually play musical instruments during "He's Guilty" and "Let's Be Careful Out There". At one point, a rookie patrolman starts singing while he and his veteran partner are out on patrol. His veteran partner stops him and tells him they're not allowed to break into song while driving.
20	* SoundtrackDissonance: "Baby Merchant", an upbeat tune about ''child trafficking and illegal adoptions''.
21	* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: During the musical numbers any characters not singing, dancing, or otherwise involved in the music usually just go about their business like it's an every day occurance.
22	* VillainSong: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=R9puOuTaGPc "Baby Merchant"]] definitely qualifies; a a child trafficker singing about his "services."
23	* WhatDoesSheSeeInHim: Vicki and Ralph don’t seem to be in love or even ''like'' each other.
24	%%* WunzaPlot

Context Series / CopRock