ABC
This show was patterned after a theatrical presentation also produced by Stephen Bochco which mixed "cop show" with "musical". Perhaps on the live stage it worked, but on televsion it did not.
I remember seeing a promo for this show in the movie theater. They mixed it in with the trailers of upcoming films. It was met with serious groans from the audience. Imagine, a straightforward dramatic scene out of any other cop show: a kid's got a knife and the cops arrest him, then suddenly the kid launches into a decidedly unhip rap song with the lyrics "In these streets, we got the power ". Music even made it into the courtroom scenes. Jurors when asked for their decision, all stand up and sing "He's guilty" gospel style. Just horrible.
"Cop Rock" was downright embarrassing and even became fodder for David Letterman's late-night monologues. What promised to be "groundbreaking television" and "different" was laughable and the epitome of everything uncool about television. Whatever effect it was trying for, it utterly missed its mark.
NEPOTISM ALERT: It's always amusing to see actors from previous Bochco shows cross over to newer Bochco shows (Dennis Franz from "Hill Street Blues" to "NYPD Blue"; James Sikking from "Hill Street Blues" to "Doogie Howser" to "Brooklyn South", etc.). In fact, you can always guarantee a "Hill Street" alumnus to have a guest shot on any new Bochco show. Barbara Bosson is Stephen Bochco's wife and has had major roles in "Hill Street Blues" (as Faye Furillo), "Cop Rock" (as Mayor Louise Plank), and the underrated "Murder One" (as attorney Miriam Grasso).
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