Editors note: To start off a, hopefully, long running series, Phishbone has been given the first episode of "Cop Rock" to review. For future reviews, we do take requests.
Recently, I was asked by Kev"thegreat" to review the first episode of an old "Cop show" called Cop Rock. I must say my sarcasm through quotations is pretty dead on in that last statement. This show, by Steven Bochco (LA Law, Hill Street, Doogie Howser, NYPD Blue), is a severe "botch-up". Not only is the entire precinct full of inept cops who seemingly have had no training whatsoever, but the characters also feel compelled to SING!
If this show was sold more as a comedy, I could get behind this, but unfortunately, the show is way too serious for itself, making it a tragedy of all tragedies. I believe there may have been some sort of useable concept here, but the musical side of it simply falls flat. First off, when I hear it is Cop "Rock", I think "Cool! Who we got? Def leppard? Rolling Stones? I'll even take Aerosmith? But, alas, the answer is.....Randy Newman? Randy friggin Newman....You do not have a friend in me. It was the best gesture of all when Seth Macfarlane killed him in a Family Guy episode.
Even with no help from Randy Newman, the actors that were tabbed in this episode to sing were more tone deaf than a rock (maybe that's where the title came from). The only one positive thing that I share about this episode is that my 5 month old son seemed to be caught up in the entire episode. I have never seen him completely watch anything. Usually his attention is all over, or at least he naps or plays, but for this show, he stared at it with interest. Maybe Newman had some sort of special sound or note being played all the time that just happens to atttract 5 month olds, or maybe it was the "brown note"....now that I think of it, for my son, it was!
So there you have it. If I had to rate this it would be 1 out of 5 thumbs up (trust me, I only save zeros anything with a Lohan, Hilton, or Lil Jon), and 1 full diaper from my kiddo.
Fish out.