Cop Rock - The Complete Series

I'm embarrassed to say that not only was I in college when "Cop Rock" first came on the scene, but I was chomping at the bit for its premiere. I really thought it would be something brilliant and amazing. When the show started I instantly knew that the whole thing would be a debacle. But that didn't stop me from tuning in every week. The problem was the constant state of "WTF" we all were in every week as we watched cops and bad guys breaking out into musical numbers, ballads, and rap battles all while serious and gritty storylines were playing out. I mean, this was clearly a misguided concept, but there's something so bat-shit crazy about it, that it's actually worth checking out.

Various composers wrote the songs for each episode with Randy Newman contributing five to the pilot episode, including the Theme Song which has to be seen to be believed. The fun of the show is to spot famous people warbling in group numbers (hi there, Sheryl Crow) and try to predict at what inappropriate time someone would break out into a ballad.

Anne Bobby plays a fresh faced recruit married to a much older man and her story is the most heartfelt. She also has a lovely voice and a few of her ballads are pretty. Kathleen Wilhoite as a drug-addicted new mother also fares well. Barbara Bosson as Mayor Louise Plank has a particularly cheesy ballad she sings to herself in a mirror that is both kinda pretty, but also hilarious.

And that's the joy and problem with this show. It's so earnest that there's a brilliance to it. While it was a "serious" show back in the day, today it's something we can all watch with giddy pleasure.

Special features include 30 minute interviews with creator Steven Bochco who discusses the production and his initial inspiration. Anne Bobby has fond memories of the show and waxes on favorably about the cast and production. A commentary on the pilot is a "Pop Culture Historian" and it sounds more like a lecture than a direct commentary on what is on screen.

All in all, if you know what the show is and have any curiosity, this is worth checking out. It was a specific genre that was either way ahead of its time, or severely misguided. Either way, it's a fun and silly trip down memory lane and worth it to spot the laundry list of celebrities who guessed starred. (Good day, Gina Gershon!)

"COP ROCK"
DVD Set
$29.93