In anticipation of the premiere of NBC's musical theater drama SMASH, Ryan takes a look at another *ahem* attempt...we'll say attempt...to produce a musical television show.
By Ryan Bogner (Producer, Wingnut)
The year was 1990. George Bush the first was the president, I was in kindergarden. One of television's most prolific producers was Steven Bochco who was known for creating such police procedural dramas as Hill Street Blues and LA Law and who went on to create NYPD Blue in 1993.
Bochco liked cops is what I'm saying. And so in 1990 he had the genius plan to produce a television show that was basically like his others, a crime procedural. But he knew he couldn't keep dipping into that well without jazzing it up a little. "Jazzing it up a little" he thought...that's the answer. I'll jazz it up...literally.
And thus Cop Rock was born.
The actual title card from the opening credits. I really wish I was kidding about this.
Cop Rock was the logical marriage of a crime procedural drama with musical theater. Everyone sings: the cops,the criminals, the homeless people in the street.
Sometimes they sing songs by Randy Newman who happened to write and sing the opening sequence.
Check out this incredibly "moving" sequence where the police clear out a tent city of homeless people.
Even the jury gets in on the action
Its amazing how they were able to find 12 impartial jurors that happened to also be gospel singers.
Thanks to youtube, we have most of these musical numbers preserved. The user-generated descriptions are almost as precious as the video themselves...for example:
"Told by Vicki she wouldn't be arrested for selling her baby, Patty is charged anyway. She sings her displeasure to Vicki."
Note the seamless transition from spoken word into song.
Sadly, Cop Rock was canceled after just 11 episodes. But it will never die in the eyes of its fans.
RYAN BOGNER is a New York based Theater Producer. He has produced Yeast Nation, Hurricane, Hater and Hey, You Know What Movie Would Make a Good Musical? among others, and is working towards an MFA in Theater Management and Producing at Columbia University. www.heyyouknowwhatproductions.com
I watched the pilot episode a couple years ago. Some song moments were bizarre. Others (mostly the ballads) were kind of beautiful. My favorite song in that episode was "Sandman's Coming Soon," in which the character sings to her child before giving her up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKEtGxhsGQQ
Posted by: Shoshana | Thursday, February 02, 2012 at 10:39 PM