An Infamous Reality Show Is Being Rebooted
One of the most influential and controversial reality shows is coming back.
This article is more than 2 years old
Fox Nation is rebooting the infamous reality show Cops. The reality series was canceled by Paramount last year in the wake of public outrage following the death of George Floyd. But now that the dust has settled, the streaming service has ordered new episodes for season 33.
“Cops is one of the most iconic brands on television with an incredibly passionate fan base,” Jason Klarman, president of Fox Nation, said in a statement to Variety. He also promised that the company would be showing appreciation to first responders by offering them a free one-year subscription to the streaming service, saying it’s a way to “give back in a small way to those who place their lives on the line every day to keep us safe.”
Cops will start its reboot by airing four episodes at once, followed by individual episodes premiering every week on Fridays. Fox Nation, a subscription-based streaming service owned by Fox News Media, has also picked up an additional 15 episodes from the 32nd season.
Cops premiered on the Fox network in 1989, giving viewers a transparent look into the life of law enforcement. Camera crews captured police answering calls, going out on patrol, and making arrests – all on live television. In 2013 Fox canceled the show after 25 seasons, but Cops eventually moved to the Paramount Network. And after global outrage and nationwide protests following George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police, Paramount dropped the show from its 2020 lineup.
In the wake of Floyd’s murder, shows similar to Cops also faced public scrutiny, leading to their abrupt cancellation. Popular A&E television show Live PD was pulled from the air after new details emerged from the arrest of Javier Ambler, a black man who died while being arrested by Austin, Texas, law enforcement in 2019. “This is a critical time in our nation’s history and we have made the decision to cease production on Live PD,” A&E Network said in a statement last year.
The decision to revive Cops puts a spotlight on growing ambitions for Fox Nation, which was originally billed as a service for “super fans” of the conservative Fox News Channel. According to Variety, the streaming service plans to launch several new series about various first responders.
This includes the ride-along series, 911: On Scene which will track firefighters and paramedics from across the country. When Seconds Count will showcase footage of rescues and will be anchored by Fox News Channel’s Harris Faulkner.
Protect and Serve, hosted by Fox News Channel contributor Ted Williams, will shine a light on the good deeds done by police officers. And Answer the Call will tell stories about the children of fallen first responders and is centered on a charity that has the same name as the show. It also aims to support families of first responders killed in the line of duty on 9/11.
Meanwhile, the 33rd season of Cops will premiere on Fox Nation on October 1st.
