Cop Shows
I don't like it, so that means i wont enjoy this show??
shareThis show is much more than just a cop show. Each season gives you insight into the workings of different aspects of primarily the drug trade. It focuses on the players in the drug trade, the cops, the politicians, the union, and also the press.
IT really give you a great look from all sides.
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The schools were also a great piece of the puzzle. The show is much more than a cop show. Season 1 is basically cops vs drug dealers but it became much more in seasons 2-5.
shareSo should i go straight to s02?
I tried to watch the pilot, and of course the production value its amazing, still feels like a cop show. A really good cop show, but personally i don't like the crimes and cops dynamic.
Its too bad, cause i really wanted to get into this show, you know, with all the hype and cult surrounding...
It's a show you need to watch for a while before it really sinks in. I honestly wasn't that impressed probably until late season 1. It didn't become my favorite show until after I rewatched it.
shareI'm now retired from law enforcement (30 years). I performed every job in law enforcement including Patrol, Narc, Homicide and finally retired as 1 of 4 Deputy Chiefs to the Chief.
I never really watched law enforcement related dramas b/c some of them are just too ridiculous to stomach such as the whole CSI franchise.
Someone turned me on to this series and I will admit, I went into it thinking I was not going to like it and even thought the first 2 or 3 shows were very slow but understood how they had to move along with character development.
Aside from a very few inaccuracies (Hollywood has to put their spin on it) it was probably one of the closest to life law enforcement dramas I have ever seen. The homicide work, the use of informants, the internal and external politics related to law enforcement, the impact on the lives of the dealers and their families etc.. were all spot on.
Excellent series.
Thank you for your 30 years of service. What city(s) did you work in during your time? Do you have any other cop shows you like?
I would suggest The Shield as well if you haven't seen it already.
I worked in the Charlotte Mecklenburg area of NC. As far as other shows...I do watch Joe Kenda. He tells a pretty good story and has some good one liners.
I did see some of The Shield but was working then and really didn't have time.
Some aspects about this show that were especially spot on were the internal and external politics. If you had Internal "suction" as portrayed in The Wire, then you really were protected and advanced through the ranks whether you deserved it or not.
With respect to the external politics..the rank and file of the department had no idea what lengths the upper tier management dealt with City Council, Mayors on a daily basis. The worst was when you had 2 different city councilmen pulling you in different directions over personal agendas.
A couple aspects of the series that weren't exactly spot on, but I understand it's Hollywood were the portrayals of the homicide detectives sitting around reading the paper if you weren't working an active scene. You always have 1 or 2 homicides on the back burner that needs addressing and they relly would have been sitting around the squad room waiting on a body call.
The way they handled their informants...They really never would have taken an informant down to their office and give him the opportunity to see their pyramid investigation on that board. They also would not have discussed ANY plans whatsoever in front of him/her. You can have the absolute best informant in the history of informant and at the end of the day, you can't trust them at all.
Some great points you made there like about Bubbles. He could have easily tipped the dealers off that they were under investigation.
Charlotte really had their hands full with those riots. It must have been tough seeing that. This Black Lives Matter movement has become a cop hating, riot starting, city burning movement. It's sad to see cops being vilified when it would take 40 YEARS for the cops to kill as many blacks as black on black crime does.
I respect police to the fullest. It's shameful to see groups calling for the death of cops and the senseless murders of cops from this movement.