COPS: VOLUME 1
2/14/11
Felix Vasquez Jr.

 

Fighting Crime! In a future time!

"COPS" is one of the fondest childhood memories, a time where consumerism was about getting the consumers when they were young enough to hem and haw and cry for action figures, and toy companies pulled that off through animated series where they're toys were the main characters! "COPS" was one of those toy commercials where every episode and story device was more about selling toys than telling the story. But that doesn't mean it didn't work. Long Arm was my favorite. Sure he wasn't as flashy or as technical as the other characters, not by a long shot. But Long Arm was a cool cop whose arm extended thanks to a robot set of cuffs that he used to snare villains. You can't not love that. Mill Creek Entertaining is pulling out all of the stops for "COPS" releasing Volume 1 on DVD for collectors of 80's paraphernalia, and even a Best of DVD for folks who just want to stick to the basics and aren't all that interested in collecting every single episode for posterity's sake.

The Central Organization of Police Specialists led by the enigmatic Bullet Proof guards Empire City in 2020, a world where crime runs rampant and the need for specialists of the law abiding persuasion is ever more dire! Who do you call when Big Boss, Turbo Tu-Tone, or Berserko go on the rampage to hold up a blimp? Why you call COPS. Mill Creek Entertainment puts on a fine special set for collector's, but my primary gripe with this volume 1 set is that the episodes vary in quality. Episode one has a forced wide-screen format that makes the screen look mashed and squeezed in the center, and the picture often looks grainy and VHS quality. Clearly, the Mill Creek shows are all for archive sake, but this is a noticeable caveat that detracts from the considerable enjoyment of the episodes.

That said, the show still garners some hefty entertainment value, especially with its futuristic setting and incredible character designs. Hard Top is the focus of the first episode where he has to board a flying blimp to foil a crime plot from the Big Boss and his cronies. Now if only he can get over his paralyzing acrophobia. The second episode features Long Arm and Hard Top investigating a circus of crime pulling heists across Empire City, and Cops is basically a very self-contained series with each narrative revolving around their investigations and very little around the character arcs. While the character molds are consistent and the designs incredible to this day, the show is primarily about police officers of the future investigating crimes before they go up against the scourges of Empire City.

Unlike other superheroes, they rely on their wits and intelligence before resorting to tussling. Before actually using their fists and kicking butt, they first assess a situation and see how they can best use their surroundings. They use their brains. And they're all the more heroic for relying on clever tricks before violence comes in to play. Once the fighting begins, it's all fairly sanitary and entertaining, especially considering most of the fights are between the COPS and robotic soldiers. "Cops" is essentially like Miami Vice except with much less blood shed and much more a "Back to the Future 2" vibe, and it's still an entertaining and dazzling science fiction animated series I had a hard time putting away. If you fancy yourself the collector and are willing to ignore the forced letterbox, this is a wonderful box set. "COPS" is filled with interesting adventures, smart heroes, ete catching villains, and cases that will definitely keep your interest. And yes, Long Arm is still the best character.  

It's Crime fighting time!

 

 

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