We recently reported that, while FOX wasn’t cancelling Cops, the network was drastically cutting back on the number of episodes that will air this year. Due to sports programming, Cops won’t be seen for the remainder of 2012.
TV Guide recently spoke to Cops executive producer John Langley about the news. He said that the reality show is expected to return in January 2013 with 16-20 new episodes ready to go for the remainder of the 2012-13 season.
Langley notes, “The good news is we’re renewed for our 25th year. That’s our silver anniversary, a rarity in TV. I don’t expect too many shows to reach that landmark.”
He also noted that, “If FOX doesn’t re-order us after the 25th season, we’ll find another home, I’m pretty certain. We’ve got an audience and will always have an audience no matter what happens. We’ve become an iconic program with guaranteed ratings. We usually win our time slot, so somebody will want us.”
Cops’ longtime companion on FOX Saturday nights, America’s Most Wanted, was dropped by the network as a regular series and Lifetime ended up picking it up. It’s performed well for the cable channel and was recently renewed for another season. FOX has been airing quarterly AMW specials but the fourth and final one will air this weekend. That will end FOX’s association with the John Walsh series.
Langley added that Cops will have a prominent place in the upcoming FOX anniversary special and has a special place in the network’s history.
He said, “Cops at one time was a linchpin for FOX, certainly,” he says. “It was a network builder. I think we made a major contribution to the early history of FOX, along with America’s Most Wanted, The Simpsons and some shows that followed. People forget that back in the day when Cops first aired, FOX was stumbling. They did a radical revamp of programming and allowed for things that were daring.”
What do you think? Are you a fan of the long-running TV series? Would you follow it to another channel or is it time for Cops to end?
Cops shows the realites of life on the wrong side !of the law! FOX PEOPLE need to grow up
Thankfully Spike network has picked up COPS. Up yours, FOX. You suck!
So why are they putting on more sport shows now? Are the ratings on cop show not like it was before? In past they had 35 or more episodes now they moved it down to about 20 to 23 episodes. This season the 25 season looks like it only going to be 16 episodes. What is going on? Is the rating on the cop show going down? How could there be more sports now , than before in the past? Unless rating on cop show is not that good now like before in the past? Some one above said move… Read more »
why cant fox just move cops to sunday? Sure i would follow it,if i wanted sports i could simply order it on my cable network
Cops is really the only tv show that I watch consistently.fox succks for getting rid of it.no problemm watching it on whatever channel it moves to.I’ve always. Made it a point to drop whatever I’m doing and be on time to watch cops.this blows
We have watched Cops almost every Saturday since it started airing and are very disappointed in FOX for limiting it’s airing. While we are racing fans, this is one show that my entire family enjoyed watching together. PLEASE FOX bring Cops back full time on Saturday nights.
COPS has become a staple on Saturday nights. Every program FOX has tried to replace the show with is awful (except for certain sport programming) I also agree with the COPS people. If FOX don’t want them they will do fine somewhere else.
Just what we need another sports game. Maybe a reality show. It just sucks.
cops finally back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wtf was fox thinking?cancelling COPS for BORING sports is just STUPID
WOO YEAH cops r back on the road.What the f**k did fox think they were doing?Canceling COPS for boring SPORTS?THAT IS STUPID
I would prefer it if FOX were to go off the air and Cops stayed on someplace better.
Replacing COPS with lame sports? What executive TV clown made this decision?? COPS has been a tradition every Saturday night since the early 90’s. Why would they F this up now?? If Fox wants to throw it away, I’ll follow it wherever it goes. Sounds like typical executive bozos to me.
I did not realize I had been watching COPS for 24 years, in my opinion Fox would be rather stupid to cancel COPS, but you know what I have not been watching any of the saturday night fox crap sports.