Scripted crime TV shows give viewers a dangerously false perception of how cops operate
newsdepo.com
As the uprisings against police violence force a national reckoning with how Americans conceive of police, calls to closely examine the role of pop culture in valorizing cops have grown more pressing. While the first cultural tentpoles to fall have been realiScripted crime TV shows give viewers a dangerously false perception of how cops operate
As the uprisings against police violence force a national reckoning with how Americans conceive of police, calls to closely examine the role of pop culture in valorizing cops have grown more pressing. While the first cultural tentpoles to fall have been reality-based shows like Cops and Live PD (which were recently canceled), that scrutiny is increasingly being extended to scripted crime dramas, like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU)—shows that week after week drill home the narrative that police are heroes who almost always treat survivors with respect, solve the case, and provide a pathway for the victims’ healing. Read more