C.O.P.S. (animated TV series)
Encyclopedia
C.O.P.S. is an American animated
television series released by DIC Entertainment
(distributed by Claster Television) and Celebrity Home Entertainment
(some VHS tapes went through Golden Book Video
, though). This cartoon, which ran from 1988–1989, used the tag line: "Fighting crime in a future time, protecting Empire City from Big Boss and his gang of crooks". In 1993, the series was shown in reruns on CBS Saturday mornings as "CyberCOPS", the name change due to the 1989 debut of the unrelated primetime reality show of the same name
. The show was based on Hasbro
's 1988 line of action figures called C.O.P.S 'N' Crooks.
While staying at the hospital, Bulletproof, knowing he cannot do all of this alone, sends out Police
Officer P.J. O'Malley (Codename: LongArm) and rookie Officer Donny Brooks (Codename: HardTop) to round up the best law enforcers from all over the country. With these men and women — including David E. "Highway" Harlson, Colt "Mace" Howards, Stan "Barricade" Hyde, Tina "Mainframe" Cassidy, Walker "Sundown" Calhoun, Suzie "Mirage" Young, Hugh S. "Bullseye" Forward, and Rex "Bowser" Pointer and his robot dog, Blitz — he forms a team that is “the finest law enforcement agency there is in the country.” Bulletproof becomes the proud founder and commander of C.O.P.S. Together, he and his C.O.P.S. team are able to take down Big Boss and his gang of crooks and thwart the first of many of Big Boss' criminal schemes.
Each episode has a title that begins with “The Case of…” with a different phrase being added to it (i.e. “The Case of the Iron C.O.P.S. and Wooden CROOKS”; “The Case of the Half-Pint Hero”; and “The Case of the Crime Nobody Heard”) along with the C.O.P.S. file number. Bulletproof would narrate at the beginning of the episode as well as the end, concluding by repeating the C.O.P.S. file number and title, ending it with “Case Closed” with an “Closed” mark being stamped onto the file folder. The two exceptions are the first parts each of the two-parter episodes, “The Case of Big Boss' Master Plan” and “The Case of C.O.P.S. File #1,” where the conclusion of the episode is marked with a “Case Continued” plastered on the files.
In the cartoon, the C.O.P.S. frequently shouted, “It's Crime Fighting Time!” as a battle cry
when it was time to bag the CROOKS and solve a caper. Meanwhile, the CROOKS would shout “Crime's a-wasting!” whenever they went to do another caper, whether it was pulling another heist (as in so many episodes such as “The Case of the Blur Bandits”), giving C.O.P.S. a hard time to the point of replacing (actually disposing) them for good (as in “The Case of the Big Boss' Master Plan”) or taking captive a certain individual to be held prisoner
for ransom (as in “The Case of the Ransomed Rascal”).
The music for the series was created by Shuki Levy
, while the C.O.P.S. theme music was written and composed by Haim Saban
, and sung by Nick Carr.
Numerous characters were featured in the cartoon that did not have action figures (Including Mainframe, Brian O'Malley, Whitney Morgan, Nightshade, Ms. Demeanor, and Mirage).
released C.O.P.S.- Volume 1, a 4-disc boxset featuring the first 22 episodes on DVD in Region 1. It includes concept art, storyboard-to-screen, and some of the original PSAs that were shown after the episodes. Volume 2 featuring 21 episodes was released as a Shout! Factory select title, available exclusively through their online store.
In October 2010, Mill Creek Entertainment
announced that they had acquired the rights to the series and would be releasing it in its entirety. They subsequently released Volume 1, featuring the first 32 episodes of the series, on February 15, 2011. Volume 2 will be released on September 13, 2011.
and sold between 1988 and 1989. These figures are made up of police
and criminals
of the future and uses the tagline: "Fighting Crime in a Future Time."
In the packages containing the C.O.P.S. figures, only the C.O.P.S. logo is shown while the packages containing the CROOKS figure features only the phrase "N'CROOKS" shown right next to the logo. Each figure, fully articulated and poseable, standing about six inches tall on the average, came with cap gun
accessories that allowed kids, who played with them, to fire off their weapons by pulling back the trigger and releasing it to cause a spark and a popping noise when the trigger slams into a strip of cap firing paper.
Each figure also had a file card printed on the back of the package that contained a biography of the character. These file cards were written by Larry Hama
, who also wrote the file cards for Hasbro’s G.I. Joe
action figures. The artwork made for each package is illustrated by Bart Sears, Mark Pennington, and McNabb Studios.
Several female C.O.P.S. and Crooks characters (Mainframe, Nightshade, Mirage, and Ms. Demeanor) appeared in the cartoon and the comics, but were never released as action figures.
, a special PSA
segment known as C.O.P.S. For Kids is shown either in animated form featuring the C.O.P.S. and CROOKS or in live action form with real-life police officers giving kids information about safety issues. These included staying away from drugs
, gangs, how to be safe at home and on the street, and how to help in preventing crime. Each and every C.O.P.S. for Kids segment was made with the blessing and assistance of organizations like DARE
, the National Crime Prevention Council
and the California Highway Patrol
. These segments were omitted from some international broadcasts of the show.
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
television series released by DIC Entertainment
DiC Entertainment
DIC Entertainment was an international film and television production company. In addition to animated television shows such as Ulysses 31 , Inspector Gadget , The Littles , The Real Ghostbusters , Captain Planet and the Planeteers , and the first two seasons of the English adaptation of...
(distributed by Claster Television) and Celebrity Home Entertainment
Celebrity Home Entertainment
Celebrity Home Entertainment , founded by Noel C. Bloom , was a home video distributor specializing in mostly obscure material from around the world, as well as B-grade action films and soft-core adult fare, although they also released some material that...
(some VHS tapes went through Golden Book Video
Golden Book Video
Golden Book Video was a line of children’s animated videos marketed by Western Publishing, beginning in 1985. They featured characters and stories from Western's print publications, such as Little Golden Books, and were originally released on VHS video cassette for under $10.The videos made use of...
, though). This cartoon, which ran from 1988–1989, used the tag line: "Fighting crime in a future time, protecting Empire City from Big Boss and his gang of crooks". In 1993, the series was shown in reruns on CBS Saturday mornings as "CyberCOPS", the name change due to the 1989 debut of the unrelated primetime reality show of the same name
COPS (TV series)
Cops is an American documentary/reality television series that follows police officers, constables, and sheriff's deputies during patrols and other police activities...
. The show was based on Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
's 1988 line of action figures called C.O.P.S 'N' Crooks.
Plot
The year: 2020. The place: Empire City. The situation: Brandon “Big Boss” Babel (along with his gang of crooks) is holding the entire city under the palm of his iron hand and the Empire City Police Department can do nothing to stop him. As a last resort, Mayor Davis sends in Special Agent Baldwin P. Vess (Codename: Bulletproof) to take him down. However, Bulletproof suffered very serious injuries in a car wreck during a fight with Big Boss' criminal henchmen and had to be taken to the hospital, where he is given a cybernetic bullet-resistant torso to save his life as it would take years for his torso to recover.While staying at the hospital, Bulletproof, knowing he cannot do all of this alone, sends out Police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
Officer P.J. O'Malley (Codename: LongArm) and rookie Officer Donny Brooks (Codename: HardTop) to round up the best law enforcers from all over the country. With these men and women — including David E. "Highway" Harlson, Colt "Mace" Howards, Stan "Barricade" Hyde, Tina "Mainframe" Cassidy, Walker "Sundown" Calhoun, Suzie "Mirage" Young, Hugh S. "Bullseye" Forward, and Rex "Bowser" Pointer and his robot dog, Blitz — he forms a team that is “the finest law enforcement agency there is in the country.” Bulletproof becomes the proud founder and commander of C.O.P.S. Together, he and his C.O.P.S. team are able to take down Big Boss and his gang of crooks and thwart the first of many of Big Boss' criminal schemes.
Each episode has a title that begins with “The Case of…” with a different phrase being added to it (i.e. “The Case of the Iron C.O.P.S. and Wooden CROOKS”; “The Case of the Half-Pint Hero”; and “The Case of the Crime Nobody Heard”) along with the C.O.P.S. file number. Bulletproof would narrate at the beginning of the episode as well as the end, concluding by repeating the C.O.P.S. file number and title, ending it with “Case Closed” with an “Closed” mark being stamped onto the file folder. The two exceptions are the first parts each of the two-parter episodes, “The Case of Big Boss' Master Plan” and “The Case of C.O.P.S. File #1,” where the conclusion of the episode is marked with a “Case Continued” plastered on the files.
In the cartoon, the C.O.P.S. frequently shouted, “It's Crime Fighting Time!” as a battle cry
Battle cry
A battle cry is a yell or chant taken up in battle, usually by members of the same military unit.Battle cries are not necessarily articulate, although they often aim to invoke patriotic or religious sentiment....
when it was time to bag the CROOKS and solve a caper. Meanwhile, the CROOKS would shout “Crime's a-wasting!” whenever they went to do another caper, whether it was pulling another heist (as in so many episodes such as “The Case of the Blur Bandits”), giving C.O.P.S. a hard time to the point of replacing (actually disposing) them for good (as in “The Case of the Big Boss' Master Plan”) or taking captive a certain individual to be held prisoner
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
for ransom (as in “The Case of the Ransomed Rascal”).
The music for the series was created by Shuki Levy
Shuki Levy
Shuki Levy is a music composer and television writer, director, and executive producer. Levy's best known work is soundtrack compositions for children's television programs of the 1980s, such as Inspector Gadget, The Mysterious Cities of Gold, M.A.S.K., Dinosaucers, Dragon Quest, He-Man and the...
, while the C.O.P.S. theme music was written and composed by Haim Saban
Haim Saban
Haim Saban is an Egyptian born Israeli-American television and media proprietor. With an estimated net worth of $3.5 billion, he is ranked by Forbes as the 104th richest person in America.-Biography:...
, and sung by Nick Carr.
Numerous characters were featured in the cartoon that did not have action figures (Including Mainframe, Brian O'Malley, Whitney Morgan, Nightshade, Ms. Demeanor, and Mirage).
C.O.P.S.
- Baldwin P. "Bulletproof" Vess (voiced by Ken Ryan) - The main protagonist of the series and leader of C.O.P.S. Baldwin P. Vess is a Federal Agent who was called in to help take down Big Boss. During the fight, he ends up seriously injured in a car wreck and is taken to the hospital. To save his life, Mayor Davis had the research scientists from the Overdine Institute perform an operation that gives Baldwin a cybernetic torso. Going by the name "Bulletproof" due to the cybernetic torso being able to deflect bullets, Baldwin assembles a team of highly-trained police officers from across the country to form C.O.P.S. and stop Big Boss and his gang of crooks. He is representative of a Police Detective or an F.B.I. Agent.
- P.J. "LongArm" O'Malley (voiced by John Stocker) - P.J. O'Malley serves as a police sergeant for the Empire City Police Department. Second in command of C.O.P.S., he is a very compassionate officer who has the talent to convince juvenile delinquents to give up their criminal ways and become law abiding citizens. He wears a wrist device that extends out a handcuff-like device to grab criminals escaping the law, or as an improvised grappling hook. He is representative of a Beat Cop.
- Rex "Bowser" Pointer (voiced by Nick Nichols) - A police officer who worked for the Chicago Police Department. He is a K-9 officer who loves animals and is the handler of Blitz. As mentioned, he is representative of a K-9 officer.
- Blitz - Bowser's robotic dogDogThe domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
who thinks like a human being.
- Blitz - Bowser's robotic dog
- Walker "Sundown" Calhoun (voiced by Len CarlsonLen CarlsonLen Carlson was a Canadian voice actor on many animated television series from the 1960s onward, an occasional live-action TV actor, and a Kraft Canada TV pitchman during the 1970s and 1980s...
) - A police officer who was a former Texas Sheriff. He is an excellent lasso handler and sharpshooter known for conducting special investigations. He is representative of a Texas Ranger or an old west Sheriff. - Colt "Mace" Howards (voiced by Len CarlsonLen CarlsonLen Carlson was a Canadian voice actor on many animated television series from the 1960s onward, an occasional live-action TV actor, and a Kraft Canada TV pitchman during the 1970s and 1980s...
) - A police officer who worked with the Philadelphia Police Department and is known for his tactical strategies, his laser "Mazooka," and his love for a femme fatale named Nightshade. He is representative of a S.W.A.T. Officer - Dave E. "Highway" Harlson (voiced by Ray James) - A police officer who worked with the California Highway Patrol. He is a known ace cycle trooper who is not good at baking cookies. He is representative of a Motorcycle patrol officer.
- Stan "Barricade" Hyde (voiced by Ray James) - A soft spoken police officer who worked with the Detroit Metro Police Department. He is known for his calm demeanor, his M.U.L.E. device, and crowd control. He is representative of Riot Control. He also seems to have training in Hostage Negotiation.
- Donnie "Hardtop" Brooks (voiced by Darrin Baker) - A rookie police officer who works for Empire City's Police Department. He is the driver of the C.O.P.S.' Ironsides vehicle and has a crush on ECTV news reporter Whitney Morgan. He is representative of a Patrol and Pursuit Officer.
- Hugh S. "Bullseye" Forward (voiced by Peter KeleghanPeter KeleghanPeter Keleghan is a Canadian television actor, who has played roles in several popular Canadian comedy series.Keleghan's best-known roles have been film industry CEO Alan Roy on Made in Canada, low-IQ news anchor Jim Walcott on The Newsroom, and Ranger Gord on The Red Green Show...
) - A police officer who worked with the Miami Police Department. He is the best helicopter pilot on the force which earned him the nickname "Bullseye." He is representative of a Police Helicopter pilot. - Tina "Mainframe" Cassidy (voiced by Mary Long) - A police computer specialist who works for Empire City's Police Department. She is the best computer jockey ever whose talent in computer wizardry has helped solve even the most chaotic of capers. She is representative of a Police Technical Analyst.
- Susie "Mirage" Young (voiced by Elizabeth HannaElizabeth HannaElizabeth Hanna is a Canadian film and television actress, most notable for her voice acting work in animated films. She later complemented her voice acting skills by becoming a Speech-Language Pathologist.-Early history:...
) - A female police officer who worked with the San Francisco Police Department. She is known for her talented work in undercover investigations. She is representative of a Vice Officer. - Taser - A police officer known for tasering crooks who try to resist arrest. He appeared in a few episodes.
- Wayne R. "CheckPoint" Sneeden III - A military officer who grew up in Alabama and joins forces with C.O.P.S. Very fearful, nervous, anxious, but stays on the case with the team anyway to help get the job done. His toy File Card says his "father was a member of a top-secret military team in the 80’s and 90’s", referencing G.I. Joe character Beach Head (AKA Wayne R. Sneeden)
- A.P.E.S. - A police officer who has a pair of long grappling hand devices similar to LongArm's powercuffs. He appeared in The Case of the High Iron Hoods.`
- Airwave - A police officer who is a good communications expert and would have made a great sportscaster if he have chosen a different road than joining forces with C.O.P.S.
- Inferno - A firefighter. He appeared in a few episodes including The Case of The Bad Luck Burglar.
- Powderkeg - A police officer known for disarming and defusing bombs and other types of explosives. He helped Squeeky Kleen neutralize the Midas Glove that Squeeky wore in The Case of the Midas Touch
- Nightstick - A police officer who is an expert in martial arts. He appeared in a few episodes including The Case of the Missing Memory.
C.R.O.O.K.S.
- Brandon “Big Boss” Babel (voiced by Len CarlsonLen CarlsonLen Carlson was a Canadian voice actor on many animated television series from the 1960s onward, an occasional live-action TV actor, and a Kraft Canada TV pitchman during the 1970s and 1980s...
impersonating Edward G. RobinsonEdward G. RobinsonEdward G. Robinson was a Romanian-born American actor. A popular star during Hollywood's Golden Age, he is best remembered for his roles as gangsters, such as Rico in his star-making film Little Caesar and as Rocco in Key Largo...
) - The primary antagonist of the series. Brandon "Big Boss" Babel is a crime lord who plans to rule Empire City with an iron fist...literally.- Scratch - Big Boss' pet weaselWeaselWeasels are mammals forming the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. They are small, active predators, long and slender with short legs....
with metal paws and cybernetic armor. He is always seen in the company of Big Boss.
- Scratch - Big Boss' pet weasel
- Berserko (voiced by Paul De La Rosa) - An impulsive, dim-witted thug who is the proud nephew of Big Boss.
- Rock Krusher (voiced by Brent TitcombBrent TitcombBrent Arthur Titcomb is a Canadian actor and musician. He played the voice of Sleazy, Mok's sidekick, in 1983's Rock & Rule, and additional voices for the The Care Bears Movie in 1985. His son is singer Liam Titcomb...
) - A super-strong thug who works for Big Boss. He often uses a heavy-duty jackhammerJackhammerA jackhammer is a pneumatic tool that combines a hammer directly with a chisel that was invented by Charles Brady King. Hand-held jackhammers are typically powered by compressed air, but some use electric motors. Larger jackhammers, such as rig mounted hammers used on construction machinery, are...
in order to get into bank vaults. - Ms. Demeanor (voiced by Paulina Gillis) - A middle-aged super-strong woman with the appearance of a normal business woman who works for Big Boss. She has the muscular physique of a champion bodybuilder.
- Turbo Tu-Tone (voiced by Dan HennesseyDan HennesseyDan Hennessey is a Canadian voice actor who, early on in his career, performed with a children's comedy troupe,...
) - A minion of Big Boss who serves as his getaway driver. He was the one responsible for causing a car wreck that resulted in Baldwin P. Vess gaining a cybernetic torso. - Dr. Badvibes (voiced by Ron RubinRon RubinRon Rubin is the name of:*Ron Rubin , Canadian voice actor known for Artemis in Sailor Moon*Ron Rubin , American bridge player...
) - A brilliant mad scientistMad scientistA mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
. Ever since he was fired from Comtrex Technologies Incorporated for stealing top secret electronics, he works for Big Boss devising inventions and robotic minions for Big Boss's gang. He has a glass dome on top of his head which shows his abnormally large brain and is known to create literal brainstorms by charging electricity through his brainwaves to form a cloud that can produce rain, thunder and lightning.- Buzzbomb (voiced by Ron RubinRon RubinRon Rubin is the name of:*Ron Rubin , Canadian voice actor known for Artemis in Sailor Moon*Ron Rubin , American bridge player...
) - A robotRobotA robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
created by Dr. Badvibes for companionship that works for Big Boss. He has a buzzsaw on one arm and a clamper on the other. - WALDO - A small robotRobotA robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
created by Dr. Badvibes.
- Buzzbomb (voiced by Ron Rubin
- Nightshade (voiced by Jane Schoettle) - Born as Rebella Diamond, her rich family disowned her when she turned to crime. She is a female jewel thief who works for Big Boss and is secretly in love with Mace.
- Buttons McBoomBoom (voiced by Nick Nichols) - A minion of Big Boss. He is seen wearing a red suit and fedora and carries around a violin case that hides his favorite playtoy, a deadly modified Thompson submachine gun with a scope attachment that he uses to blast away at any target at will. Buttons McBoomBoom hides underneath his suit a cybernetic torso that bears twin machine guns with which he blasts away after he unbuttons his shirt to reveal them in the heat of battle against either the C.O.P.S. or a bug.
- Squeeky Kleen (voiced by Marvin GoldharMarvin GoldharMarvin Goldhar was a Canadian actor, best known for his voice work in animated programs and in made-for-TV movies.Among his voice credits include Cedric Sneer on The Raccoons, Mr...
) - A bald criminal who serves as Big Boss' yes man. - Nightmare the Android -
- Koo Koo -
- Hyena - A criminal that uses jokes in his crime. He held a criminal contest against Big Boss to determine who will stay in Empire City and who will leave. A challenge like that caused Big Boss to orchestrate Highway's kidnapping in order to get Bulletproof and Barricade to help him. During the criminal games, C.O.P.S. managed to turn the tables against Hyena and his goons and arrest them. Hyena and his henchmen later popped up as minions of Big Boss.
- Bullit - Bullit is a henchman of Hyena. He wears rocket boots and a bullet-shaped helmet strong enough to break safes.
- Louie the Plumber (voiced by Ron RubinRon RubinRon Rubin is the name of:*Ron Rubin , Canadian voice actor known for Artemis in Sailor Moon*Ron Rubin , American bridge player...
) - A plumberPlumberA plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for potable water, sewage, and drainage in plumbing systems. The term dates from ancient times, and is related to the Latin word for lead, "plumbum." A person engaged in fixing metaphorical "leaks" may also be...
-themed criminal who is a henchman of Hyena. He has a mechanical left arm containing a grappling hook.
Minor Criminals
Not all enemies of C.O.P.S. are members of Big Boss' gang:- The Bugman - A short criminal who uses an insect-controlling device that enables him to control insects to commit his crimes after people stopped showing up to his flea circus. He joined up with Big Boss' gang, but left when he did not get a high pay. This causes Nightshade and Buttons McBoomBoom to steal his bugs and the insect-controlling device and use them in their crimes. When Mainframe and Bowser and Blitz found him after tailing Gaylord, they help him into regaining his insect-controlling device. Though Buttons and Nightshade are defeated, Bugman is also arrested. He was last seen restarting his flea circus in prison where his entertaining of the guards is a diversion for Gaylord who secretly makes for the keys. In "The Case of the Lesser of Two Weevils," Bugman escapes from prison when Gaylord gets captured by his rival the Boll Weevil. When Boll Weevil was defeated, Bugman and Gaylord went back to show business.
- Gaylord - A weevilWeevilA weevil is any beetle from the Curculionoidea superfamily. They are usually small, less than , and herbivorous. There are over 60,000 species in several families, mostly in the family Curculionidae...
who is the Bugman's favorite insect. He leads Bugman's insects in Bugman's crime spree.
- Gaylord - A weevil
- Jim Vargas - The corrupt head of City Council who was bribed by Big Boss to make the Instant Justice Machines. When the Instant Justice Machines caught Mace and Barricade trespassing in Vetrocon, he called Big Boss on what to do. When C.O.P.S. storms Vetrocon, Vargas unleashes the Instant Justice Machines on them. When Mace and Barricade catch up to Vargas, he demands immunity and an offer to name names of anyone involved. Vargas even gives himself up and was sentence to prison.
- Instant Justice Machines - A bunch of robots built by Jim Vargas in order to put C.O.P.S. out of business. They act not only as police officers, but also as judges and jailers leaving the culprit trapped until a police car comes by. Some of the crimes they busted involved a man illegally parking on a spot that is only allowed on Tuesdays, a woman jaywalking, a man littering when his hat fell off in the wind while carrying groceries, and two teens speeding on their skateboards. When it came to Highway busting Ms. Demeanor, an Instant Justice Machine found her innocent of all charges. The Instant Justice Machines ended up fighting C.O.P.S. when they stormed Vetrocon. Barricade even talked the Instant Justice Machine guarding him and Mac into releasing them. When Mace and Barricade end up cornering Vargas, the other Instant Justice Machines stopped their attacks. Following Vargas' arrest, most of the Instant Justice Machines were deactivated except for the one that Barricade talked into freeing him and Mace.
- Johnny Yuma - Johnny Yuma is the former partner of Sundown who was put away for trying to steal the money they recovered from a robbery and various train robberies. He eventually escapes from the Texas State Prison to take revenge on Sundown. When Turbo Tu-Tone sees him, he calls up Big Boss who instructs him to follow Johnny and know his every move. Sundown hears of Johnny's prison break and manages to confront him when he breaks into the cowboy museum and regains his lasso. Johnny manages to lasso Sundown to a robotic bull. As Johnny heads out to rob the Silver Bullet Express, Turbo Tu-Tone trails him and turns on the robotic bull. Upon being tipped off by Turbo Tu-Tone, Big Boss sends Berserko, Rock Krusher, and Buttons McBoomBoom to recruit Johnny Yuma. When the three rendezvous with Turbo Tu-Tone to recruit Johnny Yuma into Big Boss' gang, Johnny Yuma tells them that he works alone and defeats them. Johnny then leaves to go rob the Silver Bullet Express prompting Berserko to lead the Turbo Tu-Tone, Rock Krusher, and Buttons McBoomBoom into robbing it first. Sundown manages to catch up to Johnny Yuma on the Silver Bullet Express and ends up fighting him until Big Boss' minions crash the fight. After Berserko, Turbo Tu-Tone, Rock Krusher, and Buttons McBoomBoom were defeated, Johnny Yuma agrees to return to jail to finish his sentence which led to an early release due to good behavior. He now works as a deputy in a small Texas town.
- Small Guy -
- Shifty - A shape-shifting android created by Dr. Badvibes.
- Jenny Wringer - A con artist.
- Big Momma - An old lady who is Big Boss's mother and Berserko's great-aunt. She is blind to the fact that her son is not as skinny as she thought to have been. When she once visited Empire City to visit her son, Big Boss had to cover up his criminal side by stating that he is a philanthropist and even started an orphanage with his henchmen posing as orphans. Due to his mother being around, he was not able to successfully steal the money and had to donate it to charity. In "The Case of the Lost Boss," she secretly moves to Kansas and orchestrates her son's kidnapping before he can plan a heist on Stargy Island's diamond mines. Big Momma's kidnapping of Big Boss caused his henchman to blame the C.O.P.S. for Big Boss' disappearance causing them to capture Barricade. Berserko tails the C.O.P.S. when they run into Big Momma and informs Dr. Badvibes that Big Boss is at Big Momma's apartment. The crooks managed to swipe Big Boss from Big Momma's apartment so that they can get on with their plans to take over Stargy Island. C.O.P.S. thwarted Big Boss' plans causing him to escape with Big Momma.
- Mukluk - A tricky Canadian thief.
- Boll Weevil - An insectInsectInsects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
-themed villain. He once captured Gaylord causing Bugman to escape from prison to get him back. - Addictem - A drug dealer who was selling Crystal Twists that were causing people to become addicted to them. He tried to join Big Boss' gang only to be denied since Big Boss does not do drug dealing. Because of Addictem spreading his Crystal Twist drugs across Empire City and Berserko falling into a Crystal Twist crate trying to steal the Mayan Gold, Big Boss and his gang had to team up with C.O.P.S. to stop Addictem's drug ring. When Addictem was chased into the hospital and grabbed by Berserko, Addictem surrendered to C.O.P.S. to evade getting beaten up by Berserko. Addictem was sentenced to life in prison and those who were affected by the Crystal Twists are recovering from them.
Supporting characters
- MayorMayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Davis - The mayor of Empire City. - Commissioner Highwaters - The police commissioner of Empire City
- Whitney Morgan with Beamer (voiced by Jeri Craden) - ECTV Reporter.
- Beamer - Whitney Morgan's camera robot.
- Brian O'Malley - LongArm's son.
Minor characters
- JudgeJudgeA judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
Davis - Mayor Davis' twinTwinA twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
brother. - Linda O'Malley - LongArm's wife.
- Mickey O'Malley - LongArm's dad.
- President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
- An unnamed African-American female. - Suds Sparko -
- Brannigan -
- Prince Baddin -
- Nancy and Kathleen - Nightshade's sisters.
- Greasy -
- Francis Malcolm Pittermore -
- Grace Elizabeth Victoria Winsmore -
- Ian Oliver -
- Traylor Turbiné Totallinski -
- Audrey Ferrer -
- Dr. Gregory Timothy Adams -
- Ronald Harvard -
- Samantha - A tomboy who helps the cops out during an investigation Dr. Badvibes's circus.
- Captain Crimefighter -
- Inspector Yukon - A RCMP Mountie.
- Agent Belson - An Executive Protection Unit agent (this show's version of The Secret Service).
- Brandon Welch Master 5000 -
Stations
- KWGN-TVKWGN-TVKWGN-TV, virtual channel 2 , is a television station in Denver, Colorado, owned by the Tribune Company and affiliated with the CW Television Network...
2 - Denver, CO - WTTVWTTVWTTV is a CW-affiliated television station licensed to Bloomington, Indiana, serving the Indianapolis television market. WTTV is owned by the Tribune Company, and is one-half of a duopoly with WXIN , the market's Fox affiliate. The two stations share a studio at 6910 Network Place on the northwest...
4 - Indianapolis, IN - KPHO-TVKPHO-TVKPHO-TV, channel 5, is a CBS-affiliate television station located in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. KPHO-TV is owned by the Meredith Corporation, and has its studios located on Black Canyon Highway in the Alhambra Village section of Phoenix, with its transmitter located on South Mountain in Phoenix...
5 - Phoenix, AZ - KMSPKMSPKMSP may refer to:* The ICAO airport code for Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport* KMSP-TV, a television station licensed to Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, United States* KMSP Tower, a high guy-wired aerial mast in Shoreview, Minnesota...
9 - Minneapolis, MN - WGN-TVWGN-TVWGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
9 - Chicago, IL - KPLR-TVKPLR-TVKPLR-TV, channel 11, is a television station in St. Louis, Missouri. KPLR is owned by the Tribune Company, and is an affiliate of The CW Television Network. The station's studios are located in Maryland Heights, Missouri, in Northwest St. Louis County KPLR-TV, channel 11, is a television station...
11 - St. Louis, MO - KSTWKSTWKSTW is a television station serving the Seattle, Washington media market. It is owned by CBS Corporation, and is a part of The CW Television Network. It broadcasts its digital signal on VHF channel 11...
11 - Seatlle, WA - KTVTKTVTKTVT, virtual channel 11, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station licensed to Fort Worth, Texas, and serving the Dallas-Fort Worth designated market area. The station is co-owned with independent station KTXA , and the two stations share facilities in Dallas and Fort Worth...
11 - Dallas, TX - WPIXWPIXWPIX, channel 11, is a television station in New York City built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WPIX also serves as the flagship station of The CW Television Network...
11 - New York, NY - KCOP 13 - Los Angeles, CA
- WPHL-TVWPHL-TVWPHL-TV, channel 17, is a television station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, owned by the Tribune Company and currently affiliated with the News Corporation-owned MyNetworkTV television network. This makes it the largest non-O&O station of the network...
17 - Philadelphia, PA - WVTVWVTVWVTV is a television station located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA and serves as Southeast Wisconsin's The CW Television Network affiliate. The station broadcasts from the Milwaukee Public Television tower on Milwaukee's northeast side with WMVS/WMVT, along with WCGV , WVTV's sister station...
18 - Milwaukee, WI - WDCAWDCAWDCA, virtual channel 20, is a television station in Washington, D.C.. Owned by Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation, WDCA is a sister station to Fox network outlet WTTG , and is affiliated with the co-owned MyNetworkTV programming service...
DC 20 - Washington, DC - WXON-TV 20 - Detroit, MI
- WOFLWOFLWOFL, channel 35, is the Fox owned-and-operated television station serving the Orlando, Florida metropolitan area. It is licensed to Orlando, with studios located in Lake Mary. It broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 22. On cable, WOFL-TV is currently seen on channel 3 for subscribers of...
Fox 35 - Orlando, FL - KHTV 39 - Houston, TX
- WDZL 39 - Miami, FL
- WUABWUABWUAB, identified on-air as "My43 The Block, WUAB", is the MyNetworkTV affiliate in Cleveland, Ohio. The station is licensed to the suburb of Lorain, and it shares a studio in downtown Cleveland with sister station WOIO, Cleveland's CBS affiliate. Its transmitter is located in Parma, Ohio...
43 - Cleveland, OH - KBHK 44 - San Francisco, CA
- WGNX 46 - Atlanta, GA
- WLVI 56 - Boston, MA
DVD releases
On February 28, 2006, Shout! FactoryShout! Factory
Shout! Factory is an entertainment company founded in 2003 that was started by Richard Foos , Bob Emmer and Garson Foos initially as a specialty music label...
released C.O.P.S.- Volume 1, a 4-disc boxset featuring the first 22 episodes on DVD in Region 1. It includes concept art, storyboard-to-screen, and some of the original PSAs that were shown after the episodes. Volume 2 featuring 21 episodes was released as a Shout! Factory select title, available exclusively through their online store.
In October 2010, Mill Creek Entertainment
Mill Creek Entertainment
Mill Creek Entertainment is a home entertainment company that manufactures movie and television DVD compilation box sets at "value" prices. Nashville's Amity Entertainment is an affiliate to Mill Creek...
announced that they had acquired the rights to the series and would be releasing it in its entirety. They subsequently released Volume 1, featuring the first 32 episodes of the series, on February 15, 2011. Volume 2 will be released on September 13, 2011.
DVD Name | Ep # | Release Date |
---|---|---|
C.O.P.S. Volume 1 | 32 | February 15, 2011 |
C.O.P.S. Volume 2 | 33 | September 13, 2011 |
C.O.P.S. 'N' Crooks
C.O.P.S ’n’ Crooks was a line of action figures produced by HasbroHasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
and sold between 1988 and 1989. These figures are made up of police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
and criminals
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
of the future and uses the tagline: "Fighting Crime in a Future Time."
In the packages containing the C.O.P.S. figures, only the C.O.P.S. logo is shown while the packages containing the CROOKS figure features only the phrase "N'CROOKS" shown right next to the logo. Each figure, fully articulated and poseable, standing about six inches tall on the average, came with cap gun
Cap gun
A cap gun is a toy gun that creates a loud sound simulating a gunshot and a puff of smoke when the trigger is pulled. Cap guns were originally made of cast iron, but after World War II were made of zinc alloy, and most newer models are made of plastic....
accessories that allowed kids, who played with them, to fire off their weapons by pulling back the trigger and releasing it to cause a spark and a popping noise when the trigger slams into a strip of cap firing paper.
Each figure also had a file card printed on the back of the package that contained a biography of the character. These file cards were written by Larry Hama
Larry Hama
Larry Hama is an American comic book writer, artist, actor and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s....
, who also wrote the file cards for Hasbro’s G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe is a line of action figures produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier , Action Sailor , Action Pilot , Action Marine and later on, the Action Nurse...
action figures. The artwork made for each package is illustrated by Bart Sears, Mark Pennington, and McNabb Studios.
Several female C.O.P.S. and Crooks characters (Mainframe, Nightshade, Mirage, and Ms. Demeanor) appeared in the cartoon and the comics, but were never released as action figures.
C.O.P.S. For Kids
At the end of each episode of C.O.P.S.C.O.P.S. (animated TV series)
C.O.P.S. is an American animated television series released by DIC Entertainment and Celebrity Home Entertainment...
, a special PSA
Public service announcement
A public service announcement or public service ad is a type of advertisement featured on television, radio, print or other media...
segment known as C.O.P.S. For Kids is shown either in animated form featuring the C.O.P.S. and CROOKS or in live action form with real-life police officers giving kids information about safety issues. These included staying away from drugs
DRUGS
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...
, gangs, how to be safe at home and on the street, and how to help in preventing crime. Each and every C.O.P.S. for Kids segment was made with the blessing and assistance of organizations like DARE
Drug Abuse Resistance Education
Drug Abuse Resistance Education, better known as DARE, is an international education program that seeks to prevent use of controlled drugs, membership in gangs, and violent behavior. D.A.R.E., which has expanded globally since its founding in 1983, is a demand-side drug control strategy of the U.S....
, the National Crime Prevention Council
National Crime Prevention Council
The National Crime Prevention Council is an American educational nonprofit organization in Washington, DC whose mission is to enable people to create safer and more caring communities by addressing the causes of crime and violence and reducing the opportunities for crime to occur.The NCPC is...
and the California Highway Patrol
California Highway Patrol
The California Highway Patrol is a law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of California. The CHP has patrol jurisdiction over all California highways and also acts as the state police....
. These segments were omitted from some international broadcasts of the show.
C.O.P.S. PSA Episode | Summary |
---|---|
LongArm and Brian: "Don't go into dark alleys" | Brian and a friend walks past a dark alley with Berserko lurking inside. Later Brian walks up to a back alley and turns away just as Rock Krusher was walking forward twirling around his handcuffs Handcuffs Handcuffs are restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists close together. They comprise two parts, linked together by a chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each half has a rotating arm which engages with a ratchet that prevents it from being opened once closed around a person's wrist... . This is an example of LongArm and his son showing everyone to go neither into dark alleys nor take deserted shortcuts because one never knows who or what is lurking in there. |
Longarm and Brian: "No Smoking" | Brian has decided to try smoking a cigarette Cigarette A cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well... . One whiff, and he starts coughing. From this, Brian learns to think twice before smoking with Longarm affirming his decision. |
LongArm and Brian: "Don't Ride with Drunk Drivers" | Brian is confronted by a carpool Carpool Carpooling , is the sharing of car journeys so that more than one person travels in a car.... filled with drunken people who asks if he needs a lift. Brian remembers what his father said, "It's a bad risk to ride in the car with someone behind the wheel who's been drinking." Brian says, "No Thanks." And the car speeds away only to crash into something off camera. LongArm in front of the precinct tells the views to stick with good risks, such as trying out for a team you're not certain you'll going to make it. Bad risks are for people who like to lose. |
Bulletproof: "Say 'no' to Alcohol and Cigarettes" | Bulletproof shows to the viewers a TV beer Beer Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat... commercial Television advertisement A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product... and a smoking ad in a magazine Magazine Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three... and says, "You can have a good time without smoking or drinking. Alcohol Alcohol In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms.... and Cigarettes are drugs. Say 'no'." |
Rock Krusher: "Gangs" | In his prison cell, Rock Krusher talks about his boyhood days when he was once part of a gang Gang A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen... that got involved with a deadly brawl against a rival gang one night. He escaped and was lucky that he was merely arrested afterwards and not killed like some of his friends were. This is a rare instance of a "villian" character being allowed to host a PSA segment in a cartoon. In most PSAs, participating "villian" characters are limited to acting in a supporting role as the bad example while an established "good" character delivers the message. |
Dr. Badvibes, Buzzbomb, and Bulletproof: "Cars are not toys" | BadVibes and Buzzbomb were going for a ride in a car Čar Čar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:... . But BadVibes realized he forgot something so he tells Buzzbomb not to play with the car while he goes for something and leaves. Disobedient, Buzzbomb started to mess around with the car and crashes it. "I thought I told you not to play with the car!" BadVibes exclaimed. Then, Bulletproof tells the young viewers "Take it from BadVibes, kids. Cars are not toys Toys Toys is a 1992 comedy film directed by Barry Levinson and starring Robin Williams, Michael Gambon, Joan Cusack, Robin Wright, LL Cool J, and introducing Jamie Foxx as Baker. The film failed at the box office at the time of its release, despite its impressive cast and lavish filmmaking. Levinson was... . Besides, you're not as replaceable as Buzzbomb is." |
Mace: "Vandalism Vandalism Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable... " |
Mace expresses how much he hates graffiti Graffiti Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property.... . He hates it because it is hard to clean it up and costs money to do so. Secondly, he hates it most of all because it is against the law. Especially when a troublesome kid sprays graffiti on Mace's uniform. |
MainFrame: "Play Away from Cars" | With the help of Waldo, the robot Robot A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or... , Mainframe tells the young viewers that since they are much too small to be seen by drivers moving in their cars, they are to play away from cars so they will not get hurt by them. |
MainFrame: "Traffic Safety" | Two kids are playing ball. Then, the ball went into the street. Mainframe discourages one of the little kids from going out and get the ball. A car came and ran over the ball. Streets are for cars, not kids. Mainframe tells the younger viewers never to go out into the street to get the toy if it went out into it. Toys can be replaced, not kids. |
Big Boss and Squeeky Kleen: "Don't Flash Your Cash" | Big Boss and Squeeky Kleen at the mall shows to the viewers how one must never flash his/her cash in front of the crowd with Squeeky showing off an example of this the hard way - by getting mugged and whipped by thugs when he flashes some wad of cash Cash In common language cash refers to money in the physical form of currency, such as banknotes and coins.In bookkeeping and finance, cash refers to current assets comprising currency or currency equivalents that can be accessed immediately or near-immediately... in front of them. This is another of the rare instances where a villain character hosts a PSA segment. |
Highway: "Bicycle Safety" | Highway shows off his normal bicycle Bicycle A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.... while discussing a few bicycle safety Bicycle safety Bicycle safety is the use of practices designed to reduce risk associated with cycling. Some of this subject matter is hotly debated: for example, the discussions as to whether bicycle helmets or cyclepaths really deliver improved safety... tips to the viewers. Berserko did not care. Instead, he rode down just the opposite of where one is supposed to go while bike riding down the road and crashed into a car pulling out in front of him. Highway turns around to see if Berserko is all right and says to the viewers, "Don't be Bicycling Berserko. Ride safe. Ride right." |
Highway: "Don't Steal Traffic Signs" | Highway tells the viewers never to steal traffic signs and shows an example of a kid showing off a large stop sign he has stolen from a street corner to a group of kids meeting inside of a clubhouse. |
External links
- COPS HQ—The Cartoon Part of C.O.P.S. HQ website