Cops L.A.C.

Channel: Nine
Day & time: Monday & Thursday, 10.30 p.m.
To watch full episodes of Cops L.A.C., CLICK HERE

Crime shows have to encompass enough on-the-streets action to balance the detective work that drives the plot. Cops L.A.C. (Local Area Command) is a new show on Channel Nine that finds a great balance between the two. It’s got a more Hollywood feel to it than shows like The Bill or Law and Order, with fast-paced car chases and confronting deaths. It’s also trying to compete directly with Rush on Channel Ten, a risky attempt that the producers clearly think will pay off.

There are some differences between the two shows. Cops is set in Sydney, while Rush is based in Melbourne. Cops is also more focussed on the street level of crime and punishment, hence the name. Rush provides a highly-trained team of experts dealing with more grandiose plotlines around terrorism and major heists. Though the insight of the two shows varies, both have their fair share of adrenaline moments.

In the first ten minutes of Cops L.A.C. there’s an explosion, plenty of swearing, and burnt bodies. It’s Constable Priscilla Smith’s (Kelly Paterniti) first day on the job, and what a way to start it. It’s also a great place to introduce an audience to a brand new series. There are a number of fresh recruits being trained from the ground up, as well as more experienced detectives who flesh out the initial incidents. It’s a great way of exploring a story from numerous angles, and lets us see all members of the force in action.

Detective Senior Constable Samantha Cooper (Kate Ritchie) and Rhys Llewellyn (Martin Dingle Wall) are the investigators who interview suspects and chase all leads. They have a cheeky relationship, one that is sure to provide plenty of entertainment. Other humour is derived from Superintendent Jack Finch (Gary Sweet) and Senior Sergeant Graeme Sinclair (Roy Billing), two veterans whose cynicism plays well against the recruits’ naivety. The beat cops are the first ones on the scene of the crime, and with them we see the dirty side of law enforcement, like dealing with grieving relatives or having to find evidence on a dead body. The set up is great, with some engaging characters, but it doesn’t quite hit the spot.

There are a few things that drag Cops down. Firstly, the acting feels overdone, and at times smug. A lot of the time it felt like most of the actors were smiling arrogantly to themselves. Either they were amused by what their fellow colleagues were doing, or they were laughing at the script. This brings me to the writing. Overall it feels derivative, which ties into the over-the-top performances. There’s nothing new to see at all, with the typical crime tropes being played out, such as going through all the suspects until the last one is actually guilty. Finally, the editing makes the flow of the episode falter, with some questionable cuts taking away from the action. It’s almost amateurish, with actors thinking they’re too good for their roles, the writing ticking every box three times over, and the editing looking like it was for a school project.

Saying all that doesn’t change the fact that it’s an exciting show. As it settles into a groove, no doubt the kinks will be smoothed out. Whether or not it competes with Rush is up to the viewer. They’re essentially the same thing, but with a different types of cops. Hopefully there will be an incentive for both to outdo each other.

Thomas Wilson