UPDATE: "Live PD" has been cancelled as well.
EXCLUSIVE: #LivePD has officially been cancelled https://t.co/xfcxJdbCzN
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) June 11, 2020
ORIGINAL POST
"Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?" A classic opening line in the theme song for Paramount Network's TV show "COPS," which has been on the air since 1989. "COPS is filmed on location with the men and women of law enforcement," the narrator would say. "All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law."
"Cops is not on the Paramount Network and we don't have any current or future plans for it to return," a network spokesperson told Deadline.
The decision is rumored to have repercussions for the show "Live PD," which also follows officers in the line of duty.
The news of "COPS's" demise resulted in mixed reviews.
"It is a very good show, and even though protests are going on, it shouldn't affect the show because even though there are bad seeds in every walks of life, entertaining shows such as this should continue," one Deadline commenter said of COPS.
"Great job A&E pulling one of the best shows you have. Good luck. Hoping you don't screw over Live PD too," another fumed.
They canceled the COPS TV show. The show that definitively demonstrated that there is no such thing as “white superiority”. Bravo, morons.
— Chris Loesch (@ChrisLoesch) June 10, 2020
On the other end of the debate, others say good riddance.
"More concerned about a TV show you like to watch than the cruelty the show encourages and promotes," said one commenter. "SMDH."
Other critics argued that "COPS" too often "glorified police" and "unfairly" portrayed the criminals they targeted.
Good riddance.@AETV should also do the right thing and cancel @OfficialLivePD. It is exploitative of those unwillingly filmed and broadcast, and it contributes to the glorification of overly aggressive and violent police tactics. Needs to end.https://t.co/NLNXuMHn1H
— Buffy Wicks (@BuffyWicks) June 10, 2020
Paramount isn't the only network to say goodbye to classics that are suddenly now controversial. HBO Max has removed the epic "Gone With the Wind" from its movie library. The 1939 classic starring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh is considered one of the best films ever made, but critics take issue with its portrayal of African-Americans. The network took those hesitations into account, particularly in light of George Floyd's death.
"'Gone With the Wind' is a product of its time and depicts some of the ethnic and racial prejudices that have, unfortunately, been commonplace in American society," a spokesperson for HBO Max said in a statement. "These racist depictions were wrong then and are wrong today, and we felt that to keep this title up without an explanation and a denouncement of those depictions would be irresponsible."
He added that the film would eventually return, but with some added context.
You can all stop being outraged: GONE WITH THE WIND will return to ?@hbomax?, but with more context added. From a platform spokesperson: pic.twitter.com/gR4TQXRsBz
— TVMoJoe (@TVMoJoe) June 10, 2020
I doubt movie fans will "stop being outraged."
