Is there copaganda?
Celebratory portrayals of unlawful acts by law enforcement.
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TV Show • 2013 Report
Yes
131
No
18
46
mad_melody
In the early seasons there is a lot of copaganda, even if it's not necessarily outright. Notably, in S1Ep19, a cop uses on her cop friend a sound cannon like those used by cops against BLM protestors in the US, and this is treated as a harmless joke that she finds cool and fun. While there are lots of messages increasingly throughout the show on how to improve the police force, such as standing up against racial profiling in S4Ep16, it's still hard to deny that this show favourably depicts cops performing negative actions. It's even a common thing for cops in the 99 (particularly Jake) to break the rules, such as spying on and/or arresting 'suspects' before any proof or evidence is gathered, simply because the cops 'have a hunch,' and they almost always turn out to successfully solve and resolve crimes for having done this. However, it is worth saying that Season 8 has completely turned the show around to take a serious look at issues in the police force, such as addressing in S8Ep1 the now commom idea that there are no actual 'good cops' by nature of them just being in the police force (aka ACAB), and having an ongoing plot about the 99 combating an old white guy who helps cops avoid retribution for literally everything. The release of Season 8 was even delayed because the show scrapped the first few episodes in order to reflect on its messages in wake of the BLM movement that surged in 2020. Ultimately, this show is copaganda for how it routinely plays off amoral and illegal actions of the police force as jokes or being the right thing to have done in the end, but one can't deny that it's further ahead than other cop shows in regards to reflecting on issues in the police force and now actively working to improve it in the show. Still, this show isn't perfect, and it's 100% understandable that someone may wish to avoid any and all instances of copaganda.
Movie • 2022 Report
Yes
108
No
26
25
revolucienary
There's a scene where it's noted that many of the city's cops are distinctly not corrupt and there is a heroic shot of them standing in a large group
Movie • 2016 Report
Yes
105
No
16
20
ProfessorProcyon
Police are portrayed as the heroic characters in the movie, and it's sort of a central theme throughout.
TV Show • 2016 Report
Yes
90
No
46
24
BizarrePenguin
While the show does not focus on it, there are some scenes where the chief of police is misusing its power and it is not clearly framed in a critical way and maybe even more for laughs.
TV Show • 2005 Report
Yes
75
No
10
10
all main characters are fbi agents who work with the police, so yeah, but a surprising amount of episodes have a corrupt cop/security guard as the killer
Movie • 2021 Report
Yes
56
No
17
13
gayrat
Absolutely yes! The cops take credit for solving the crime despite them not doing a dang thing, lol, and the film never interrogates/questions that.
Movie • 2022 Report
Yes
55
No
53
21
SillyStrawberry
One of the supportive characters is a Cop/Detective who helps.
TV Show • 2021 Report
Yes
54
No
26
17
cielgee
The one sheriff in town is a hero in the story, but he also shares the horrible racial abuse from other cops he endured as a Muslim man, which led him to moving to the island.
Movie • 2021 Report
Yes
51
No
17
12
tinylittlebug
The main cop is a black woman that fits every bad stereotype
TV Show • 2018 Report
Yes
46
No
1
Movie • 1991 Report
Yes
39
No
12
TV Show • 2011 Report
Yes
34
No
10
1
413X
A central character in the first season is a police officer and painted in a good light
TV Show • 2019 Report
Yes
32
No
24
8
cha0ticneutralsys
Diego works with cops and falls for a black cop. There is a scene in s2E2 where a black family is wrongfully arrested and brutalized
TV Show Report
Yes
32
No
5
2
TheLittlestTeacup
Yes, and lots of it since it is a cop show. However I will say there is acknowledgement of corruption and a decent amount of nuance. Still copaganda tho so watch out
Movie Report
Yes
30
No
5
4
Littleolme
Depends on how you view it. Two ponies are cops and both of them are flawed individuals who are quite bigoted. One of them is fairly reasonable and eventually learns to be a more open-minded person while the other one is a lazy, selfish jerk who becomes mad with power. You could say there is an in-universe copaganda when that happens.
Anime • 2016 Report
Yes
29
No
26
10
notlucinda
Just because the show is about police and heroes doesn’t really automatically mean that it shows copaganda. Yes, it does show it in a way, but it also does show how corrupt some heroes can be. For example, Endeavour being the second best hero and abusing his wife/kids.
Movie • 1988 Report
Yes
27
No
6
8
neilyworm
Yes, absolutely. The entire movie is copaganda! There's a scene where a cop mentions an accidental murder he committed, but most of the movie centers around heroic cops and everyone else is either helpless or getting in the way.
TV Show • 2022 Report
Yes
25
No
1
3
1234554321
a police detective is like a saint saving people he doesn’t have to save and being overall valiant and selfless etc.
Movie • 2012 Report
Yes
25
No
5
1
the whole movie is copaganda
TV Show • 1997 Report
Yes
24
No
2
0
Ellie_red
S1
E1
In 'The Killing at Badgers Drift' and 'Faithful Unto Death' and 'Death in Disguise' Detective Barnaby searches a house he knows he doesn't have a warrant to enter.
TV Show • 2018 Report
Yes
24
No
18
3
capybaraclown
Can someone explain how there is copaganda?? Police are pretty much seen as useless in this show which is why no one tries to call the cops on Joe.
TV Show • 1999 Report
Yes
24
No
2
3
skillwithaquill24
All main characters are either cops or lawyers and they’re almost always portrayed as being justified in their actions - even when in clear violation of the law or when brutalizing suspects.
A few episodes attempt to tackle police brutality and/or unethical policing, but it rarely effects the main characters. The few times it does effect main characters, they are typically portrayed sympathetically.
TV Show • 2018 Report
Yes
23
No
2
8
ShoSheepy
Two of the main characters are cops, and they are very pro-cop. There are many scenes that depict "suspects" without the presence of a lawyer which lends itself to copaganda. There is a "Blue Lives Matter" flag hanging in the police department.
TV Show • 2013 Report
Yes
23
No
2
2
Kayden632
SPOILER: a well loved black character gets killed by a cop at the prison and gets away with it. The prisoners are anti-cop and the prison supports the cop.
Movie • 2018 Report
Yes
23
No
5
2
IndigoBlue14
An officer tells a little girl "the police are protectors" and they're portrayed as heroes throughout, at least in the protagonist's eyes.
Movie • 2022 Report
Yes
22
No
15
4
adeliajbrown
A law enforcement character equates joining the force with going good
Movie • 2009 Report
Yes
22
No
4
6
Idiotslayer
Police brutality played for laughs
TV Show • 2003 Report
Yes
22
No
2
1
AzamiIbuki
The main team all regularly and repeatedly break laws to catch alleged criminals, and justify it with "their gut" is never wrong. For several seasons the team employs a character who is a trained torturer from a state which regularly uses torture itself.
TV Show • 2014 Report
Yes
21
No
1
3
egdcs
One could say so, Michael is a cop, he's portrayed as this dreamy guy who makes some unlawful decisions for good reasons
TV Show • 2014 Report
Yes
21
No
5
5
jcat
Gordon, and to an extent his friend-cops, are very much "the only good cops in a precinct of bad cops" trope. However, Gordon regularly breaks laws to terrorize and intimidate citizens of Gotham. The framing on this is neutral to positive.
Given the difference between the actions and framing, it's unlikely to persuade anyone critical of policing that cops are actually good. Most critique of policing in the show is focused on how cops are effected by their job, though it does have moments.
Ultimately a Yes for me because it is a police procedural at the end of the day, and consumed completely uncritically Gordon makes at least 3 speeches per season about how cops are good.