# Shows with a Cop Main Character but not a Cop Show **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 8, 2014, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-with-a-cop-main-character-but-not-a-cop-show/706618 "2014-12-08T00:26:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-with-a-cop-main-character-but-not-a-cop-show/706618/41 "2014-12-09T02:26:09Z")
How about _The X Files_? Two FBI agents ought to qualify as having cops, but they didn’t do much in the putting bank robbers in prison department. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2014, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-with-a-cop-main-character-but-not-a-cop-show/706618/42 "2014-12-20T15:42:27Z")
Bones is about a bunch of scientists investigating evidence for the FBI. The only actual agent is Sealy Booth. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-with-a-cop-main-character-but-not-a-cop-show/706618/43 "2014-12-20T18:05:38Z")
Breaking Bad: Dean Norris’ DEA Agent Hank Schraeder, BIL to the Walter White. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-with-a-cop-main-character-but-not-a-cop-show/706618/44 "2014-12-20T20:15:02Z")
What about House’s [Michael Tritter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Tritter)? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-with-a-cop-main-character-but-not-a-cop-show/706618/45 "2014-12-20T20:30:53Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > What about House’s [Michael Tritter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Tritter)? He wasn’t a regular by any means. He was a recurring guest for a single storyline. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2014, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-with-a-cop-main-character-but-not-a-cop-show/706618/46 "2014-12-20T20:56:43Z")
Ah, but what a great story line. Am I the only one who remembers John Ritter as detective [Hooperman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hooperman)? ---
**Author:** ![slitterst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@slitterst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slitterst)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-with-a-cop-main-character-but-not-a-cop-show/706618/47 "2014-12-21T00:16:30Z")
Does Night Court count? It’s not really a cop show, but the bailiffs were part of the main cast. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-with-a-cop-main-character-but-not-a-cop-show/706618/48 "2014-12-21T00:17:15Z")
This is a stretch, but I think you if consider the whole series, you could maybe include The Wire, in so far as it evolved into much more than just a cop procedural show. Specifically, we see how former cops (Bunny and Prez) get involved with their communities outside of being cops. Doesn’t exactly fit the OPs parameters maybe, but I say it’s close. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-with-a-cop-main-character-but-not-a-cop-show/706618/49 "2014-12-21T00:31:52Z")
Jack on _Revenge_ is a cop this season. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-with-a-cop-main-character-but-not-a-cop-show/706618/50 "2014-12-21T08:00:33Z")
_Life on Mars_ and _Ashes to Ashes_ are shows where the main characters are cops, but the overall plot isn’t about policework. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-with-a-cop-main-character-but-not-a-cop-show/706618/51 "2014-12-21T08:15:51Z")
A cop is one of the main characters in the excellent British comedy series _Ideal_. It’s centered on a pot dealer in Manchester and the shenanigans that go on with him and a handful of colorful characters who are always dropping in on his apartment to buy. (The name of the show is a bit of a joke. “I Deal.” Heh.) The cop is a best friend of the dealer and is always stopping by while on the job for a quick smoke. Plus whenever some other dealer gets busted, he always funnels the confiscated dope to his buddy for sale. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-with-a-cop-main-character-but-not-a-cop-show/706618.md?page=2)