First they came for ‘Cops’: Popular police show ‘Live PD’ AXED by network amid George Floyd protests
Popular police-themed TV show 'Live PD' was canceled just days after a similar series 'Cops' was taken off the air amid the surge of anti-law enforcement sentiment across the US.
The decision to end the show was made by A&E Network and its producer, MGM's Big Fish Entertainment. "This is a critical time in our nation's history and we have made the decision to cease production on 'Live PD,'" the network said.
Going forward, we will determine if there is a clear pathway to tell the stories of both the community and the police officers whose role it is to serve them. And with that, we will be meeting with community and civil rights leaders as well as police departments.
The show's host Dan Abrams tweeted that he was "shocked & beyond disappointed" about 'Live PD's' cancelation and promised that the series will come back in some form in the future. "You can both support the important and impactful peaceful protests and support the overwhelming majority of police officers doing the noble and difficult work they do every day," he wrote.
To all of you asking whether #LivePD coming back. . .The answer is yes. All of us associated with the show are as committed to it as ever. We are still discussing some specifics but I want to assure the #LivePDNation that we are not abandoning you.
— Dan Abrams (@danabrams) June 10, 2020
The cancelation comes just a month after 'Live PD' was renewed for an additional 160 episodes. Last year, it was the channel's highest-rated show on Fridays and Saturdays, when it was airing from 9pm to 12am. Later, it drew around three million viewers each weekend during the Covid-19 outbreak, according to Deadline news website.
Police brutality protests across the US sparked by the death of George Floyd have led to the calls to end shows that critics accuse of glorifying aggressive behavior by the officers. The Washington Post published an opinion piece, demanding to ax all police movies and TV shows. Then, earlier this week, Paramount Network canceled their long-running popular reality series 'Cops,' which had lasted for 32 seasons.
Also on rt.com 'Cops' under arrest: Paramount pulls plug on long-running US reality show amid rise in anti-police sentimentMeanwhile, HBO Max removed Hollywood’s 1939 classic ‘Gone with the Wind’ from its streaming library, saying that the film depicts “ethnic and racial prejudices” against black people. The movie won 10 Oscars and remains the highest-grossing film of all time when its box office takings are adjusted for inflation. Similarly, Netflix removed comedy series ‘Little Britain,’ ‘The Mighty Boosh,’ and ‘The League of Gentlemen’ because they feature characters in blackface.
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