COPPER The Best BBC Show Never Seen By The British Public

 

Copper is a very gritty detective show set in NEW YORK city in 1864 during the tail end of the American Civil War when New York was commonly called the wickedest city in the world. This time and this place is the birth (in America at any rate) of career politicians and organized municipal corruption. For you history aficionados this series is set a year after the great Draft Riots the most calamitous event ever to befall the city of New York. It was the worst civil insurrection in American history; four days of brutal street battles which ultimately had to be put down by the US army.

 

Federal infantry manning the streets of New York after the riots.

Film aficionados will remember Martin Scorsese's film "Gangs of New York" which depicts the riots in its final scenes. The series revolves around Kevin "Corky" Corcoran's, a Irish ex-prize fighter, former Union volunteer turned copper, Herculean efforts to bring villains to justice in a city where no one is an innocent and everyone is guilty of something. In true BBC fashion the show was canceled literally days before the 2nd season finale aired. There are rumors of a "Copper" TV movie sometime in the future.

 

Here are the first few minutes of the first episode.

The show takes its name from New York slang for policeman, "copper" now shortened to "cop" which has remained a term for policeman here even now. The original "coppers" where so named because they wore a badge made of copper to denote their office. The very first "coppers" where bounty hunters in all but name. They where charged with apprehending persons named in warrants issued by the city courts for which they received a bounty. Then London got a uniformed police force and New York citizens demanded one too. The policeman got a uniform and a miniscule stipend. The patrolman like the coppers they where supplementing where expected to live off the gratuities provided by a grateful citizenry. I kid you not. Naturally this lead to the widespread police corruption seen in the series. This also explains the reason why Kevin and his men are often acting a bouncers in Eva's brothel. Arrangements like this where how coppers put food on their tables.

First few minutes of the first episode of the 2nd season.

Sit down round the camp fire boys & girls let me tell you a story of a government broadcasting agency and there American commercial subsidy BBC America. BBC America is a digital cable network channel in the USA that is wholly owned by the BBC. Its purpose is to export the usual crap BBC shows like Top Gear and the Graham Norton Show to America for the maximum profit. BBC America has its own board of directors who felt the need to justify the existence of their channel by producing an original show. That show was Copper. Copper premiered on August 19, 2012 in America and August 29 2012 on Showcase in Canada. It also aired in Australia on FX Australia and in the Netherlands of all places on HBO. 

 

 

No worries you say I prefer to watch my shows on DVD and yes both seasons are available on DVD but only region 1 (US) format not region 2 (British) format so Brits will need an all regions player to get their Copper fix. It would seem that no one in England is allowed to watch this show unless possibly if you have the digital subscription service Netflix which is currently airing the complete show (both Seasons).

I have much more to say about this series which I will do next Wednesday by exploring the themes of this series and its striking similarities to "Ripper Street" the other decent show the BBC has produced in years.

There have been a number of RT issues of late that have taken away much of my hobby. Rather that temporarily close down the blog like I've seen others do I've decided to post a mad ramble once a week. I've only just begun and all ready I've rambled on a wide variety of topics I hope they amuse.

I'm pleased to welcome two new followers to the blog Der Feldmarschall and Twin Cities Gamer who has had the pleasure of seeing some Albert Bierstat painting in person. That must have been a treat. Welcome both of you!