Supplemental Post 5 - Charlotte

Law and Order SVU has, in its twenty plus year runtime, focused episodes around topical issues. On Hulu, there is even a curated section of episodes that are "Ripped from the Headlines." This has long been a sort of guilty pleasure show for me, as I think it's interesting to see how different cultural issues are addressed and how justice/law enforcement are represented. Each detective stands in for a certain political ideology - some are liberal, some conservative - with the central foil of neutrality manifested in Olivia Benson. In addition to the new season, set during COVID, the Law and Order franchise has created a new series on organized crime led by the hot headed Elliot Stabler. As criticisms of policing become more and more mainstream, have we culturally reached the end of pro-cop crime TV? 

Despite the cancelation of Live PD (which was wildly popular, according to this really interesting podcast: https://www.topic.com/runningfromcops), it seems unlikely, given the vast presence of the genre in both network and streaming platforms. Even this week, HBO MAX released a new crime drama, Mare of Easttown. If this is not the end of the genre as a whole, will there be changes in how crime and law enforcement are represented? Or will these shows continue to present cops, crime, and prison in reductive, pro- law enforcement modes?