Cops quietly resumes shooting but won’t air in the U.S.

Cops has quietly resumed filming in Spokane, Washington, despite being canceled by the Paramount Network. The show was abruptly pulled from the air after a nationwide reckoning with police violence following the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests that were sparked worldwide due to his death while being restrained by police officers. This prompted many networks, including Paramount Network, to reconcile their portrayal of police officers with the current moment.

Despite the cancellation by the Paramount Network, "The Hollywood Reporter" is reporting that that show has resumed in Spokane, Washington because the series has worked closely with the Spokane Country Sheriff's Office for years. The Paramount Network initially delayed the premiere of the show's 33rd season before canceling it outright on June 9, 2020. However, the episodes that are currently being filmed will not be airing in the US and the networks that were airing the show in syndication will also let their contracts to air the show expire.

So why is the show still shooting and not being shown in the U.S.? Langley Productions, the company behind the episodes being filmed, has said that the episodes are being made to fulfill contractual obligations in international territories where the show still airs. Cops has always been a huge international player so it makes sense that it can still air in territories where the relationship with law enforcement isn't as tense as it is in America.

Cops ran for 32 seasons on various networks, originally premiering in 1989 on Fox. Due to its insanely long run, Cops is easily one of the longest-running reality tv shows, having aired over 1,100 episodes. The show inspired various other tv shows that highlighted the role of law enforcement in civilian's lives while the show itself follows various police departments throughout the United States, filming police officers as they do their jobs.

Do YOU think Cops should've been able to air its remaining episodes in the U.S.? Should the show have been canceled in the first place?