Cops, the long-running documentary series, debuted March 11, 1989 on FOX where it ran for 25 seasons. It was an innovative reality TV program that brought viewers to the front lines of law enforcement, showing the daily activities of police offers in departments all across the country. There were even a few episodes that took place internationally.
After being canceled, the series was picked up by the cable channel Spike TV. Wildest Chases collects seven episodes from Seasons 26 and 27. There are three segments in a Cops episode, and for most of the them, the chases are limited to the first segments. The rest of the segments feature standard fare for the show, such as officers responding to fights and dealing with drug users. One segment finds the officers living up to the “To protect and serve” motto as they escort a five-year-old boy home who was running away.
“Wildest” is a bit of a marketing exaggeration because most of the chases presented are actually typical for the series. Some did stand out, such as an officer executing a pit maneuver that spins a car around a couple times. Others are memorable because the criminal geniuses involved don’t seem to understand the physics behind leaving a vehicle at a high rate of speed. One kid jumps off a motorcycle and it’s amazing he wasn’t badly hurt considering he fell into a parked car.
Running almost two-and-a-half hours, Wildest Chases is a good representation of the series, but it’s rewatchability seems low. I enjoyed the episodes and the entire roster would have been fun to use in a Cops drinking game with friends, but there wasn’t a must-see moment I’ll be revisiting or sharing with others.
