Pretty Good

Absolutely Fantastic

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

'Star Cops' is one of the best sci-fi series we've watched in years. In the U.S. we are inundated with 'junk' situation comedies and copycat dramas, so the British shows we are offered are heartily welcomed.We found this show innovative and very interesting. We really liked Nathan, and 'Box' was a clever touch. Even if it was just a 'crime in space' show as some people termed it, the characters became friends, and the tension and suspense were real to us. Nathan's reluctance at being posted in space was understated and believable, and made a recurring theme below each week's story. I definitely was able to immerse myself in the shows and 'become' one of the people stationed there and at risk in each episode's situation; unlike most American shows--and many movies--I wasn't looking at my watch every few minutes to see how much longer I was going to have to sit there. Thanks, U.K., for another series in the tradition of 'Doctor Who' (which is BRILLIANT). We're just sorry that it was on for only one season.

I remember when STAR COPS was schedulded to be broadcast in 1987 we saw the sort of hype that also greeted the BBC`s recent crime drama HUSTLE , possibly the most hyped show in the BBC`s history . Strange then that STAR COPS was shown on BBC2 at 8.30 on weekday evenings at the height of Summer . I did think someone high up at the BBC didn`t want this show to succeed . But I think the reason for its failure lies in the hands of the production team . Anyone heard of Chris Boucher ? He`s the former script editor of BLAKE`S 7 and creator of this show which led me to believe we`d be seeing some gritty dramatic SF show , but we didn`t . Look at the show`s title STAR isn`t the operative word , COPS is and Boucher has created a show that is just another crime drama using the gimmick of having it set in space . People get killed outside the Earth`s orbit and it`s up to this London cop and his multinational colleagues to solve the crimes which are usually commited by the mafia or greedy corporate companies Sorry to be cynical since a lot of people on this page seemed to have enjoyed it but even the gimmick of having this show set in space doesn`t stop it from being nothing less than a pretty dire crime series . It`s supposed to be set in the late 21st century but do we find out what 21st century Earth looks like ? No because everything is filmed inside an office or a restaraunt and if there`s any outside location work done the script is specifically written so that it will take place in a park so that the BBC won`t have to break the bank with convincing set designs We won`t be seeing a second series of STAR COPS but we will be seeing a new series of DOCTOR WHO next year which should restore the BBC`s reputation as being the prime server of quality sci-fi

Star Cops is something of a rarity, and it should be noted as such. It sacrifices glitz and glamour for plot and character development, something a lot of 'critically acclaimed' sci-fi shows lack.While like Doctor Who or Blake's 7, it did have it's budgetary constraints, and that is probably why the 'story before effects' way of writing developed. Something that can be applied to modern TV, overall. Unfortunately, flashes and bangs win out every day on American TV.Want a good explosion? Turn on Star Trek. Want a good story? Make it worth your while to track down this overlooked gem.

No matter how many times I think about it, 'Star Cops' is still quite possibly the greatest science-fiction show ever on television.The premise is simple--cops in space, something that sounds like a recipe for schmaltz, but it's the execution that makes it rise head and shoulders above the capsule description. The characters, through the space of nine episodes, show more depth and range than a decade of latter-day 'Star Treks'. They have moments of irritability, seething rage, intense fear, mild annoyance and sheer terror, played out over plots that challenge the viewer to keep up. This is a show that improves exponentially with repeated viewings, with complexities opening up and incidental moments gaining significance as you become able to correlate them. The characters are often unlikeable, quarrelsome, and rude--much like real people.Dialogue is sometimes cryptic, requiring another viewing for you to understand the joke or the significance of the remark. Often, characters speak over each other's lines, much like real people.The plots, while often standard mystery fare, offer spins new to the science-fiction format, requiring a little knowledge of human nature rather than of physics or chemistry. It's never the science, or a simple whodunit--it's always the motive. The human element is always what is at issue.And NO SF SHOW has ever been so firmly within the possibilities of REAL SCIENCE, requiring no long explanations or technobabble justifications. It is, without a doubt, the most scientifically probable program that has ever been on the air.There are only nine episodes, and that's a pity. Blame the BBC for their infinite lack of wisdom. But at least there are NINE, and that's wonderful.