Future Cop (TV series)

Lore & Background

The series follows veteran street cop Joe Cleaver (Ernest Borgnine) who is assigned an experimental android, programmed by the police lab, as his new partner, Officer John Haven (Michael J. Shannon). The premise of a human cop partnered with a robot predates the similar concept in RoboCop by ten years.

Reader's Guide

Future Cop is significant primarily for its legal aftermath. The story's title was allegedly a pun by Bova, as a robot policeman could be referred to as 'metal fuzz,' like Brillo soap pads.

Did You Know?

• Future Cop predated RoboCop by ten years.
• The story's title 'Brillo' was allegedly a pun on 'metal fuzz,' referring to a robot policeman.

Premise and Production Journey

Future Cop emerged as an American crime drama wrapped in science fiction, centering on a seasoned street-level police officer who is handed an experimental android partner. The robot had been programmed at a police laboratory to serve as his new colleague, creating a dynamic duo that blended gritty cop storytelling with speculative technology. Notably, the series predated RoboCop by a full decade, placing it among the earlier television attempts to pair a human law enforcement officer with a mechanical counterpart. The show's brief life across two networks and two titles reflects the uncertain footing it found within the late-1970s television landscape.

The Cast and Their Roles

The series assembled a notable ensemble for its time. Ernest Borgnine, the two-time Academy Award winner, took on the role of Officer Joe Cleaver, the veteran cop at the heart of the story. Michael J. Shannon, who would later become widely recognized for his work in independent and prestige cinema, portrayed Officer John Haven. John Amos, known for his powerful performances in television and film, played Officer Bill Bundy. The central premise positioned the android partner as a programmed creation of the police lab, designed to work alongside the human officers. The show's structure revolved around this partnership dynamic, with the cast navigating crime-solving scenarios that played on the contrast between human instinct and mechanical precision. The presence of Borgnine, a major Hollywood star of the era, alongside the then-younger Shannon and the respected Amos gave the production a level of casting credibility that belied its short broadcast lifespan.

The Plagiarism Dispute

One of the most significant chapters in Future Cop's history was a legal battle that followed its production. The dispute highlighted the contentious world of television development in the 1970s, where ideas could be absorbed into studio pipelines and original creators found themselves in court to claim recognition and compensation.

Legacy and the Robot-Cop Trope

Future Cop's place in television history is best understood through the broader pattern of shows that followed its lead. The series predated RoboCop by approximately ten years, establishing the template of a human officer partnered with a robotic or android counterpart well before that concept became a blockbuster film. This recurring cycle of similar shows speaks to both the enduring appeal and the commercial difficulty of the concept.