How many seasons of Cops are there?

Cops has aired 37 seasons so far.

How many episodes of Cops are there?

There are 1277 episodes of Cops across 37 seasons.

Cops was created by John Langley and Malcolm Barbour.

Where can I watch Cops?

Cops is available to stream on YouTube TV and Apple TV Store.

What is Cops's IMDb rating?

Cops holds an IMDb rating of 6.9/10 from 7,743 votes.

Reality

When Does Cops Season 38 Come Out? Is It Renewed?

Name: Cops
Genre: Reality
Rating: 6.9

Cops Season 38 doesn't have an official release date yet. Based on the roughly 12-month gap between previous seasons, expect it around March 2026.

IMDb

6.9/10

Seasons

Episodes

1277

Diagnostics

Network: FOX
Genres: Reality
First aired: 1989-03-11
Last aired: 2026-05-15
Runtime: 30 min
Rated: TV-14

Awards Nominated for 4 Primetime Emmys. 2 wins & 5 nominations total

Predictive Logic Analysis

Cops remains in active production and broadcast on FOX, with Season 37 currently airing and new episodes scheduled into late May 2026. The TMDB status of "Returning Series" coupled with the hard air date of the next episode (May 22, 2026) is strong evidence the show has already been greenlit for continued broadcast. Reality television renewal decisions are often made with minimal fanfare compared to scripted shows, and FOX has historically renewed Cops with regularity despite occasional controversies and hiatuses over its 37-season lifespan.

Season 37 shows a dramatic ratings recovery, with episodes averaging a 10/10 rating compared to just 5.3 the prior season, though this sample is still relatively small at 20 rated episodes. The show maintains steady viewership momentum on Trakt (11,500+ active watchers) and stable Wikipedia interest, indicating the audience remains engaged. At nearly four decades on air, Cops has proven its staying power as a long-running franchise property for the network. FOX uses reality programming as reliable ratings infrastructure, and Cops' low production costs and established format make it a no-brainer renewal candidate.

What is Cops about?

Cops pioneered the documentary-style ride-along format that would come to define a generation of reality television. Since debuting in 1989, the series has followed uniformed officers across America as they respond to calls, conduct investigations, and navigate the unpredictable situations that define frontline law enforcement. The show's fundamental appeal rests on the tension inherent in real consequence: viewers never know whether they're about to witness a routine traffic stop or a high-stakes confrontation, making each episode a genuine mystery despite the predictable structure.

The series established a visual language that countless imitators have since adopted—handheld cameras, minimal narration, real audio, and the raw chronology of actual events unfolding. This stripped-down approach creates an immediacy that scripted drama cannot replicate. Yet the show's power also derives from editorial choice: producers determine which calls are filmed, which footage is aired, and which narrative arcs emerge from raw events, shaping public perception of law enforcement in ways both illuminating and contested.

Over its three-and-a-half decades on air, Cops has maintained a stable audience and developed a deep cultural footprint, becoming shorthand for the cop-cam format itself. The show has weathered various controversies regarding representation and editorial slant, yet continued broadcasting through changing attitudes toward policing and media accountability. Critical reception has remained modest—appreciation for its documentary innovation tempered by questions about its social responsibility—while its longevity testifies to enduring viewer appetite for unmediated glimpses of institutional power in action.

The series occupies a unique position as both artifact and ongoing document. It arrived before body cameras became standard, before social media transformed police visibility, and before the format itself became subject to serious debate about whose story gets told and whose remains invisible. Cops remains fundamentally a show about institutional authority captured in real time, which means its relevance shifts depending on what viewers believe that documentation actually reveals.

Created by John Langley, Malcolm Barbour

Themes

police

Is Cops renewed or cancelled?

Working toward renewal

high

Next episode scheduled for May 22, 2026 (confirmed air date)

high

TMDB status listed as 'Returning Series'

high

Season 37 currently airing with 0 months since last season aired

high

37-season run demonstrates established franchise viability

medium

Season 37 episode ratings spike to 10/10 (vs 5.3 prior season)

medium

Steady Trakt active watcher count (11,522) with stable momentum

medium

FOX's historical pattern of rapid renewal for reality programming

Working against it

low

No formal renewal announcement in trade press

Cops Season 38 Release Date

Season 37 is airing now with the finale scheduled for late May 2026. Season 38 will almost certainly arrive in early fall 2026, following FOX's typical schedule pattern for reality programming. The rapid turnaround time for reality production means a summer break between seasons is standard for the network. Given the show's long track record and current momentum, no significant production delays should be expected.

S37