I had to look it up. There actually was a musical TV series called Cop Rock. In 1990. By Steven Bochco no less. Who also gave the world Hill Street Blues.

And it was ranked #8 on TV Guide’s List of the 50 Worst TV Shows of All Time.

(Thank you wikipedia)

O.
M.
G.

And thank you Jody.

Now, could you open a window?

I think part of my initial reaction was just disorientation at the genre-bending. And I really wasn’t at all boggled by the premise, which was just that, a thin excuse to try out somebody’s Gilbert and Sullivan fantasy. I’ve heard of that kind of dysphasia(?) before, actually. Something about speech centers damaged and function rerouted through formerly musical brain structures.

Entertaining story about Bishop and Tillis, too, thanks for tossin’ it in.

The ability to comunicate effectively only in song does have some dramatic yet realist utility when used as a result of some mental trauma. IOW, its not inconceivable something like this might actually happen in real life, due to an physical or mental injury.

There’s a story Joey Bishop used to tell about his early days in Vegas, when he shared a dressing room with Country Singer Mel Tillis. Tillis had a severe stutter which went away completely when he was singing.

According to Bishop, he came to his dressing room one night to find Tillis in a state of hysterics, so excited and upset he could not communicate at all. Bishop, finally giving up trying to make sense of Tillis’ ravings, shouted out in frustration “Sing it!”

Tillis sang back, clearly and melodious,
“We’ve been robbed!”

Someone had broken into their dressing room and stolen their valuables.