I wanted to hate it.
The mere idea of it sounded preposterous.
D-list celebrities being trained as police officers? Are you kidding me with this?
When the DVD screener of CBS’s “Armed &Famous” arrived, I ripped into it like a kid opening a Christmas present. I wanted to watch it as soon as possible to give myself ample time to conjure up just the right words to blast the living daylights out of this presumably stupid show.
Then I watched it.
And I liked it.
A lot.
First, let’s accept the fact that reality television is here to stay. It’s cheap to produce and it’s often a hit with viewers. If you’re an outright reality TV hater, this show likely won’t change your mind, so don’t bother.
But if you allow some room to be surprised by the seemingly absurd (and the 20 million-plus viewers who keep watching “Dancing With the Stars” suggest you do), give “Armed &Famous” a chance – just like the five celebrities who turned themselves over to it did.
“This was a show that we thought was going to be very funny and it actually has a lot of heart,” executive producer Tom Forman said in a conference call last week. “These celebrities have really thrown themselves into what is admittedly an outrageous concept.”
It premieres at 8 p.m. Wednesday on KIRO, Channel 7.
Erik Estrada, the most recognizable of the bunch for his role as Officer Francis Llewellyn “Ponch” Poncherello on “CHiPs,” leads the cast. It also has Michael Jackson’s sister LaToya Jackson; Ozzy Osborne’s son, Jack; wrestler Trish Stratus; and the 4-foot-7 Jason “Wee-Man” Acuna from the “Jackass” movies.
I can see you rolling your eyes, but give it a chance. Muncie Police Chief Joseph Winkle, a sworn police officer since 1978, did.
“The concept itself was brought to me and I was a little unsure of how this would come about,” Winkle said in the conference call. “But I feel very comfortable with the people producing the show, I’m very comfortable with the people doing the training, and I couldn’t be more happy with the progress each of the celebrities has made.”
The first half of the premiere shows the five stars starting reserve police officer training with the Muncie, Ind., Police Department, where they learn some basic tactics including routine car stops, subduing an assailant by force, receiving high voltage from a Taser gun and target practice at a firing range with real guns (Jackson’s performance there, in particular, is a treat).
Upon completing the training, the five are sworn in as reserve officers in the Muncie Police Department, complete with badges and guns. They ride with full-time officers and go to real police calls. Winkle said no police response calls were hand-picked for his new reserve officers, nor were they intentionally kept away from any calls. The officers worked (and are still working) a regular graveyard shift for the department.
“Internally, we had a lot of people who thought this was a really poor decision on my part,” Winkle said. “But the more they were around the celebrities and the production company, they realized this isn’t really a bad thing. They’re showing what we do.”
Just give it a chance.
Victor Balta’s TV column runs Mondays and Thursdays on the A&E page. Reach him at 425-339-3455 or vbalta@heraldnet.com.
For more TV scoop, check out Victor’s blog at heraldnet.com/blogpopculture.
On TV
“Armed &Famous,” 8 p.m. Wednesday, KIRO, Channel 7.
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