Ep 1. Cop

Lou Grant season 3 episode 1, titled "Cop," follows the main character Lou Grant as he investigates a controversial police shooting.

The episode begins with the shooting of a young black man by a police officer. The incident leads to protests and riots throughout the city. Lou and his team at the Los Angeles Tribune decide to investigate the shooting, looking into the victim's background and the officer involved.

As Lou and his reporters delve deeper into the case, they begin to uncover a web of corruption within the police department. They discover that the officer who shot the young man had a history of violence and racial bias, and that the department had covered up previous complaints about his behavior.

The investigation also reveals that the victim was not the criminal he was initially portrayed to be, but rather a young man with a bright future who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

As the story unfolds, Lou and his team face resistance from both the police department and the city government, who are more concerned with maintaining their image than seeking justice for the victim. But the reporters continue to push forward, determined to uncover the truth and hold those responsible accountable for their actions.

Throughout the episode, the theme of accountability looms large. Lou and his team want to hold the police officer who shot the young man accountable for his actions, but they also recognize the need to hold the department and the city as a whole accountable for allowing this type of behavior to happen.

The episode also explores issues of race and police brutality, highlighting the ongoing tensions between law enforcement and communities of color. It raises important questions about the role of the media in holding the powerful to account, and the importance of investigative journalism in exposing systemic injustices.

In the end, the investigation leads to a shocking revelation that shakes the entire city to its core, and leaves Lou and his team grappling with the complex ethical questions that arise from their work as journalists.

"Cop" is a powerful and thought-provoking episode of Lou Grant that explores some of the most pressing issues of our time. It is an important reminder of the role that the media can and should play in shining a light on injustice, and a testament to the importance of holding those in power accountable for their actions.