Diane Neal, who played Casey Novak on Law & Order: SVU, explains why she agrees with John Oliver’s opinion that the Law & Order franchise serves as 'copaganda.'
Law & Order: SVU alum Diane Neal explains why she agrees that the series is propaganda. The view that Law & Order and other cop shows serve as an idealized version of law enforcement has existed for about as long as police procedurals have existed. However, the criticism flared significantly after the May 2020 murder of George Floyd by a police officer and the subsequent protests of Black Lives Matter.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY Last Week Tonight with John Oliver revived the topic when he spent much of a recent episode breaking down the various issues with the Law & Order franchise. Oliver acknowledges that Law & Order and its executive producer Dick Wolf aren't unique in presenting what's been dubbed as "copaganga" but notes that the long-running series and its various spinoffs are particularly noteworthy because of their widespread popularity.
Diane Neal, who portrayed New York Assistant District Attorney Casey Novak for several seasons on SVU, has now detailed why she agrees with Last Week Tonight's take on Law & Order. In a Twitter thread, Neal noted the gaping chasm between how law enforcement should function versus how it's depicted on television. Neal stresses that she thinks SVU is a "spectacular" show, albeit she underlined the fact that many crime victims are treated horribly.
Novak seems to say, as Oliver does outright, that pointing out the flaws of Law & Order doesn't mean that fans should stop watching it. However, they both seem to understand how TV cop shows are fundamentally rigged against a realistic depiction. Most cases, after all, are never solved and never go to trial. Instead, those presumed guilty are pressured into plea deals. Victims of rape and sexual assault often never get justice.
An easy response would be to say that Law & Order: SVU is a fantasy, and everyone understands it as such. But that's not always the case. Politicians and pundits are quick to cite Olivia Benson whenever there are calls for changes to how law enforcement operates, as though she's an avatar for a real phenomenon. It doesn't make police procedurals less entertaining. But it rightly prioritizes fixing some authentic and urgent deep-seated problems.
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