THE GOOD COP: Season One

The Good Cop works best when its central mismatch drives the comedy. TJ Caruso is an obsessively honest NYPD investigator who follows rules to an almost comic degree. His father, Tony, is a disgraced former officer just out of prison for being dirty and willing to bend rules for his own benefit.

The show’s moral outlook is generally positive. TJ and most of the police team usually choose justice and sacrifice over personal profit, while Tony repeatedly faces the choice between selfishness and doing what is right. The writing and performances are uneven, and the officers are often too ridiculous to resemble real police work, but the result is charming if you are willing to suspend disbelief.

You can watch it with teenagers and adults, but it is not appropriate for children. WORTH WATCHING — TEENS AND ADULTS.

TJ Caruso is an unusually honest NYPD investigator whose strict rule-following creates comic problems on the job. He lives with his father, Tony, a disgraced former officer newly released from prison for being a dirty cop.

When TJ investigates murders, Tony somehow becomes involved and complicates the cases. Their opposite personalities power this comedy, as father and son navigate police work, family tension, and Tony’s struggle with his old habits.

Three stars means a charming, funny show that does not always find its footing. The first episode feels serious, but the series gradually settles into a sillier cop-comedy tone. Its central contrast—TJ’s honesty against Tony’s low moral standards—creates comic moments, and the framework generally works.

The writing is somewhat uneven, with some episodes better than others. Tony Danza’s over-the-top performance eventually fits the show’s tone, while Josh Groban seems miscast and handles the serious moments awkwardly. The police team is funny if you can accept that these characters could never be real officers.

The Good Cop holds two competing outlooks. TJ and most of the gang usually choose sacrifice and justice over personal profit. They want to do what is right even when it is difficult. Tony, however, often chooses himself first, including refusing to testify against an old prison companion until he is offered a luxurious safehouse.

The show does eventually move Tony toward better choices, and his selfishness does not ultimately profit him. That gives the series a generally positive, redemptive moral outlook, even though its repeated moral dilemmas can make Tony seem deeply untrustworthy. The show also includes some Christian content: TJ keeps a Bible near his bed, and Tony goes to confession.

Its main moral question is whether a person will pursue personal benefit or the greater good. The show leans toward the truth that goodness requires costly choices: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

The Good Cop is a charming but uneven comedy with a generally positive moral outlook. Its mild violence, language, and sexual humor make it unsuitable for children, but teenagers and adults may appreciate its questions about honesty, justice, and redemption. Our answer is WORTH WATCHING — TEENS AND ADULTS.