Americans dig Toronto cop shows—well, not The Bridge

Toronto cops haven’t exactly been in people’s good books since that whole G20 debacle, but TV viewers can’t get enough of them—especially the fickle couch potatoes south of the border. Rookie Blue, a show about a posse of newbie officers, has just been picked up for a second season by Global TV and ABC. Perhaps critics’ comparisons to Grey’s Anatomy worked in the show’s favour as opposed to knocking it. Toronto’s crime drama Flashpoint is now airing its third season on CTV and CBS and is dominating American ratings in its time slot (albeit the Friday night death slot, when only grandparents are watching). It’s a different story for CTV’s The Bridge, though. Relegated to Saturday night, the pilot drew a meagre 2.98 million viewers and was easily beaten out by Cops and America’s Funniest Home Videos. So it’s official: Americans like cheesy cops and intense cops, but definitely not ones that look like Aaron Douglas.

• Cop drama Rookie Blue graduates to 2nd season [CBC] • The Bridge: New CBS Police Drama, Cancel or Keep it? [TV Series Finale.com] • Ratings Race: ABC and CBS Split Victory with ‘Primetime’ and ‘Flashpoint’ [TV Squad.com]