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On Tuesday, August 30, A&E Television Networks filed a lawsuit in a New York federal court against ReelzChannel and the creators of the channel's smash hit reality TV show On Patrol: Live, claiming that it is a "blatant ripoff" of Live PD.
The network asserted that they were the "sole and exclusive owner" of the rights to the original show, which took off in 2016 and was canceled only recently in 2020.
Reelz's On Patrol: Live, which premiered on July 22, 2022, tracks the live sagas of officers from various police departments across the country for three hours (9 pm to 12 am) every Friday and Saturday. The show's hosts offer minute-by-minute assessment and commentary. Local citizens are offered the chance to acquire direct knowledge via ride-alongs with police on live nights.
The allegation in the lawsuit states that On Patrol: Live is a "clone" of Live PD, highlighting the fact that the Reelz show has the same principal presenters, content, format, and features, among other factors. The most evident similarities between both the original show and the alleged rip-off include Dan Abrams as the host, inclusion of live footage from police ride-alongs, and the same production company.
Here, we explore the format of On Patrol: Live amidst the on-going courtroom drama between A&E and Reelz.
Noticeable similarities between the formats of On Patrol: Live and Live PD as listed by court documents
On Patrol: Live stars Live PD's veteran host Dan Abrams and former Tulsa police officer Sean "Sticks" Larkin alongside new anchor Curtis Wilson, who appeared on the original show as a participant. The alleged reboot, similar to that of Live PD, accompanies cops from seven different police departments around the country every Friday and Saturday night from 9 pm to 12 am.
According to the lawsuit, there are numerous and obvious striking similarities between the two shows. Key among these similarities is the fact that they both use the same concept to broadcast crime i.e. a live series that follows police units around the country on a real-time basis, with hosts in the studio directing the action.
Additionally, they also cover the same police agencies and occasionally even involve some of the same specific individual officers while representing the same lead studio host and co-host who narrate scenes using similar "catchphrases."
Court documents that sum up the allegations detailed the similarities between the two shows. The documents read:
"It [On Patrol:Live] covers the same, crime-related subject matter through the same format (i.e., a live series following police units around the country in real time, with hosts in studio curating and guiding the action, and pre-produced packages about cops/areas/hot cases during moments of quiet). It features the same primary studio host and co-host, who describe the unfolding action using the exact same catchphrases."
The court documents further state:
"It has live feeds in multiple cities following several of the same police departments as Live PD and even some of the same individual officers. The episodes end in the same way. It even airs during the same time slots (Friday and Saturday nights from 9 PM-12 AM)."
Why was A&E's Live PD canceled?
A&E's Live PD was canceled in 2020 amidst widespread demonstrations against police violence that year. Big Fish Entertainment, the original show's producer, reportedly rebooted the show in June under a new name in collaboration with ReelzCannel.
In the lawsuit, Big Fish and Reelz have been accused of planning to capitalize on A&E's fame by copying and "bringing back" Live PD's main presenters, format, and segments.
The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in federal court in New York. A&E contends that although the original show's was discontinued, its intellectual property rights were never leased or sold to a third party.
The lawsuit states:
"In June 2020, amid nationwide protests against police brutality, AETN suspended production of new episodes of Live PD during that critical time in our nation's history. AETN, however, has never relinquished or assigned its rights to create episodes of Live PD nor has it authorized anyone else to prepare derivative programs based upon Live PD except as works made-for-hire."
More on the On Patrol: Live controversy
A Reelz spokesperson reportedly commented on the matter and stated:
"[The TV Network] has not been served with nor had an opportunity to review the Complaint in detail, and thus has no comment at this time beyond denying liability and expressing its ongoing commitment to On Patrol: Live."
A&E is reportedly demanding punitive damages along with a share of Reelz's proceeds, interest, legal costs, and attorneys' fees, to be discussed during the trial. They likewise desire that the defendants be prohibited from using the company's intellectual property in the future.
