John Oliver Blasts ‘Law & Order’ For ‘Selling A Complete Fantasy’ Of How Law Enforcement Works

etcanada.com:

John Oliver took aim at the “Law & Order” franchise during Sunday night’s edition of “Last Week Tonight”, and he didn’t pull any punches.

As Oliver explained, “L&O” and other television cop shows “significantly distort the big picture of policing,” and give viewers a “false narrative of law enforcement” by presenting scenarios in which “exceptionally competent cops [are] working within a largely fair framework that mostly convicts white people.” READ MORE: John Oliver Marries A Cabbage On ‘Last Week Tonight’ That, Oliver pointed out, flies in the face of reality. “It’s presenting a world where the cops can always figure out who did it, defence attorneys are irritating obstacles to be overcome, and even if a cop roughs up a suspect, it’s all in pursuit of a just outcome,” Oliver said, pointing to “L&O” as a particularly egregious example. “And it blasts that fantasy at you in endless reruns and marathons in the guise of very well-produced, extremely entertaining TV.

But underneath it all, it is a commercial — a commercial produced by a man who is, in his own words, unabashedly pro-law enforcement,” Oliver added, referencing “L&O” creator Dick Wolf. “It’s completely fine to enjoy [‘Law & Order’ shows], and it’s completely understandable to want Olivia Benson to exist,” Oliver continued. “But it’s important to remember just how far it is from representing anything resembling reality… [Wolf] is selling a complete fantasy that many people in this country are only too happy to buy — which is fine, as long as we don’t lose sight of the fact that it’s an ad for a defective product.” READ MORE: John Oliver Takes A Deep Dive Into ‘Rocks’ That Includes Furries And Local Georgia Politics Then, as Oliver typically does on