Recruiting 'Recruits'... yeah I couldn't think of a good pun.

Docu-dramas are getting a bit long in the tooth these days. It seems there isn’t a professional with a uniform that hasn’t got a series based around them talking into walkie-talkies or getting stressed out or just doing their job ma’am.

Recruits on Channel 10 follows a bunch of wannabe cops at the academy and another bunch of recent graduates as they go through their rookie year of being a real life police officer. Cops are part and parcel of the docu-drama genre but Recruits is a breath of somewhat fresh air. It’s interesting getting to look into life at the police college and it’s refreshing to see that these kids are just as goofy learning to become cops as you and I would be.

While it’s by no means ‘appointment television’ there are worst shows to spend your half hour with – any of the half dozen shows based around airports basically. Speaking of which Recruits doesn’t suffer from the sort of bullshit editing that makes Border Security downright unwatchable. You know the sort of cut aways they do just as the story gets interesting.

You’ll be watching a couple of customs guys messing around with a parcel “We think there’s something in this package, let’s open it.” CUT TO NEXT STORY OF AN ANGRY ASIAN MAN, but as soon as he starts yelling CUT TO GUY BREAKING HIS WORK PERMIT as soon as that starts to hook you cut back to the guys with parcel: “ooh it looks like drugs, but what kind of drugs?” CUT TO ANGRY ASIAN MAN AGAIN. Rinse & repeat until half hour is up.

And while ‘not being retarded’ isn’t exactly high praise the subject matter does help. Seeing shit scared cops is actually a lot more entertaining and enlightening than seeing just another show about cops cleaning up the blurry faced streets.

While I don’t see myself running to get to the TV when Recruits is on I do think that for the half hour docu-drama genre it’s a pretty fine entry.

Good, Alright, Bad Or Ugly?
Alright