Ep 3. Cop School

In Reno 911! season 3 episode 3, entitled “Cop School,” the gang of bumbling law enforcement officers are sent back to school to brush up on their skills. In typical Reno style, chaos and hilarity ensue.

Lieutenant Jim Dangle (played by Thomas Lennon) and his squad are all too familiar with the kind of trouble that can come their way. When a series of mishaps leaves several citizens injured, the city decides that it’s time for the officers to go back to school and get retrained in the art of policing.

The training regimen is intense, but the Reno officers are up for the challenge (or, at least, they pretend to be). They’re made to run obstacle courses, practice self-defense techniques, and engage in tactical simulations. While some officers, like Deputy Junior (played by Robert Ben Garant), are naturals when it comes to police work, others, like Deputy Trudy (played by Kerri Kenney-Silver), struggle to keep up.

Of course, being Reno, things don’t always go according to plan. Whether it’s accidentally discharging a weapon during a firearms training exercise or getting into a fistfight with a fellow officer during hand-to-hand combat training, the Reno officers manage to keep their instructors and fellow students on their toes.

Despite their many missteps, the officers do manage to learn a thing or two during their training. They gain confidence in their abilities and learn how to work together as a team (even if it’s a dysfunctional one).

As always, the show is full of one-liners, sight gags, and physical comedy. Whether it’s Deputy Trudy breaking a board over her head during a martial arts demonstration or Deputy Garcia (played by Carlos Alazraqui) trying (and failing) to climb a rope during PT, there’s never a dull moment in “Cop School.”

One of the highlights of the episode is a scene in which Deputy Jones (played by Cedric Yarbrough) and Deputy Junior take a break from training to play a game of “traffic cop.” The two officers put on their best game faces as they direct imaginary traffic, complete with silly hand gestures and sound effects. It’s a testament to the actors’ comedic timing and improvisational skills that even a seemingly throwaway scene like this is laugh-out-loud funny.

All in all, “Cop School” is a classic Reno 911! episode. It’s filled with zany antics, hilarious one-liners, and plenty of physical comedy. While the show may not be for everyone (its humor is often irreverent and politically incorrect), it’s hard not to appreciate the sheer talent and dedication of the cast and crew. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a newcomer to the series, “Cop School” is definitely worth a watch.