Netflix is famous for the "one and done" curse, but the cast of The Good Cop really felt like they were building something that could’ve lasted a decade. It was weird. It was quirky. Honestly, it was a throwback to those "Blue Skies" procedural shows on USA Network, which is probably why people still hunt for it on streaming years after it got the axe. If you haven't seen it, the premise is basically a buddy-cop show where the partners are a father and son who couldn't be more different.
Tony Danza plays Big Tony. He’s a disgraced former NYPD officer who spent time in prison for being, well, a "bad cop." Josh Groban plays his son, TJ, who is so pathologically honest he won’t even let a parking meter expire by a second. It’s a classic Odd Couple dynamic, but the supporting players are what actually made the show breathe.
The big names leading the cast of The Good Cop
Tony Danza was the engine. You can tell he loved this role because it let him lean into that "lovable rogue" persona he perfected on Who's the Boss? and Taxi. But in this show, there’s a layer of cynicism. Big Tony isn't just a goof; he’s a guy who knows how the world works and thinks his son is a total sucker for following the rules. Danza’s energy is high-octane, which is the only way to balance out Josh Groban’s performance.
Speaking of Groban, nobody expected the "You Raise Me Up" guy to be a legitimate leading man in a dramedy. He’s actually hilarious. His timing is dry. He plays TJ Caruso with this rigid, almost anxious posture that makes his interactions with the chaotic Big Tony feel genuinely stressful. Most people don’t realize Groban has a massive theater background, and it shows in how he handles the dialogue. He doesn't play it for laughs; he plays it straight, which makes the absurdity of the situations even better.
Monica Barbaro as Cora Vasquez
Before she was flying jets in Top Gun: Maverick, Monica Barbaro was the backbone of this show. She played Cara Vasquez, a detective who had to navigate the madness of the Caruso family while actually trying to solve crimes. Her character was interesting because she wasn't just "the girl" or the love interest. She was Big Tony’s former parole officer, which added this weird, slightly uncomfortable layer to her relationship with TJ.
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Barbaro has this way of looking at the other characters like they’re crazy, which is exactly what the audience is doing. She’s the proxy for us. Without her, the show might have felt a bit too much like a sitcom sketch. She grounded the procedural elements. It’s a shame we didn't get to see her character arc play out over three or four seasons, especially given how her career skyrocketed shortly after.
The character actors you definitely recognize
Bill Kottkamp played Cecil, and he was a scene-stealer. He’s the technical guy, the one who handles the forensics and the digital side of the investigations. Cecil is awkward. He’s weirdly intense. But he’s loyal.
Then you have Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Burl Loomis. If you know The Wire, you know Isiah. He’s legendary for his specific delivery of certain... expressive words. In the cast of The Good Cop, he plays a veteran detective who is just tired. He wants to retire. He wants to stay out of trouble. Watching him react to TJ’s relentless rule-following is one of the highlights of the series. Whitlock Jr. brings a gravitas to the precinct that makes it feel like a real workplace, even when the plots get a little zany.
Why the chemistry worked (and why it ended)
Chemistry is a weird thing in TV. You can hire the most famous people in the world and have them fall flat. But this group felt like they’d been working together for years.
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Maybe it was the writing by Andy Breckman. He’s the guy who created Monk, so he knows how to write "the brilliant but flawed guy" better than almost anyone. The cast leaned into his specific brand of humor—the kind that’s slightly old-fashioned but still sharp. They weren't trying to be True Detective. They were trying to be a show you could watch with your parents without it being boring or offensive.
Netflix cancelled the show in November 2018. It wasn't because it was bad. The reviews were actually decent, especially for the performances. It mostly came down to the "Netflix Math." They look at completion rates and how many new subscribers a show brings in. The Good Cop was a cozy show. It was a "comfort watch." Unfortunately, comfort watches don't always generate the massive social media buzz that keeps a show alive on a platform that prioritizes viral hits.
A look at the guest stars
One thing people forget about the cast of The Good Cop is the quality of the guest actors. Because it was filmed in New York, they had access to incredible Broadway talent.
- John Scurti (from Rescue Me) showed up.
- Bob Saget had a memorable guest spot that reminded everyone he was a great actor, not just a sitcom dad.
- Emma Ishta played a compelling role in one of the episodes.
These aren't just names to fill a call sheet. They were used to build a world that felt lived-in. Every episode felt like a little play.
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The legacy of the show in 2026
It’s been years, but the show has a cult following. When you look at what the cast is doing now, it's impressive. Josh Groban is back to being a massive star in the music and theater world. Monica Barbaro is an A-list action star. Tony Danza is, well, he’s an icon.
There's a specific "feel" to this cast that is hard to replicate. They had a lightness. In a world of "gritty" reboots and dark prestige dramas, this group was just trying to entertain you for 45 minutes. They succeeded. If you go back and rewatch it now, it doesn't feel dated. It feels like a missed opportunity.
The reality of the cast of The Good Cop is that they were a perfect ensemble for a show that Netflix didn't quite know how to market. It wasn't "prestige" enough for the critics and wasn't "edgy" enough for the teenagers. It sat in that middle ground—the same place where Columbo or Murder, She Wrote lived.
Actionable insights for fans and viewers
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of this cast or find similar vibes, here is the best way to move forward:
- Watch the "spiritual predecessors": If you liked this cast, go back to Monk. It's the same creator and shares that DNA of "brilliant guy, weird world."
- Track Monica Barbaro's career: If you liked her as Cora, check out FUBAR on Netflix. She plays Arnold Schwarzenegger’s daughter and it carries some of that same "tough cop" energy mixed with family comedy.
- Follow the "New York Procedural" trail: Since many of the guest stars are NYC locals, looking at the credits of Law & Order: SVU from around 2017-2019 will show you a lot of the same faces in different roles.
- Check out Josh Groban’s "Sweeney Todd" performances: If you only know him as the "good cop," seeing him in a dark, theatrical role shows just how much range he brought to the series.
The show might be over, but the work these actors put in remains a great example of how to do a modern procedural with heart. It wasn't about the gore or the darkness; it was about the people in the room. And that room was full of talent.