The Frame

We continue our series on how police are depicted on TV with the creators of “COPS,” the longest-running reality show in TV history. Creator John Langley tells us about the show’s genesis and why it continues to be so popular; the Latino Comics Expo is unofficially known as the “Latino Comic-Con"; Comedy Central says Larry Wilmore's show failed to gain traction with viewers.

From refugee athletes to individual profiles, Olympics mini-docs are a big part of the broadcast and have been since the 1970s. NBC Sports' Jimmy Roberts joins us from Rio where he's reporting on his 16th Olympics; Part 2 of our look inside the Sundance Directors Lab, where eight budding filmmakers are encouraged to take risks and seize the opportunity of a lifetime.

We visit the Sundance Director's Lab where Robert Redford and a group of industry pros mentor up and coming filmmakers. Variety's chief TV critic Maureen Ryan breaks down the CBS news coming out of the Television Critics Association press tour; Colburn Conservatory of Music graduates endure stressful mock auditions to prepare for the real thing.

Actress Taraji P. Henson opens up about the career path that led her to her Emmy-nominated role of Cookie Lyon on the hit Fox show, "Empire"; amid the bad reviews for "Suicide Squad," we look at the unsustainable — but enduring — Hollywood business model of taking big swings at expensive movies in hopes of finding a franchise.

In our #CopsOnTV series, writer-producer Cheo Hodari Coker reveals what he learned about the LAPD while producing the police drama, "Southland," and how that connected with his experiences as a black man; the bad news/good news of NBC's Olympic ecosystem: broadcast viewership is down, but online streaming is booming.

In the first of a continuing series of conversations, former "Law & Order: SVU" executive producer Neal Baer says studios and networks want police to be depicted as heroes; how soon will virtual reality become a big thing in entertainment?

Stuntwoman and "American Ninja Warrior" contestant Jessie Graff teaches host John Horn some tricks of her trade; the opening ceremony for the Summer Olympics has become a job for film directors; Aubrey Plaza's amateur basketball team, the Pistol Shrimps, has quite the following.

The comic actress' star-turn in "Ghostbusters" and another Emmy nod for "SNL" have her primed for bigger things; fans of the kids' show 'Doc McStuffins' are worried about the future of one of the few kids' shows with a black lead character; DanceSafe provides education and and even drug-testing at raves, but its hands are tied by a federal law.

Artist and animator Jorge Gutiérrez discusses the creative inspirations of the U.S.-Mexico border and the painting spree that led to his gallery show; HBO, Netflix and NBC face the press at the Television Critics Association; screenwriter, producer and former studio chief James Schamus makes his directorial debut with "Indignation."

Director Marc Osborne didn't want to make a straight-ahead adaptation of "The Little Prince," so he came up with a novel approach; "Equity" is the rare movie about Wall Street that stars and is made by women; Claire Boucher, aka Grimes, dissects her song, “Kill V. Maim.”

Filmmaker Andrew Jarecki made a feature and now an HBO documentary series (pictured) about Robert Durst, an heir-turned-suspected murderer; the comedy trio Culture Clash revisits "Chavez Ravine," about a key moment in L.A. history; "Jupiter Ascending" and "Seventh Son" are big budget box office flops.

Beyoncé (pictured) is up for six Grammys, including album of the year. Who will win trophies and who should?; Pitchfork has established itself as the go-to music website for millennials; The zombie guru from "Walking Dead" tells all; "Jupiter Ascending" is earthbound, according to critics.

In the wake of the studio's embarrassing computer hack, the co-chair of Sony Pictures will become a producer; Dick Cavett plays himself in a stage play (pictured) that recounts a famous literary feud; "Wild Tales" director Damián Szifrón's film is Argentina's entry in the Academy Awards foreign language film category.

Was Jay-Z wise to plunk down $56 million for the Aspiro music streaming company? The Decemberists (pictured) return with their seventh studio album; Frank Gehry's home was the inspiration for music commissioned by the L.A. Chamber Orchestra; Lynn Shelton talks about directing the pilot for "Fresh Off the Boat."

Director Pawel Pawlikowski on his foreign film nominee, "Ida" (pictured); "Cartel Land" director Matthew Heineman on facing danger in Mexico; "High Maintenance" is a web series that's like “Cheers,” but with weed instead of whiskey; what might Hollywood do with the sequel to “To Kill a Mockingbird"?

Recapping this year's Sundance Film Festival, and a chat with the co-directors of "Meru," which won the Audience Award for U.S. Documentary; actor Randall Park goes from the fire ("The Interview") to the frying pan ("Fresh Off the Boat," pictured).

Anna Bass and Monica Bill Barnes (pictured) imbue their choreography with humor; how the creator of 'Doc McStuffins' made her hit show that counts Michelle Obama among its fans; and two Sundance documentaries show the power of movies to liberate people’s minds.

Rick Famuyiwa, the writer-director of the 2015 Sundance favorite, "Dope," describes being at the center of one of the buzziest films at the fest; “Dear White People” filmmaker Justin Simien looks back at Sundance a year after his breakout; composer Bear McCreary rocks out on his hurdy-gurdy.

Venues for Bill Cosby's live shows sometimes can't cancel a show on their own; Alfonso Gómez-Rejón, director of Sundance favorite "Me & Earl ..." (pictured), on why the film is so personal to him; can Pivot TV's $40 million series, "Fortitude," be a hit for the fledgling network?; "Schoolhouse Rock" creators explain its origins.

Noted documentary director Alex Gibney debuts his HBO film, “Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief”; no sales record after all for Sundance darling “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”; Jamie Cullum puts his stamp on jazz standards on his new album, "Interlude."

Awards from the Screen Actors and Producers guilds put "Birdman" (pictured) in the driver's seat for Oscars; watchdog group says "American Sniper" has inspired threats against Arab-Americans and Muslims; sex is a common theme at this year's Sundance festival; actor Tony Hale's children's book.

Karina Canellakis (pictured) is a conductor who does double duty as a violinist, often at the same time; The Frame host John Horn reports from the Sundance Film Festival, where filmmaker Benson Lee returns with a new movie, "Seoul Searching."