NYC Police Drama Transforms into Legal Series Featuring City and Dr. Phil’s Son

A reality TV series aimed at showcasing the New York Police Department has led to a significant legal dispute involving the city and the show’s producer, Jordan McGraw, who is the son of television personality “Dr. Phil” McGraw.

This week, the city filed a lawsuit against Jordan McGraw and his production company for breach of contract. A court order has been issued, temporarily preventing them from selling or distributing any footage from the unfinished and unaired series, tentatively titled “Behind the Badge.”

“Dr. Phil” McGraw, a clinical psychologist turned television host, was set to interview officials and accompany police officers on crime scenes for the series. The episodes were intended to air on his MeritTV cable and streaming platforms, where he had previously featured segments involving the police department.

On Thursday, McGraw’s legal team sought to transfer the case from New York state court to federal court.

Last year, the city decided to abandon “Behind the Badge,” just hours before then-Mayor Eric Adams handed over City Hall to Zohran Mamdani. The city expressed concerns regarding the quality and content of the documentary-style show to McGraw.

According to the lawsuit, the “rough cuts” provided by McGraw’s company, McGraw Media, primarily consisted of unedited footage and included material that violated the production agreement. This included sensitive operational discussions and the identities of undercover officers, crime victims, and witnesses.

The lawsuit claims that while the series aimed to highlight the exceptional work of the NYPD, it sometimes portrayed the department negatively, thus breaching the agreement.

Furthermore, Jordan McGraw and McGraw Media allegedly “disavowed their obligations” and attempted to take editorial control of the project from the city, which the lawsuit argues could cause “immediate and irreparable harm” to the city.

Chip Babcock, representing Jordan McGraw and McGraw Media, expressed surprise at the lawsuit, stating that the publication of any programming was not imminent. He noted that McGraw Media had been working with the city to address requested edits and is willing to continue doing so. Babcock plans to seek the removal of the court order, labeling it a presumptively unconstitutional prior restraint.

Former Mayor Adams defended Jordan McGraw’s contributions to “Behind the Badge,” asserting in a social media post that he “brought exceptional talent in revealing the inside story of the dangers NYPD officers face every day.” Adams emphasized that McGraw and his team had meticulously addressed all concerns raised by City Hall, expressing pride in the work that tells the true story of the city’s police officers.

“Dr. Phil” McGraw previously stirred controversy by embedding with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for raids in Chicago and Los Angeles. In a related segment for his MeritTV show “Dr. Phil Primetime,” he rode along with the NYPD in 2024, interviewing top officials and police officers.

The contract for “Behind the Badge,” a five-page production agreement signed by Jordan McGraw and Adams’ chief of staff, Camille Joseph Varlack, stipulated that McGraw Media would produce up to 17 episodes annually. The city had the right to opt out by December 31, 2025, the last day of Adams’ term.

On that date, Varlack informed McGraw that the city could no longer fulfill its obligations due to concerns about the production process, including poor editing and objectionable content in the rough cuts.

The agreement allowed the city to reject what it deemed “Non-Usable Content,” which included inaccurate or confidential material, footage revealing investigative techniques, and anything that could jeopardize public safety or trust.

Among the issues raised in the lawsuit were instances of footage showing an officer entering a security code at a police station, discussions of encrypted police communications, and unblurred faces of individuals arrested but not yet tried or convicted.

In her letter, Varlack warned McGraw that releasing any such footage would breach the contract. The lawsuit claims that McGraw Media indicated it would not accept the city’s edits and intended to distribute the flagged material while seeking a buyer for the show.

Photo: Dr. Phil McGraw, left, and his son, Jordan McGraw, arrive at the premiere of ‘The Simpsons Movie’ in Los Angeles, July 24, 2007. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

A reality TV series aimed at showcasing the New York Police Department has led to a significant legal dispute involving the city and the show’s producer, Jordan McGraw, who is the son of television personality “Dr. Phil” McGraw.

This week, the city filed a lawsuit against Jordan McGraw and his production company for breach of contract. A court order has been issued, temporarily preventing them from selling or distributing any footage from the unfinished and unaired series, tentatively titled “Behind the Badge.”

“Dr. Phil” McGraw, a clinical psychologist turned television host, was set to interview officials and accompany police officers on crime scenes for the series. The episodes were intended to air on his MeritTV cable and streaming platforms, where he had previously featured segments involving the police department.

On Thursday, McGraw’s legal team sought to transfer the case from New York state court to federal court.

Last year, the city decided to abandon “Behind the Badge,” just hours before then-Mayor Eric Adams handed over City Hall to Zohran Mamdani. The city expressed concerns regarding the quality and content of the documentary-style show to McGraw.

According to the lawsuit, the “rough cuts” provided by McGraw’s company, McGraw Media, primarily consisted of unedited footage and included material that violated the production agreement. This included sensitive operational discussions and the identities of undercover officers, crime victims, and witnesses.

The lawsuit claims that while the series aimed to highlight the exceptional work of the NYPD, it sometimes portrayed the department negatively, thus breaching the agreement.

Furthermore, Jordan McGraw and McGraw Media allegedly “disavowed their obligations” and attempted to take editorial control of the project from the city, which the lawsuit argues could cause “immediate and irreparable harm” to the city.

Chip Babcock, representing Jordan McGraw and McGraw Media, expressed surprise at the lawsuit, stating that the publication of any programming was not imminent. He noted that McGraw Media had been working with the city to address requested edits and is willing to continue doing so. Babcock plans to seek the removal of the court order, labeling it a presumptively unconstitutional prior restraint.

Former Mayor Adams defended Jordan McGraw’s contributions to “Behind the Badge,” asserting in a social media post that he “brought exceptional talent in revealing the inside story of the dangers NYPD officers face every day.” Adams emphasized that McGraw and his team had meticulously addressed all concerns raised by City Hall, expressing pride in the work that tells the true story of the city’s police officers.

“Dr. Phil” McGraw previously stirred controversy by embedding with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for raids in Chicago and Los Angeles. In a related segment for his MeritTV show “Dr. Phil Primetime,” he rode along with the NYPD in 2024, interviewing top officials and police officers.

The contract for “Behind the Badge,” a five-page production agreement signed by Jordan McGraw and Adams’ chief of staff, Camille Joseph Varlack, stipulated that McGraw Media would produce up to 17 episodes annually. The city had the right to opt out by December 31, 2025, the last day of Adams’ term.

On that date, Varlack informed McGraw that the city could no longer fulfill its obligations due to concerns about the production process, including poor editing and objectionable content in the rough cuts.

The agreement allowed the city to reject what it deemed “Non-Usable Content,” which included inaccurate or confidential material, footage revealing investigative techniques, and anything that could jeopardize public safety or trust.

Among the issues raised in the lawsuit were instances of footage showing an officer entering a security code at a police station, discussions of encrypted police communications, and unblurred faces of individuals arrested but not yet tried or convicted.

In her letter, Varlack warned McGraw that releasing any such footage would breach the contract. The lawsuit claims that McGraw Media indicated it would not accept the city’s edits and intended to distribute the flagged material while seeking a buyer for the show.

Photo: Dr. Phil McGraw, left, and his son, Jordan McGraw, arrive at the premiere of ‘The Simpsons Movie’ in Los Angeles, July 24, 2007. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.