I'm not that sure it's a new trope: '70s British cop shows (The Sweeney, et al) tended to show information being extracted by force, too. However, it may say s

I'm not that sure it's a new trope: '70s British cop shows (The Sweeney, et al) tended to show information being extracted by force, too. However, it may say some things about the society where it's popular - '70s Britain wasn't a very happy place in some ways.