Confusing morals in Spy/Cop shows

[Flint]

I cannot help but notice that in modern TV shows in the Spy genre and some of the cop shows they have totally gone into bizarro world on morality. The main example I have is the instant execution of lackies and henchmen who are protecting the evil war lord or crime boss. Yet, when they finally get through the security teams by killing them at will, the go far out of their way to protect the leader in order to do "the right thing" and ensure they go to trial.

Why are the henchmen not allowed a trial for their deeds? It seems to me the henchmen are guilty of far less than the leader who gave the orders and formed the criminal gang who is terrorizing the community. I mean, the lackies are readily executed in the field yet the masterminds are crucially protected.

I find the morality problem troublesome.

 

[Akula]

Well, it's a matter of rarity. There's TONS of mooks and henchmen. There's only one villain. So you want to protect those in case you get a run on them. Peons, they grow on trees.