Trailer
Synopsis
The series began with the appointment of new executive producer Richard Handford, who replaced Michael Chapman after his 9-year reign came to an end in the previous series. The appointment preceded discussions with broadcaster ITV about returning to the format of hour-long episodes, which the show last used on a regular basis in 1987. The request was approved, and hour-long episodes began to air twice weekly beginning in August, a format the series retained until moving to a later time-slot in 2009. Due to the rapid transition, several of the first hour-long episodes were originally written for the half-hour time-slot, and thus, some episodes contain two completely different stories, written by different writers, which jump from one to another.
Episode 121 : S.A.D.
December. 31,1998
The relief return to work after the Christmas break, and find themselves with little to do. Meanwhile, Boyden receives a welcome visitor in the form of Mrs. Bourne, who has cooked a batch of her locally famous mince pies for the relief. As shouts start coming through on CAD, Stamp and Page have to assist when Mrs. Bourne is later found collapsed. A search of her house puts Boyden off mince pies for life. Hagen and McCann deal with a man whose old age dementia has led him to believe he lives at his previous address. Santini and Quinnan deal with a pregnant woman who has assaulted her husband, while Ashton and Harker find themselves being de-liced after bringing an unwelcome visitor to Sun Hill.
Episode 120 : Christmas Star
December. 24,1998
Santini and Page investigates when a young girl is knocked down in a hit-and-run incident. Santini manages to trace the owner of the car, but he denies all knowledge of the incident. Santini isn't convinced and decides to arrest him anyway. With the young girl recovering in hospital, Santini discovers she is a big fan of Arsenal FC, and in particular, Emmanuel Petit. Santini has a contact in the sports promotion industry and boasts that he can make a dream come true for the young girl by getting Petit to visit, but Page isn't sure he can deliver. Meanwhile, Stamp has the job of organizing the relief Christmas party, and finds a very cheap supplier for the booze, until he gets caught up in the middle of a Customs raid.
Episode 119 : Puzzled
December. 22,1998
Quinnan investigates when his vet is forced to treat a dog that has been injected with heroin. Quinnan catches the owner in possession of cannabis, but he refuses to reveal how the dog was attacked. Meanwhile, Boulton has had word that a nasty pair of Turkish brothers are back in town. When Quinnan investigates a burglary at the address of the dog owner, he finds the owner in possession of a quantity of heroin stashed inside a plastic elephant. Boulton then discovers that his Turkish friends are the ones who after getting it back, so the pair set up a joint operation. Meanwhile, Hollis organises an inter-station pub quiz, and has trouble protecting the questions from the opposing teams, and an opportunist thief.
Episode 118 : Time Gentlemen Please
December. 21,1998
Daly and Rawton go undercover as the landlord and landlady of a local pub while investigating a gang who have operating a protection racket on the local pubs and clubs. Daly befriends a small-time petty crook who offers him some dodgy gear on the sly. Meanwhile, Garfield is in court for the case of a shoplifter who assaulted him during the arrest. When the woman is cleared of the assault, Garfield is positive that one particular magistrate was responsible for the dismissal. When Conway invites her to spend a day on patrol with Garfield and McCann, Garfield loses his cool. As Daly and Rawton think they have lost their prime suspect, the crook who Daly has befriended manages to salvage a deal.
Episode 117 : The Personal Touch
December. 18,1998
Beech is approached by gangster Jimmy Smith for a favour after his house is ransacked. However, when Jimmy's girlfriend is also attacked and ransacked in her home, Burnside arrives from crime OCCU to take on the case. The latest burglaries are the work of a violent gang who have been operating up and down the country. The gang's vehicle is linked to David Evans, currently serving a prison sentence in Strangeways. Smith gets his son to plug Evans for information, and two members of the gang are identified. When Jimmy's girlfriend approaches Beech to say she has been having an affair with a member of the gang, Beech goes as far as secretly attacking Burnside in an attempt to cover up evidence.
Episode 116 : All The Lonely People
December. 17,1998
Rawton goes undercover as a lonely heart to find a possible serial killer who has claimed three victims. The only person who can identify the possible culprit is a flakey chef whose description of the assailant is less than clear cut. When Rawton's second date is identified as the man who was with the third victim on the night she disappeared, she tries to plug him for information as to the motive for his crimes. However, when the second victim turns up alive and well, suspicions start to fall on whether or not the three victims are connected. When the boyfriend of the third victim is discovered to have used and abused prostitutes, it looks less and less likely that a serial killer is at large, until Rawton's date abducts her.
Episode 115 : Live & Ticking
December. 15,1998
Hollis spots a gang of youths hanging around a phonebox acting suspiciously. When he goes to investigate, the phone box explodes as the result of a volatile homemade bomb being planted inside. When a second bomb goes off at a nearby primary school, badly injuring a young boy, Brownlow and Hollis question the ringleader who reveals that there are a total of ten bombs, which he has sold to his friends or classmates. Brownlow then demands Monroe set up a widescale operation to search for the remainder of the bombs. When one is found inside a boiler cupboard of a young boy living in a council block, Conway has trouble evacuating an agoraphobic resident. When Hollis finally catches up with the culprit, he reveals he has one more bomb.
Episode 114 : Strange Bedfellows
December. 11,1998
Burnside arrives at Sun Hill with a well-known villain in tow - convicted child sex offender Carl Jones. Jones has been granted early parole on the basis that he reveals the location of the body of a young boy who disappeared eight years previously, and also provides information on members of the gang who were responsible. Burnside initially suspects Jones is leading them a merry dance, so decides to organise a meeting between Jones and the young boy's parents, in the hope that their pain and suffering will convince Jones to clear his conscience. A search of a nearby school grounds reveals the boy's remains, but Burnside is determined not to let Jones walk free without being made a spectacle of first.
Episode 113 : Ticking Clocks
December. 10,1998
Boulton and Holmes deal with the abduction of a newborn baby from his hospital bed. CCTV of the abductor reveals little clues as to her identity, so Boulton asks Deakin if he can have the assistance of profiler to the stars, DS Viv Hunt. As the baby's grandfather reveals he has been having secret meetings with his daughter against his wife's wishes, the identity of the father is finally revealed in the form of the young girl's schoolteacher, Phillip Gough. Boulton initially suspects that Gough's wife might be the abductor, but further investigation leads him to suspect a housewife who recently had a miscarriage. Meanwhile, Meadows and Deakin organise a raid on a hoax caller who claimed to have information.
Episode 112 : Heat & Light
December. 08,1998
Boulton and Holmes investigate the latest in a long line of arson attacks. When forensic evidence places teen tearaway Adam Marrs at the scene of a previous fire, he is questioned and confesses to all of the recent attacks. However, a profiler brought in by Deakin to assist on the case isn't so sure that Marrs is responsible for the latest fire. Investigations reveal that the security guard on duty at the time was actually away from his post, moonlighting for another firm. When it is revealed that he abducted and tried to rape a young girl at the property, his evidence is discounted. Deakin's profiler seems to think that a serving fireman is responsible, but will her theory be proved right? Boulton isn't entirely convinced.
Episode 111 : Team Play
December. 04,1998
Rawton and Lennox investigate when a nurse is violently attacked at the nurse's home where she is living. Initially, only one witness is able to place anyone near the scene of the crime, but Lennox is determined not to have to rely on the victim to pick him out. However, Lennox seems doomed to fail as he has to take a safety training course with Meadows and a group from the relief. Proctor takes over and immediately heads straight to the victim for information. Lennox continues to try and sneak away from the training exercise to continue working on the case. After the suspect continues to play games in the interview room, he then adds assaulting a police officer to his charge sheet when he attacks Ackland.
Episode 110 : Too Many Cooks
December. 01,1998
Monroe is called to deal with a complaint against an officer from Stafford Row, where the victim has accused him of offering acquittal in return for sex. Meanwhile, Brownlow attends a charity dinner held by the Sun Hill Businessman's Association. When the daughter of a very prominent community figure disappears, Brownlow urges CID to make it their top priority. Meanwhile, Monroe's suspect is brought in by McCann and Hagen for harassment. When the suspect reveals information to the woman's disappearance, Monroe realises that the two events are connected - which subsequently leads him into conflict within the Chinese community, as well as a murky world of drugs, vice, corruption and violence.
Episode 109 : The Fat Lady Sings
November. 27,1998
Quinnan ignores a plea for help from a mysterious opera singer whilst out on patrol, but later regrets his actions and ignores a number of shouts whilst trying to find her. Meanwhile, Holmes is dealing with a personal request from Brownlow, who has been asked by a local judge to investigate a number of threatening letters sent to him. Holmes and Quinnan soon come to realise that they are chasing the shady criminal. A new face at Sun Hill is causing quite a stir, in the form of Scottish DC Duncan Lennox. Lennox offers to provide Holmes assistance on the case after she discovers he has a personal acquaintance with the judge. A showdown at a local opera house goes awry when Stamp bursts in unexpectedly.
Episode 108 : For Interest Only
November. 24,1998
Brownlow is angered when a local journalist approaches him following the publication of an article in the CPS journal regarding an unsolved case from twenty years previously. The case in question, an armed jewellery robbery, saw prime suspect Ray Catton imprisoned for the death of his two accomplices, but the loot remains unfound. Meanwhile, the man's daughter is being hassled by a loanshark, desperate for the repayment of the money she owes him. When Catton has a heart attack, he decides to reveal the location of the loot on his deathbed - unaware that his brother has returned to the country with the same purpose. Brownlow is determined to find and recover the loot before Catton's brother does.
Episode 107 : The Rate For The Job
November. 20,1998
Meadows asks Deakin to have more of a 'hands-on' approach after a row erupts between Beech and Daly. All three of the CID sergeants, meanwhile, are having problems. Daly's operation into a known stolen goods handler is blown when Carver spooks the suspect by accident. Boulton has had word that a known criminal who is due for sentencing in just two days plans to do a final job in order to tide him over whilst he is inside. However, his snout is cornered by the suspect and the gang arrive at the planned location - only to give Boulton the eye that they are onto him. Lastly, Beech is troubled when an old flame offers him £3,000 to reveal details of an investigation into her current boyfriend by Daly.
Episode 106 : Indiscretion
November. 17,1998
Skase attends the scene of a fire at a 'sex cinema' club, where a reportedly angry punter set alight to the club after being refused entry. However, it later transpires that the culprit caught two foreign men watching a police interview tape of his girlfriend, aged twelve, who was being interviewed over sexual assault claims made against her father. Assigned to investigate, Rawton teams up with a DS from the Child Protection Unit, and the pair try to find out how a number of police evidence tapes have managed to worm their way out for general consumption. Skase isn't convinced that the manager of the club is telling the whole truth, while Rawton investigates a dodgy practice lawyer who copied the tapes.
Episode 105 : Dog Eat Dog
November. 13,1998
Cryer attends the scene when a prostitute is slashed across the face with a machete and subsequently hospitalized. The prime suspect, Alvin Morton, was released from prison just ten days previously, and Cryer is determined to send him back there. Meanwhile, when the prostitute retracts her statement, and Alvin's girlfriend provides him with an alibi, Santini mishandles the situation and gives Alvin's location to two of her friends who have vowed revenge on her attacker. When Alvin is shot and doubly kneecapped, Cryer is curious to learn just how they found out where Alvin was staying. A box of matches with Alvin's address written in it then surfaces during interview, landing Santini in deep trouble.
Episode 104 : Bad Chemistry
November. 10,1998
Holmes investigates when a woman is attacked in her flat and left for dead in a particularly violent domestic violence case. She initially suspects that the woman's landlord, Jamie Morgan, is responsible for the attack, but when she catches the woman having a row with her boyfriend, she arrests him for criminal damage, unaware that she has inadvertently jeopardised a surveillance operation on a major drugs dealer. As Merseyside area drugs become involved, Holmes manages to locate the factory where the drugs are being produced, but a sting set up to catch the villains in the act takes an unexpected turn when they become involved in a violent shootout, and take a young boy and his mum hostage.
Episode 103 : Section F
November. 06,1998
Meadows and Conway are both up for promotion against each other, and with an impending inspection from Area, both are out to impress. However, there are some comic and some life-threatening repercussions for them both. Firstly, Quinnan and Garfield deliberately ruin the late turn parade leading Skase into hot water, and he and Quinnan nearly coming to blows in front of Brownlow. Meanwhile, Sgt. Lamont is dealing with a troublesome prisoner in custody, who keeps flooding the toilets. Conway tries to lend a hand, but this only leads to further disasters. A young boy is then held hostage by an escaped prisoner who is armed, and Conway, against instruction, goes it alone to try and secure the boy's safety.
Episode 102 : Trial Run
November. 03,1998
Skase calls in sick so he can moonlight as a bodyguard. He is charged with providing protection for the two teenage sons of a very wealthy Asian aristocrat. During a shopping trip, one of his teenage charges does a runner, taking his Mercedes with him. When Harker and Page spot the vehicle travelling at high speed, Skase is nearly caught out. However, when he discovers that the boy is hiding out at a nearby drugs den, he arrives to find Boulton ready to raid the joint. Forced to explain the situation, Skase enlists Boulton to help him recover the boy without blowing the operation, and in turn Skase manages to pinpoint the location of the dealer's stash.
Episode 101 : All For One
October. 30,1998
Santini is first on the scene of a serious car accident, and becomes a bit of a local hero when he bravely dives into the river to secure the car, which is teetering on the edge. However, the driver reveals to him that upon his possession he has a bag of cocaine, a present for his mistress. He asks Santini to destroy it if he doesn't make it. Santini manages to take possession of the bag when he recovers his personal affairs at the mortuary, but when Stamp and Garfield inadvertently discover Santini's misgivings, it's not long before they realise that their fellow officer may be playing for the other side. Harker is on the fence when Santini gives him a cock and bull story about the situation.
Episode 100 : Betrayal
October. 29,1998
Boulton and Carver return to Sun Hill with Burnside in handcuffs, but upon their arrival, are pursued by two armed gunman who try to make sure that Burnside doesn't spill the beans on Hyde's operation. Meadows discovers that Burnside has been working under cover with the Yard, and decides that they must work together to get a result. Burnside manages to set up a meeting with a major Russian drugs importer, just as Michael Hyde planned to do. However, when his brother, Mark, works out what Burnside is up to, a standoff involving Burnside and his girlfriend ensues, and tragedy strikes. Burnside is then offered a job with crime OCCU, and informs Meadows they will be seeing more of each other.
Episode 99 : Cast No Shadow
October. 27,1998
Boulton investigates when a young girl is approached and attacked on the way home from school. Her father, a property developer, has been having trouble with a gang involved in a pub protection racket. Unable to locate the prime suspect, Michael Hyde, Boulton poses as a competition representative to get the location from his wife. He and Carver travel up to Manchester on Hyde's trail. When they run into trouble at a local pub, they find themselves being rescued by none other than Frank Burnside, who left Sun Hill in mysterious circumstances five years ago. Burnside, who is actually undercover, tries to inadvertently help his former colleagues to find and capture Hyde, but the plan goes awry.
Episode 98 : The Cross
October. 20,1998
Boulton is paired with new DC Kerry Holmes to investigate a gang who have been purchasing bikes with cheques stolen in an armed robbery. Boulton is keen to speak to Michael Duggan, a prime target that has evaded his capture for some time. Duggan, however, offers Boulton a deal - his brother-in-law, Sean Massey, is involved in a highly lucrative drug deal, and he knows the time, location and other parties involved. Boulton arranges a sting to catch the dealer red handed - however, Duggan does a runner with the money that Massey is due to hand over, and the dealer claims that Massey was told by his brother to plant the drugs on him. Holmes, however, has an idea on how to unravel the situation.
Episode 97 : Making Up
October. 13,1998
Hagen goes undercover as a prostitute to trap a solicitor who has been selling forged passports to his clients, and a violent thug whom he helped escape bail. Skase takes a number of faked surveillance pictures of Hagen and Harker doing a 'drug deal', but when Harker and McCann stop the solicitor for jumping a red light, Deakin is furious that they may have blown the obbo. However, the solicitor fails to recognize Harker and the deal goes ahead as planned. Meanwhile, Stamp gets behind the wheel of the area car for the first time since the fatal accident, hoping to put recent events behind him, but the victim's girlfriend isn't about to let him forget the incident, starting a campaign of intimidation against him.
Episode 96 : Big Day
October. 06,1998
Beech and Conway attend a police event to receive medals for long-standing service and excellent conduct. Beech is surprised to find that an old flame of his has defected to C.I.B., and is currently investigating one of the officers with whom he trained at Hendon. Anxious to get to the bottom of the investigation, Beech questions his old friend on details of his misgivings. Stamp's day to face the police disciplinary board has arrived, but after seeing one of his old friends from Stafford Row being sacked for a minor driving offence, he does a runner. Garfield has to convince him to face the board to clear his conscience once and for all.
Episode 95 : Deadly Impact
September. 29,1998
It's Stamp's big day in court, and despite the fact that Quinnan has been called as a prosecution witness against him, his barrister is confident he will be found not guilty. When a witness to the incident is pulled apart for exaggerating the facts, Stamp realises that his chances of being found innocent are greater than he first thought. Ashton, his key defence witness, suffers a bout of nerves after advice from Hollis, but after conferring with Quinnan, manages to stay firm and keep the jury on side, while Conway is called as a character witness. Can his colleagues save his career, or are his years of loyal service going to be snuffed out by a guilty verdict?
Episode 94 : Taking Sides
September. 22,1998
Stamp attends the funeral of the pedestrian he knocked over, but he receives a less than warm reception. Later, he and Quinnan arrest the driver of a cut-and-shut limousine and end up taking a bride to her wedding. Meanwhile, Hagen and McCann deal with a group of underage drinkers at a local pub, but when they return, they take Ashton hostage. Page is in court for the sentencing of Catherine Harrison, a persistent offender who has burgled an old lady whilst she was on holiday. When her son is accused of theft at a children's home, Stamp and Ashton pursue him to the court, only to watch his mother receive a custodial sentence.
Episode 93 : Urgent Assistance
September. 15,1998
P.C. Stamp is involved in a serious accident in which he kills a pedestrian while reversing the area car down a one-way street in response to a call for urgent assistance. Tensions are high as P.C.s Quinnan and Ashton offer differing accounts of the events leading up to the accident.
Episode 92 : Team Spirit
September. 01,1998
Episode 91 : Bang Bang You're Dead
August. 28,1998
W.P.C. Fox takes the day off with a migraine but turns up for the relief's paintball charity challenge, where Santini continues to bully and humiliate her. Her request not to be partnered with Santini is refused, and they are assigned together again the next day. Fox confides in W.D.C. Rawton. The relief are on the trail of a dangerous prisoner and Santini disregards the order not to separate from his partner. The man grabs Fox from behind and P.C.s Santini, Quinnan and Ashton run to the rescue when she screams for help. Fox manages to overpower the man. When challenged, Santini claims that he was with Fox when the prisoner appeared from nowhere.
Episode 90 : The Party's Over
August. 27,1998
P.C. Santini tries to apologize to W.P.C. Fox for going too far against her wishes the night before but she tells him to stay away from her. Santini obtains Fox's address from CAD and calls on her but she doesn't want to speak to him. Fox tells a Federation representative from Stafford Row about the assault but can't decide whether to make a formal complaint. The next day, the pair are assigned together. Santini loses a prisoner and blames it on Fox. Santini calls at Fox's flat that evening. She refuses to let him in. He threatens that if she wants a war, she's got a war.
Episode 89 : Deep End
August. 25,1998
New W.P.C. Rosie Fox is partnered with P.C. Eddie Santini to investigate when the body of a junkie is washed up on the banks of the Thames. Santini and Fox argue over their cases, and it seems their working relationship will not be a smooth one. Santini reckons graduate Fox will not be able to handle the pressure when she goes undercover as a prostitute in a CID operation, then nearly ruins the operation when he finds himself attracted to her. Celebrating a successful arrest, the two share a drunken snog back at the station, but moments later Santini forces himself on Fox in the locker room, leaving her confused and frightened.
Episode 88 : Too Little Too Late
August. 20,1998
Skase and Daly investigate an assault outside a gay club, but a key witness is reluctant to come forward.
Episode 87 : Shoot The Messenger
August. 13,1998
Episode 86 : One Man Two Faces
August. 11,1998
Episode 85 : Wrong Place Wrong Time
August. 06,1998
Episode 84 : King Of The Road
August. 04,1998
Episode 83 : Fighting Chance
July. 30,1998
Garfield and Quinnan fear for the safety of a boxer who has disappeared, abandoning his young son.
Episode 82 : Cooking
July. 28,1998
Greig's request for tenure is rejected. He distracts himself by pairing with Deakin to investigate allegations by a prisoner that his recently released cellmate is dealing drugs.
Episode 81 : Tainted Love: Part III
July. 24,1998
Feeling she has wrecked Boulton's operation, how can Page continue her relationship with Danny?
Episode 80 : Tainted Love: Part II
July. 23,1998
Episode 79 : Tainted Love: Part I
July. 21,1998
Page is on top of the world as she moves out of the section house and finds a boyfriend, unaware he has a criminal history.
Episode 78 : Sucking Eggs
July. 17,1998
Episode 77 : Vacant Possession
July. 16,1998
Boyden and Page investigate a death from asphyxiation and try to establish whether the paving stone placed on his chimney was an act of murder.
Episode 76 : Unlicensed
July. 14,1998
Skase and Rawton investigate a woman's claims that she is being harassed by a former lover.
Episode 75 : Bang!
July. 10,1998
Harker and Keane's failure to properly search a prisoner leads to them being held at gunpoint in custody with Boyden.
Episode 74 : The Whip Hand
July. 09,1998
Datta pairs with Quinnan to investigate a case of domestic abuse, and receives a surprise offer from Monroe.
Episode 73 : Deep Secret
July. 02,1998
Garfield teams up with an attractive young journalist when the wreckage of a World War II Spitfire is discovered in Sun Hill.
Episode 72 : Stop
July. 01,1998
Episode 71 : Loving Memory
June. 26,1998
Episode 70 : The Bus Driver's Prayer
June. 25,1998
Page is shocked when a man shows up at the front desk armed with a gun, claiming to have shot a man and left him for dead.
Episode 69 : Up For Trouble
June. 23,1998
Hollis is due to collect his commendation, but his colleagues know he doesn't deserve one.
Episode 68 : Three Cheers
June. 19,1998
Hollis goes from a hero to a laughingstock when he arrests a notorious cat burglar before receiving an official complaint for throwing his lunch into a nearby garden. When the burglar asks to be interviewed by Hollis, he senses a chance to shut his mocking colleagues up.
Episode 67 : Spray
June. 16,1998
Harker rushes to the aid of a woman in danger, but gets himself into trouble over his use of CS spray.
Episode 66 : A People Person
June. 09,1998
Episode 65 : Watching The Detectives
June. 05,1998
Rawton and Deakin investigate the mysterious disappearance of a woman who has been campaigning to free her husband from jail.
Episode 64 : Out Of Hand
June. 04,1998
Episode 63 : Room To Manoeuvre
June. 02,1998
Episode 62 : One Of Us
May. 29,1998
Carver is shocked when a woman names his friend from a neighbouring station as a flasher.
Episode 61 : The Stork
May. 28,1998
Keane and Garfield look into allegations that a New Age cult leader is encouraging under-aged girls to engage in sexual activity.
Episode 60 : Under The Grill
May. 26,1998
Boulton is less than thrilled to be placed on an interviewing course with Hollis, but gets the chance to exact revenge on an ex-colleague.
Episode 59 : Red Herrings
May. 22,1998
Episode 58 : The Better Man
May. 21,1998
Daly and Carver try to get evidence against a young drug addict suspected of brutally assaulting a police officer.
Episode 57 : The Hare & The Tortoise
May. 19,1998
Episode 56 : Brighton Rocks: Part II
May. 15,1998
Episode 55 : Brighton Rocks: Part I
May. 14,1998
Beech wangles an expenses-paid trip to Brighton with Skase, but his night does not go as planned.
Episode 54 : Money Talks
May. 12,1998
Episode 53 : Volcano
May. 08,1998
Despite knowing the animosity between Jarvis and Hagen, Cryer pairs them in the area car on her first day, but Jarvis dubs her a "stupid cow" on the radio after she loses a suspect, putting his career and a potential transfer to the Diplomatic Protection Group at risk.
Episode 52 : Big Brother
May. 07,1998
Boyden introduces the relief to new Area Car driver Vicky Hagen, but her reputation takes an immediate blow when Jarvis reveals she grassed on a friend of his at another station.
Episode 51 : One Small Step
May. 05,1998
Ashton, on his first solo outing, is distracted by a decoy while a nearby shop is burgled.
Episode 50 : Wannabe
May. 01,1998
Skase is sceptical of a 14-year-old girl so smitten with him that she accuses her parents of being drug dealers.
Episode 49 : Mixed Feelings
April. 28,1998
Page tries to trace the mother of an abandoned baby, while Boulton and Rawton investigate an apparently racially motivated attack.
Episode 48 : Target Man
April. 24,1998
While football fever grips Sun Hill, Deakin hopes to get his man by following a tip-off. With Hollis to help him, how can he fail?
Episode 47 : Sale Or Return: Part II
April. 24,1998
Boulton and Carver continue thier investigation into illegal immigration and find their case complicated by an attractive woman.
Episode 46 : Sale Or Return: Part I
April. 23,1998
Episode 45 : Rebel Without A Licence
April. 21,1998
Episode 44 : Manhunt
April. 16,1998
Episode 43 : Driving Me Crazy
April. 16,1998
Episode 42 : The Scent Of Compassion
April. 14,1998
Episode 41 : Racer
April. 09,1998
Episode 40 : Home Movie
April. 07,1998
Episode 39 : Shattered
April. 03,1998
Cryer attends the death of a teenage girl and is subject to a complaint by the grieving father.
Episode 38 : Like Family
April. 02,1998
Quinnan and Blake search for a missing French au pair who has been moonlighting as a stripper.
Episode 37 : Bad Feelings
March. 31,1998
Episode 36 : Powder My Nose
March. 27,1998
Episode 35 : Daydream Believer
March. 26,1998
Episode 34 : A Little Bit Of Paradise
March. 24,1998
Episode 33 : Lucky Find
March. 20,1998
When a girl goes missing by the river, Deakin sees an opportunity to nail an old adversary.
Episode 32 : Without A Prayer
March. 19,1998
Garfield and Keane try to discover the cause of death of a woman found dead in a church hall.
Episode 31 : One Of The Gang
March. 17,1998
Meadows and Daly get a tip-off about a gang of young muggers, but their information comes from an unlikely source...
Episode 30 : No Doubt About It
March. 13,1998
A hungover Garfield injures a member of the public during the pursuit of a burglar, but Monroe is sceptical of Garfield's motives when he names a potential suspect.
Episode 29 : Good Faith: Part III
March. 12,1998
Episode 28 : Good Faith: Part II
March. 10,1998
Episode 27 : Good Faith: Part I
March. 06,1998
A clever lawyer runs rings around Beech in court in a case involving a notorious robber.
Episode 26 : Guiding Hand
March. 05,1998
Page and McCann investigate what appears to be a straightforward case of attempted child abduction.
Episode 25 : A Little Help
March. 03,1998
Episode 24 : Back Up
February. 27,1998
Carver is let down by an unreliable snout, and needs Beech to get him out of a tricky situation.
Episode 23 : Sudden Death
February. 26,1998
Ackland and Quinnan are on the case when a man falls from his bedroom window. But was it an accident or office politics?
Episode 22 : The Parent Trap
February. 24,1998
Episode 21 : A Bit Of Respect
February. 20,1998
Episode 20 : Unwarranted
February. 19,1998
Episode 19 : A Rainy Night In Sun Hill
February. 17,1998
Episode 18 : Solicitous
February. 13,1998
Meadows and Skase discover a modern-day Robin Hood who appears to be alive and well and robbing the rich in Sun Hill.
Episode 17 : Opposites
February. 12,1998
A series of muggings on a local estate lead Proctor and Carver to the house of a rather unusual couple.
Episode 16 : Love's Labours Lost
February. 06,1998
Episode 15 : Friends In High Places
February. 05,1998
A car belonging to a rival Chief Superintendent's wife is stolen right from under Santini and Quinnan's noses.
Episode 14 : Soft In The Head
February. 03,1998
Episode 13 : For Your Love
January. 30,1998
Episode 12 : Storyboards
January. 29,1998
New PC Eddie Santini, tall, dark and handsome with a dubious past, causes a stir when he arrives to join the team at Sun Hill.
Episode 11 : Way Out West
January. 23,1998
Jarvis is full of his secondment to the Diplomatic Protection Group, so Stamp and Quinnan hatch a mischievous plan to take him down a peg or two.
Episode 10 : Out On A Limb
January. 22,1998
It's a life or death situation for Skase and Proctor when an assassin comes looking for his money.
Episode 9 : Sprog
January. 20,1998
Stamp and Page are sceptical as Ashton suggests there is more to a burglary than appears.
Episode 8 : Puppy Walk
January. 16,1998
Stamp is cynical when he feels a woman with a sob story may be playing games, but Ashton is taken in by her charms.
Episode 7 : Girl Power
January. 15,1998
When a young girl has to carry a knife to defend herself at school, Keane and Stamp know it is time to step in.
Episode 6 : Forgive & Forget
January. 13,1998
Boyden and Stamp attempt to contain a father who wants revenge for his murdered son.
Episode 5 : Villain
January. 09,1998
Boyden deals with a frail old man brought into custody accused of attempted murder.
Episode 4 : Taking It Easy
January. 08,1998
When an old man loses his life savings in a mugging, Boyden and Stamp suspect it was something more than coincidence.
Episode 3 : Hard Cash
January. 06,1998
Beech and Carver go in search of a haul of £30,000 in banknotes, missing from a six-year-old robbery.
Episode 2 : You Pays Your Money
January. 02,1998
Ackland and Quinnan investigate when a family are strangely silent about the death of their landlord.
Episode 1 : Square Peg Round Hole
January. 01,1998
When a raid on a known drug addict goes awry, Boulton is spiked by the desperate criminal's needle, leaving Sun Hill's tough guy frightened, angry, and in need of an HIV test.
Seasons
Season 26
The 26th and final series of The Bill, a British television drama, was the last series of the programme. Nearly two years after the final episode, Supt. Jack Meadows was featured in an episode of Leipzig Homicide, which involved him investigating a suspected murderer who has been living in London. In the episode it is revealed that at some point during the year and a half following the events of Respect, Meadows had retired.
Season 25
The 25th series of The Bill, a British television drama, was the penultimate series of the programme. This series saw the show transition to a post-watershed time slot of 9pm, dropping from two episodes to one week-by-week as ITV aimed to save up to £65 million. Producers used the post-watershed slot to introduce "darker, more gritty" storylines. DI Samantha Nixon left prior to the transition, after seven years on the show, in a special two-parter storyline that included a cameo appearance by her daughter Abigail , who was a recurring character on the show from 2002 to 2005. A six-part storyline came as part of the end of the twice-weekly episodes, Conviction, that concluded with four cast members leaving, including Superintendent John Heaton DCI Jack Meadows was promoted into the role. The four characters were part of seven who left as part of the revamp, however the axing of PC Tony Stamp after 22 years on the show proved controversial.
Season 24
The 24th series of The Bill, a British television drama, was the antepenultimate series of the programme.
This series was the last to feature the killing of an officer, PC Emma Keane. The death on-screen led to the resignation of the longest serving character, PC Reg Hollis, his controversial exit off-screen after actor Jeff Stewart attempted suicide on set, after being axed by producers following 24 years on the show. Another long-term character, Inspector Gina Gold, left the show after six years as part of the aftermath of the storyline, Gold retiring after becoming increasingly terrified at the thought of losing another officer.
Season 23
Series 23 of British television drama The Bill was broadcast from 3 January until 28 December 2007. The series consisted of 92 episodes, and saw the conclusion of two long running-storylines, the disappearance of schoolgirl Amy Tennant and DC Zain Nadir’s undercover drug sting, prior to the return of single-themed episodes, removing much of the serialiased format formally introduced in 2002 under producer Paul Marquess; episode titles also started appearing on screen again from Episode 20 onwards. Several episodes were aired out of production order, most notably the final parts of the six episodes for the Zain storyline.
Season 17
Series 17 of British television drama The Bill consisted of 92 episodes, broadcast between 5 January and 21 December 2001. As well as 85 regular episodes, the series also included a spinoff Beech is Back, following a special 90-minute episode in Australia. The story follows ex-Sun Hill officer Claire Stanton, now a DI, as she goes to Australia to try and extradite ex-DS Don Beech for the murder of his colleague John Boulton. The spinoff that follows concludes the Beech storyline, which began in Series 16. Although the idea of making the series into a serial drama did not fully take effect until April 2002, many of the stories in the latter half of the year were multi-part stories, some containing up to six episodes, such as the "Night Games" saga. The two-part episode "Lifelines" is the last two-parter to feature in the series until the return of episode titles in 2007.
Season 16
Series 16 of British television drama The Bill consisted of 86 episodes, broadcast between 4 January – 26 December 2000. As well as 83 regular episodes, the series also included a two-part recap special, Kiss Off, featuring a condensed broadcast of the Series 15 episodes "Lone Ranger", "Old Flame", "Push It" and "Kiss Off", prior to a special episode, The Trial of Eddie Santini, which provides closure to the Santini storyline from 1999. On 5 June 2013, The Bill Series 16 Part 1 & 2 and The Bill Series 16 Part 3 & 4 DVD sets were released (in Australia).
Season 15
The fifteenth series of The Bill, a British television drama, consisted of 87 episodes, broadcast between 7 January and 31 December 1999. The series saw a notable change as female officers were no longer introduced by the W acronym in ranking, with the last mention of this when Liz Rawton was introduced as a WDC in Follow Through. By the following episode, Walking on Water, female characters were simply introduced as PC/DC etc. On 5 June 2013, The Bill Series 15 Part 1 & 2 and The Bill Series 15 Part 3 & 4 DVD sets were released (in Australia).
Season 14
The series began with the appointment of new executive producer Richard Handford, who replaced Michael Chapman after his 9-year reign came to an end in the previous series. The appointment preceded discussions with broadcaster ITV about returning to the format of hour-long episodes, which the show last used on a regular basis in 1987. The request was approved, and hour-long episodes began to air twice weekly beginning in August, a format the series retained until moving to a later time-slot in 2009. Due to the rapid transition, several of the first hour-long episodes were originally written for the half-hour time-slot, and thus, some episodes contain two completely different stories, written by different writers, which jump from one to another.
Season 13
The thirteenth series of the British television drama The Bill was broadcast from 2 January to 30 December 1997. The series consisted of 152 episodes, including three-hour-long specials. There were just two cast departures in the series after four the year before; actor Tom Butcher left the role of PC Steve Loxton after seven years on the show, however he would return in two episodes in 1999 as a guest at Dave Quinnan's wedding. The other departure was that of Alan Westaway, who left his role of PC Nick Slater after two and a half years. Their characters were replaced by PCs Luke Ashton and Sam Harker, with actors Scott Neal and Matthew Crompton appearing as guest actors on a number of times, both of the actor's most recent guest stints coming the previous year.
Season 12
The twelfth series of The Bill, a British television drama, consisted of 156 episodes, broadcast between 2 January and 31 December 1996. On 6 February 2013, The Bill Series 12 Part 1 & 2 and The Bill Series 12 Part 3 & 4 DVD sets were released (in Australia). The show aired the death of PC Cathy Marshall early in the series, actress Lynne Miller departing after seven years in a mysterious plot that saw her drown whilst chasing a suspect, but it was never confirmed if she was pushed or slipped off a riverside barge during the pursuit. The death followed that of DS Jo Morgan in a four-part special towards the end of the previous series, with the first three of the four episodes rebroadcast in the summer as part of a single special episode; Target.
Season 11
The eleventh series of The Bill, a British television drama, consisted of 149 episodes, broadcast between 5 January – 29 December 1995. Cast members Jaye Griffiths (DI Johnson) and Martin Marquez (DS Pearce) both left their roles as series regulars, being replaced by Russell Boulter & Billy Murray (DSs Boulton and Beech), with Beech taking the place of DS Chris Deakin after he was promoted to DI. Griffiths would go on to return eight years later for a storyline in 2003, while Marquez returned a year later to make one final appearance as a guest actor. While not notable at the time, Murray's character Beech would go on to be the show's longest-running full-time villain in the years that followed. Mark Spalding joined the cast as Chief Inspector Paul Stritch, following the exit of Philip Whitchurch as Chief Inspector Philip Cato, however Spalding left the series before its conclusion after just seven months on the show.
Season 10
The tenth series of The Bill, a British television drama, consisted of 156 episodes, broadcast between 4 January and 30 December 1994. On 3 October 2012, The Bill Series 10 Part 1 & 2 and The Bill Series 10 Part 3 & 4 DVD sets were released (in Australia).
Season 9
The ninth series of The Bill, a British television drama, consisted of 155 episodes, broadcast between 5 January – 31 December 1993. The series was released on DVD for the first time on 3 October 2012, in Australia.
In 2020, Audio Commentaries were released for the episodes 'Blind Spot' (with writer Roger Davenport) and 'Compliments of the Service' with actor Mike Burnside (D.A.C. Trevor Hicks).
Season 8
The eighth series of The Bill, a British television drama, consisted of 105 episodes, broadcast between 2 January – 31 December 1992. The series was released on DVD for the first time on 6 June 2012, in Australia. It features the above artwork, which features images of PC Steve Loxton and DC Mike Dashwood.
Season 7
The seventh series of The Bill, a British television drama, consisted of 105 episodes, broadcast between 1 January – 31 December 1991. The series was released on DVD for the first time on 6 June 2012, in Australia. It features the above artwork, which features images of Sgt. Alec Peters and WDC Viv Martella.
A number of The Bill Audio Commentaries for Series 7 episodes have been recorded with director Stuart Urban and camera operator Alison Chapman, specifically for the episodes 'Cry Havoc', 'The Negotiator' and 'They Also Serve'. These are available to subscribers of The Bill Podcast Patreon Channel.
Season 6
The sixth series of The Bill, a British television drama, consisted of 104 episodes, broadcast between 2 January – 27 December 1990. The series was first released on DVD as part of the Collection 5 and Collection 6 DVD boxsets in Australia, made available on 9 April – 8 October 2008, respectively. The series was later re-issued as two-half series boxsets in Australia, released on 7 March 2012. The above artwork is taken from the most recent Australian release. It features images of DC Tosh Lines and DI Frank Burnside. The original Collection box-sets contained sole images of PC Reg Hollis and DS Ted Roach. In the UK, the first nine episodes were released on DVD under the title Volume 7, on 2 September 2013.
Season 5
The fifth series of The Bill, a British television drama, consisted of 104 episodes, broadcast between 3 January – 28 December 1989. The series was first released on DVD as part of the Collection 3 and Collection 4 DVD boxsets in Australia, made available on 8 August – 7 November 2007, respectively. The first four episodes of the series were later issued on DVD in the United Kingdom, under the title Volume 4, on 15 March 2010. The next thirteen episodes of series 5 were released on DVD in the UK, under the title Volume 5, on 11 July 2011, the next 48 episodes of Series five were released on DVD in the UK under the title Volume 6, on 15 October 2012 and the remaining episodes were released on DVD in the UK under the title Volume 7, on 2 September 2013.
Season 4
The fourth series of The Bill, a British television drama, consisted of forty-eight episodes, broadcast between 19 July – 29 December 1988. This series was the first to adopt a half-hour format, and the theme tune had its first of several updates. The series was first released on DVD on 4 December 2006 in Australia, incorrectly packaged as Seasons 4 & 5, when in fact the set only contained the entire series four. The series was later issued in four separate volumes in the United Kingdom, available on 30 June 2008, 2 March 2009, 11 May 2009 and 15 March 2010. It was later reissued in Australia on 31 August 2011. The above DVD artwork is taken from the most recent Australian release. It features an image of DS Ted Roach. The British volume artwork features a variety of collage images featuring characters from across the season. The original Australian box set features a sole image of DI Frank Burnside.
Season 3
The third series of The Bill, a British television drama, consisted of twelve episodes, broadcast between 21 September and 7 December 1987. The series was first released on DVD as part of a three-season box set on 10 May 2006 in Australia. It was later made available as a separate season in the United Kingdom on 28 May 2007 and in Australia on 3 August 2011. The above DVD artwork is taken from the most recent Australian release. It features an image of Ch. Supt. Charles Brownlow. The British artwork features a collage image featuring DI Roy Galloway, PCs Nick Shaw and Viv Martella, and DC Mike Dashwood. The image right is the Australian three-season DVD box set features a sole image of chief superintendent Charles Brownlow.
Season 2
The second series of The Bill, a British television drama, consisted of twelve episodes, broadcast between 11 November 1985 and 10 February 1986.
Many of the cast and crew shared their memories of making this second series for the book Witness Statements, including stars John Salthouse, Eric Richard, Trudie Goodwin, Mark Wingett, Peter Ellis, Nula Conwell, Jon Iles, Larry Dann, Colin Blumenau, Robert Hudson, Ashley Gunstock and Ralph Brown; along with writers Barry Appleton, Lionel Goldstein, Ginnie Hole and Christopher Russell, producer Peter Cregeen and directors Michael Ferguson and John Woods.
Similar titles
Britbox
Wycliffe
Wycliffe is a British television series, based on W. J. Burley's novels about Detective Superintendent Charles Wycliffe. It was produced by HTV and broadcast on the ITV Network, following a pilot episode on 7 August 1993, between 24 July 1994 and 5 July 1998. The series was filmed in Cornwall, with a production office in Truro. Music for the series was composed by Nigel Hess and was awarded the Royal Television Society award for the best television theme. Wycliffe is played by Jack Shepherd, assisted by DI Doug Kersey and DI Lucy Lane.
Each episode deals with a murder investigation. In the early series, the stories are adapted from Burley's books and are in classic whodunit style, often with quirky characters and plot elements. In later seasons, the tone becomes more naturalistic and there is more emphasis on internal politics within the police.
Hope and Glory
Hope and Glory is a BBC television drama about a comprehensive school struggling with financial, staffing and disciplinary problems, and faced with closure. It starred Lenny Henry as maverick "Superhead" Ian George, enlisted to turn around the school's fortunes.
It was created by Lucy Gannon, who had previously created Soldier Soldier, and was inspired by a real head teacher named William Atkinson.
MGM+
In the Heat of the Night
In the Heat of the Night is an American television series based on the motion picture and novel of the same name starring Carroll O'Connor as the white police chief William Gillespie, and Howard Rollins as the African-American police detective Virgil Tibbs. It was broadcast on NBC from 1988 until 1992, and then on CBS until 1995. Its executive producers were Fred Silverman, Juanita Bartlett and Carroll O'Connor. TGG Direct released the first season of the series to DVD on August 28, 2012.
Freevee
Pacific Blue
Pacific Blue is an American crime drama series about a team of police officers with the Santa Monica Police Department who patrolled its beaches on bicycles. The show ran for five seasons on the USA Network, from March 2, 1996 to April 9, 2000, with a total of one hundred and one episodes. Often compared as "Baywatch on bikes," the series enjoyed a popular run among the Network's viewers, and was popular in France, Israel, Sweden, Bulgaria, Norway, Spain, Russia, Austria, Germany, Italy, South America, Canada, Denmark, Poland, and other foreign markets.
This Life
Cult drama series about a group of aspiring young lawyers sharing a shabby house in London, charting their careers and personal lives.
Britbox
The Inspector Lynley Mysteries
DS Barbara Havers is assigned to work with the upper-crust DI Thomas Lynley to solve murders.
Britbox
Ashes to Ashes
Crime drama series featuring Life On Mars' DCI Gene Hunt. After being shot in 2008, DI Alex Drake lands in 1981, where she finds herself in familiar company.
Code 404
In the near future, an undercover Detective Inspector gunned down and killed during a botched sting is brought back via an experimental Artificial Intelligence project. Full of glitches, he’s got to track down the person who shot him, prove himself as a cop so as not to get shut down, and save his marriage and his friendship, all with his partner Carver to boot.
G.B.H.
GBH was a seven-part British television drama written by Alan Bleasdale shown in the summer of 1991 on Channel 4. The protagonists were Michael Murray, the Militant tendency-supporting Labour leader of a city council in the North of England and Jim Nelson, the headmaster of a school for disturbed children.
The series was controversial partly because Murray appeared to be based on Derek Hatton, former Deputy Leader of Liverpool City Council — in an interview in the G.B.H. DVD Bleasdale recounts an accidental meeting with Hatton before the series, who indicates that he has caught wind of Bleasdale's intentions but does not mind as long as the actor playing him is "handsome".
In normal parlance, the initials "GBH" refer to the criminal charge of grievous bodily harm - however, the actual intent of the letters is that it is supposed to stand for Great British Holiday.
Britbox
EastEnders
The everyday lives of working-class residents of Albert Square, a traditional Victorian square of terrace houses surrounding a park in the East End of London's Walford borough.
Related
Prime Video
Heartbeat
Set during the 1960s in the fictional North Yorkshire village of Aidensfield, this enduringly popular series interweaves crime and medical storylines.
Britbox
Inspector Morse
Inspector Morse is a detective drama based on Colin Dexter's series of Chief Inspector Morse novels. The series starred John Thaw as Chief Inspector Morse and Kevin Whately as Sergeant Lewis, as well as a large cast of notable actors and actresses.
Britbox
Red Dwarf
The adventures of the last human alive and his friends, stranded three million years into deep space on the mining ship Red Dwarf.
Prime Video
Blackadder
Black Adder traces the deeply cynical and self-serving lineage of various Edmund Blackadders throughout British history, from the muck of the Middle Ages to the frontline of the First World War.
Netflix
Seinfeld
A stand-up comedian and his three offbeat friends weather the pitfalls and payoffs of life in New York City in the '90s. It's a show about nothing.
Max
Game of Thrones
Seven noble families fight for control of the mythical land of Westeros. Friction between the houses leads to full-scale war. All while a very ancient evil awakens in the farthest north. Amidst the war, a neglected military order of misfits, the Night's Watch, is all that stands between the realms of men and icy horrors beyond.
Netflix
Breaking Bad
Walter White, a New Mexico chemistry teacher, is diagnosed with Stage III cancer and given a prognosis of only two years left to live. He becomes filled with a sense of fearlessness and an unrelenting desire to secure his family's financial future at any cost as he enters the dangerous world of drugs and crime.
Netflix
Stranger Things
When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces, and one strange little girl.
Max
Chernobyl
The true story of one of the worst man-made catastrophes in history: the catastrophic nuclear accident at Chernobyl. A tale of the brave men and women who sacrificed to save Europe from unimaginable disaster.
Max
Band of Brothers
Drawn from interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as their journals and letters, Band of Brothers chronicles the experiences of these men from paratrooper training in Georgia through the end of the war. As an elite rifle company parachuting into Normandy early on D-Day morning, participants in the Battle of the Bulge, and witness to the horrors of war, the men of Easy knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear - and became the stuff of legend. Based on Stephen E. Ambrose's acclaimed book of the same name.
Top Streaming TV Show
#1
Grey's Anatomy
March. 27,2005
7.6
#2
A Teacher
November. 10,2020
6.9
#3
The Mandalorian
November. 12,2019
8.7
#4
Game of Thrones
April. 17,2011
9.2
#5
Station 19
March. 22,2018
7
#6
The Undoing
October. 25,2020
7.4
#7
Supernatural
September. 13,2005
8.4
#8
The Last Dance
April. 19,2020
9.1
#9
Euphoria
June. 16,2019
8.3
#10
Fear the Walking Dead
August. 23,2015
6.8