"The Bill" (1984) TV series 1984-????

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Creator:

Geoff McQueen

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | unknown

Release Date:

16 October 1984 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

Episodes follow uniform officers and detectives from an inner London police station as they enforce law and order on a day to day basis.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Uniform | Detective | Police Station | London England

Awards:

6 wins & 22 nominations

Cast

Graham Cole	...	PC Tony Stamp / ... (563 episodes, 1984-2009)
Trudie Goodwin	...	Sgt. June Ackland / ... (459 episodes, 1984-2007)
Jeff Stewart	...	PC Reg Hollis / ... (450 episodes, 1984-2008)
Simon Rouse	...	DCI Jack Meadows / ... (449 episodes, 1990-2009)
Mark Wingett	...	D.C. Carver / ... (342 episodes, 1984-2007)
Alex Walkinshaw	...	Sgt. Dale Smith / ... (297 episodes, 1992-2009)
Roberta Taylor	...	Insp. Gina Gold / ... (279 episodes, 1990-2008)
Chris Simmons	...	DC Mickey Webb / ... (263 episodes, 1998-2009)
Eric Richard	...	Sgt. Cryer / ... (240 episodes, 1984-2004)
Andrew Lancel	...	DI Neil Manson / ... (229 episodes, 1995-2009)

Runtime:

25 min (1988-1998) | 50 min (1984-1988, 1998-)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono | Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | Australia:PG | UK:12 (some episodes) | UK:15 (some episodes) | UK:PG (some episodes)

Filming Locations:

Kew Bridge Steam Museum, Green Dragon Lane, Brentford, Middlesex, England, UK

Company:

Thames Television

Trivia:

Emily Watson was interviewed for visiting parts a number of times.

Quotes:

DI Burnside: Ask the real community what they want and they'll tell you loud and clear. Cuff 'em and stuff 'em.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "SOKO Leipzig: The Bill - Entführung in London (#12.1)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Overkill

A good series spiralling into absurdity

'The Bill', along with the BBC's medical shows 'Holby City' and 'Casualty' has been transformed from a popular drama series into a straightforward soap opera. The clearest sign of this is the steady replacement of the old cast over recent years with refugees from 'East Enders', 'Coronation Street' and 'Brookside'. The problem with this is that instead of the old format where crimes would be investigated each week with characters' personal lives providing occasional subplots, the two have become merged. Each crime in Sun Hill now involves one of the regular's wife/lover/child/brother etc. Long lost friends and relatives appear out of the blue to be gunned down or abducted. Like Holby City in particular the plots have become ever more sensational and ludicrous. Several of the cast who were to be written out perished in a fire at the Police Station-started by one of the other characters!This character is still in the show and his crime has now been quietly forgotten. Another character was kidnapped and murdered by a female serial killer who was so over the top she practically foamed at the mouth.The Superintendent went mad and shot himself, but not before getting another of the characters pregnant. Every regular is having an affair with or secretly fancies one of the others. At least three of the regular characters are seriously deranged, one is a drug addict and another a complete crook. Some of the characters, including the new ones are engaging and well acted-my interest in the show always revives when Suprintendent Okaro, Inspector Gina Gold or DCI Jack Meadows are involved and actually carrying out police work. The Bill's revamp has apparently increased its audience significantly, but can it avoid sinking under the weight of its increasingly top-heavy and absurd plotlines?