"Bergerac" (1981) TV series 1981-1991

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Creator:

Robert Banks Stewart

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

Release Date:

18 October 1981 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot Keywords:

Police | Alcohol | Murder | Jersey | Detective

Awards:

1 win

Cast

John Nettles	...	Det. Sgt. Jim Bergerac / ... (87 episodes, 1981-1991)
Terence Alexander	...	Charlie Hungerford (85 episodes, 1981-1991)
Sean Arnold	...	Chief Insp. Barney Crozier / ... (73 episodes, 1981-1990)
Mela White	...	Diamante Lil (35 episodes, 1981-1987)
David Kershaw	...	DC Ben Lomas / ... (35 episodes, 1988-1991)

Runtime:

50 min (87 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-11 (DVD) (2007)

Filming Locations:

Beach, St Brelade's Bay, Jersey, Channel Islands

Company:

7 Network

Trivia:

(March 2008) The former children's home at Haut de la Garenne, used as the filming location for the Bureau des Etrangers where Bergerac worked, was at the centre of a police investigation after human remains were found buried there, amid allegations of child abuse at the home.

Quotes:

Detective Sergeant Jim Bergerac: [Drunk] Let me tell you my good man. The whole world is a sandwich.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Screenwipe: (#2.3)" (2006)

Why Bergerac Was What it Was

At 16 years old, I am probably the youngest serious Bergerac fan currently in existence. I used to watch it when I was really young, and have watched the repeats ever since. I have recently been enjoying the selected episodes being repeated on BBC 1 which ended today with the penultimate Christmas Episode and will miss watching it after coming home from a morning GCSE, especially since I break up in four days and do not have Bergerac to look forward to. I think that the series' strong points are many but there are some which really made it the great Laviathan of a programme that it was, the predominant example being its guest appearances.

Over the course of the entire saga, celebrities were made and broken, and most appeared in Bergerac. The guest stars made each and every episode immediately watchable and different from the rest, the most memorable episodes being 'Almost like a Holiday' starring the ineffable Norman Wisdom (who bumps his knee on a table within the first two minutes of the episode) and 'My Name is Sgt. Bergerac' with none other than Frank from the Vicar of Dibley, and Tony Robinson, sporting a hilarious perm and chest wig. However, on a personal level, my favourite episode was the one where Bergerac investigates a drug smuggling ring where the main villain is played by none other than Jack Galloway, father of my brother's best friend!

Watching Bergerac, it is easy to let yourself believe that it is a stereotypical police drama, but the beauty of it is, that Bergerac MADE this stereotype. The fact that one knows who the crook is almost from the start may seem to make the show pointless, yet, conversely, it does in fact raise the enjoyment as you shout 'NO, IT'S NOT HIM, IT'S THE OTHER ONE' frantically at Le Crozier.

If anyone can name a better police drama, or indeed, a better BBC drama than Bergerac, post it here and I will happily disagree.