"The Bill" (1984) TV series 1984-????

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 / ... (588 episodes, 1984-2009)
Trudie Goodwin	...	Sgt. June Ackland / ... (478 episodes, 1984-2007)
Simon Rouse	...	DCI Jack Meadows / ... (471 episodes, 1990-2009)
Jeff Stewart	...	PC Reg Hollis / ... (468 episodes, 1984-2008)
Mark Wingett	...	D.C. Carver / ... (365 episodes, 1984-2007)
Alex Walkinshaw	...	Sgt. Dale Smith / ... (299 episodes, 1992-2009)
Roberta Taylor	...	Insp. Gina Gold / ... (286 episodes, 1990-2008)
Chris Simmons	...	DC Mickey Webb / ... (272 episodes, 1998-2009)
Eric Richard	...	Sgt. Cryer / ... (246 episodes, 1984-2004)

Runtime:

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

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

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:

The UK police rank system is organized thus: Constable, Sergeant, Inspector, Chief Inspector, Superintendent, Chief Superintendent. (Uniformed officers are referred to as Police Constable, Police Sergeant, etc.; detectives are Detective Constable, Detective Sergeant, and so on.)

Quotes:

Sgt. Bob Cryer: Never Volunteer; it's an old army saying.
DI Burnside: I'll have to remember that next time I'm in an old army.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The IT Crowd: The Work Outing (#2.1)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Overkill

Unrecognisable from the original "Bill"

I have followed this series from its earliest episodes and have rarely found it hard going until recently. Although it still delivers good entertainment, the show has lost much of its grittiness (although in many ways it is probably more realistic).Up until the recent dramatic changes (the bombing of Sun Hill and resultant death of many of the main characters)there was little shown of the violence, blood etc that is part and parcel of real police work. The show has suffered considerably for those of us who remember the good old days of Burnside, Tosh Lines et al. Serialising the episodes is not in itself a bad thing, for that makes it more believable than the old concept that each case was tied up in the half hour - or one hour episode, it does however mean that much of the crispness of the show is lost in the process. For the undedicated, the focus on private lives (and romances in the station)turns it very much into a "soap" and less of a serious show. I am still recovering from the first time Jim kissed June - it was a bit like watching someone kiss his sister! I suppose that the Old Bill is gone for good, but it still is good entertainment - and I suppose this is what we watch TV for.