"Z Cars" (1962) TV series 1962-1978

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Directors:

Paul Bernard
Gerald Blake

Writers:

John Foster (writer) (9 episodes)
Bob Baker (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

Release Date:

2 January 1962 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot Keywords:

Police | Partially Lost TV Series | British

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

James Ellis	...	Sgt. Lynch / ... (626 episodes, 1962-1978)
John Slater	...	Det. Sgt. Stone (420 episodes, 1967-1974)
Douglas Fielding	...	PC Quilley / ... (340 episodes, 1969-1978)
Bernard Holley	...	PC Newcombe / ... (277 episodes, 1967-1971)

Runtime:

25 min (462 episodes) | 50 min (337 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (1962-1970) | Color (1970-1978)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Michael Caine refused the part of PC Bob Steele as he did not want to be typecast in an TV series.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Real 'Life on Mars'! (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Z Cars Theme

Zephyr Zodiac

It was an OK show that in retrospect portrayed a disturbing change in England. When it came out The English were by and large a law-abiding people, so much so that the police were armed only with their wits and truncheons. I did not own a set until 1965 so I missed the first 3 years.

The police were starting to deal with people strung out on purple heart amphetamines, and junkies. The lout generation was becoming more unruly, and an angry wave of immigrants with no respect for their host country was on the rise. As the show went on for a dozen years or more it became an institution as much as Emergency Ward 10 and Coronation Street.

Another cop show called Dixon of Dock Green was much more charming and yet somehow fictitious. Z Cars showed the reality of what the coppers had to deal with on a regular basis. As for American police shows being better because American criminals are better, think again. Most American criminals are mental midgets whose worst enemy is their own stupidity. If you don't believe me, then get involved with Prison Fellowship.