Between the Lines

It seems unlikely anyone would be able to make a series like this in today's television climate, given the preference today for light drama with happy endings, which this series eschewed almost constantly, almost masochistically so. Yet no series made since this one ever felt as real and believable as this did. The second series moved away from police complaints to the increasing involvement of MI5 and managed to be even better. Certainly the portrayal of Box 500 here seemed much more real and convincing than "Spooks". Indeed this is the series that "Spooks" wishes it was and the plot lines featured were much more gripping and believable than "Spooks" managed without having to resort to our heroes saving London and/or the world every week. Even the maligned third series, where Clark, Naylor and Connell go private, is still better than most dramas today. The producers had the good sense to call it a day after the third series and at least every episode ever made is preserved for posterity on DVD to be savoured again and again. When will something of the quality of this series ever get made again? Not for a long time, if ever, I fear.

To my mind, this show, now 15 years old (well, nearly) is an excellent portrayal of the progress, or not, of its main character.

Well placed, and pushing all the right buttons, he was promoted but with a qualifier:- do this s$$t job and... so he was transferred into a job he didn't request, nor did he care for in any way, shape or form.

But, he was told, if do this you will get what you really want:- all in the fullness of time. This, over the course of the first season, proved to be BS. Luckily, or unluckily, he was blessed with a good team. He was interested in doing a good job and thought, wrongly, that it was a means to an end. Wrong, indeed. If he had not had a strong team, or if he had not been motivated to do a good job, for the job's sake, he would not have found himself in the situations revealed in Seasons Two and Three.

Without wishing to prolong the agony here, the three seasons are an excellent demonstration of a downward spiral of a police officer's career attributable largely to external forces, coupled with his own inability to cope with these forces.

Been there done that, bought the Tee shirt.

And where do I buy the DVDs ??

"Between the Lines" was a show which reflected British television's attitude to the police in the Thatcher years...namely, that the police are brutal, corrupt and fascist. If the show was merely about corrupt officers, then it could have made for gripping drama, but it had a heavy political agenda so corruption was always from up on high and institutionalised. One or two episodes of this might have been gripping, but it was constant and often Neil Pearson's character would often act as an apologist for the criminals. One of the more ludicrous episodes featured Pete Postlethwaite as a senior Metropolitan Police commander putting down a riot (by good lefties or course) which he agitated and he ends up quoting the speech made in the Falklands War: "The flag is flying over Port Stanley"...oh, is this a dig at Thatcher? But apart from the student level politics, the show gained notoriety and earned the nickname "Between the Loins" for its preponderance for sex scenes bang on the stroke of the 9 o'clock watershed. Any chance for Pearson to drop his trousers (but always in a sensitive way) and he'd grab it. Sometimes it seemed he'd abandon a case to get some more sex...can't say I blame him.

I have watched every episode at least twice over the past 5 years (we got this series a little later than the UK of course). It's realistic cut throat, no holds barred depiction of UK police corruption was leading edge. Presented in the UK at a time when confidence in the UK police was at a record low, this show encapsulated the feelings of the day. It is very well acted, the principals gelling nicely right from the first episode. The third series is less tight and focussed, which explains why the main cast members refused to sign up for a 4th series. Neil Pearson (one of the sexiest men on the screen these days) is extremely convincing as Tony Clark. In fact, I can't think of any weak performances at all. great writing too. certainly a "10"

This brilliant 90s police drama series makes the more recent Line of Duty series look very basic indeed. I remember Between the lines being compulsive viewing and subsequently found line of duty to be a pale facsimile in comparison.