Police Dramas

One thing for sure. As Harry Hill noted, police dramas have come a long way since Dixon of Dock Green.

It is hard to imagine that Dixon was still on the beat when The Sweeney burst onto the television screen. Even the more brash Z Cars looks dated in comparison to Regan and Carter.

I am aware that lot of the old cop shows were wiped from the archives but Harry did not show that clip of a young John Thaw as a bent copper in Dixon of Dock Green. Also missing was the BBC's answer to The Sweeney. The even more violent Target.

In the early 1980s, cop shows become more progressive with female coppers in Juliet Bravo and The Gentle Touch. Looking at clips, I could not help thinking that it also allowed for budget cuts. There was a lack of action in these shows and they were broadcast on primetime at the weekends.

Another sideways look by Harry Hill. I did like the lifting the police tape bit. It was well researched and more enjoyable than History Documentaries. He had fun with The Bill, Line of Duty, Holby Blue but Between the Lines was absent.