1984 Episodes

The Bill in 1984

Peter Ellis Ch. Supt. Charles Brownlow	Oscar 5-2
John Salthouse D.I. Roy Galloway
Christopher Ellison D.S. Tommy Burnside
Tony Scannell D.S. Edward 'Ted' Roach
Jon Iles D.C. Michael 'Mike' Dashwood
Roger Leach Sgt. Tom Penny	O	54
Eric Richard Sgt. Bob Cryer	O	92
Larry Dann Sgt. Alec Peters	O	96
Colin Blumenau P.C. Francis 'Taffy' Edwards	O	101
Robert Hudson P.C. Tony 'Yorkie' Smith	O	148
Jeff Stewart P.C. Reg Hollis	O	171
Gary Olsen P.C. Dave Litten	O	201
Nula Conwell W.P.C. Vivian 'Viv' Martella	O	227
Ashley Gunstock P.C. Robin Frank	O	330
Graham Cole (Uncredited) P.C. Tony Stamp	O	595
Mark Wingett P.C. James 'Jimmy' Carver	O	600
Trudie Goodwin W.P.C. June Ackland	O	643

Episode Count

Ranking	Character	Played by	Number of Episodes	Running total	Previous year's ranking
1	DI Galloway	John Salthouse	8	TBA	TBA
2	Sgt Cryer	Eric Richard	8	TBA	N/A
3	PC Edwards	Colin Blumenau	8	TBA	N/A
4	PC Litten	Gary Olsen	8	TBA	N/A
5	PC Carver	Mark Wingett	8	TBA	N/A
6	PC Ackland	Trudie Goodwin	8	TBA	N/A
7	DS Roach	Tony Scannell	7	TBA	N/A
8	DC Dashwood	Jon Iles	7	TBA	N/A
9	Sgt Penny	Roger Leach	6		N/A
10	PC Frank	Ashley Gunstock	6	TBA	N/A
11	Ch Supt Brownlow	Peter Ellis	5	TBA	N/A
12	PC Hollis	Jeff Stewart	5	TBA	N/A
13	WPC Martella	Nula Conwell	3	TBA	N/A
14	DS Burnside	Christopher Ellison	1	TBA	N/A
15	Sgt Peters	Larry Dann	1	TBA	N/A
15	PC Stamp	Graham Cole	1	TBA	N/A

Production

Though Geoff McQueen and Michael Chapman decided to retain the basic format established in Woodentop, they added new characters and made the decision to build a purpose-built 'police station' in a single-storey warehouse and office complex in Artichoke Hill, Wapping, in the East End of London. The new set up was cramped and thus the team had to improvise - Chief Superintendent Brownlow's office also doubled as Michael Chapman's office, and the canteen set was used both on and off-screen for cast and crew.

The first episode of The Bill was 'Funny Ol' Business - Cops and Robbers', broadcast on Tuesday 16th October 1984 at 9pm. The first scene showed Sergeant Alec Peters handing over the relief to Sergeant Bob Cryer.

The episode also introduced the world to Burnside, a hard-bitten 'bend the rules' type detective, who went on to become one of the series' favourite characters, leading him to get his own series, Burnside, in 2000. He was called Tommy in his brief appearances in 1984 and 1986, changed to Frank when he returned to Sun Hill in 1988.

The series saw bomb hoaxes in Sun Hill (A Friend in Need); PC Carver investigated a child-molester (Clutching at Straws); and bad-tempered Galloway's treatment of June Ackland almost made her resign (It's Not Such a Bad Job After All). Also that year Galloway was obstructed by the Home Office (The Drugs Raid); and the theft of a briefcase led Sun Hill CID into the investigation of a pornography racket (Burning the Books). DS Ted Roach found himself looking down the barrel of a shotgun (Long Odds); and PC Litten, on a temporary secondment to CID, fell foul of a dodgy informant (A Dangerous Breed).

The first series of The Bill proved a success, not just because it represented a new style of police drama, but also because of timing. The early and mid 1980s saw the Police increasingly in the public eye, whether it be because of the violent inner-city riots or the capture of the Yorkshire Ripper, the controversy surrounding the passage of the reforming Police and Criminal Evidence Act (‘PACE’), or the IRA bombing of the Conservative Party Conference at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, which occurred four days before Funny Ol' Business was broadcast.

Episodes

1	-	1	-	1984x001	-	Funny Ol' Business - Cops & Robbers	-	16-Oct-1984
2	-	1	-	1984x002	-	A Friend In Need	-	23-Oct-1984
3	-	1	-	1984x003	-	Clutching At Straws	-	30-Oct-1984
4	-	1	-	1984x004	-	Long Odds	-	06-Nov-1984
5	-	1	-	1984x005	-	It's Not Such A Bad Job After All	-	13-Nov-1984
6	-	1	-	1984x006	-	The Drugs Raid	-	20-Nov-1984
7	-	1	-	1984x007	-	A Dangerous Breed	-	27-Nov-1984
8	-	1	-	1984x008	-	Rough In The Afternoon	-	04-Dec-1984

Preceded by: Storyboard: Woodentop (Pilot)

1984 Episodes (Episode Chronology)

Succeeded by: 1985 Episodes