Episode Count[]
| Ranking | Character | Played by | Number of Episodes | Running total | Previous year's ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sgt. Cryer | Eric Richard | 34 | 69 | 4 |
| 2 | D.C. Dashwood | Jon Iles | 34 | 68 | 3 |
| 3 | D.C. Carver | Mark Wingett | 32 | 67 | 6 |
| 4 | Sgt. Peters | Larry Dann | 31 | 50 | 11 |
| 5 | P.C. Edwards | Colin Blumenau | 30 | 65 | 5 |
| 6 | W.P.C. Martella | Nula Conwell | 30 | 58 | 9 |
| 7 | P.C. Smith | Robert Hudson | 29 | ||
| 8 | P.C. Haynes | Eamonn Walker | 28 | N/A | N/A |
| 9 | D.S. Roach | Tony Scannell | 28 | 62 | 2 |
| 10 | Sgt. Penny | Roger Leach | 27 | 59 | 8 |
| 11 | W.P.C. Ackland | Trudie Goodwin | 25 | 60 | 7 |
| 12 | Insp. Frazer | Barbara Thorn | 24 | N/A | N/A |
| 13 | P.C. Melvin | Mark Powley | 24 | 35 | 15 |
| 14 | Ch. Insp. Conway | Ben Roberts | 23 | N/A | N/A |
| 15 | P.C. Ramsey | Nick Reding | 23 | N/A | N/A |
| 16 | D.I. Burnside | Christopher Ellison | 20 | 23 | N/A |
| 17 | P.C. Frank | Ashley Gunstock | 20 | 40 | 17 |
| 18 | P.C. Hollis | Jeff Stewart | 20 | 47 | 10 |
| 19 | P.C. Stamp | Graham Cole | 20 | 23 | 19 |
| 20 | W.P.C. Brind | Kelly Lawrence | 14 | N/A | N/A |
| 21 | Ch. Supt. Brownlow | Peter Ellis | 13 | 38 | 16 |
| 22 | D.C. Lines | Kevin Lloyd | 11 | N/A | N/A |
| 23 | W.P.C. Ford | Vikki Gee-Dare | 1 | N/A | N/A |
Production/Storylines[]
By this stage Thames' Director of Programmes David Elstein had decided that the success of The Bill was such that it could be extended to become a 'ratings-banker' for the ITV Network and the decision was made to transform the show into a twice-weekly half-hour format show. Also, significantly, it would go out at 8pm instead of 9pm - this pre-watershed slot meant that bad language and violence had to be extensively curbed - not an easy task with a police drama. The half-hours began transmission on 19 July, and immediately proved a hit.
The new uniformed inspector, Christine Frazer, arrived at the station (Light Duties); Sergeant Penny, on light duties as a result of his gunshot wound but insisting he was perfectly fit, developed a drink problem (The Three Wise Monkeys); and PC Pete Ramsay joined the relief when the Royal Navy had 20 of their sailors arrested (Good Will Visit). With the departure of Galloway, an arms amnesty offered Roach a chance to shine as acting DI (All in Good Faith); but his glory was short lived when Burnside, promoted, returned to Sun Hill to take over the role on a full-time basis (Just Call Me Guv’nor).
Roach failed a firearms course and was no longer able to carry firearms (Holdfire); lying in wait for an armed-and-dangerous escaped prisoner led Ackland and Dashwood into a dangerous situation (Save the Last Dance For Me); and Martella dealt with a corpse and a family of excitable Italians (Runaround). Sergeant Penny blew his top working in an overheated CAD room which raised questions about him taking convalescence (The Trap); Hollis dealt with two angry motorists and a traffic warden who had more than his best interests at heart (They Say We're Rough); and Burnside and Frazer clashed over a domestic argument (Blue for a Boy). In the course of closing down a drugs raid, Haynes and Ramsey were involved in a car crash that seriously injured a child (Chasing the Dragon); DC 'Tosh' Lines arrived at the station (Stop and Search); and Roach came into conflict with Burnside whilst dealing with an informer at the dog track (Spook Stuff).
The station was evacuated when an unattended holdall was discovered, resulting in the Area Traffic Officer being injured (Evacuation); Sun Hill CID investigated the kidnap of a school girl (Paper Chase); and Burnside clashed with Cryer over an ugly domestic incident (Conflict). Brind re-enacted the last movements of a missing girl; Lines reflected on his twelve years as a DC without progression (An Old-fashioned Term); and Cryer saw his son being charged with causing death by dangerous driving (Digging up the Past).
Episodes[]
| 36 | - | 4 | - | 1988x001 | - | Light Duties | - | 19-Jul-1988 | ||
| 37 | - | 4 | - | 1988x002 | - | The Three Wise Monkeys | - | 21-Jul-1988 | ||
| 38 | - | 4 | - | 1988x003 | - | Good Will Visit | - | 26-Jul-1988 | ||
| 39 | - | 4 | - | 1988x004 | - | Home Sweet Home | - | 28-Jul-1988 | ||
| 40 | - | 4 | - | 1988x005 | - | All In Good Faith | - | 02-Aug-1988 | ||
| 41 | - | 4 | - | 1988x006 | - | Just Call Me Guvnor | - | 04-Aug-1988 | ||
| 42 | - | 4 | - | 1988x007 | - | Caught Red Handed | - | 09-Aug-1988 | ||
| 43 | - | 4 | - | 1988x008 | - | Homes and Gardens | - | 11-Aug-1988 | ||
| 44 | - | 4 | - | 1988x009 | - | Country Cousin | - | 16-Aug-1988 | ||
| 45 | - | 4 | - | 1988x010 | - | Alarms and Embarrassments | - | 18-Aug-1988 | ||
| 46 | - | 4 | - | 1988x011 | - | Stealing Cars and Nursery Rhymes | - | 23-Aug-1988 | ||
| 47 | - | 4 | - | 1988x012 | - | Hold Fire | - | 25-Aug-1988 | ||
| 48 | - | 4 | - | 1988x013 | - | Bad Faith | - | 30-Aug-1988 | ||
| 49 | - | 4 | - | 1988x014 | - | Requiem | - | 01-Sep-1988 | ||
| 50 | - | 4 | - | 1988x015 | - | Trespasses | - | 06-Sep-1988 | ||
| 51 | - | 4 | - | 1988x016 | - | Save The Last Dance For Me | - | 08-Sep-1988 | ||
| 52 | - | 4 | - | 1988x017 | - | Runaround | - | 13-Sep-1988 | ||
| 53 | - | 4 | - | 1988x018 | - | The Trap | - | 15-Sep-1988 | ||
| 54 | - | 4 | - | 1988x019 | - | Community Relations | - | 20-Sep-1988 | ||
| 55 | - | 4 | - | 1988x020 | - | A Dog's Life | - | 22-Sep-1988 | ||
| 56 | - | 4 | - | 1988x021 | - | Trouble & Strife | - | 27-Sep-1988 | ||
| 57 | - | 4 | - | 1988x022 | - | Running Late | - | 29-Sep-1988 | ||
| 58 | - | 4 | - | 1988x023 | - | They Say We're Rough | - | 04-Oct-1988 | ||
| 59 | - | 4 | - | 1988x024 | - | Blue For A Boy | - | 06-Oct-1988 | ||
| 60 | - | 4 | - | 1988x025 | - | Chasing The Dragon | - | 11-Oct-1988 | ||
| 61 | - | 4 | - | 1988x026 | - | The Coop | - | 13-Oct-1988 | ||
| 62 | - | 4 | - | 1988x027 | - | The Quick and The Dead | - | 18-Oct-1988 | ||
| 63 | - | 4 | - | 1988x028 | - | Witness | - | 20-Oct-1988 | ||
| 64 | - | 4 | - | 1988x029 | - | Here We Go Loopy Lou | - | 25-Oct-1988 | ||
| 65 | - | 4 | - | 1988x030 | - | Stop and Search | - | 27-Oct-1988 | ||
| 66 | - | 4 | - | 1988x031 | - | Spook Stuff | - | 01-Nov-1988 | ||
| 67 | - | 4 | - | 1988x032 | - | Evacuation | - | 02-Nov-1988 | ||
| 68 | - | 4 | - | 1988x033 | - | Personal Imports | - | 08-Nov-1988 | ||
| 69 | - | 4 | - | 1988x034 | - | Paper Chase | - | 10-Nov-1988 | ||
| 70 | - | 4 | - | 1988x035 | - | Intruder | - | 15-Nov-1988 | ||
| 71 | - | 4 | - | 1988x036 | - | Conflict | - | 17-Nov-1988 | ||
| 72 | - | 4 | - | 1988x037 | - | Duplicates | - | 22-Nov-1988 | ||
| 73 | - | 4 | - | 1988x038 | - | Snout | - | 24-Nov-1988 | ||
| 74 | - | 4 | - | 1988x039 | - | Old Habits | - | 29-Nov-1988 | ||
| 75 | - | 4 | - | 1988x040 | - | The Silent Gun | - | 01-Dec-1988 | ||
| 76 | - | 4 | - | 1988x041 | - | An Old-Fashioned Term | - | 02-Dec-1988 | ||
| 77 | - | 4 | - | 1988x042 | - | Getting Stressed | - | 08-Dec-1988 | ||
| 78 | - | 4 | - | 1988x043 | - | Tigers | - | 13-Dec-1988 | ||
| 79 | - | 4 | - | 1988x044 | - | Guessing Game | - | 15-Dec-1988 | ||
| 80 | - | 4 | - | 1988x045 | - | The Assassins | - | 20-Dec-1988 | ||
| 81 | - | 4 | - | 1988x046 | - | Outmoded | - | 22-Dec-1988 | ||
| 82 | - | 4 | - | 1988x047 | - | Digging Up The Past | - | 27-Dec-1988 | ||
| 83 | - | 4 | - | 1988x048 | - | Taken Into Consideration | - | 29-Dec-1988 |
| Preceded by: 1987 Episodes (Series 3) |
1988 Episodes (Series 4) (Episode Chronology) |
Succeeded by: 1989 Episodes (Series 5) |