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The Bill (1984 – 2010)

1984 • 26 seasons • Science Fiction • TV-14
On September 20, 2026
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The BillSeries 4

48 episodes · Jul 19, 1988

The fourth season of *The Bill* marked a significant shift for the popular police drama, delivering forty-eight episodes between July and December 1988. This was the first series to embrace a streamlined half-hour format, accompanied by an updated theme tune – the beginning of several musical refreshes over the show’s run. Initial DVD releases in Australia, appearing on shelves in December 2006, unfortunately combined Seasons 4 and 5, though they actually contained only the complete fourth series. Later, UK viewers could find the season broken into four individual volumes, released throughout 2008 and 2010. A subsequent Australian re-release arrived in August 2011. The striking DVD artwork varies by region: the most recent Australian version showcases DS Ted Roach, while the British releases feature a dynamic collage of characters from across the season’s storylines. Interestingly, the original Australian box set opted for a single image – a portrait of DI Frank Burnside.

1. Light Duties
Jul 19, 1988

D.C. Carver, recently promoted to CID, is struggling with seasickness aboard the police launch as he and D.S. Roach work a case. The River Police recover the body of a murdered informant from the Thames, but Roach is incensed when the matte

2. The Three Wise Monkeys
Jul 21, 1988

Detectives Ted Roach and Mike Dashwood are pursuing armed robbers who have taken a woman hostage. Sergeant Penny is becoming increasingly strained by the presence of weapons, and his colleagues are worried by his response. Two constables fr

3. Good Will Visit
Jul 26, 1988

PC Pete Ramsey’s arrival at Sun Hill was immediately disruptive. He nearly struck PC Taffy Edwards with his Porsche before claiming the Chief Superintendent’s parking space. Transferred from Barton Street CID for gambling offenses, he was b

4. Home Sweet Home
Jul 28, 1988

Sergeant Cryer commanded the raid, executing an eviction order on a property occupied by young people from affluent families. Councillor Thomas, the local housing authority, observed the operation. The raid proceeded without incident, but T

5. All in Good Faith
Aug 2, 1988

Viv Martella and June Ackland, of the W.P.C., bring a peculiar case to Acting D.I. Ted Roach: an entry gained through deception, involving a false gasman. As Ackland and D.C. Mike Dashwood delve into the details of these latest incidents, t

6. Just Call Me Guvnor
Aug 4, 1988

Chief Inspector Conway briefed the assembled officers on a large-scale operation targeting Frontline, a gang known for their violent association with football. Two police officers were operating undercover within the gang, and strict instru

7. Caught Red Handed
Aug 9, 1988

PC Frank and WPC Martella arrive at the scene of an incident: a pregnant woman has stabbed her husband with a bread knife. The husband, however, does not wish to press charges. Upon their reunion at the station, all appears forgiven. Sergea

8. Homes and Gardens
Aug 11, 1988

Detective Constable Yorkie Smith is assisting Detective Constable Taffy Edwards with a traffic obstruction caused by a young man named Mickey Cozens. Mickey’s father is summoned to the station and informs the officers that his son has the m

9. Country Cousin
Aug 16, 1988

At the station, D.I. Burnside watched for Detective Sergeant Jarvis of the country forces, who was due to arrive in London with the authority to arrest a suspect believed to be residing in Sun Hill. Having previously cautioned Jarvis about

10. Alarms and Embarrassments
Aug 18, 1988

Yorkie investigated the theft at the off-licence. Penny was contemplating his upcoming holiday. Roach saw a case dismissed in court. Stamp was tasked with arranging a lineup. Taffy investigated the mugging of a man with a disability. A woma

11. Stealing Cars and Nursery Rhymes
Aug 23, 1988

Yorkie is experiencing difficulties with the children participating in the youth group activities. An incident occurred involving a stolen vehicle and a group of these young people, resulting tragically in two fatalities after the car colli

12. Hold Fire
Aug 25, 1988

The first responders to the scene of the traffic accident were PC Smith and PC Melvin. Flames engulfed the vehicles, and both officers bravely risked their lives to extricate the occupants. As they worked, one of the cars detonated, claimin

13. Bad Faith
Aug 30, 1988

A team – TSG, along with Haynes, Ramsey, Mike, and Jim – positioned themselves around a high-rise building, preparing to apprehend a burglary suspect. Elsewhere, Bob and Taffy discovered children playing on a patch of derelict land. In a se

14. Requiem
Sep 1, 1988

P.C. Ramsey and P.C. Haynes arrived at the flat to find its occupants had unearthed a decayed skeleton within the wall where they intended to build a fireplace. Sergeant Cryer, Detective Sergeant Roach, and Detective Constable Dashwood were

15. Trespasses
Sep 6, 1988

The insistent thudding from the refuse chute drew P.C. Ramsey's attention, leading him to a startling discovery: a newborn infant. He hurried the baby to the hospital. In the CAD room, P.C. Haynes and W.P.C. Brind engaged in a heated discus

16. Save the Last Dance for Me
Sep 8, 1988

An escaped convict, considered a significant threat, is expected to visit his girlfriend in Sun Hill, and a large police presence awaits his arrival. A weary officer waits in the canteen with a colleague, while PC Ramsey suggests a card gam

17. Runaround
Sep 13, 1988

Vivian battles the insistent symptoms of hay fever, seeking relief in medication, when duty calls her to a café where a body has been discovered. There, she is unceremoniously confronted by the deceased’s son. Meanwhile, Yorkie visits a wom

18. The Trap
Sep 15, 1988

On a quiet residential street, D.I. Burnside orchestrated an elaborate trap: a van overflowing with video recorders, displayed openly as bait. He, along with Carver, Roach, and Dashwood, settled into a vigil, anticipating the arrival of wou

19. Community Relations
Sep 20, 1988

In a garden shed, PC Melvin and PC Ramsey were conducting an observation of a garage suspected of housing stolen motorcycles. Ramsey, with his characteristic teasing, was provoking Melvin about his faith when a ball struck the window. The s

20. A Dog's Life
Sep 22, 1988

Taffy seeks partners for a syndicate to purchase a half-share in a greyhound, only to discover the dog's origins are dubious. Reg readily agrees to join Taffy, his considerable knowledge of dogs a valuable asset. The problem of flytipping i

21. Trouble and Strife
Sep 27, 1988

P.C. Haynes and P.C. Ramsey arrive at a residence where Joanna Mancini, heavily pregnant, has been assaulted by her husband with a bicycle chain. As Haynes and Ramsey attempt to de-escalate the situation, Joanna drives her husband’s car int

22. Running Late
Sep 29, 1988

W.P.C. Brind arrives late for parade, missing a crucial warning regarding the Dock Industrial Estate. CID and a P.T.17 team are already there, anticipating a security van robbery. During a foot patrol, Brind gives chase to a young girl, lea

23. They Say We're Rough
Oct 4, 1988

Viv and Ken visited a military surplus store that appeared to be directly supplied from a passing lorry. The van that once delivered the equipment had been stolen from Yorkshire. Two redcaps, individuals with little respect for the police,

24. Blue for a Boy
Oct 6, 1988

W.P.C. Martella and P.C. Edwards encountered a man in dispute with a young mother, intervening in the situation. Meanwhile, D.C. Dashwood sought out a lead and narrowly avoided being struck by the same man Martella and Edwards had questione

25. Chasing the Dragon
Oct 11, 1988

On the Rochester Estate, Detective Sergeant Roach observed a drug transaction unfold, but he, along with Carver and Dashwood, were unable to apprehend the dealers. PC Haynes and PC Ramsey, in their police vehicle, spotted the fleeing car an

26. The Coop
Oct 13, 1988

During their lunch break, PC Edwards and PC Ackland caution a man for operating a model helicopter too close to the roadway. Afterward, they investigate a noxious odor emanating from a nearby property and discover a shed filled with the rem

27. The Quick and the Dead
Oct 18, 1988

Sergeant Peters found himself struggling during the physical fitness evaluation. Meanwhile, Police Constable Ramsey and Police Constable Frank gave pursuit after witnessing a robbery. The perpetrators escaped, but not without a minor injury

28. Witness
Oct 20, 1988

Police Constable Ramsey and Police Constable Smith are providing protection for a witness in a court proceeding. Ramsey finds amusement in the witness, Andrew Pike’s, admiration for the police force and his intention to join as a special co

29. Here We Go Loopy Lou
Oct 25, 1988

Bob, Claire, and Taffy followed up on a report of a man with a cross, discovered suspended from a crane. Their investigation led them to a scene where a woman was driving, a small white dog perched on her lap. The dog, startled, darted from

30. Stop and Search
Oct 27, 1988

Sergeant Cryer introduces two new special constables, Mary Kilnair and Brian Defoe, who will be assisting with the relief efforts. During a patrol with Police Constable Edwards, Kilnair is accidentally pricked by a discarded needle, raising

31. Spook Stuff
Nov 1, 1988

Constables Martella and Stamp detain an American woman apprehended for shoplifting. She repeatedly urges them to contact her husband, who is lodged in a hotel. Simultaneously, the husband files a report concerning the theft of his briefcase

32. Evacuation
Nov 2, 1988

The station's front desk buzzed with activity, and P.C. Smith remained oblivious to a holdall left unattended near his station. Its discovery prompted Insp. Frazer to order an immediate evacuation as a precaution, while bomb disposal units

33. Personal Imports
Nov 8, 1988

P.C. Melvin witnesses a chemist being robbed, but is incapacitated by a thrown powder as the perpetrators make their escape. D.C. Carver is conducting an observation in the home of a solitary woman of romantic inclinations. He observes what

34. Paper Chase
Nov 10, 1988

The abduction of a schoolgirl has ignited a fierce resolve within Detective Inspector Burnside to locate her. Her father, however, hesitated to involve the police, fearing retribution from those who had threatened his daughter’s life should

35. Intruder
Nov 15, 1988

Melvin and Haynes, patrolling their usual territory, are nearly lured off course by a carefully orchestrated distraction. In the ensuing pursuit, Haynes is drawn into an armed robbery, while Melvin is forced to release his prisoner to assis

36. Conflict
Nov 17, 1988

Lines and Carver are conducting an interview with a man who may possess information about an arms cache. June and Ramsey take him into custody after he assaulted his girlfriend, who had pleaded with him not to leave. The physician at the ho

37. Duplicates
Nov 22, 1988

Because of a faint physical similarity to a woman who had vanished, W.P.C. Brind reluctantly consented to participate in a televised reconstruction of the events surrounding her disappearance. Meanwhile, D.S. Roach and D.C. Carver set out t

38. Snout
Nov 24, 1988
39. Old Habits
Nov 29, 1988

W.P.C. Brind was summoned to the residence of Mrs. Lomax, an elderly woman who had recently been the victim of a robbery. The shock of the event overwhelmed her, and she lashed out at Brind before collapsing, succumbing to a heart attack. I

40. The Silent Gun
Dec 1, 1988

PC Haynes arrived at the house expecting a commonplace disturbance. Instead, he discovered a bailiff wounded in the hand, the victim of an attempted eviction of the upstairs lodger. Chief Superintendent Brownlow abandoned his weekend plans

41. An Old-Fashioned Term
Dec 6, 1988

P.C. Edwards and W.P.C. Morgan discover the body of a young woman, nude and seemingly the victim of gas poisoning. However, they observe the neighbor who reported the death furtively wiping something from the girl's mouth. D.C. Carver strug

42. Getting Stressed
Dec 8, 1988

Frazer was driving to work when she witnessed an accident. After informing the man she had assisted that she was a police officer, he struck her. Ramsey attended to a woman who had been raped. An elderly woman provided Dashwood with informa

43. Tigers
Dec 13, 1988

A young Asian man called Burnside to report a large brawl. Upon investigating, Carver and Tosh found their car overturned. The boy was later discovered in a canal. Shortly after, an old flame of Carver’s appeared, seeking him, and then depa

44. Guessing Game
Dec 15, 1988

A couple of days had passed since anyone had seen the elderly man, prompting concerned reports from his neighbours. Constable Ramsey gained entry to his home only to discover him deceased on the floor. A doctor's examination confirmed death

45. The Assassins
Dec 20, 1988

In a quiet cafe, Burnside and Tosh waited, anticipating a rendezvous with a peculiar group – individuals known for dismantling restaurants. They discovered, to their surprise, that these restaurateurs belonged to the upper echelons of socie

46. Outmoded
Dec 22, 1988

A series of false alarms have drawn the attention of Sun Hill police, traced by the Yard to a computer hacker who breached the police network. Sergeant Cryer investigates and discovers a former university student in possession of an ex-MOD

47. Digging Up the Past
Dec 27, 1988

On a construction site, an excavator unearthed human remains, prompting Sergeant Cryer to summon the CID. He was reluctant to return to the station, his son Patrick facing charges for death by dangerous driving. Chief Inspector Conway, Burn

48. Taken Into Consideration
Dec 29, 1988

D.C. Dashwood and D.C. Carver are on patrol in a street recently plagued by burglaries. They observe a young man, Kevin Boswell, scaling a wall with a bag overflowing with fifty pence pieces, and apprehend him on suspicion of theft. They al

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