The Bill

[Captain Sensible]

Whatever happened to The Bill?

It has gone from one of the best cop shows from a country that makes the best cop shows in the world into a shmaltzy soap opera.

Not so long ago you would not have known that the officers had a private life and the show was about solving crimes, but the other night a crime went almost unnoticed and all we had was a bunch of crap about Dave and Polly.

Any thoughts? Am I going over the top or is anyone else majorly pissed off that their favorite show has been hijacked?

 

[mantis]

Totally agree with you, the Polly, Dave thing has gone on too long, I am hoping after last nights show that they might wind up this storyline & get back to the REAL Bill.

 

[Jars458]

Polly used to be on Grange Hill

Can't get enough of Polly.

sick, I know!

 

[FIGJAM]

Still one of my fave shows, although I agree that their stretching out of storylines is getting over the top.

First Don Beech. And now Polly & Dave.

I don't mind them introducing some of the officer's "private lives", but copper action should be the driving force.

 

[Bloodstained Angel]

This show has totally gone down the gurgler

Bring back short, sharp, tightly scripted half-hour episodes that don't feature any 'private life' type storylines.

Oh and a few totally pathological crim-haters (ah-la Burnside) would be nice too

cheers

 

[Portia]

Its cheap now. Look at the direction.....the crappy student film shots they're using now. The constant ****ing background music to emphasize what should be communicated through dialogue and camerawork and storytelling. Its ****ful.

 

[JUBJUB]

Whats happened with Jim Carver ?
These must be the episodes that were filmed when he & a few ex-Bill cast were touring Australia about 14-15 months ago.

 

[Dr AlfAndrews]

More of Reg Hollis, please ... My all-time favourite TV cop. The man who collects model trains. What a charismatic figure.

Go, Reg

And Polly is, without any doubt, the sexiest woman on television. She has got an accent to die for. Imagine having her bring you a nice cuppa tea in bed every morning.

And what's the name of that woman with the Liverpool accent? Yeah ... she can drive my ferry across the Mersey any time. I tell you what. With her around you'll never walk alone ... or anything else for that matter.

I used to love that series that was made in Manchester. I think it was called "The Cops" or something. It was impossible to follow because the northern accents were so thick you had absolutely no idea what anyone was saying. My favourite character was this woman cop who took speed. In the first episode you saw her out clubbing and off her face. And next thing you know she's at work, getting into her cop uniform ... YEAH ... Way to go ...

Obviously, no one else liked that show because it seems to have vanished without trace.

As for "The Bill".

I think most popular TV shows eventually become a victim of their own popularity. The halcyon days of "The Bill" would seem to be long gone. Like "Blue Heelers", it will just continue to get worse and worse ... becoming more and more a parody of itself.

 

[Danni]

Gotta LURVE Foxtel - if even only for The Bill. 9am (then same episiode repeated again 2 or 3 times in a day) in the mornings.......all the good old episodes...........

Only problem is I am a sucker for British soapies.............fell for Eastenders years ago when it was on the ABC - now my mornings consist of nothing but English shows playing in the background on Foxtel.

 

[bobbity2]

Originally posted by localyokel
Whatever happened to The Bill?

It has gone from one of the best cop shows from a country that makes the best cop shows in the world into a shmaltzy soap opera.

Not so long ago you would not have known that the officers had a private life and the show was about solving crimes, but the other night a crime went almost unnoticed and all we had was a bunch of crap about Dave and Polly.

Any thoughts? Am I going over the top or is anyone else majorly pissed off that their favorite show has been hijacked?

It's been an amazing about- face from the makers of the program, when you consider that previously there was almost nothing about the characters' private lives. I'm a long time lover of The Bill, although I haven't been able to catch it much in recent times. I didn't think the Dave/ Polly thing was too bad, quite engrossing really. But I hope they return to the old formula i.e coppers solving crimes. Also a bit disconcerting that whenever I catch it, there's new faces at Sun Hill! Please, a bit of stability!

 

[Mr Ripper]

Yep. What was once consistently the best drama on television has evolved into yet another mindless soap opera. RIP The Bill.

 

[FIGJAM]

Originally posted by Dr AlfAndrews
Go, Reg

I'll second that. The place also needs a Burnside/Beech who plays things their own way!

Originally posted by Dr AlfAndrews
And what's the name of that woman with the Liverpool accent? Yeah ... she can drive my ferry across the Mersey any time. I tell you what. With her around you'll never walk alone ... or anything else for that matter.

Liz. She was fired along with almost everyone else in CID, when Don Beech was found to be on the take.

My major complaint is that they rarely use the term "You're Nicked" any more. The phrases "toe-rag" and "little git are also noticebly absent!

 

[blurton]

I've always loved The Bill and I especially love the changes they've made in the last year or so. I think the changes began with the development of Eddie Santini's character - brilliant script writing!!!. The Don Beech saga was also fantastic stuff. Dave and Pollie - also great. Good to see the end? of that horrid wife of Dave's. Polly is soooo much nicer than that bag.

I feel sorry for you people who don't like the changes, I think the show needed a revamp.

 

[Captain Sensible]

My main complaint is the scripting which was always tight and created a dramatic tension which was always first rate is just soooooooooo pedestrian these days.
Because of these crappy scripts the actors just seem to be going through the motions. There is no attempt to 'get inside' the character by the performers, to understand the motive behind why they are doing what they are doing. It seems to me they just turn up, speak their lines and thats it. It has become very boring.


BTW Alf that officer you are asking about is Cass Rickman. I think she did a semi-nude scene in one of her earliest episodes.

 

[Chris_23]

The Bill needs TOSH! Damn alcohol!

 

[Pessimistic]

Many of the actors quit in protest at where the bill is headed. Thats the real reason for the need to write them out en masse - I mean the 'reorganisation'.

Those guys had a job for life which while not hollywood pay standards, would have been quite handy. They must have felt strongly to quit like that.

Some of the guys were out here in a stage show and answered questions afterward. Seems they all had characters and were told the background of the particular cop. This was their terms of reference to play the character. But the personal storylines were never in your face like they are now.

I was better. Hopefully it can get better again. The filming of todays episode was about 14 moinths ago and was shown in UK approx 13 months ago. I was in engalnd whrn the polly thing came up. When I got back to Oz I realised her character has had a makeover (hairstyle etc) thats why she looks like a lost labrador (as the age commented)

 

[Portia]

Originally posted by Dr AlfAndrews
And what's the name of that woman with the Liverpool accent? Yeah ... she can drive my ferry across the Mersey any time. I tell you what. With her around you'll never walk alone ... or anything else for that matter. [/B]

Cass Rickman. Not Liz Rawton, who looks like a fish.

 

[Fat Red]

I liked the Don Beech storyline but this Dave one is just boring.

 

[FIGJAM]

Originally posted by Porthos
Cass Rickman. Not Liz Rawton, who looks like a fish.

Ahh yes! Sorry. I still wouldn't do either of 'em!!!

 

[JUBJUB]

BRING BACK FRANK BURNSIDE !!!!

 

[mantis]

BRING BACK ROD SKASE

 

[JUBJUB]

BRING BACK GEORGE GARFIELD & TED ROACH

 

[GoEagles]

Bring Back Debbie, Have more of June (she is adorable) and they need to use "pear shaped" and "yes guv!" more often. I agree that they need to go back to the 25/30 minute episodes and get those walking feet and the techno theme music back. LOL

 

[mandy]

Originally posted by Danni
Gotta LURVE Foxtel - if even only for The Bill. 9am (then same episiode repeated again 2 or 3 times in a day) in the mornings.......all the good old episodes...........

Only problem is I am a sucker for British soapies.............fell for Eastenders years ago when it was on the ABC - now my mornings consist of nothing but English shows playing in the background on Foxtel.

You must love UKTV.

I know this is about The Bill, but has anyone else ever wondered why Prisoner is on UKTV?

 

[JUBJUB]

Originally posted by mandy5


You must love UKTV.

I know this is about The Bill, but has anyone else ever wondered why Prisoner is on UKTV?

It might be because PRISONER is more popular in England than here.
Its still huge over there. [shows how bad the Poms are ]