Troy Kennedy Martin
Director
Z-Cars (1962)
Series 1
Z-Cars or Z Cars is a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, Merseyside. Produced by the BBC, it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978.
Released Jan. 2, 1962
Episode 50 min
None+
Keywords: imdb.police-procedural, imdb.cult-tv, imdb.famous-opening-theme, imdb.partially-lost-tv-series, tmdb.police, tmdb.police-everyday-life, tmdb.police-investigation + 14 more, imdb.1960s, imdb.1970s, imdb.england, imdb.united-kingdom, imdb.police-officer, imdb.british, imdb.police, imdb.bobby, imdb.fictional-location, imdb.fictional-town, imdb.pig, imdb.briton, imdb.police-procedural-crime, imdb.cop-drama
Production Companies: BBC
Network: BBC One
Country: United Kingdom
Languages:
English
S1E1 - Four of a Kind
The search is on for four young men to ""crew"" the new cars in the tough and troubled district of Newtown, a North of England overspill estate. A mixed community, displaced from the larger towns by slum clearance, has been brought together and housed on an estate without amenities.
Jan. 2, 1962, midnight
S1E2 - The Limping Rabbit
A girl disappears, and Steele and Lynch are faced by a conspiracy of silence in her broken family.
Jan. 9, 1962, midnight
S1E3 - Handle With Care
An explosion in a quarry disturbs two lovers. It also disturbs Detective Sergeant John Watt when he finds out what caused it.
Jan. 16, 1962, midnight
S1E4 - Stab In The Dark
A wounding case brings top brass into Victor Division to investigate. Lynch and Steele work overtime to find the villain.
Jan. 23, 1962, midnight
S1E5 - Big Catch
When the whalers hit Seaport after a good season Smith and Weir have their work cut out to keep trouble to a minimum.
Jan. 30, 1962, midnight
S1E6 - Friday Night
""It's going to be one of those nights"", pronounced Sgt. Percy Twentyman, and he wasn't far wrong. Steele and Lynch have to cope with the aftermath of a traffic accident in which a drunken driver has killed a motor cyclist and his pillion passenger. Small time felon Grandpa Maddigan blows up the safe in the Gas Company office, Watt and DCS Robins are hot on the trail of the notorious Comber gang, and Twentyman himself gets more than he bargained for when he tries to break up a free-for-all in the Tabernacle pub.
Feb. 6, 1962, midnight
S1E7 - Suspended
The crew of Z-Victor One waste no time in arriving at the scene of a burglary. Their reward is to be suspected of theft themselves.
Feb. 13, 1962, midnight
S1E8 - Family Feud
When two feuding families go to war Lynch and Steele find themselves in the front line.
Feb. 20, 1962, midnight
S1E9 - Fire!
The report of a burning barn takes Smith and Weir into the country, searching for a fire-raiser.
Feb. 27, 1962, midnight
S1E10 - Threats And Menaces
In Victor Division the police often live next door to unruly members of the community. Bob and Janey Steele find that this can have unpleasant, even dangerous, consequences.
March 6, 1962, midnight
S1E11 - Jail Break
What is a mysterious stranger from Soho doing in Victor Division? John Watt would like to know, and keeps a close watch on him. Smith and Weir are heavily involved in the tracking down of money previously stolen in a mailbag robbery. Both events are triggered by a successful jail break.
March 13, 1962, midnight
S1E12 - What Kind Of Hero?
A young man risks his life to save that of an accident victim trapped under an overturned road tanker, then disappears quietly. One of the bystanders, a retired army officer, pesters Barlow to trace the man and see that he gets the recognition he deserves. Barlow eventually finds the reluctant hero, only to discover that he is an army deserter wanted by the Military Police!
March 20, 1962, midnight
S1E13 - Sudden Death
When a case of murder is reported Lynch and Steele are the first policemen on the scene. But the main responsibility for organising the hunt for the killer falls on Barlow, whose toughness is backed by vast experience and an intuitive mind.
March 27, 1962, midnight
S1E14 - Found Abandoned
Smith and Weir answer a call and find an abandoned baby. They bring it along to the station, where Inspector Dunn is in charge in Barlow's absence.
April 3, 1962, midnight
S1E15 - The Best Days
Lynch and Steele have their hands full when a gang of boys break into a school and smash up the headmaster's study. But the hooliganism doesn't stop there. When they are disturbed by the caretaker the oldest member of the gang attacks him and leaves him seriously injured.
April 10, 1962, midnight
S1E16 - Invisible Enemy
When a gas meter is broken into in a big block of flats Weir and Smith think their hunt is only for a petty thief. What they encounter, though, is someone much more dangerous.
April 17, 1962, midnight
S1E17 - Down And Out
A drunk causes a disturbance, two thieves break into a pet shop - and Steele and Lynch end the night at knife-point.
April 24, 1962, midnight
S1E18 - Further Enquiries
Weir stops a car driving without lights, the first event in a night which brings 'important' people in the county to Newtown police station.
May 1, 1962, midnight
S1E19 - Winner Takes All
A race track tout forgets to pay his alimony, and Steele and Lynch discover an ingenious fraud to beat the bookies.
May 8, 1962, midnight
S1E20 - People's Property
It's a busy night for Smith, Weir and Sergeant Watt when burglary is rife.
May 15, 1962, midnight
S1E21 - Hi-Jack!
At Pete's Caff Steele and Lynch report ""off watch for refreshments"". While they are eating and talking to Steele's friend Les Fielding his lorry is hi-jacked.
May 22, 1962, midnight
S1E22 - Incident Reported
Fancy Smith first meets Stan Carron in the Tabernacle pub where Carron is causing a disturbance. They have an argument. The second time they meet Carron is in no state to argue and Smith starts a long night's work.
May 29, 1962, midnight
S1E23 - Never On Wednesday
For two years Barlow has been trying to catch a Newtown thief. When DCS Robins takes a personal interest the pressure is on for everyone - particularly Steele and Lynch.
June 5, 1962, midnight
S1E24 - Day Trip
A charabanc outing, a halt at a pub and an exponent of the three-card trick: this is how a day at the seaside begins. It ends in violence.
June 12, 1962, midnight
S1E25 - Affray
Two men claim the same prize and trouble begins. When Lynch and Steele are called there is an unexpected development and a policeman dies.
June 19, 1962, midnight
S1E26 - Contraband
The prospect of a 'finder's reward' in a dockland smuggling case makes Smith and Weir eager volunteers for extra duty.
June 26, 1962, midnight
S1E27 - Teamwork
Just when the crime figures are levelling out one man pushes them up and up with a series of aimless break-ins. When Steele and Lynch lay hands on him but let him escape Barlow, Watt and Dunn are ready to lay hands on them!
July 3, 1962, midnight
S1E28 - Appearance In Court
Catching a thief is only the beginning as far as the police are concerned. When Smith and Weir have to justify their action in court the truth is made to look slightly less than the whole truth.
July 10, 1962, midnight
S1E29 - Assault
Barlow is investigating a case of assault. Betty Ancoats accuses four youths of attacking her, but one of them, Hogan, who has a reputation for violence, denies any knowledge of the crime.
July 17, 1962, midnight
S1E30 - Sunday Morning
None
July 24, 1962, midnight
S1E31 - Unconditional Surrender
Barlow initiates a campaign against the Cruddock brothers and their gang. The Z-Cars engage in 'Operation Harassment' and a state of total war develops.
July 31, 1962, midnight
Network: BBC One
Episode Runtime: 50 min.
Season Runtime: 40100 min.
Released: Jan. 2, 1962
Last Air Date: Sept. 20, 1978, midnight
Status: Ended
Certification: NR
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