The Bill – The Complete First Series
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Episodes: B
Debuting
in 1984 and still on the air as this posts almost a quarter-century later, The Bill finally arrived on DVD in its Complete First Series on NTSC U.S. DVD
and is a hit from the very tail-end of the last golden age of British TV. It also helped spur on a current cycle of
police procedurals that have been far from stellar and the series itself has
been criticized in several corners for becoming as dull. However, the 4 discs
and 11 episodes of this 1984 – 1985 season are far from that.
Yes, the
show has a melodramatic soap opera tendency, but the acting is serious and
seriously good, the situations handled with intelligence and flow (though
closer to a drama than action show) brisk enough without cheapening the
viewing, realism or storyline. Despite
the tons of British TV and film I have seen, I did not know any of the cats,
but they are very good and along with the crew’s work and The Bill is easily better than the mostly similar and mostly
contrived shows like it since its debut on both sides of The Atlantic. If you like this kind of TV, you’ll want this
set.
The 1.33
X 1 image was shot on professional analog PAL videotape and looks good for its
age with good color. The Dolby Digital
2.0 Mono is also good, both suggesting recent remastering. Extras include the original two-Hour Pilot
Episode - Woodentop, Behind The Creation of The Bill documentary, The London Beat Featurette (which looks
at the success of various U.K crime/drama television series including The Bill, The Sweeney and Callan)
and stills.
- Nicholas Sheffo
