The Thin Blue Line (TV series)

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This article is about the British sitcom. For other uses, see The Thin Blue Line.
The Thin Blue Line
Format Sitcom
Starring Rowan Atkinson
James Dreyfus
Mina Anwar
Serena Evans
Rudolph Walker
David Haig
Kevin Allen
Mark Addy
Country of origin Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
No. of episodes 14
Production
Running time 30 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel BBC
Original run 13 November 1995 – 23 December 1996
External links
IMDb profile

The Thin Blue Line was a British sitcom starring Rowan Atkinson set in a police station that lasted for two series from 1995 to 1996. It was written by Ben Elton.

Contents

[edit] Cast

Many notable actors made guest appearances, and these include the writer Ben Elton, Stephen Fry, Melvyn Hayes, Trevor Peacock, Alexander Armstrong, Nicola Stapleton, Perry Fenwick and Rupert Vansittart.

[edit] Plot and characters

The Thin Blue Line was set in the police station of a fictional town of Gasforth. One of the main themes was the rivalry between the uniformed squad led by Inspector Fowler (a sort of protagonist figure) and the CID led by Detective Inspector Grim (often Fowler's antagonist, though they were on the same side of the law). DI Grim provided much of the humour through his mis-use of the English language. Episodes frequently saw the uniformed branch and CID locking horns over similar, or in some cases the same, issues, and by having conflicting views or methods of operation. Generally, the uniformed section triumphed over the Detectives, although not without their own foibles.
The other comedic plotlines centered around the characters below and their peculiarities, although other PCs and staff were usually visible in the background and at meetings. (These ancillary characters' visibility is more obvious in the first series. In both series they generally have no speaking parts).

Inspector Raymond C. Fowler is an old-fashioned policeman, whose lack of interest in sex constantly annoys his live-in girlfriend of ten years Sergeant Dawkins. He was previously married, and his college-age son Bill made one appearance in the series. His former wife Susan is alluded to but never featured. Inspector Fowler has a strong devotion to duty and takes his job very seriously, sometimes showing a lack of contemporary social awareness that amuses Habib and annoys Grim. He has been known to (usually unwittingly) perform very courageous acts in the line of duty. Among the cast, he most closely characterizes the "stiff upper lip" English official, at least while on duty. He is a member of the local drama society and fancies himself an actor.

Sergeant Patricia Dawkins is Inspector Fowler's partner of 10 years. She is forever on a quest for more sexual attention from Fowler, who is usually reluctant to oblige. Despite her frustration and anger, she loves Fowler devotedly and has but one dream - to marry him and have their child. Dawkins gets extremely jealous if Fowler talks alone with other women, and often jumps to conclusions as a result. This occasionally placed her at odds with the younger WPC Maggie Habib, but the two always resume their friendship. She is also concerned about her health and appearance, perhaps as a result of Fowler's lukewarm sexual attentions. At the police station she is most often shown as the desk sergeant.

Detective Inspector Derek Grim is the head of the CID unit at Gasforth Police Station. His attitude is that CID are superior to the uniformed Police and proclaims that the uniformed officers are "extinct...like the 'doo-doo' ". Grim harbors a poorly contained desire to be promoted, preferably away from unexciting Gasforth. Sometimes oblivious to subtleties, Grim is far more ignorant than he is willing to admit, which he regularly displays through his butchery of English phraseology, and his ill-conceived ideas. He can be described as buffoonish, and insecure about his own professional status and social standing. He has been married for 20 years to Tina (unseen) with whom he shares an intense love-hate relationship, as he is almost constantly complaining about her. But he occasionally reveals that he does indeed love his wife. His son, Darren, was arrested by Goody in one episode. His rants (often against "fannying about" which he himself plainly does) are the source of numerous comedic lines.

Constable Kevin Goody is unitelligent and is perhaps the most complex of the show's characters. Oblivious to the obvious, he has very little idea of what being a Police Officer entails, and admitted that "wearing a nice uniform" was one reason he joined the Force. Easily confused, his ineptitude constantly amazes Fowler, who once exclaimed "your head is just something you keep your hat on, isn't it?". Goody is always on an unsuccessful quest to win the heart of WPC Habib despite his camp behaviour. He lives with his mother, of whom he is terrified ("...she'll come down here, and do her raving Nah-Nah..."), and Habib has learned to threaten to inform her when he becomes too annoying. He did however once strike a prisoner out of pure rage when the young thug racially insulted Habib, for which he was nearly charged by Fowler. Despite Habib's protests, Fowler continued proceedings against Goody, claiming he had no choice since the victim's mother was pressing the charges. When she began loosely slapping her child during the complaint interview, he bargained that if she dropped the charges against Goody, he would overlook her "assaulting" her son, citing an obscure (possibly made up) EU law against such "abuse".

Constable Maggie Habib is a female Officer of Indian (Muslim) descent and is generally the "straight man" in Fowler's uniformed branch. Amazingly intelligent, she often approached issues with a wise and methodical train of thought. Fowler has commented several times that she is his finest Officer, and that she has a good career ahead of her. She always tries to deflect the attentions of Goody, but on several occasions rescues him from career-damaging situations. Habib is a feminist and is vocally 'progressive' in her socio-political views. It is also revealed in season 2 that she has a drug-addict sister named Nazia, whom she protects by withholding evidence of the drugs, for which she was nearly charged by Grim until Fowler blackmailed him by threatening him with criminal charges for a crime he had committed. She was also arrested by local villain "Terry the Tank" when Grim tried to use her as a "honey-trap" and was accused of entrapment.

Constable Frank Gladstone is an older PC presumably near retirement who was born in Trinidad. He has been a PC all his life (as was his father) and is enjoying his career winding down. He often contributes to situations by making irrelevant (usually silly) tangental comments; sometimes sexist in nature. This sexism sometimes provides an amusing foil (opposite) to Constable Goody's overt camp behaviour. With the possible exception of Goody, Gladstone is the most out-of-touch-with-reality of the characters. He once claimed to have had an interesting case in which a woman complained that her neighbour had trimmed his hedge into the shape of a bottom. He also offered advice to Fowler on how to deal with environmental protesters that had chained themselves to trees, etc., which effectively amounted to "call the police". His character has been criticised as a token ethnic minority one, despite Habib's importance to the series. PC Gladstone nevertheless provided support to a number of funny scenes in the series.

Detective Constable Robert Kray is an Officer in Grim's CID unit for the entire of Series 1. Presumably having been promoted beyond the regular uniformed service, he is a very 'laddish' Cop: intelligent, but rather cynical and pragmatic, whose motivation for joining the Force was the 'perks of the job' such as pushing to the front of queues, and (sometimes) twisting being a Police Officer to his own ends. He is frequently eating or ordering food via telephone whilst on duty. Despite being at Grim's beck and call, he has little respect for his superior and often chuckles at his misfortunes, as does Fowler. He provides a comic supporting role similar to PC Gladstone, although his interjections are usually brief "one-liner" stabs. He is paired with female DC Crockett in several scenes (she eventually disappears from the series). Kray is replaced in Series 2 by DC Gary Boyle. Both Kray and Boyle served as intelligent "straight man" characters to the bumbling Grim, not unlike PC Habib's relationship with Fowler.

Detective Constable Gary Boyle is Kray's replacement in Series 2. He too is very 'laddish' and likes being a Police Officer for the associated perks. Like Kray, he is intelligent, hypocritical, cynical, and pragmatic; he sees no reason why Police Officers should not take liberties such as staging pub lock-ins, using the car siren when late for lunch, or even planting evidence on clever criminals if that's what it takes to get a conviction. Arguably more aggressive than Kray, Boyle sometimes covers up for Grim's mistakes or else steers him in the right direction, all the same being generally unimpressed with his superior. The second series, with Boyle, is a bit more serious in this regard and shows CID as more involved than the first series. Boyle has several spots in this and as such, his character is more developed than Kray's but perhaps proportionally less comical.

Dame Christabel Wickham QC ("Chrissy Wicky")is a local barrister and Gasforth's Mayoress. She makes several appearances during Series 2. A powerful and overbearing woman, she has Fowler somewhat on a leash due to his overwhelming sense of duty in respect of authority figures. She also has enough influence to assist Fowler's career and possibly help arrange an MBE - both of which Fowler is acutely aware. She and Fowler attended the same grammar school, from which it is revealed that Fowler had a crush on her, and still does considering that his nose twitches when he is in her presence (a sign that he is sexually attracted to someone), much to the annoyance of Dawkins. Fowler rarely helps the situation by making comments like "she has a fine mind and superb calf muscles". Dawkins loathes Wickham, and pointed out that simply because Wickham is Mayoress is no reason to respect her, since "plenty of other dogs have chains around their necks". In the episode "Court In The Act", she takes up the defense of an accused drug dealer. Despite the fact that the drug dealer had been set up, it was strange that the Mayoress would defend an accused drug dealer.

[edit] Ben Elton

The writer Ben Elton is a self-confessed fan of Dad's Army,[citation needed] and as such many of the characters can be compared with those of Dad's Army. Fowler's relationship with Grim is very similar to that of Captain Mainwaring to Warden Hodges, in that they are both on the same side yet enemies. Also, Constable Goody is rather like Private Pike in being a 'stupid boy' that irritates Fowler. Constable Gladstone's habit of interrupting a briefing with a story about life in Trinidad is similar to Lance Corporal Jones' penchant for reminiscing about when he was in the Sudan during one of Captain Mainwaring's speeches. Similar comparisons can be drawn from many of the minor characters. In the episode Rag Week, Fowler is briefly seen walking out of a shop called "Mainwaring's". Stephen Fry's character, Brigadier Blaster-Sump, also had a similarity to Melchett from Blackadder. In the first series the "WANTED" poster behind Fowler's desk in the briefing room is an e-fit of Ben Elton.

[edit] Episodes

[edit] Series One (1995)

Title Airdate Overview
The Queen's Birthday Present 13 November It is the Queen's Official Birthday in a few days time, and also the tenth anniversary of Fowler and Dawkins' relationship, unknown to Fowler, who is more concerned about buying The Queen a present. Dawkins soon realizes this and she and Fowler have a nasty falling out. Meanwhile, Constable Goody has had his eyes on Constable Habib for quite a while, and after hearing Constable Gladstone's advice, tries to prove himself to Habib while on street patrol, but makes a complete fool of himself.
Fire & Terror 20 November Habib falls for a fireman named Gary, much to Goody's jealousy, while Fowler finds himself pestered frequently by a man who claims to have committed impossible, solved or extremely historical crimes, much to Inspector Grim's amusement. However, when a man claims to be plotting terrorism, Special Branch is called in to investigate, an investigation which could lead to Grim's promotion.
Honey Trap 27 November When a tipsy Fowler comes home from his Pub Quiz night claiming to have kissed Constable Habib for keeping them in the game, he and Dawkins have a nasty falling out. Meanwhile, Grim enlists Fowler's help in an Entrapment Operation to use Habib as bait to trap a criminal named "Terry the Tank" solely for insulting him. Unfortunately, this makes Fowler have to take Habib off the quiz team and have private meetings with him, much to Dawkins' jealous suspicion.
Rag Week 4 December It's rag week in Gasforth, and Fowler and his men are frequently disturbed by teenagers in scary masks, that is until a bank robbery by three men in rag masks occurs while Dawkins is there. Is it a Rag Week Prank? Or a real robbery?
Night Shift 11 December Pestered by his ex-wife, Fowler reluctantly agrees to let his son Bill stay with him and Dawkins for a fortnight (she's apparently sick of him). When Dawkins overhears Bill making love to his girlfriend in the bedroom, she becomes envious and talks Fowler into going to see a sex therapist. Unfortunately, the therapist turns out to be a mundane, bisexual woman with a lust for seeing naked people.
Kids Today 18 December While Fowler believes that the best way to deal with teenage troublemakers is to talk sense into them, Grim believes it best to lock them up and "throw away the door". After an abandoned baby is found by Habib in the police station bins, Fowler orders Habib and Goody to arrest a group of teenage skinheads for disturbing the peace. Unfortunately, one of the skinheads uses racist language towards Habib and provokes Goody into punching him in the face, which lands him in serious trouble. Can Fowler play his wits right and stop Goody from the possibility of entering a prison cell?
Yuletide Spirit 26 December Christmas has arrived, and Goody has bought a puncture repair kit for Fowler and some sexy underwear for Habib, but when he accidentally gives them the wrong presents, Dawkins catches a glimpse of the underwear in a parcel on Fowler's desk and immediately assumes that Fowler has bought them for her. After kissing him fiercely in his office, Dawkins reveals to Fowler her reason, but Goody has now given the underwear to Habib. Can Fowler talk Goody into returning the underwear in time for Christmas?

[edit] Series Two (1996)

Title Airdate Overview
Court in the Act 14 November Grim and Boyle enlist the help of Fowler and his officers to search the home of a suspected drug-dealer, and Goody finds the drugs in the kitchen. But afterwards, Goody claims that he had looked there before and found nothing, Boyle starts acting very discreet about the arrest, and Grim seems to be having a crisis of conscience and starts asking Habib questions about religion. Further tension arises between Fowler and Dawkins when Mayoress Cristabel Wickham (an old friend of Fowler's whom he apparently fancies) represents the drug-dealer in court. Is there something going on behind the arrest?
Ism Ism Ism 21 November Sergeant Dawkins shows Inspector Fowler a security video of what seems to be a man abusing his wife, and around the same time, Grim tells Boyle that he plans to join the Todgers Lodge, since he was rejected by the Masons. Meanwhile, Mayoress Wickham visits Fowler in a foul mood about the confirmation of an illegal immigrant whom she wants Fowler to arrest. Things start to take a turn for the worse when Fowler accidentally arrests Mustafa Delquah (the French, dark-skinned Commissioner for European Rights) as the illegal immigrant and barges into the abusive husband's home to see that it is actually Inspector Grim's Todgers' initiation ceremony. Fowler goes home in disgrace.
Fly on the Wall 28 November Fowler receives a letter from the BBC, who then come and make a Fly on the wall documentary about Gasforth Police Station. Unfortunately, despite Fowler telling them otherwise countless times, the other officers believe that they are all going to become international TV Stars and undergo many sexy changes to look "nice for the telly". Can Fowler persuade them otherwise before it's too late?
Alternative Culture 5 December The women's bathrooms in the police station are malfunctioning, forcing them to share the male "bog", much to their chagrin. Grim and Boyle plan to search almost every teenager in Gasforth for illegal drugs, just as Constable Habib's sister Nazia comes to stay with her for a few days. Unfortunately, while Fowler, Grim and the other officers are searching the teenagers, Habib finds Nazia among the drug addicts and hides her crack in her own pocket to protect her little sister. But she is spotted by the drug-searching dogs, and charged for holding drugs. Fowler once saved Goody from a similar predicament, but can he do the same for Habib?
Come on You Blues 12 December Gasforth Football Club is about to play a Premiership team, and Mayoress Wickham orders Fowler and his officers to personally see to it that nothing goes wrong in exchange for her recommending him for an MBE.
Road Rage 19 December After Grim arrives at the station in a foul mood due to having his car scratched by an Aston Martin, Fowler and his men receive reports that several road-protesters are causing havoc. They go to investigate and fight them off, but Fowler sees Dawkins is among them, and has been seduced by their muscular leader, Stallion. Angry and frustrated, Fowler leaves Dawkins with Stallion, until he returns the next morning with her breakfast out of love. Stallion is arrested by Dawkins and Fowler for planning violence, but it turns out at the station that Stallion is really the undercover secret agent Carlton of MI5, and the owner of the Aston Martin that scratched Grim's Nissan.
The Green Eyed Monster 23 December It is promotion time in Gasforth, and Fowler and Grim seem to be fighting for the position. But when Fowler learns that family men are usually promoted, he attempts to make a proposal to Sergeant Dawkins, who then walks out on him. Can Fowler win her back before the promotion meeting? Or will he be forced to find another woman now that Dawkins has left him?

[edit] Critical reception

Although popular, the series was panned by critics who cited uneven character development[citation needed]. Nonetheless, the show ranked 34th in the BBC's Britain's Best Sitcom poll in 2004.

[edit] DVD releases

Both series have been released on DVD in the UK (Region 2) by Vision Video Ltd. Episodes in the first series were not in broadcast order on the DVD. The Thin Blue Line is available in Region 1 (North America), having been released by BBC Warner.

[edit] References

  • Mark Lewisohn, "Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy", BBC Worldwide Ltd, 2003

[edit] External links

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