Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Drama
    Drama TV Shows - 1970s 5 Mins Read

    Sweeney, The

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    1 9 7 5 – 1 9 7 8 (UK)
    53 x 50 minute episodes
    2 x 90 minute movies

    “Get yer trousers on – you’re nicked!”

    The Sweeney was the top-rated British police series of the 1970s, bringing a new level of toughness and action to the genre, and displaying police officers bending the rules to beat crime.

    sweeney1975

    Think big clumpy shoes pressing down on the accelerator pedal of a brown Ford Grenada and you’re halfway to remembering The Sweeney.

    Like a nastier, alcoholic version of The Bill, the hard-faced coppers from the Flying Squad collared villains in a time of power cuts and phones that rang with a bell.

    Debuting on Thursday 2 January 1975, The Sweeney, focused on the exploits of Jack Regan, a hard-working, hard-drinking and impatient Detective Inspector attached to the Flying Squad, the Metropolitan police’s elite armed-robbery unit – and the arm of the force that was supposed not to beat about the bush in catching criminals.

    The character of Regan was perfectly portrayed by John Thaw, a young actor with a lived-in face, already known from Red Cap.

    The programme – which derived its title from “Sweeney Todd” the Cockney rhyming slang for “Flying Squad” – was a spin-off from the successful 1974 TV film that had first introduced the protagonist, and also established his professional relationships with his cockney Bermondsey-boy assistant, Detective Sergeant George Carter (Dennis Waterman) and his “governor” Detective Chief Inspector Haskins (Garfield Morgan).

    Each episode in the series adopted the same basic narrative format – a three-act structure (with acts separated by adverts) preceded by a prologue that triggered the crime narrative.

    The first two acts were devoted to obtaining intelligence about a forthcoming robbery, often through tip-offs from informers or surveillance. The third, was devoted to the capture of the robbery gang, characteristically involving adrenalin-pumping action with car chases, screaming tyres, spectacular smashes and hand to hand fighting.

    The narrative was often further complicated through the addition of an anti-authority thread as Regan challenged Haskins’ “rule-book” approach and/or through the introduction of casual sex relationships, as one of the detectives became involved with an available woman.

    The series was created by Ian Kennedy-Martin, made by Euston Films, and went out mid-week on ITV. Euston was a group of like-minded producers, directors, and writers allowed to do their own thing by Thames Television – so long as it didn’t cost much.

    They worked out of Colet Court, an old school in Hammersmith, using the phone in the pub across the road, and often buying the props they needed for the next scene with whatever ‘readies’ the producer happened to have in his back pocket.

    In the first series, each episode was completed in only ten days and on a budget of around £40,000. Today it would cost at least ten times that much.

    The programme’s realism was considerable, and few other crime series have achieved so authentic an impression of the policing of London’s underworld.

    The series relied on detailed inside knowledge of the actual circumstances in which the Flying Squad operated and of the sometimes rather dubious means used to secure prosecutions.

    A former Flying Squad officer, Jack Quarrie, advised the writers on police procedures, but inevitably the big boys in blue objected to this convincing image of detectives whose idea of questioning suspects was to hold them up against a wall and punch them.

    Regan and Carter are shown inhabiting the same sleazy world as the criminals, mixing with low-life to obtain their leads, and adopting the same vernacular. Both law-enforcers and law-breakers indulge in womanising and heavy drinking and use physical violence to achieve their objectives.

    The extent to which Regan is prepared to bend and break the rules to nick villains was well established in the pilot film when he threatens a suspect with a longer sentence if he does not co-operate: “My sergeant is going to hit me, but I am going to say it’s you”.

    Unsurprisingly the series provoked fierce controversy, chiefly because of its potential to influence the public image of the police at a time of considerable social upheaval.

    However, the dark moral world that the series represented was difficult to fault on purely realist grounds as, at the time of transmission, a prominent officer in the Squad was under investigation and was eventually imprisoned for corruption.

    Harry South’s memorable theme tune can still trigger Pavlovian anticipation of impending violence.

    Two popular feature-length movies were also produced – Sweeney! (1977) and Sweeney 2 (1978).

    “We’re the Sweeney son . . . and we haven’t had any dinner!”

    DI Jack Regan 
    John Thaw
    DS George Carter 

    Dennis Waterman
    DCI Frank Haskins 

    Garfield Morgan

    Episodes

    Ringer | Jackpot | Thin Ice | Queen’s pawn | Jigsaw | Night Out | The Placer | Cover Story | Golden Boy | Stoppo Driver | Big Spender | Contact Breaker | Abduction | Chalk and Cheese | Faces | Supersnout | Big Brother | Hit and Run | Trap | Golden Fleece | Poppy | Stay Lucky, Eh? | Thou Shalt Not Kill | I Want the Man | Country Boy | Trojan Bus | Selected Target | In From the Cold | Visiting Fireman | Tomorrow Man | Taste of Fear | Bad Apple | May | Sweet Smell of Succession | Down to You, Brother | Pay Off | Loving Arms | Lady Luck | On The Run | Messenger of the Gods | Hard Men | Drag Act | Trust Red | Nightmare | Money, Money, Money | Bait | The Bigger They Ate | Feet of Clay | One of Your Own | Hearts and Minds | Lady Luck | Victims | Jack or Knave

    Video

    Related Posts

    • Runaround
      Runaround
      1 9 7 5 - 1 9 8 1 (UK) A boisterous game show for kids featuring incomprehensible rules and…
    • Dixon Of Dock Green
      Dixon Of Dock Green
      1 9 5 5 - 1 9 7 6 (UK) 367 x 25/45 minute episodes PC George Dixon was the first…
    • Target
      Target
      1 9 7 7 - 1 9 7 8 (UK) 22 x 50 minute episodes The door-kicking, pistol-in-the-face exploits of Detective…
    • Suspicion
      Suspicion
      1 9 7 1 - 1 9 7 2 (UK) 9 x 60 minute episodes This anthology series of hour-long plays…
    • Special Squad
      Special Squad
      1 9 8 4 - 1 9 8 5 (Australia) 43 x 60 minute episodes This Crawford cop show screened on…
    • Derrick
      Derrick
      1 9 7 4 - 1 9 9 8 (Germany) A phenomenally long-lasting and successful crime drama, Derrick revolved around the casebook of…
    • Zodiac
      Zodiac
      1 9 7 4 (UK) 6 x 60 minute episodes Astrology is strictly for the birds. That’s the emphatic view of…
    • Mitch
      Mitch
      1 9 8 4 (UK) 10 x 60 minute episodes John Thaw slowed down the pace since his action-packed days…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleRoots/Roots: The Next Generation
    Next Article Green Hornet, The

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    You May Also Like
    • All That Glitters
      1 9 7 7 (USA) 65 x 30 minute episodes All That Glitters followed […]
    • Brothers-In-Law
      1 9 6 2 (UK) 13 x 30 minute episodes This BBC comedy show gave […]
    • Heavy Metal
      Fine in principal, but not quite in practice; The Heavy Metal […]
    • Lost Man, The (1969)
      Former US Army lieutenant Jason Higgs (Sidney Poitier) has […]
    • Robert Cray
      An Army brat who was born in Georgia and grew up on bases in […]
    • Coffy (1973)
      The Baddest One-Chick Hit-Squad that ever hit town – She […]
    Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

    OUR LATEST FACEBOOK POSTS

    edition.cnn.com/2023/01/30/entertainment/cindy-williams-dead/index.html

    More sad news 😢
    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    'Laverne & Shirley' star Cindy Williams dead at 75 | CNN

    edition.cnn.com

    Cindy Williams, the dynamic actress known best for playing the bubbly Shirley Feeney on the beloved sitcom "Laverne & Shirley," has died, according to a statement from her family, provided to CNN by a...
    2 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64442824 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Television frontman Tom Verlaine dies at 73

    www.bbc.co.uk

    His band rose to fame in the 1970s New York punk scene, scoring UK hits including Marquee Moon.
    4 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64418847 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Mr Blobby costume sells for more than £62,000 on eBay

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The character, made famous by BBC show Noel's House Party, had been in storage since the 1990s.
    5 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Put some beefiness into your mid-week menu with these recipe ideas published in a Birds Eye advertisement from the Radio Times on 30 September 1965.

    Put some "beefiness into your mid-week menu" with these recipe ideas published in a Birds Eye advertisement from the "Radio Times" on 30 September 1965. ... See MoreSee Less

    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 3
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    They were awful. An overpowering savoury flavour that lingered in your mouth for hours. Heaven knows what unmentionable parts of a bull went into making them 😳

    More sad news 😪

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    US rock legend David Crosby dies aged 81

    www.bbc.co.uk

    Crosby, who co-founded both the Byrds and Crosby, Stills and Nash, had been ill for some time.
    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    This is what they promised us when I was a kid. What happened? 

All I have is 700 channels of rubbish on the TV in High Def, TikTok, Facebook and a phone I can take photographs with . . .

    This is what they promised us when I was a kid. What happened?

    All I have is 700 channels of rubbish on the TV in High Def, TikTok, Facebook and a phone I can take photographs with . . .
    ... See MoreSee Less

    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 54
    • Shares: 22
    • Comments: 7

    Comment on Facebook

    I thought we would have moving pavements by now when I was a kid 😂

    Totally agree!!!

    The new Tesla, 4.6 next century.

    We got transvestite story hour instead

    We appear to be going backwards

    There's actually a very good David Graeber essay on this very topic: thebaffler.com/salvos/of-flying-cars-and-the-declining-rate-of-profit

    The Jetsons strike again.

    View more comments

    Renowned Australian singer Renee Geyer is dead at 69 following complications from hip surgery. Such a fabulous voice. RIP😢

https://nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-l-to-z/artists-r/renee-geyer/

    Renowned Australian singer Renee Geyer is dead at 69 following complications from hip surgery. Such a fabulous voice. RIP😢

    nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-l-to-z/artists-r/renee-geyer/
    ... See MoreSee Less

    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    That is so sad to hear 😥 rest in peace 🙏 🕊 xx

    Gina Lollobrigida: Italian screen star dies at 95
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64292026

    Gina Lollobrigida: Italian screen star dies at 95
    www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64292026
    ... See MoreSee Less

    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 4
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    😍😍😍😍

    Vale Jeff Beck. Dead at 78. 😢

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Jeff Beck: British guitar legend dies aged 78

    www.bbc.co.uk

    One of rock's most influential guitarists, he was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.
    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Hi everyone. Were in the process of moving www.nostalgiacentral.com to new dedicated servers to better cope with the volumes of traffic. Please ignore any SSL security errors you may receive when visiting the site over the next 24 hours while the move completes.

    Hi everyone. We're in the process of moving www.nostalgiacentral.com to new dedicated servers to better cope with the volumes of traffic. Please ignore any SSL security errors you may receive when visiting the site over the next 24 hours while the move completes. ... See MoreSee Less

    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 5
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 2

    Comment on Facebook

    Ironically, this post has jumped off the page at me. You'll probably get most traffic today because everyone will want to see what they might be missing!

    Martin Platt

    Load more
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Sport Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.