Between The Lines

1 9 9 2 – 1 9 9 4 (UK)
35 x 50 minute episodes

Detective Superintendent Tony Clark was an ambitious but headstrong member of the Complaints Investigation Bureau (CIB), the internal watchdog division of the Metropolitan Police. As the head of a team of two detectives, it was Clark’s job to root out bent coppers – at all levels in the force.

Unfortunately, the hard-drinking, emotionally immature Clark was also a pawn in political games played by his superiors, and his job was further complicated by his own turbulent private life. His biggest problem, it seemed, was keeping his trousers on . . .

Indeed, the series was cruelly nicknamed ‘Between The Sheets’ and even ‘Between The Loins’.

Clark’s marriage broke up because of his affair with WPC Jenny Dean, and other women, such as Home Office official Angela Berridge and TV producer Sarah Teale, also drifted into his bed during the programme’s three-season run.

Clark’s sidekicks were Harry Naylor and Maureen ‘Mo’ Connell. Harry, the chain-smoking dependable copper, became increasingly more reckless and violent in his work as his wife’s terminal illness developed, while Mo’s own personal affairs (of the gay variety) began to infiltrate her working world also.

Above Clark initially were Commander Huxtable and Chief Superintendent John Deakin. Clark managed to nail the menacing Deakin for corruption at the end of the first series, but Deakin wriggled off the hook and remained a powerful influence in Clark’s life, particularly in the third series when Clark, Naylor and Connell found themselves outside the force and Deakin controlled their work as security advisers.

Between The Lines was an unexpected hit, picking up many awards and opening new doors for its star, Neil Pearson, previously seen as randy Dave Charnley in the Channel 4 comedy, Drop The Dead Donkey.

DS Tony Clark
Neil Pearson
DI Harry Naylor
Tom Georgeson
DS Maureen Connell
Siobhan Redmond
CS John Deakin
Tony Doyle
Cmmdr Brian Huxtable
David Lyon
Sue Clark
Lynda Steadman
WPC Jenny Dean
Lesley Vickerage
CS Graves
Robin Lermite
Cmmdr Sullivan
Hugh Ross
Angela Berridge
Francesca Annis
Joyce Naylor
Elaine Donnelly
Kate Roberts
Barbara Wilshere
Sarah Teale
Sylvestra le Touzel