Z-Cars

50min

Drama

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.

Episodes

Cast

Four of a Kind

1. Four of a Kind

50min

2nd Jan 1962

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.

The Limping Rabbit

2. The Limping Rabbit

50min

9th Jan 1962

A girl disappears, and Steele and Lynch are faced by a conspiracy of silence in her broken family.

Handle With Care

3. Handle With Care

50min

16th Jan 1962

An explosion in a quarry disturbs two lovers. It also disturbs Detective Sergeant John Watt when he finds out what caused it.

Stab In The Dark

4. Stab In The Dark

50min

23rd Jan 1962

A wounding case brings top brass into Victor Division to investigate. Lynch and Steele work overtime to find the villain.

Big Catch

5. Big Catch

50min

30th Jan 1962

When the whalers hit Seaport after a good season Smith and Weir have their work cut out to keep trouble to a minimum.

Friday Night

6. Friday Night

50min

6th Feb 1962

""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.

Suspended

7. Suspended

50min

13th Feb 1962

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.

Family Feud

8. Family Feud

50min

20th Feb 1962

When two feuding families go to war Lynch and Steele find themselves in the front line.

Fire!

9. Fire!

50min

27th Feb 1962

The report of a burning barn takes Smith and Weir into the country, searching for a fire-raiser.

Threats And Menaces

10. Threats And Menaces

50min

6th Mar 1962

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.

Jail Break

11. Jail Break

50min

13th Mar 1962

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.

What Kind Of Hero?

12. What Kind Of Hero?

50min

20th Mar 1962

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!

Sudden Death

13. Sudden Death

50min

27th Mar 1962

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.

Found Abandoned

14. Found Abandoned

50min

3rd Apr 1962

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.

The Best Days

15. The Best Days

50min

10th Apr 1962

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.

Invisible Enemy

16. Invisible Enemy

50min

17th Apr 1962

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.

Down And Out

17. Down And Out

50min

24th Apr 1962

A drunk causes a disturbance, two thieves break into a pet shop - and Steele and Lynch end the night at knife-point.

Further Enquiries

18. Further Enquiries

50min

1st May 1962

Weir stops a car driving without lights, the first event in a night which brings 'important' people in the county to Newtown police station.

Winner Takes All

19. Winner Takes All

50min

8th May 1962

A race track tout forgets to pay his alimony, and Steele and Lynch discover an ingenious fraud to beat the bookies.

People's Property

20. People's Property

50min

15th May 1962

It's a busy night for Smith, Weir and Sergeant Watt when burglary is rife.

Hi-Jack!

21. Hi-Jack!

50min

22nd May 1962

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.

Incident Reported

22. Incident Reported

50min

29th May 1962

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.

Never On Wednesday

23. Never On Wednesday

50min

5th Jun 1962

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.

Day Trip

24. Day Trip

50min

12th Jun 1962

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.

Affray

25. Affray

50min

19th Jun 1962

Two men claim the same prize and trouble begins. When Lynch and Steele are called there is an unexpected development and a policeman dies.

Contraband

26. Contraband

50min

26th Jun 1962

The prospect of a 'finder's reward' in a dockland smuggling case makes Smith and Weir eager volunteers for extra duty.

Teamwork

27. Teamwork

50min

3rd Jul 1962

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!

Appearance In Court

28. Appearance In Court

50min

10th Jul 1962

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.

Assault

29. Assault

50min

17th Jul 1962

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.

Sunday Morning

30. Sunday Morning

50min

24th Jul 1962

Unconditional Surrender

31. Unconditional Surrender

50min

31st Jul 1962

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.

First air date

2nd Jan 1962

Last air date

20th Sep 1978

Status

Ended

Type

Scripted

Original language

en

Networks