The Sweeney DVDs; The Sweeney - A Summary; The Sweeney Transmission Details

THE SWEENEY DVDs available from Peace & Freedom Press - in association with Amazon.co.uk

"Get your trousers on. You're nicked." So Jack Regan busts another crim with his usual subtle use of the English language.

'The Sweeney' was the first really hard-edged police drama on British TV screens, with doors being broken down by burly shoulders, and criminals not given the option of a "quiet word down at the station."

Beginning with the television film, 'Regan', in 1974, 'The Sweeney' was first broadcast by ITV in January, 1975 (a time when ITV was in its prime, and far removed from this now sad channel's decline into desperate 'reality' shows and general tackiness). Created by Ian Kennedy-Martin, 'The Sweeney' was Cockney rhyming slang, i.e. 'Sweeney Todd' and 'Flying Squad'. The Flying Squad was a specialised arm of London's Metropolitan Police.

John Thaw (D.I. Regan) and Dennis Waterman (D.S. George Carter) were friends off screen, and that obviously helped the on screen chemistry between the two. Regan and Carter were soulmates, and mavericks, and D.C.I. Haskins (Garfield Morgan) was their old-style boss, trying to do things by the book.

At times it seemed like the film 'Bullitt' on speed, with a plethora of car chases, and then there were the collaring of the villains, with a few traded blows. 'The Sweeney' was a forerunner in style to 'The Bill', and was authentic. Thaw and Waterman were drinking buddies with some real life members of The Flying Squad, who got a bit nervous about the pairs womanising in the series - as the real coppers were fearful as to whether their wives would think they were 'at it' too.

As well as making John Thaw and Dennis Waterman big, even household, names, 'The Sweeney' also had an impressive list of guest stars, including Morecambe & Wise, and up and coming actors such as Karl Howman. There were also two spin-off 'Sweeney' movies. Thaw decided to quit after four series, as he felt the series was so good it could probably only go downhill, and 'The Sweeney' without Jack Regan would have meant the series would have become a pale shadow. So many good TV series do plod on when they're well past their best. Thankfully, 'The Sweeney' wasn't one of them.

- Paul Rance.

The Sweeney Transmission Details

January 1975-March 1975; 14 Episodes
September 1975-November 1975; 13 Episodes
September 1976-December 1976; 13 Episodes
September 1978-December 1978; 14 Episodes

The Sweeney Factoids

'The Sweeney' was produced by Ted Childs, for Euston Films, a subsidiary of Thames Television.
There were 53 50 minute episodes, and one of 77 minutes.
'The Sweeney' has been sold to 51 countries.
Shot on 16mm film, 'The Sweeney' was one of the first TV shows to do so.

The Sweeney - The Complete Series 1 [1975] Network DVD - September 29, 2003 Usually dispatched within 24 hours	The Sweeney Double Feature - The Sweeney 1 / The Sweeney 2 [1976] Warner Home Video DVD - August 25, 2003 Usually dispatched within 24 hours	The Sweeney - The Complete Series 2 [1976] Network DVD - March 22, 2004 Usually dispatched within 24 hours
The Sweeney - The Complete Series 3 [1976] Network DVD - August 9, 2004 Usually dispatched within 24 hours	The Sweeney - The Complete Series 4 Network DVD - October 18, 2004 Usually dispatched within 24 hours	The Sweeney Network 16 Disc Box Set DVD - November 1, 2004 Usually dispatched within 24 hours

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