Z Cars

[Deleted]

GC and I are halfway through watching the DVDs of Z Cars from 1972. Even though there were 801 episodes altogether (it ran from 1962-78) it seems they only did 12 episodes on DVD which is a shame. The plots are a fairly tame with the crimes to be solved like stolen cigarettes and post office robberies but I think that was the expectations in those days. The characters are good though and it's great to see the old estates, cars and fashions with the opening credits showing concrete bollards with tyres over them...

Sometimes the scenes outside are not as clear as inside and for some reason even though they have filmed a street scene showing the characters in the car, when they cut to them inside the car they have been superimposed on backdrop rather than filming in it situ and then they have strange yellow line round the outside of them    I've also seen the sound mic in shot a couple of times but I think that just all adds to the charm.  

It's not as gritty or fast-paced as The Sweeney (and shows how The Sweeney broke boundaries) but we're still enjoying watching it. Have also just seen Stephanie Turner (George Carter's wife) in the 6th episode. I found the first black and white episode on YouTube earlier and that was only 10 minutes long and Bert Lynch looks really young  .

Stay safe everyone, CG x

[Cartman]

I only really remember this from the 60s, and only quite vaguely, as I was I only young then, but dad liked it so I caught some of it. I remember liking the mark 2 and 3 zephyrs which featured in it.

I think it was one of those programmes which went in too long though and was outclassed by the Sweeney in its final years

[Arthur Pringle]

I bought the 2 Z Cars dvds after watching a few 70's episodes on youtube & enjoying them. The show is closer to a soap opera format, or what used to be called 'kitchen sink drama' & 'social realism', with it being made mostly in the studio on videotape the stories had to concentrate more on the character's lives rather than use location for atmosphere & as a 'character' as The Sweeney did.

Z Cars & other shows often get compared unfavourably to The Sweeney with claims that they were too cosy, etc. There is some truth in this, especially with Dixon Of Dock Green which in fact attempted to update itself by introducing a more abrasive 'Sweeney type' lead character ( played by Ben Howard ) in the last series, but was 'The Bill' any less cosy than Z Cars?

Videotape gives a show a very different feel. There's a commentary by one of the actors on one of the 70's Dixon Of Dock Green dvds, he mentions that the shows were effectively recorded live as the tape they used would snap if they stopped it, so what you see is closer to a live stage performance.

After Z Cars I started watching the Z Cars spin off  'Softly Softly Task Force', oddly enough I find this show a lot more dated, closer to Dixon Of Dock Green.

Easily my favourite Z Cars character is Haggar ( or 'Aggar as he calls himself ) played by John Collin, the Yorkshire actor who plays Parish in 'Contact Breaker'.

Pity there aren't more episodes available, a couple of youtube channels- archivetvmusings & anachronisticanarachist add episodes every so often. Here's one that has a touch of The Sweeney about it-

[Three Litre]

Apr 5, 2020 13:16:29 GMT Arthur Pringle said:

I bought the 2 Z Cars dvds after watching a few 70's episodes on youtube & enjoying them. The show is closer to a soap opera format, or what used to be called 'kitchen sink drama' & 'social realism', with it being made mostly in the studio on videotape the stories had to concentrate more on the character's lives rather than use location for atmosphere & as a 'character' as The Sweeney did.

Z Cars & other shows often get compared unfavourably to The Sweeney with claims that they were too cosy, etc. There is some truth in this, especially with Dixon Of Dock Green which in fact attempted to update itself by introducing a more abrasive 'Sweeney type' lead character ( played by Ben Howard ) in the last series, but was 'The Bill' any less cosy than Z Cars?

Videotape gives a show a very different feel. There's a commentary by one of the actors on one of the 70's Dixon Of Dock Green dvds, he mentions that the shows were effectively recorded live as the tape they used would snap if they stopped it, so what you see is closer to a live stage performance.

After Z Cars I started watching the Z Cars spin off  'Softly Softly Task Force', oddly enough I find this show a lot more dated, closer to Dixon Of Dock Green.

Easily my favourite Z Cars character is Haggar ( or 'Aggar as he calls himself ) played by John Collin, the Yorkshire actor who plays Parish in 'Contact Breaker'.

Pity there aren't more episodes available, a couple of youtube channels- archivetvmusings & anachronisticanarachist add episodes every so often. Here's one that has a touch of The Sweeney about it-

What the hell did they do to the theme music on this episode? It's ruddy awful.

[Arthur Pringle]

That version of the theme is by Steeleye Span, their singer Maddy Prior is the daughter of Z Cars creator & one of the main writers Allan Prior.

[Del Boy]

Z Cars is another classic series i've yet to clap eyes on.  I'll give it a go. Thanks everyone.

[Deleted]

Apr 5, 2020 13:16:29 GMT Arthur Pringle said:

I bought the 2 Z Cars dvds after watching a few 70's episodes on youtube & enjoying them. The show is closer to a soap opera format, or what used to be called 'kitchen sink drama' & 'social realism', with it being made mostly in the studio on videotape the stories had to concentrate more on the character's lives rather than use location for atmosphere & as a 'character' as The Sweeney did.

Z Cars & other shows often get compared unfavourably to The Sweeney with claims that they were too cosy, etc. There is some truth in this, especially with Dixon Of Dock Green which in fact attempted to update itself by introducing a more abrasive 'Sweeney type' lead character ( played by Ben Howard ) in the last series, but was 'The Bill' any less cosy than Z Cars?

Videotape gives a show a very different feel. There's a commentary by one of the actors on one of the 70's Dixon Of Dock Green dvds, he mentions that the shows were effectively recorded live as the tape they used would snap if they stopped it, so what you see is closer to a live stage performance.

After Z Cars I started watching the Z Cars spin off  'Softly Softly Task Force', oddly enough I find this show a lot more dated, closer to Dixon Of Dock Green.

Easily my favourite Z Cars character is Haggar ( or 'Aggar as he calls himself ) played by John Collin, the Yorkshire actor who plays Parish in 'Contact Breaker'.

Pity there aren't more episodes available, a couple of youtube channels- archivetvmusings & anachronisticanarachist add episodes every so often. Here's one that has a touch of The Sweeney about it-

Thanks Arthur - I will definitely look at those YouTube channels. I only have 3 left to watch from the DVDs so am trying to space them out! Actually as the episodes have gone on the scenes in the cars seem to have improved. I did spot though a massive electricity pylon in someone’s garden which looked unusual (or maybe so not so much in those day maybe) 

[Davy Freeth]

I always thought of the 60s when i hear z-cars mentioned never knew it went into the 70s. Should be some good location shots to see locations changing through the 70s.

[Deleted]

Just watch a couple episodes on YouTube and one is filmed around Hatfield in Hertfordshire! Not to far away from me. I googled the church from the episode and it wasn’t to easy to spot! If ya saw what it looked like you’d understand lol!! Wouldn’t mind going to the locations of this episode in the future!
The other episode on you tube is entitled Guns” great episode, has a bit more action in it like the Sweeney! features a guy with a air pistol. Got me reminiscing of the one I had when I was 12, bought it from a second hand shop I used to frequent, for two quid. Twas a Diana SP50, fired 177 calabre pellets but used to love the little fluffy dart ones! Which I used to fire into my dads dart board int garage.
happy memories of shooting it on the playing fields and firing it at a old wooden pavilion. Oh how much times have changed ha!! air pistols and rifles  seemed quite popular in the 70s.
can ya imagine waving a pistol about like that in 2020! You’d have the armed response unit out in no time! Lol!
Reminded me of a mate I knew once who held a filling station up’ with a play station gun 

[Three Litre]

Apr 7, 2020 11:51:47 GMT @getcarter said:

Just watch a couple episodes on YouTube and one is filmed around Hatfield in Hertfordshire! Not to far away from me. I googled the church from the episode and it wasn’t to easy to spot! If ya saw what it looked like you’d understand lol!! Wouldn’t mind going to the locations of this episode in the future!
The other episode on you tube is entitled Guns” great episode, has a bit more action in it like the Sweeney! features a guy with a air pistol. Got me reminiscing of the one I had when I was 12, bought it from a second hand shop I used to frequent, for two quid. Twas a Diana SP50, fired 177 calabre pellets but used to love the little fluffy dart ones! Which I used to fire into my dads dart board int garage.
happy memories of shooting it on the playing fields and firing it at a old wooden pavilion. Oh how much times have changed ha!! air pistols and rifles  seemed quite popular in the 70s.
can ya imagine waving a pistol about like that in 2020! You’d have the armed response unit out in no time! Lol!
Reminded me of a mate I knew once who held a filling station up’ with a play station gun 

Yes, you'd be in the papers GC if you walked out with one of those!

Same as if a parent sent their 6 year to walk across a village to school like I did in the 60's, parent would get it right in the neck!

Which episode was the Hatfield one? I went to the Poly there in the 70's.