archytele The Vault
Advertisement
Season guide

The Bill: Series 6

104 episodes Premiered Jan 2, 1990 Updated Sep 28, 2026

The sixth series of The Bill, a British television drama, consisted of 104 episodes, broadcast between 2 January – 27 December 1990. The series was first released on DVD as part of the Collection 5 and Collection 6 DVD boxsets in Australia, made available on 9 April – 8 October 2008, respectively. The series was later re-issued as two-half series boxsets in Australia, released on 7 March 2012. The above artwork is ta

Previously on The Bill

Season 6 Lore Primer

Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.

  • ⚡ Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of The Bill Season 5.
  • ⚡ Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
  • ⚡ Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
  • ⚡ Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.

Season overview

The sixth series of The Bill, a British television drama, consisted of 104 episodes, broadcast between 2 January – 27 December 1990. The series was first released on DVD as part of the Collection 5 and Collection 6 DVD boxsets in Australia, made available on 9 April – 8 October 2008, respectively. The series was later re-issued as two-half series boxsets in Australia, released on 7 March 2012. The above artwork is taken from the most recent Australian release. It features images of DC Tosh Lines and DI Frank Burnside. The original Collection box-sets contained sole images of PC Reg Hollis and DS Ted Roach. In the UK, the first nine episodes were released on DVD under the title Volume 7, on 2 September 2013.

Advertisement
Season 6 Episodes

Episode Guide

🛡️ SPOILER SHIELD

Season 6 Progress Shield

Future titles & synopses blurred. Tap "Reveal" on any card to peek.
Binge Efficiency Engine

Season 6: Filler vs. Essential Canon

Filter episodes by narrative weight. Focus on essential mytharc and skip standalone side quests.

93%
Mytharc (7): Crucial lore & season climaxes
Core (97): Character development & subplots
Side Quest (0): Standalone / filler
S6·E1 Mytharc

By The Skin Of Our Teeth

Jan 2, 1990 · 22 min

Hollis is gossiping in the locker room. Able is sent to a pub to deal with a man on valium. The man ends going to his mother-in-law's and trashes the place. Able sorts out a fig

S6·E2 Core

Officers And Gentlemen

Jan 4, 1990 · 22 min

D.C. Jim Carver and Ch. Insp. Conway face an embarrassing situation when a thief confesses to a crime that Jim has already cleared up... and Jim's having problems with the ladies t

S6·E3 Core

Carry Your Bags Sir

Jan 9, 1990 · 22 min

Charles tells Derek to organise a group of officers needed to escort a German police officer around London who is looking for stolen truck engines meanwhile Bob is not happy when T

S6·E4 Core

I Thought You'd Gone

Jan 11, 1990 · 22 min

Inspector Frazer and Taffy Edwards are about to discover there is life after Sun Hill.

S6·E5 Core

C.A.D.

Jan 16, 1990 · 22 min

Hollis is organising a blood bank at the station and Peters is not happy because Viv is lying down. She is sent to assist at an armed robbery and hits a radio black spot so no one

S6·E6 Core

A Day Lost

Jan 18, 1990 · 22 min

Garfield and Norika investigate a report of a man hanging round a school's gate. A boy is missing so they start a full scale search. Inspector Monroe thinks A relief has gone so

S6·E7 Core

A Clean Division

Jan 23, 1990 · 22 min

D.I. Burnside is delighted to be called out of a boring meeting at Stafford Row police station, especially as he thinks it's D.C. Carver with a lead on an important drugs case. Bur

S6·E8 Core

Roger And Out

Jan 25, 1990 · 22 min

Roach thinks Tosh has something going on the side. Penny is going to report Tosh for 'breach of regulations' by allowing a lodger to stay. Everyone from Cryer to Hollis feel Pen

S6·E9 Core

Addresses

Jan 30, 1990 · 22 min

Viv and Sgt. Cryer are on night patrol. They stop a lady wheeling a suitcase looking for an address. They are asked to assist Tony and Dave at a house where a man is dropping the

S6·E10 Core

Michael Runs The Family Now

Feb 1, 1990 · 22 min

Burnside talks to his snout about the robbery of a video shop that was owned by the son of a dead villain who has taken over the family. An incident at a pub is thought of as bein

S6·E11 Core

Against The Odds

Feb 6, 1990 · 22 min

Dashwood is walking through an old subway and is approached by a snout with info about a potential gang war on the plot. Burnside is off with a bad back and Greig is acting D.I.

S6·E12 Core

Blood Sucker

Feb 8, 1990 · 22 min

Susanne and Ken investigate a domestic. The wife says she fell down stairs initially. Neighbour keeps interrupting. The wife owes money. The husband is suspected of slashing ty

S6·E13 Core

Workers In Uniform

Feb 13, 1990 · 22 min

Able and Susanne moan about ruined weekend, so do Turnham and Hollis. A street festival that had been thought to have been cancelled is going ahead and the relief have to work. H

S6·E14 Core

Something To Hide

Feb 15, 1990 · 22 min

Melvin is chasing a suspect and pulls his tracksuit top. The suspect had caused a disturbance after being caught fishing for something in a pond - a wrapped up gun shape but when

S6·E15 Mytharc

The Old Men's Run

Feb 20, 1990 · 22 min

Cryer and Conway are training for the Divisional ¼ marathon. Cryer notices a man in a wheelchair being mugged by some youths and he pulls a muscle when he gives chase. Cryer is u

S6·E16 Core

Legacies

Feb 22, 1990 · 22 min

Tony and Viv are investigating a break-in. Tosh talks to the old lady after the SOCO has been. Tosh thinks it is part of a string by a burglar who has just got bail. The old lad

S6·E17 Mytharc

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

Feb 27, 1990 · 22 min

Burnside brings in a van of party goers involved with drugs. On the way up to tell Burnside he has to meet a snout, Tosh heard him trying Greig's clarinet. Tosh's snout is in hospi

S6·E18 Core

Something Special

Mar 1, 1990 · 22 min

Reg and Turnham chuck out the drunks. Sgt. Peters later discovers the cell keys missing and thinks one of the drunks may have them. Carver and Greig give Dashwood a hard time ab

S6·E19 Core

Enemies

Mar 6, 1990 · 22 min

A group of asian youths cause a diversion which one raids the till when Peters tries to stop them. His father is important in the community. The boy wanted to show off to his mat

S6·E20 Core

Safe Place

Mar 8, 1990 · 22 min

Roach is not getting far after a bank robbery. It appears to be an exact copy of a robbery that occurred eight years before. The same employee was involved in both robberies and

S6·E21 Core

Burnside Knew My Father

Mar 13, 1990 · 22 min

Papa Reeves, an old friend from D.I. Burnside's uniform days, plans to end the life of his terminally-ill wife. Burnside takes time out from interviewing a suspected armed robber t

S6·E22 Core

Watching

Mar 15, 1990 · 22 min

Garfield and Quinnan go to a school that reports an intruder. The intruder has been patrolling the school. Quinnan seems out to wind Garfield up. Stamp and Viv investigate some

S6·E23 Core

University Challenge

Mar 20, 1990 · 22 min

A lady approaches Tony and tells him there are men in masks in the supermarket. He goes in to see and radios in about a robbery. He chases them through the supermarket and notice

S6·E24 Core

Growing Pains

Mar 22, 1990 · 22 min

PC George Garfield gets a collar, and spends hours interogatting him - without the use of a tape machine! - only to discover he is a juvenile and should not have been interviewed w

S6·E25 Core

One Of The Boys

Mar 27, 1990 · 22 min

Viv is typing a report while Tosh and Carver are reading the paper. She seems to be considered office girl. Tosh asks her to pick up a prostitute for an alibi check who takes off

S6·E26 Core

Beggars and Choosers

Mar 29, 1990 · 22 min

June and Tony walk through an underpass where the homeless sleep. There is a riot there later. The Surveyor's branch is visiting the station with their tape measures. Brownlow

S6·E27 Core

Citadel

Apr 3, 1990 · 22 min

Brownlow is off to the Forward Planning Meeting. Brownlow is worried Sunhill could not cope in 10-20 with reduced resources. Sunhill is going to be refurbished and enlarged. Con

S6·E28 Core

Blue Eyed Boy

Apr 5, 1990 · 22 min

Burnside moans about the result of a court case. Melvin comes in late and forgot he was due in court the day before. Melvin's honesty is being questioned after a burglary. He i

S6·E29 Core

Full House

Apr 10, 1990 · 22 min

Penny complains to Munro about the alterations. They move to Barton Street temporarily. Brownlow is complaining about sharing a portacabin with Conway. The toilets are blocked.

S6·E30 Core

Big Fish, Little Fish

Apr 12, 1990 · 22 min

Burnside is talking to a snout about a delivery going through couriers. Tosh temporarily breaks the chain. The contents of the bag are guns not drugs as Burnside thought.

S6·E31 Core

Information Received

Apr 17, 1990 · 22 min

When D.S. Roach's case against Mickey Owen, a protection racketeer, is thrown out of court, Roach comes under pressure from the Flying Squad to convince Roxanne, a transvestite inf

S6·E32 Core

Close Co-operation

Apr 19, 1990 · 22 min

Brownlow is not happy about the office arrangements at Barton Street. Burnside brings in a drug dealer who gets tripped up by Hollis. Penny finds him beaten in the cells and Bar

S6·E33 Core

Middleman

Apr 24, 1990 · 22 min

Greig, Carver and Tosh arrest a man for burglary and drugs. Burnside recuits him as a snout and Operation Middleman is on. The operation to bust a crack house appears to be a sti

S6·E34 Core

Corkscrew

Apr 26, 1990 · 22 min

Burnside is not happy about Wray talking to his snout. Wray interviews the suspect at Barton Street but he won't talk in the station. While in hospital he tells Burnside that the

S6·E35 Core

Obsessions

May 1, 1990 · 22 min

Martella is called to a solictor's house where one of his clients has come to see if he will keep his promise to marry her. The client has made threats to kill the solictor's wife

S6·E36 Core

Small Hours

May 3, 1990 · 22 min

Norika and Dave call at a flat that has graffiti on the door. Dave doesn't believe reports of harassment. Norika and Dave return to the flat. Dave is knocked down the stairs and

S6·E37 Core

Victims

May 8, 1990 · 22 min

Tosh talks to Conway about his report and later talks to a lady about being attacked and he thinks the attacks may be linked. Burnside is complaining about no money for the obsev

S6·E38 Core

Somebody's Husband

May 10, 1990 · 22 min

Start of the observation. Burnside briefs the men. The Cleghorns think they are involved because of their breakin. Ted and Mike nearly catch the burglars responsible for the Cle

S6·E39 Core

Canley Fields

May 15, 1990 · 22 min

A child is reported abducted. D.C. Lines interviews one witness and D.S. Roach the other. Three dog teams and TSG are joining in the search, although there is a possibility it is a

S6·E40 Core

The Night Watch

May 17, 1990 · 22 min

Garfield and Young are called to a party at a squat. They call back and get attacked by the party goers. The man who answered the door the first time, is found in a cupboard. R

S6·E41 Mytharc

Trojan Horse

May 22, 1990 · 22 min

P.C. Ken Melvin and P.C. Reg Hollis stop a young man for erratic driving, and a PNC check reveals the expensive car is stolen. Stamp and Quinnan arrive to transport the prisoner to

S6·E42 Core

Rites

May 24, 1990 · 22 min

It's the day of P.C. Ken Melvin's funeral, but the men and women of Sun Hill still have a job to do. P.C. Stamp volunteers to do a reading at the church service. W.D.C. Martella is

S6·E43 Core

Answers

May 29, 1990 · 22 min

Tosh and Dashwood call at a house, where there seems to a party in the backyard, about an incident 2 years ago. The husband is trying to celebrate his wedding anniversary. It turns

S6·E44 Core

A Fresh Start

May 31, 1990 · 22 min

Brownlow is photographed outside the completed building. There are 8 rooms uncompleted. Garfield stops the Mayor attending the function. Penny inspects the cells. A man tr

S6·E45 Core

A Case To Answer

Jun 5, 1990 · 22 min

Martella is in court. The case is the rape allegation. Marie wants to drop the case. Carver and Dashwood surprise Lines. Lines is asking about stolen scotch. Burnside offers Line

S6·E46 Core

Line-up

Jun 7, 1990 · 22 min

Tony chases a suspect into a shopping precinct after a robbery. George stays with the victim. The foresnic evidence won't back up the positive id in the line up.

S6·E47 Core

Police Powers

Jun 12, 1990 · 22 min

Bob arrests a soccer player at half time for GBH. Monroe wants to take the man to the station after the game. The two team chairmen are trying to keep the situation between the soc

S6·E48 Core

Action Book

Jun 14, 1990 · 22 min

Meadows is conducting the investigation of the murders of Jenny Price and Graham Butler. A car has been reported seen in the vicinity but the car had broken down. Paedophiles are b

S6·E49 Core

Tactics

Jun 19, 1990 · 22 min

A D.I. from Sheffield has information involving a big operation to catch a gang of five villains nicking heavy plant machinery. The snout the D.I. was using turns out to be one of

S6·E50 Core

Scores

Jun 21, 1990 · 22 min

Roach and Lines are watching a man. Burnside needs an arrest to make up his figures. The man watched is shot by another man Burnside had talked to. Burnside is after a man into

S6·E51 Core

Witch Hunt

Jun 26, 1990 · 22 min

6 weeks after the murder of Jenny Price, nothing seems to have happened. Wray thinks Lines should have followed up questioning of a school teacher. Wray thinks the man will tell

S6·E52 Core

Close To Home

Jun 28, 1990 · 22 min

Ackland is called to a hospital where a doctor is concerned about child abuse. Another child could have done it. Cryer is having problems with his son.

S6·E53 Core

Breaking Point

Jul 3, 1990 · 22 min

A girl has been knocked off her bike. The girl is worried her father will be cross. The girl has bruises on her back and the mother is powerless to stop her husband hitting the gir

S6·E54 Core

Jumping The Gun

Jul 5, 1990 · 22 min

There has been a holdup. W.D.C. Martella goes to with the victim to the hospital. Her daughter who is a witness is in shock. D.C.Dashwood has his identity questioned while door kno

S6·E55 Core

What Kind of Man

Jul 10, 1990 · 22 min

P.C. Quinnan investigates a burglary at a school. He thinks a man with a dog talking to the children might be talking to in connection with the Canley Fields murders. Sgt. Penny

S6·E59 Core

Angles

Jul 24, 1990 · 22 min

S6·E60 Core

Watch My Lips

Jul 26, 1990 · 22 min

Jim Carver is assaulted while trying to question a suspect - James Doyle - who is later revealed to be deaf. He firmly believes in his intial instinct that Doyle is a villian, and

S6·E61 Core

Feeling Brave

Jul 31, 1990 · 22 min

DC Jim Carver and PC Tony Stamp come across a Post Office burglary in progress. They take off in pursuit - and Jim finds himself looking down the barrel of a shotgun. [Source: jim

S6·E62 Core

Come Fly With Me

Aug 2, 1990 · 22 min

June and Tony are called to a disturbance outside a travel agents who has gone bust. The landlord has a wounded hand from breaking in and June finds a man in the office. Tony has

S6·E63 Core

Attitudes

Aug 7, 1990 · 22 min

Young, Garfield, Stamp and Loxton are playing cards. Young wins. The others decide to give Young a hard time as Garfield and Stamp are in CAD. It is Cryer's anniversary. He goes ou

S6·E64 Core

Robbo

Aug 9, 1990 · 22 min

Lines and Carver catch some lads changing number plates on a car. An ex-special who gave the tip off caused one of the villains to break his nose. It turns out he has been collec

S6·E65 Core

Ground Rules

Aug 14, 1990 · 22 min

D.S. Roach and D.C. Dashwood investigate stolen electrical goods. D.I. Burnside talks to Dashwood about interviewing a suspect in the back of a police car. P.C. Quinnan notices

S6·E66 Core

Once a Copper

Aug 16, 1990 · 22 min

Burnside briefs the troops about a raid. The informant is scared and wants to back out, and when the raid takes place, there is nothing there. Burnside visits an ex-copper in priso

S6·E67 Core

Vendetta

Aug 21, 1990 · 22 min

Garfield is in a shop when he notices a kid acting suspiciously. Burnside recognises the boy as being from a family of villains. The front room of their house is fire bombed. C

S6·E68 Core

My Favourite Things

Aug 23, 1990 · 22 min

Monroe is unhappy about Quinnan. Garfield is helping Conway in the Property Office and a jemmy was missing. Quinnan used it to open a door of a house with a chip pan on the stov

S6·E69 Core

Win Some Lose Some

Aug 28, 1990 · 22 min

Some dustbins have been stolen. Stringer thinks there is something in it but Quinnan thinks it is a wind up. The bins are being used in a band. Martella follows up an indecent

S6·E70 Core

Up The Steps

Aug 30, 1990 · 22 min

Peters Loxton and Young go to court. The defendant says the police were heavy handed. A witness to a fraud is thinking twice about going through with the I.D. parade.

S6·E71 Core

Where There's a Will

Sep 4, 1990 · 22 min

A solicitor calls at the station to ask Cryer to call to learn something to his advantage. Loxton was investigating a burglary and caught the burglar when he returned the stolen

S6·E72 Core

Near The Knuckle

Sep 6, 1990 · 22 min

Datta and Stamp investigate a domestic. The husband says his wife hasn't been herself lately. His wife tries to blame herself and is embarrassed about it. A man lays a complain

S6·E73 Core

Body Language

Sep 11, 1990 · 22 min

Stamp and Stringer chase a group of black youths. Stringer's got away but Stamp corners one in a building who maintains he was trying to get to the chippy. Brownlow opens the mobi

S6·E74 Core

When Did You Last See Your Father?

Sep 13, 1990 · 22 min

Cathy and Reg investigate an RTA involving a coachload of school children. The driver had been to an all-night party before he started work. One of the children recognises his da

S6·E75 Core

Eye-Witness

Sep 18, 1990 · 22 min

Cryer investigates a fight at a petrol station between football supporters that results in the death of the driver. Brownlow informs next of kin. Wray thinks it could be racial.

S6·E76 Core

Sufficient Evidence

Sep 20, 1990 · 22 min

Monroe talks to Garfield and Hollis about their arrest rates. Quinnan and Datta are sent to investigate a loud party where a fight breaks out. Quinnan sets up a prisoner with dr

S6·E77 Core

Forget-Me-Not

Sep 25, 1990 · 22 min

A D.S. from the Drug squad is looking for the D.C.I. Cathy recognises him. He is interested in Cathy and follows her on her beat as she checks a domestic. He turns out to be her

S6·E78 Mytharc

Something to Remember

Sep 27, 1990 · 22 min

Brownlow is off to area for the commendation ceremony. Dave is getting one for the arrest of the man who murdered 2 children. His mother and girlfriend go to the presentation.

S6·E79 Core

Off The Leash

Oct 2, 1990 · 22 min

Dashwood and Lines investigates a robbery. The witness is not prepared to give a statement until the gang is caught. Brownlow says CID have to liase with Monroe. An old typist s

S6·E80 Core

Family Ties

Oct 4, 1990 · 22 min

Burnside is in court giving evidence. Because of flooding at the prison, the prisoners are brought back to Sunhill. Burnside's prisoner is in emotional shock and is taken to a me

S6·E81 Core

Old Friends

Oct 9, 1990 · 22 min

Ted is at the hospital seeing the 82 year old victim of a mugging. Her son is an ex-copper. It turns out that the son snapped and hit his mum. The abuse has been going on for a

S6·E82 Core

Pride and Prejudice

Oct 11, 1990 · 22 min

Garfield and Stamp see a burning car and a man putting it out. The man has HIV AIDS and George is worried about to process him so rings the Chief Medical Officer. The result is Con

S6·E83 Core

Housey Housey

Oct 16, 1990 · 22 min

Quinnan, Marshall and Monroe are on hand while squatters are evicted. One of the squatters takes a swing at the bailiff with a sword because he couldn't cope staying at another bed

S6·E84 Core

Connelly's Kids

Oct 18, 1990 · 22 min

Greig and Carver arrest a man on suspicion of handling stolen property. The priest thinks the father is beating the son who is found at the church after kicking Viv. The children a

S6·E85 Core

One of Those Days

Oct 23, 1990 · 22 min

Loxton and Ackland argue about height requirements. They are called to an RTA where a pregnant woman was involved in a hit-and run at a crossing. She later loses her baby. The d

S6·E86 Core

Jack-The-Lad

Oct 25, 1990 · 22 min

Stamp and Datta call at a house where they find 2 women fighting because the woman being attacked is having an affair with the other woman's husband. Lines and Carver chase a man

S6·E87 Core

Blue Murder

Oct 30, 1990 · 22 min

The police are out on the streets of Sun Hill enforcing a crackdown on prostitution. P.C. Stamp nicks an underage tom named Suzanne, and W.P.C. Ackland cautions a would-be punter w

S6·E88 Core

Effective Persuaders

Nov 1, 1990 · 22 min

DC's Carver and Martella, DS Grieg, WPC Ackland, PC Quinnan and DI Burnside go on an interview technique training course. During role-play, Frank has to act as a knicker thief, wh

S6·E89 Core

A Sense of Duty

Nov 6, 1990 · 22 min

A drunk in a restaurant is arrested by an off duty Roach. Penny is not happy that Roach doesn't come in with the drunk who knows the commissioner. Monroe thinks Roach was drinkin

S6·E90 Core

Lying-In-Wait

Nov 8, 1990 · 22 min

Sgt. Peters is taking roll call. Cathy is acting sergeant. Sgt. Peters is asked to investigate a smell causing a disturbance. The smell is caused by a body. Tony is walking al

S6·E91 Core

Plato For Policemen

Nov 13, 1990 · 22 min

A building site night watchman complains about illegal dumping on the site. Loxton pulls out a video from a bag. Roach and Lines investigate the owner of a van. the van was from

S6·E92 Core

Testimony

Nov 15, 1990 · 22 min

Hollis and Ackland are at the hospital waiting to hear how the victim from the burglary is whether she was raped. She wants to discharge herself. Roach interviews the suspect in

S6·E93 Core

Decisions

Nov 20, 1990 · 22 min

Reg welcomes Bob back from leave after the shooting. Top brass want to treat him with 'kid gloves' and don't want him to tkae his firearms refresher course. A social worker tell

S6·E95 Core

Lies

Nov 27, 1990 · 22 min

S6·E96 Core

Old Wounds

Nov 29, 1990 · 22 min

Tony stops the driver of an American car. His dad had died in custody. While Jim is interviewing a suspect he has a heart attack. Brownlow wants to minimise the damage. While

S6·E97 Core

Just For A Moment

Dec 4, 1990 · 22 min

DC Jim Carver brings a suspect into custody, but while he is busy trying to charm WPC Norika Datta, the suspect grabs a knife and takes her hostage... [Source: jimsgirl]

S6·E99 Core

One For The Road

Dec 11, 1990 · 22 min

Penny gets pulled over after being at the pub. He thinks it is a wind-up. The officers are from Barton Street.

S6·E100 Core

Start With The Whistle

Dec 13, 1990 · 22 min

After the court case Sgt. Penny resigns for health reasons.

S6·E101 Core

Out of The Blue

Dec 18, 1990 · 22 min

June is late for work. Monroe notices her arrival. Her friendship with Wray is the subject of station gossip. June thinks Monroe grassed them up. She is not the only one. Greig tal

S6·E102 Core

Street Smart

Dec 20, 1990 · 22 min

Monroe has horsemanure in his driveway. Tony and Reg plan to plant something in his car. The relief are working to rule. June tries to call off the campaign. Wray tries to tal

S6·E103 Mytharc

Safe As Houses

Dec 26, 1990 · 22 min

Carver and Dashwood look after a very important witness. An attempted break-in could mean a move. Lines and Martella take over and there is a break-in by armed gunmen which turns

S6·E104 Mytharc

Friends and Neighbours

Dec 27, 1990 · 22 min

Steve and Phil are called to a disturbance. They find two men attacking a car. One of the men was from Birmingham. Roach thinks the men could be linked to exhaust boxes. Burnsi

Advertisement