Z-Cars 1962
What is Z-Cars?
Z Cars is a British television drama series that chronicles the activities of mobile uniformed police officers. Produced by the BBC, the program focuses on the work of the police force stationed in the fictional town of Newtown, which is located in the North of England.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1962
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 802
- Runtime
- 50 minutes
- First aired
- Jan 2, 1962
- Last aired
- Sep 20, 1978
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- GB
- Networks
- BBC One
- Genres
- Drama
- Updated
How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 802 episodes and an average 50-minute runtime.
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Z Cars is a British television drama series that chronicles the activities of mobile uniformed police officers. Produced by the BBC, the program focuses on the work of the police force stationed in the fictional town of Newtown, which is located in the North of England. This setting is based on Kirkby, Merseyside. The series debuted in January 1962 and remained in production until September 1978. As a gritty drama, the show features performances by actors including James Ellis, John Slater, Douglas Fielding, and Bernard Holley. The narrative structure centers on the professional duties and daily operations of the officers within the Newtown police force. Throughout its run, the series established itself as a notable entry in British television history, providing a realistic portrayal of law enforcement work in a specific regional setting. The show concluded its broadcast run in 1978 after sixteen years on the air.
Should you watch it?
“A pioneering British police drama showcasing gritty frontline law enforcement.”
- Groundbreaking portrayal of police work
- Strong ensemble cast
- Authentic Northern England setting
- Dated production values
- Episodic format may feel slow to modern viewers
You enjoy classic British TV dramas with a focus on police procedurals.
Suitable for general audiences, though some episodes may reflect dated social attitudes.
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Cast
Episode guide
Season 1 · 31 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide →- E1 Four of a Kind Jan 2, 1962
- E2 The Limping Rabbit Jan 9, 1962
- E3 Handle With Care Jan 16, 1962
- E4 Stab In The Dark Jan 23, 1962
- E5 Big Catch Jan 30, 1962
- E6 Friday Night Feb 6, 1962
- E7 Suspended Feb 13, 1962
- E8 Family Feud Feb 20, 1962
- E9 Fire! Feb 27, 1962
- E10 Threats And Menaces Mar 6, 1962
- E11 Jail Break Mar 13, 1962
- E12 What Kind Of Hero? Mar 20, 1962
- E13 Sudden Death Mar 27, 1962
- E14 Found Abandoned Apr 3, 1962
- E15 The Best Days Apr 10, 1962
- E16 Invisible Enemy Apr 17, 1962
- E17 Down And Out Apr 24, 1962
- E18 Further Enquiries May 1, 1962
- E19 Winner Takes All May 8, 1962
- E20 People's Property May 15, 1962
- E21 Hi-Jack! May 22, 1962
- E22 Incident Reported May 29, 1962
- E23 Never On Wednesday Jun 5, 1962
- E24 Day Trip Jun 12, 1962
- E25 Affray Jun 19, 1962
- E26 Contraband Jun 26, 1962
- E27 Teamwork Jul 3, 1962
- E28 Appearance In Court Jul 10, 1962
- E29 Assault Jul 17, 1962
- E30 Sunday Morning Jul 24, 1962
- E31 Unconditional Surrender Jul 31, 1962
Season 2 · 42 episodes
- E1 On Watch - Newtown Sep 19, 1962
- E2 Full Remission Sep 26, 1962
- E3 Truth Or Dare Oct 3, 1962
- E4 Information Received Oct 10, 1962
- E5 Friendly Relations Oct 17, 1962
- E6 Corroboration Oct 24, 1962
- E7 The Thin Girl Oct 31, 1962
- E8 Johnny Sailor Nov 7, 1962
- E9 Person Unknown Nov 14, 1962
- E10 Ambush Nov 11, 1962
- E11 Known To The Police Nov 28, 1962
- E12 The Navigators Dec 5, 1962
- E13 Business Trip Dec 12, 1962
- E14 Five Whistles Dec 19, 1962
- E15 Search Dec 26, 1962
- E16 All Up By Seven Jan 2, 1963
- E17 Trumpet Voluntary Jan 9, 1963
- E18 Five And A Match Jan 16, 1963
- E19 The Hitch-Hiker Jan 23, 1963
- E20 A Simple Case Jan 30, 1963
- E21 Act Of Vengeance Feb 6, 1963
- E22 The Listeners Feb 13, 1963
- E23 The Main Chance Feb 20, 1963
- E24 Follow My Leader Feb 27, 1963
- E25 Members Only Mar 6, 1963
- E26 Matter Of Conviction Mar 13, 1963
- E27 The Bad Lad Mar 20, 1963
- E28 Enquiry Mar 27, 1963
- E29 Pay By Results Apr 3, 1963
- E30 The Peterman Apr 10, 1963
- E31 The Birds Of The Air Apr 17, 1963
- E32 Train Of Events Apr 24, 1963
- E33 By The Book May 1, 1963
- E34 Nothing Serious May 8, 1963
- E35 Alarm Call May 15, 1963
- E36 A Try By Weir May 22, 1963
- E37 Quiet Confidence May 29, 1963
- E38 Scare Jun 5, 1963
- E39 Caught By The Ears Jun 12, 1963
- E40 Come On The Lads Jun 19, 1963
- E41 The Whizzers Jun 26, 1963
- E42 Police Work Jul 3, 1963
Season 3 · 42 episodes
- E1 Lucky Accident Sep 4, 1963
- E2 Made For Each Other Sep 11, 1963
- E3 A La Carte Sep 18, 1963
- E4 Light The Blue Paper Sep 26, 1963
- E5 A Quiet Night Oct 2, 1963
- E6 Hit And Run Oct 9, 1963
- E7 Hide - And Go Seek Oct 16, 1963
- E8 The Kiter Oct 23, 1963
- E9 Special Duty Oct 30, 1963
- E10 Remembrance Of A Guest Nov 6, 1963
- E11 Daylight Robbery Nov 13, 1963
- E12 Running Milligan Nov 20, 1963
- E13 Choose Your Partners Nov 27, 1963
- E14 Tuesday Afternoon Dec 4, 1963
- E15 Supper In The Morning Dec 11, 1963
- E16 Wait For It Dec 18, 1963
- E17 It Never Rains ... Dec 25, 1963
- E18 .. And A Happy New Year Jan 1, 1964
- E19 Happy-Go-Lucky Jan 8, 1964
- E20 Promise Made Jan 15, 1964
- E21 I Mean...Where Does It Stop? Jan 22, 1964
- E22 A Stroll Along The Sands Jan 29, 1964
- E23 No Malice Feb 5, 1964
- E24 Profit By Their Example Feb 12, 1964
- E25 A Question Of Storage Feb 19, 1964
- E26 Fun And Games Feb 26, 1964
- E27 A Man...Like Yourself Mar 4, 1964
- E28 A Straight Deal Mar 11, 1964
- E29 Happy Families Mar 18, 1964
- E30 Inside Job Mar 25, 1964
- E31 Clues Are What You Think Apr 1, 1964
- E32 The Whole Truth... Apr 8, 1964
- E33 Whistle, And Come Home Apr 22, 1964
- E34 First-Class Citizen Apr 29, 1964
- E35 Seconds Away May 6, 1964
- E36 Centre Of Disturbance May 13, 1964
- E37 You Get All Kinds May 20, 1964
- E38 Happy Birthday May 27, 1964
- E39 Somebody ... Help Jun 3, 1964
- E40 Cage Until Tame Jun 10, 1964
- E41 Family Reunion Jun 17, 1964
- E42 A Place Of Safety Jun 24, 1964
Season 4 · 43 episodes
- E1 The Dark Side Of The Road Sep 9, 1964
- E2 What A Main Event! Sep 16, 1964
- E3 Finders Keepers Sep 23, 1964
- E4 Lucky Partners Sep 30, 1964
- E5 Soft Spot Oct 7, 1964
- E6 Somebody Said... Oct 14, 1964
- E7 Charity Begins ... Oct 21, 1964
- E8 The Hunch Oct 28, 1964
- E9 Two In The Bush Nov 4, 1964
- E10 Welcome Home, Jigger Nov 11, 1964
- E11 In A Day's Work Nov 18, 1964
- E12 No Stone Unturned Nov 25, 1964
- E13 You Pays Your Money Dec 2, 1964
- E14 One Day In Spring Street Dec 9, 1964
- E15 Bring Back The Cat Dec 16, 1964
- E16 If He Runs - Grab Him Dec 23, 1964
- E17 First Foot Dec 30, 1964
- E18 Think On Jan 6, 1965
- E19 The Luck Of The Game Jan 13, 1965
- E20 I Love You Bonzo Jan 20, 1965
- E21 Brotherly Love Jan 27, 1965
- E22 A Matter Of Give And Take Feb 3, 1965
- E23 Give A Dog A Name Feb 10, 1965
- E24 The Long Spoon Feb 17, 1965
- E25 Teething Trouble Feb 24, 1965
- E26 A Shame To Take The Money Mar 3, 1965
- E27 Window Dressing Mar 10, 1965
- E28 Partners Mar 17, 1965
- E29 The Fanatics Mar 24, 1965
- E30 You Got To Have Class Mar 31, 1965
- E31 The Mice Will Play Apr 7, 1965
- E32 Sound An Alarm Apr 14, 1965
- E33 The Soft Game Apr 21, 1965
- E34 Snakes Alive Apr 28, 1965
- E35 Suspected Murder May 5, 1965
- E36 The Share-Out May 12, 1965
- E37 Checkmate May 19, 1965
- E38 Another Fairy Tale May 26, 1965
- E39 Market Square Jun 6, 1965
- E40 Error of Judgement Jun 9, 1965
- E41 Under Cover Jun 16, 1965
- E42 One Good Turn Jun 23, 1965
- E43 Warning Shots Jun 30, 1965
Season 5 · 12 episodes
- E1 With A Pin Oct 5, 1965
- E2 Wilful Destruction Oct 12, 1965
- E3 Cop And Blow Oct 19, 1965
- E4 The Hard-Face Grabber Oct 26, 1965
- E5 Inspection Nov 2, 1965
- E6 Routine Inquiries Nov 9, 1965
- E7 A Morning's Sport Nov 16, 1965
- E8 Contrary To Regulations Nov 23, 1965
- E9 The Good Life Nov 30, 1965
- E10 Celebration Dec 7, 1965
- E11 But The Crying ... Dec 14, 1965
- E12 That's The Way It Is Dec 21, 1965
Frequently asked questions
Is Z-Cars based on a real police force?
It is based on the work of mobile uniformed police in a fictional town inspired by Kirkby, Merseyside.
When did Z-Cars first air?
The series debuted in January 1962.
Who produced Z-Cars?
It was produced by the BBC.
How long did Z-Cars run?
The show ran until September 1978.
What is the show's main focus?
It follows the daily work of police officers in the fictional town of Newtown.