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Season guide

Z-Cars: Series 1

31 episodes Premiered Jan 2, 1962 Updated Jul 19, 2026
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Episodes

S1·E1

Four of a Kind

Jan 2, 1962 · 50 min

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 t

S1·E2

The Limping Rabbit

Jan 9, 1962 · 50 min

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

S1·E3

Handle With Care

Jan 16, 1962 · 50 min

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

S1·E4

Stab In The Dark

Jan 23, 1962 · 50 min

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

S1·E5

Big Catch

Jan 30, 1962 · 50 min

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

S1·E6

Friday Night

Feb 6, 1962 · 50 min

""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

S1·E7

Suspended

Feb 13, 1962 · 50 min

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.

S1·E8

Family Feud

Feb 20, 1962 · 50 min

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

S1·E9

Fire!

Feb 27, 1962 · 50 min

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

S1·E10

Threats And Menaces

Mar 6, 1962 · 50 min

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.

S1·E11

Jail Break

Mar 13, 1962 · 50 min

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 trackin

S1·E12

What Kind Of Hero?

Mar 20, 1962 · 50 min

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, pest

S1·E13

Sudden Death

Mar 27, 1962 · 50 min

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

S1·E14

Found Abandoned

Apr 3, 1962 · 50 min

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.

S1·E15

The Best Days

Apr 10, 1962 · 50 min

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 disturbe

S1·E16

Invisible Enemy

Apr 17, 1962 · 50 min

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.

S1·E17

Down And Out

Apr 24, 1962 · 50 min

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

S1·E18

Further Enquiries

May 1, 1962 · 50 min

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

S1·E19

Winner Takes All

May 8, 1962 · 50 min

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

S1·E20

People's Property

May 15, 1962 · 50 min

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

S1·E21

Hi-Jack!

May 22, 1962 · 50 min

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.

S1·E22

Incident Reported

May 29, 1962 · 50 min

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 a

S1·E23

Never On Wednesday

Jun 5, 1962 · 50 min

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.

S1·E24

Day Trip

Jun 12, 1962 · 50 min

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.

S1·E25

Affray

Jun 19, 1962 · 50 min

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

S1·E26

Contraband

Jun 26, 1962 · 50 min

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

S1·E27

Teamwork

Jul 3, 1962 · 50 min

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, W

S1·E28

Appearance In Court

Jul 10, 1962 · 50 min

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 t

S1·E29

Assault

Jul 17, 1962 · 50 min

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 t

S1·E31

Unconditional Surrender

Jul 31, 1962 · 50 min

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.