93 paul sullivan from london: well still watch the sweeney and minder and the professionals on itv4 my wife says i live in the past ,,lol if i did i said i wouldn't be with you ,,give me the old tv police programs any day,,,well done to everyone who had anything to do with making these from actors to tea boy great tv ,, im sure they wont be running eastenders in 40 years
92 andrew from croydon: In 1975 i worked for leathwoods ltd a ford garage in croydon, and collected a bronze ford consul from another ford garage Dees of croydon. I then drove this consul to peacocks of balham another ford garage for a dealer transfer for a white consul. I oftern wonder if the bronze consul was the one used in the sweeney, as i understand that the cortinas used in the carry on film carry on cabbie came from peacocks of balham; this i will never know
91 David Gray from Toronto, Canada: Watching this series caused me to join the Met. Police. Now long-since retired, I watch the "Vanilla" Sweeney DVDs on a region free player in Canada. John Thaw at his very, very best - fast, hard and dangerous.
90 Keith from Somerset: What can I add? Just love the atmosphere of it, my Dad had a new Ford Escort MkI company car every year throughout the 70's and I just always wanted him to get promoted so he could have a Cortina XL or Granada Ghia, just like on the programme (he never did!), although Regan did drive a Modena Green MkI in one episode. The main characters remind me of my Dad and his mates heavy drinking and heavy smoking, but always great fun and still managing to hold down jobs complete with massive sideburns! Managing to drive everywhere without seatbelts and living to tell the tale. The series is pure magic on many counts, it reminds us of a wonderfully politically incorrect time were men were men and women were birds! the law were the law and even the criminals had scruples!
89 Rüediger from Germany: The Sweeney was on German TV in the late 70's, aired as "Die Füchse" (The Foxes) and have never been re-run (wonder why ;-) ). I was about 6 or 7 at that time, so I couldn't really remember any of it. Just by chance I stumbled upon some episodes, hosted on 'guba.com' and something inside went "click" and my favorite TV-crime show, 'The Professionals' was pushed off the throne, becoming #2 after 'The Sweeney". Don't get me wrong, Cowley, Bodie & Doyle are great, but Regan, Carter & 'askins are unbeatable. It's tough, it's gritty, it doesn't watch it's mouth, it has the best fight and chase scenes in any TV-crime series so far, whilst it's not too far off the ground - you don't get superhuman hero machine cops, clean plastic prototypes, as in so many other shows, you get complicated characters, edgy, sometimes neurotic, sometimes sympathetic, mixed up with fist cracking action and deeply emotional moments. TV at it's best! That's why I ordered the complete box! Still have to watch many scenes over and over again, 'cause there are no subtitles included and being from Germany, following the accent they speak (or sometimes mumble) gets tough sometimes...
BTW here's a screenshot from the ep. "Abduction". There's a photo (see unmasked area), showing Regan&Carter giving "best wishes" to the photographer. Does anybody know, where to get a copy of this?!
[IMG]http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/7505/swabdphoto.jpg[/IMG]
Cheers!
88 JOHN SIMPSON from LONDON: Received the DVD box set for my 50th and I am working my way through the episodes. Brilliant series, particularly like the political incorrectness and the Capris and Granadas bring back such good memories! Loved the way that Regan would stop at nothing to get the Villains and his unconventional methods were always frowned upon by his superiors and most of his colleagues alike! of course the obligatory whiskey was drunk at anytime day or night. Great stuff!
87 Robert hamlett from wolverhampton: i lived in london in the 1970s and was in a pub when they was shooting a film it was the bar sceen with the football fans in the bar fighting and they said that we could stay and drink while they was filming the shoot later i was talking to john thaw and dennis waterman and asked them what the film was and they told me a new serise called the sweeney later i saw that i was in the shoot i was well happy haha there i was up the bar in my sheepskin happy days
86 carl from wigan: i watch the sweeney and ask myself,is it humanly possible to drink so much, smoke and then chase the crims half way cross london and beat the **** out of them! it must be possible coz the sweeney did it every thursday night. proper coppers, who would make "the bill" look like the girlguides!! kids today dont know what they missed back in the good old no **** 70s
85 carl woolvin from wigan: whenever i get fed up this "pc"country of ours i watch an episode of the sweeney and im smiling again.dennis waterman and john thaw were the only two actors who could have been regan and carter. i think our home secetary should watch a few episodes!! and see how policing should be carried out.
84 Shaun A from Daventry: Classic, classic TV, never to be repeated... Regan & Carter... I wanted to be Regan (Who didn't??) all those "birds", get pissed during work, don't worry about PC, the Sweeney was the dogs nuts.. as a 9/10 year old growing up in the late 70's.. just the opening sequence of the music starting was enough to send me flying down the stairs to nag my parents to allow me to watch it.. John Thaw (RIP) and Dennis Waterman were and will remain my perfect "super heroes".....
83 Andreas Stavros from London: This is simply the best British police series ever - superbly written and acted, and entirely believable. Apart from the cars and clothes, it hasn't dated at all.
82 Jimmy from Dublin: Just bought the first 13 episodes on DVD. What a joy it was to look back on the best cop drama ever made on tv. We will never see their likes again. Got a great buzz picking out characters that have been on our screens more recent.
81 Gordon from Rayleigh: The scene in Sweeney 2 when Reagan & Carter go to the b&b to get the blaggers. They jump in the cab & hide on the floor, the cabbie says 'seats not good enough'? Reagan comes back with 'cut the dialogue & take us to the door'.. one of hundreds of classic lines from THE best ever cop show ever made. It will never be equalled!
80 Kevin List from New Zealand: Some poncey private school git can't cut it on the Sweeney and ends up in a red phone box burbling. But Like the great humanitarians the lads are they pick him up in the hope he'll one day help kids across the road as a safety warden
79 Mandy from Newcastle: John Thaw as Regan has to be the best ever copper. The cars, the chases, the crashing into boxes, Regans blue velvet suit and the brown slip on shoes can make a girl go quite weak at the knees...... We're The Sweeney and we havnt had our dinner!!! Shaaaat it! RIP John X
78 Karen Esibill from USA: Thirty years haven't dampened the freshness, drive, fun, drama and kick ass action of The Sweeney--and the wonderful politically incorrectness. My favorite scenes--anything with John Thaw, John Thaw and John Thaw!
Can't get enough of him. Love when he sings "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" in Latin Lady. Great cast, great guest stars, just plain great.
77 craig edmunds from leyland: Stuff political correctness. This show was the best. I used to love being taken to school at the time as my Dad had a Mark 3 blue Cortina!!!!!. I was dying to get out to me mates and say "You're Nicked"!!!
76 winnyjaye from croydon surrey: the SWEENEY TODD FLYING SQUAD was the best of the best cops n robbers what a program, it brings back all the floods of memories of how the 70's tv programs were made, regan & carter good ole punch-ups loads of sense then, the only program that could actually follow the buzz was the professionals, it shows that the 70's had the best imaginary no other years of tv cops n robbers couldnt meet, forget the bill, its a useless program too many suspense in it, sweeney give you everything in an whole hour then its off to bed for school in the morning, so you could chat about it to your friends, it so sad its men & motors who remembers them kind of programmes, shame on you bbc and itv :p
75 Scott Coulthard from Newcastle: This is the ULTIMATE boys' only cop show - gutsy, gritty, violent and compelling. Regan (RIP, John Thaw) was my favourite character - gutsy, spirited, hard drinking and with a lethal strike when he hit anyone. The Sweeney is the best ever cop show and really shows the music and fashion of the 70s - although I wasn't born until 1982. My two favourite episodes are Cover Story - where Jack falls in love with a gorgeous journalist (Maxine Heavey's mum in Corrie) and Hit and Run - where George's wife is killed off and we see the sincere, almost brotherly friendship of George and Jack.
74 Ian from Essex: No police shows compare to the sweeney!! Regan was a legend (sadly missed) as was carter & haskins. Best moment was in the 1st series whilst waiting in a lock up for a villan-the villan returns to confront Regan & Carter & says 'who are you?' Regan replies 'we're the sweeney son and we havnt had any dinner, you've kept us waiting' Too many great moments to list-legendary.
73 Chris from Dudley: Fantastic, summed up the 70's perfectly, no political correctness, no inhibitions, no seatbelts, long boozy lunches, hard but honest reality. I was about 6 when it was first shown and remember watching it. As a kid you could watch it on a totally different level to that of an adult. I remember walking to school seeing cortinas and granadas and wondering if regan or carter would suddenly jump out of them. Great stuff, days of dreams now and unfortunately I doubt we'll ever see those quite care free days again but thanks to the sweeney they will live on. The cars also rubbed off on me, I have several old motors now mainly 70's stuff with a hint of 60's thrown in for good measure.
72 Richard Jackson from Rotherham: Years ago I worked in a factory in Slough that had a right jobs worth on the factory gates. Every Friday lunch time after a visit to the pub, we'd screech back through the gates in a cortina with all four doors open shouting 'Kick him George! He's an animal!' Priceless seeing his expression.
71 Darren Sargent from Nottingham: My " best moment" was an episode when the chief (not Haskins)picks up the phone and says something to this effect; " I want every available car round the front straight away, and the bird who works in the toyshop in the high street, bring her in." One bird, One toy shop, one high street. Brill, Best acting moment from John Thaw, playing part of bar man working for some old brass, bent copper comes behind bar, and helps himself to bottle of Johny Walker (red label,I think) Reagan says "pay for it or put it back". The portrayal of the vehnum within the acting was an encapturement of the fact that there was nothing worse than a bent copper. A thread that seemed consistent throughout the series.
70 Clive Evenden from Maidstone: I loved the series right from the word go, all those years ago. My favourite is when Jack stays above a pub to watch the bank next door, it had everything, the only episode I didn't like was the one with Eric and Ern, it finished up like the Keystone Cops! Great nostalgia now.....
69 liz sule from london: A fantastic series, well acted. I remember years ago whilst visiting Battersea Park (1975 or 76) they were filming nearby and chased them in their car the brown cortina. Regan was great, shut it, your nicked. Great
68 Antony May from Sheffield: The Sweeney was a great show and some fine acting was shown by John Thaw and Dennis Waterman.
Get Your Trousers Yer Nicked
Shut It
67 Richard Batty from Cambridgeshire: Every episode is a winner in its' own rite. I am particularly interested in the vehicles used in the series and if they survive.
66 neil robinson from scunthorope: my best episode of this series was the bank robbery
65 Roland from Wallsned: Loved the Sweeney and later on I joined the Police force and found in some cases it was worse than what the programme showed. I didn't stay long in the force and left very disappointed in the way the Police force was run in the 70's. I'm glad to say it's a little bit better now.
64 steven holmes from s.yorkshire: best programme ever made. hard hitting, constantly on the p**s, beating villains up. i see nowt much has changed with the police department. the casting couldnt have been better. nothing since has even been close!!!!
63 Graham Davies from North West: The Sweeney captures the very fact that it is bloody brilliant being English
62 Martin Randall from Teesside: Series 1 Episode 13 Abduction. this is what the sweeney is all about. human raw emotions and a quest for vengence. this is the sweeney and John Thaw for that matter at his meanest and at his best. Regan beating up his daughters abducters. dealing with his own personal grudges with work colleagues and family. there is nothing like it. the best ever.
61 Robert Isaac from West Lancashire: I love the Sweeney, the cars are great. The Ford Consul GT and MK3 Cortinas and the mk1 Transits. i my self own a MK1 Ford Granada (1972 K Reg)
60 Chris Love from North West: The Sweeney car is actually in an undisclosed location awaiting restoration. Sorry i can't be more specific than that but you can understand it is a highly desirable item.
59 David Lee from Essex: Hi, i love the sweeney and the american version starsky and hutch.
By the way today 25/6/04 i went n to my local Asda...guess what they have Sweeney t shirts........
58 Steve Day from Hampshire: Hi I Have a Shelby Mustang Gt350 and there's one that ive not seen in the Placer episode and others.
In the shelby car registry the car is under my friend vin number but is not the car. so I'd Like to find out if someone has seen the car in the series.
my car is White now but that the time of filming the car was orignal Bue with twin black stripe's down the bonnet White interior. so i think the car in the series is that of mine. Does anyone have Info with this Story.
57 Colin Rees from Barry, South Wales: The Sweeney continues to be the definitive 70's cop show!.It has the cars (Ford Granada Consul GT/Mark 3 Cortinas and the villains favourite S-type Jag), the clothes ( Flares and wide lapels),the women (Wanda Ventham and the gorgeous Nicola Pagett to name just two)and the "rabbit" ("Get your trousers on you're nicked")Still the greatest!!!.
P.S; Does anyone know what happened to the Sweeney car ?
56 Paul Cannon from Epsom: Can anyone tell me if they have seen BBC1's answer to the Sweeney called Target. It starred Patrick Mower and only ran from 1977-78. Apparently even more violent. Does anyone also know where I can get this on video?
55 Mark Pittman from Glasgow: The Sweeney has rekindled childhood memories for me. I was too young to stay up late and would sneak downstairs when I heard the theme tune on my parents TV. They then had a hard time getting me back to bed. Love the old Consuls / Granadas too. Quite simply - The Best !!
54 David Windsor from London, England: Hi this is a long shot but when i was younger i remember an episode of The Sweeney and can't recall the name of the actress. The only info I have is that her husband caught her in bed with someelse and threw red hot water over her, hope this rings a bell if you know the episode name and the name of the actress please let me know, I know the info is small but thanks anyway.
53 Paul Harding from Sittingbourne: The Sweeney is quite simply the best ever TV drama concerning the police. I have watched them time and again over the years and never get bored with seeing them. The programme was also set in era which I look back on with great memories and affection.
It's good seeing London 30 yrs ago and picking out locations which are now familiar to me especially around the Fulham/Hammersmith areas. I have just bought the first series on DVD and look forward to the rest being released. In the meantime please keep repeating them!!
52 Geoff Bemrose from Stoke on Trent: Quite possibly the best cop show ever to hit our screens,brilliant actors,great stories,all them classic cars as well.One of my favourite episodes (messanger of the gods)has Diana Dors in it playing a right old battle axe,its got some brilliant funny scenes in it,especially when Diana Dors cracks Jack across the face.Priceless.Not many series can boast cast lists like the Sweeney,Morecome&Wise even appeared in an episode.Please never stop showing The Sweeney.
51 Michael Webb from Gateshead: I enjoy seeing the Sweeney again on tv. I always say that you can tell a class production from the quality of the supporting cast. Every episode seems to contain a now household name.
Any chance of seeing other excellent Thames shows like Special Branch, Callen and the Main Chance.
50 Graeme Allister from Dunfermline: For me, the fact that it is so politically incorrect! The direction of camera angles,a superb British tv series without trying too hard.. unlike today.
49 Shaun Baldwin from Stoke Prior, Herefordshire: Without question the greatest police drama series ever produced.
48 Neil Chipchase from York: This show is FANTASTIC.
I have all the episodes on video.
My friends & I often have Sweeny theme nights at my house where we take it in turns to be Carter, but I must say I'm the best at it because of my angry face & voice........Oy you..your nicked
47 nigel kemp from York: Hey what can you say!!The cars the women and best of all Carter(I based my self on him for years).This is a classic good cop bad cop program which has never been topped apart from maybe shoestring.
46 RobCoy from York: Gee that program rocks my world..So much so i still dress the same as jack regen,a lot of my friends say it makes me look camp but i dont care i have dedicated my life to Jack and George and as soon as i finish my YTS scheme at the bakers oven i will be getting a old Cortina..Shamone
45 Matt Sanders from Old Radnor: I just bought the complete series on DVD, it's superb!
Loads of blags, slags and Mk2 Jags!
My old dear wouldn't let me watch the Sweeney when it first came out, all my mates at school did.
It's great to see those old street scenes and the cars mostly now long crushed!
A pumpkin coloured Capri anyone? Perhaps an aubergine metallic Hillman Hunter? Showing my age now!
Great programs and look forward to more of them out on DVD soon!
44 Geoff from Stoke on Trent: I decided to treat myself with the series 1 dvd,sheer delight.The best cop show on the box ever!Just look at the stars that appeared,no t.v prog today can even match these celeb castings.Although Paul Henry(benny)from Crossroads was a bit dubious!.Shut It!!!!.
43 Rab from Co.Down: TV cop shows these days are no were as good as The Sweeney. I want a Cortina!
42 Colin Rees from Barry, South Wales: The Sweeney is still the greatest TV show of all time, ever!.Fantastic plots,great dialogue,brilliant car chases,all served up with 70's fashions and a sprinkling of violence!.No other show is fit to lick its boots, so keep repeating it for ever........and remember..."GET YOUR TROUSERS ON YOUR NICKED!"
41 paul cannon from Epsom, Surrey: Does any body please know where I can get hold of A Professionals or Sweeney T shirt old or new, as I have hunted high and Low, but had no luck.
40 Eugenie Thomas-Hoy from Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: My favourite moment was when Regan was surprised in someone's room and found to be wearing a steel helmet. I'll NEVER forget the look on his face. I was a mature university student in Whitehorse, Yukon, with a fulltime job, in my 50's. I would slave over my HOMEWORK every evening so I could leap into bed and watch my favourite show. Now, I learn it is on VCR and DVD, at last!!! I plan to treat myself.
39 Donna B. from New York: How cool is it that season dvds are coming out!?!
I just love the realistic violence and the blistering back chat.
Disgustingly enough, I like the episode where George's wife is killed....
38 Drea from London: I doubt I can add anything to all the comments above except to say 'Great show!' Fans might like to know that an early version of the forthcoming DVD release can be seen here:
http://www.themausoleumclub.
org.uk/network/network_sweeney1.htm
37 tober from the manor: the best episode is jackpot, the gritty realism of the (seemingly extended) opening scene is awesome.
with a hand-held camera you are in the thick of the action.
"line em up over there, and pick up that money"
"turn that 'ooter off and pick up those one-ers."
"hold up"
"give em a drink and take 'em down the nick"
"but they're hospital cases guv!"
"do as you're told"
btw therer was a long standing joke of regan being (unintentionally) referred to as "regal"
36 andrew lee from Woking Surrey: I grew up on the Sweeney back in the 1970's. I was 12 at the time and my mum and dad would let me stay up to watch it. Fantastic cop show, I liked it because they did not always get the villan in the end and the stories were varied, funny (in parts) and interesting. As I write this email I am watiching a DVD on the sweeney (episode 'I want that man'). One of my favourite episodes was 'Poppy' as this was filmed near where I live in Woking Surrey at Ottershaw and Fairoaks aerodrome.
35 Andy from Ulster: "We're the sweeney son, and we haven't had any dinner, so unless you want a kicking you'd better tell us where those photographs are"
I think that ranks alongside "Do you feel lucky..."
34 Richard Belton from Scunthorpe: When the show was first shown, it was the only thing on TV I would come home early for, and I enjoy it as much now as I did then.I could never see John Thaw as anything but Jack Regan, and even watched Goodnight Mr Tom, in the hope that he would slip in a "You're nicked son"! I enjoy every minute of all the episodes, the blaggings, the cars, the chases etc. My favourite bit is in Messenger of the Gods, when Diana Dors refers to Jack as "Insp Regal" I'm so glad to hear of the forthcoming DVD releases with out-takes, and a documetary. Do any of the original Fords used inthe series still survive?
33 Hazel Robins + Cat Haynes from Sussex, England: errr... The Sweeney's great, so great that we decided to do it for our English project even though we'd never heard of it before. No we know the wonderful truth - it's fanTAStic!!!!!
32 Cookie from Dorset: The Sweeney is far and away the best British cop show I have ever seen. The writing/direction is top notch, Thaw & Waterman - aka Regan & Carter - are simply magnificent and the action, humour and music terrific. One of my (many) favourite moments from the show is the bar room brawl from 'Night Out' which finishes with poor old George getting a beating from his own side! What other series would have the imagination or courage to do something like that? The best thing about The Sweeney is that there are no false notes in it, nothing pretentious or trendy or, god forbid, PC. That's why I and, I'm sure, millions of other viewers still love it to bits.
31 Michael Cawood from Wrexham, North Wales: Other guest stars in The Sweeney include Barry Foster, Ian Bannen (The Sweeney movie) & Joe Melia (Sweeney 2 movie). I've got both these films on VHS video, they're great films & bring back full 1970s London atmosphere.
30 Chris Watson from London: Just thought I'd mention to fans that Network video are planning to release all episodes on DVD, take a look here - http://www.networkvideos.co.uk/releases.html . And also both of the movies are planned for a release around October I think. Keep a look out!
Chris.
29 Jane Bennett from North Wales: My favourite scene is from "On the Run" when they are chasing George Sweeney, the psycho ex soldier. A Witness describes him as an anthropoid - Regan says to Carter, "Yeah, its coal that they burn. Carter says "Isn't that anthracite ?? Regan replies "Yeah...the same thing !!" I also LOVE Golden Fleece and Trojan Bus with Patrick Mower and George Layton as Col and Ray.
28 Pete Lea from Barlestone: The Sweeney was simply the best cop show of the 70's and 80's. I've got a collection of Mk1 granada's / Consul Gt's inspired by the series. I am still looking for the Silver Granada NWC 301P for resteration if anyone can tell me the whereabouts of the car please get in touch. SDDSPCL@aol.com or indeed any of the cars from the series
27 Chris Richards from Nottingham UK: Its got to be when they do the drunken Jimmy Durante song 'From The Heart' in a basement club and get suspended the next day!! Either that or the episode where Regan throws spaghetti at the wall to check it's cooked. Regan and Carter were classic role models for me as a 17-year old (in 1979). No-one since has matched their humour and flair. My beige 1979 giant lapel Marshall Ward jacket still hangs in the wardrobe, too small to wear, but representative of when Regan, flares and kipper ties were king!!
26 Steve Hodgson from Leeds, UK: Simply the greatest TV show ever made, top drama, comedy, and the best theme tune in the world!!!
25 Pete Retaliator from Great Yarmouth: We love it so much (me and my streetpunk band RETALIATOR) we just recorded a tribute to The Sweeney as our next single, with lyric lines such as "In go the Sweeney like an oiled machine, kipper-ties flapping, and looking mean, but one of ‘em ‘bottles’ in no-man’s land, they should’a known; he’s a Haskins man!"
24 Ann Tinkley from Cheshire: I love all the car chases and the line 'Get your trousers on-you're nicked' Am I the only female to love the Sweeney? My partners a Sweeney widower.
23 Robert Cusick from Glasgow: As a Scotsman and Sweeney afficianado; one of my favourite episodes featured 'Scottish villains' kidnapping a hapless London girl. A great line at the end of the episode had Regan exclaiming 'no wonder Hadrian built a wall' - a bit stereo-typical even for the 70's; but still a great line.
22 Rory Stannage from Motherwell: I loved the Sweeney it is the best tv prog EVER!
21 Steve Collins from Weston super Mare: I agree with Martin, the best line has to be 'we're the sweeney son and we haven't had any dinner'. Don't think that in the first episode John Thaw had quite given Regan the gruffness in his voice. The Sweeney contributed to my marriage break-up!!!!!! She hated it, I loved it. Unfortunately loads of episodes were destroyed by my ex, can anyone help with replacements? (episodes not ex's)
20 adrian from swindon: my two favourite episodes are "sweet smell of succession" and "bad apple" as they typify the realism and grit of this fantastic non-politically correct programme-far superior to modern offerings.
19 martin barfield from leeds: the best line on the sweeney was 'were the Sweeney, son, and we haven't had any dinner!'
18 Seamus Kennedy from Dublin, Ireland: The Sweeney? Not only the best cop show ever but also the best TV show ever transmitted. I can't think of one area in which The Sweeney is less than excellent - plots, characterisations, direction, acting etc are all excellent. For me, the only other cop show which comes close to the Sweeney is Van der Valk. Favourite Sweeney episode? A difficult choice, but it has to be Thou Shalt Not Kill. The thing that makes the Sweeney stand head & shoulders above other cop shows is the way in which it reflects real life, warts & all - granted, some may say it would be more satisfying for the good guys to win every time, but that's not the way things work in the real world. The Sweeney shows the police not as whiter-than white defenders of society, but as human beings, with all that entails, both good & bad. I'm too young to remember the Sweeney when it was transmitted originally (I was six years old when it finished!) but have seen each episode when it was repeated, most recently on Irish television (TV3). In fact, my only Sweeney-related gripe has nothing to do with the programme itself, but rather with the lack of Sweeney videos/DVDs available (are you listening, Pearson TV?) On my last trip to London, when I enquired in Oxford Street's Virgin Megastore, I was informed that my enquiry concerning the Sweeney was the third that day!! The demand is there, so, as the man says, DO AS YOU'RE BLOODY TOLD!!!!
17 leila poole from Manchester: Regan and Carter singing and dancing while drunk what a fab thing to show, also all the gun fights they are great.
16 david bush from norwich: my fav sweeney epo is MESSENGER OF THE GODS with diana dors its a classic
15 Jeff Brown from Devon: I never miss an episode!! You know that the late John Thaw and Denis Waterman are truly great actors when you start believing that they are the characters themselves.
14 Josie from Australia: Like Michelle from London, I'm also only a recent Sweeney fan. I didn't catch it when it was originally shown in Oz in 70s. In last few years however, have been able to tape late-night repeats on T.V. John Thaw (R.I.P) was particularly a cutie! One episode I particularly like is Trojan Horse where Jack and George do their Jimmy Durante routine!
I recently brought Dennis Waterman's Autobiography, 'ReMinder'. There is a good long chapter in there about the making of the Sweeney. That chapter also includes lots of reminisces from John Thaw. I highly recommend.
13 Allister Hardwick from Fulham: Just the best cops n robbers show ever for all time.!
It's always a sheer joy watching those 2 rozzers during the late 1970's driving around west London (on my manor) before all the sloanes and the hoity-toity city nobs bought up battersea, fulham, wandsworth, tooting etc.
The colourful language that R & C use makes me crack up with laughter everytime eg "You're nicked, tinkabell !"; "Evenin' all!"; "...get the sparklers and the pussy!".
The petty rows with (C.C.pension obsessed) boss Haskins, the banter with the rest of the Flying squad members under Regan's command, the inter-dept politics with other parts of the police force, the back-biting, the back-stabbing, the snouts, the slappers R & C bedded, the villans, the woodentops, the shooters, the blaggings, bent cops, cheeky ozys, London as it was in the late 1970's etc.
ie life with the rozzers as it should be sadly not as it is nowadays.
25 years on and lilly-law dont behave like that anymore: they're much to polite and nice to you when you get busted for not wearing your seat belt while while driving in London these days in 2002.
I cant wait to take delivery of all the episodes on DVD - Pearson TV - take note and then have a weekend binge of non-stop sweeneys!
Basically its like this: what Regan and Carter did for the sweeney, Peter Sellers' Chief Insp Clouseau did for the Suritee (french police) ie popularised it.
Hard to choose the very best episode but I guess the one with Diana Dors was a real hoot or that one with Tony Selby and his brainless bimbo 'trophy' girlfriend. Did all those excellent writers realise they were in danger of turning The Sweeney into a pseudo-comedy show with a bloody good slap (across the 'boat').
I'm sure it was a big hit in its day with all the villany banged up in Parkhurst and other similar HM hotels. I'm sure even the Krays, Mr Bridger(Italian Job), Harry Grout(Porridge) and Doug and Dinsdale Piranha(monty python) would have approved of all the blaggings and all the other low-life on the show.
The only other c-n-r's show that comes anywhere close to the sweeney is the professionals staring Mr Hudson (upstairs/downstairs) and Bonehead and Foyle who mince around the home counties in their Ford capri like a pair of old 'irons' )cockney rhyme and slang for ...!
John Thaw's reincarnation as Morse was a huge disappointment dealing with that murder capital of the world: Oxford ! (not a hint of the old DI Regan - shame - not even a "bastad!" under his breath.) Blimey! I never knew the place was so dangerous to live in. If I ever have to do another degree course I shall give Oxford a wide berth and try my luck at Cambridge eg Porterhouse (Peterhouse !) - i hear the social life there is much much better (and safer) with a caretaker who bears an uncanny resemblence to, get this, actor David Jason - amazin !.
At least Denis Waterman went onto brill things ie Minder with George Cole. And of course Haskins who went onto play a 'hilarious' part in Allo Allo.
AMHardwick (sadly in need of a richer and more fuller adult social life !)
12 Michelle from London: I was a child when The Sweeney was first shown, but i'm now discovering what a great show it was. Some well paced, interesting storylines, sound acting, great dialogue with lots of humour and fabulous 70's threads makes for an exciting show. There's nothing on tv today that comes close to matching the sheer gritty, sexiness of The Sweeney.
11 steve jones from kidderminster: The episode "abduction" was partly filmed at my school Ryvers Junior in Slough. My sister was in the scene where Regan goes into his daughters classroom to talk to her teacher.
10 Grant from Sipson, Middlesex: The Sweeney are to cops 'n' robbers, what AC/DC are to rock 'n' roll !! Bloody brilliant !!
Great story lines, tough but vulnerable characters, no-nonsense editing. One of the most underused characters ever - Bill the driver. They don't make 'em like this anymore...& proabably never will. Long live Regan & Carter !!
9 Baz from Derby: just a great show! with those great lines and acting.
SHUT IT!!!
8 Chris White from Doncaster: The original and the best cop duo of all time nothing can touch Regan and Carter its just pure brilliance.
John Thaw and Dennis Waterman are a legend.
7 Matthew Lavine from Pontefract, W Yorks: Its great to watch all the old cars form when I was a kid- Great stories, great lines, great characters.
6 Bec from Birkenhead: Probably the best line in a TV show: "We're the Sweeney, son, and we haven't had any dinner!"
5 Al from Liverpool: Simply because Regan was the best Kick-*** copper on TV and would eat Inspector Morse alive! That's why Baby!!
4 giulio robertson from brighton: Sweeney so cool ,it was a major turning point for UK 70's tv, love to see it again please, my favourite moments, get your trousers on ,your knicked. Also Jack gets a bottle of plonk and says ;use ya loaf bill ,please please show more episodes.
3 Lorriane Broughton from Leicester: When i was about 12-13 I always remember having to be glued to this every week ..i never used to miss any of the programmes, i loved it
2 Tom Gadd from Bournemouth: Just legendary!!
1 Zoe Ride from Barnsley: T he perfect programme,H andsome actors, E nergy-bursting running, S uccessful partnership, W ily criminals, E ntertaining, E pisodes, N ever boring, E xtremely amusing, Y earning for its returning :-)