The Thin Blue Line
The Thin Blue Line
| 13 November 1995 (USA)
SEASON & EPISODES
  • 2
  • 1
  • 0
  • Season 2 : 1996 | 7 Episodes

    EP1 Court in the Act Nov 14, 1996

    Grim and Boyle enlist the help of Fowler and his officers to search the home of a suspected drug-dealer, and Goody finds the drugs in the kitchen. But the too-obvious location, Boyle's discretion and Grim's comfortableness lead Fowler to believe something is going on behind the arrest.

    EP2 Ism Ism Ism Nov 21, 1996

    Dawkins discovers circumstantial evidence of a domestically abused wife, Grim applies to join the Todgers, and Mayoress Christabel Wickham informs Fowler of the presence of an illegal immigrant in Gasforth. Fowler apparently solves the crimes, but soon realises that they seemed a little too easy.

    EP3 Fly on the Wall Nov 28, 1996

    Fowler receives a letter from the BBC, who then come and make a fly on the wall documentary about Gasforth Police Station. Unfortunately, Grim convinces the officers, sans Fowler, that they are all going to become international television stars, prompting them all to undergo many changes to look "nice for the telly" and end up making fools of themselves in front of the cameramen until a farmer enters the station with a gun.

    EP4 Alternative Culture Dec 05, 1996

    Constable Habib finds her younger sister holding drugs during a drug raid in a rave club, and hides the drugs to protect her, but she is discovered and charged for withholding evidence. Fowler, unhappy with the injustice, does his best to protect Habib.

    EP5 Come on You Blues Dec 12, 1996

    Gasforth Football Club is about to play Premiership team Chelsea, and Mayoress Wickham orders Fowler and his officers to personally see to it that nothing goes wrong in exchange for her recommending him for an MBE. However, things get complicated when the football players get up to no good.

    EP6 Road Rage Dec 19, 1996

    Sergeant Dawkins leaves for a break with some nature-loving activists, but during this time, they get into a feud with the police for their extreme methods, forcing Dawkins to choose between their arrogant leader, Stallion, or Fowler.

    EP7 The Green Eyed Monster Dec 23, 1996

    Inspector Fowler proposes to Sergeant Dawkins so as to help his chances for promotion, but his lack of sensitivity during the proposal prompts her to leave him instead. Fowler tries to find a new woman, but loses his interest when he hears that Dawkins is now with someone called "Toby."
    Reviews
    Bene Cumb

    Rowan Atkinson is a talented actor and comedian, I can't recall any works with his participation being dull or benighted. Sitcom The Thin Blue Line is another fine example where he and his co-actors fill in witty scripts by Ben Elton. There is no totally positive police character, each and every has odd views/comprehensions, personal problems at home, difficulties with opposite sex etc; for me, Rowan Atkinson as Inspector Raymond Fowler, James Dreyfus as Constable Kevin Goody, Mina Anwar as Constable Maggie Habib, and David Haig as Detective Inspector Derek Grim are the best and funniest (well, one might say at times exaggeration is too intense, bearing in mind that the policemen are depicted), but - as a good and strong sign of British comedies - it is no total buffoonery, but various important topics are handled, such as racism, different minorities, lack of state funding, new types of crimes, role of the police in society - to name a few. And last but not least: you will hear abundant British English, with dozens of words not in daily use.

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    kishonadish

    The Thin Blue Line is a very enjoyable comedy to watch due to the variety of different characters created by Ben Elton whom are extremely different to one another and also very funny in their own ways. The show is based in the fictional town of Gasforth which is suppose to be located around London.Inspector Fowler (played by Atkinson) is the well-spoken police officer who is best described by his girlfriend police Sargeant Dawkins as a "man who was born middle aged". Atkinson is superb in the role, and my favourite moments involving Inspector Fowler include his views and attitudes towards current society in which he would rather stay in his office and read a book whilst eating a chocolate frog than queueing up in the bank to renew his standing order. There are also great moments in the show when Fowler has to interact with other members of the police force including Constable Goody and Inspector Grimm.Inspector Grimm has to be the highlight of the show, he is played wonderfully by David Haig who unfortunately has not be on TV much after his excellent performance on this show. Grimm gets frustrated easily by Fowler, police work and anything in general. He works in CID in the Gasforth police station and yearns for real police work involving thugs and drug dealers. But in most cases he gets tricked by students who cause pranks during rag week, gets foiled in a honey trap operation which he took accountability for and becomes an undercover football fan where he arrests the football players rather than the fans. Inspector Grimm just cant take "fannying about".Another brilliant character is Constable Goody who joined the police force to "strut around in a nice uniform and stop crime". He unintentionally gets under Inspector Fowler's skin who finds him quite annoying. He also fancies the feminist Constable Maggie Habib, who he has no chance in winning over but still tries relentlessly to impress her.The show is worth checking out if you are a fan of British comedy and/or Rowan Atkinson and writer Ben Elton. Both seasons one and two are enjoyable with all episodes worth watching. My favourite episode is the finale to season two in which Fowler upsets Sargeant Dawkins after his terrible marriage proposal and he therefore is asked to come out on the pull by the other officers (a term Fowler is not familiar with). Also in the episode Inspector Grimm believes his time has come to be promoted in CID.

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    toonnnnn

    This is British comedy at its best,lots of double entendres and comic characters.Rownan Atkinsons delivery is a delight.Inspecter Grims raves and rants about the boredom of his job are classic, hoping to catch a big time criminal but just not being able to do it.Mina antiwar is good as young police woman who is fancied by Kevin Goody a hopeless young policeman, who is very camp.Inspector Fowlers love life with Sgt Dawkins is the source of much amusement, as his idea of fun in the bedroom is to read a Biggles book or reminisce about meccanno. Rudolf Walker co stars as old copper full of amusing stories which always seem to side track Inspector Fowler.So do yourself a favour and watch the thin blue line

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    budikavlan

    This series was a bit of a step back for Elton and Atkinson after the audaciously original Blackadder and Mr. Bean series. The Thin Blue Line is an old-fashioned farce set in a city police station. That's not to say it's bad--it's actually very funny, just not anything groundbreaking. A lot of the humor derives from playing stereotypes against themselves: our heroes are bumbling cops who manage to make fools of themselves while eventually solving the crimes and making fools of the bad guys (not to mention the detective division) in the end. Goody, who could be described as a flaming heterosexual, manages to combine a full repertoire of "nelly" mannerisms with a hopeless crush on Habib. Habib herself is both a stereotype (attractive young female character constantly pursued by almost every male character) and a skewerer of stereotypes. This show has its cake and eats it too, but the viewer is too busy laughing to question any of it. And in the tradition of the best British farces, it goes to unbelievable lengths to track down and hammer home every conceivable double entendre and smutty one-liner. When one finishes groaning and/or laughing, one can't help but admire such perseverance in the pursuit of craft.

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