27:
349:
times the task force has roles such as policing a football match, providing security for a visiting senator and responding to a terrorist incident at an airport, they are mostly shown assisting Barlow and Watt to solve murders and other crimes. This CID bias makes most episodes quite reminiscent of those in the previous series.
348:
Although there is said to be a Number Two Task Force, the series centres on the activities of Number One Task Force usually referred to simply as "the task force". The task force contains a mixture of CID and uniform personnel and is meant to provide a resource for use in big operations. Though at
336:
Barlow is appointed to the role, which though more prestigious because of the size of
Thamesford Constabulary, carries the same rank (chief superintendent) as his current role as deputy co-ordinator of the Southwest Regional Crime Squad. There is also a vacancy for a deputy head of CID and Watt as
333:) – both applied for the role of head of CID at the newly formed police force, the fictional Thamesford Constabulary, which was said to be a product of amalgamations carried out during a recent reorganisation of the British police and is referred to as the third largest force in Britain.
135:
337:
runner up is appointed gaining the rank of detective superintendent. Upon arrival in
Thamesford, Barlow recommends the formation of two task forces. These are set up and Watt is made commander of Number One Task Force in addition to his duties as deputy head of CID. Harry Hawkins (
1170:. The characters sparred off each other to get to the truth made for entertaining television, but with the exception of the final episode, it was hampered by a lack of actual evidence to offer real 'second verdicts'. A comparable ITV series
1123:, depending on the episode). The one exception is 1972's "Welcome to the Club", which only survives as a black and white copy of the originally colour episode. This one black and white episode survives on 16 mm film.
1148:
murders. The pair would state all the known facts and with the aid of specially staged reconstructions, attempt to work out how the crimes were committed, though usually nothing new was conclusively proven.
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1178:. In a contemporary interview, Stratford Johns remarked that: "I did not like the title. It was too limiting. I would have preferred 'Second Opinion'".
1400:
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featuring detailed reconstructions of notorious crime trials used much dialogue based on actual transcripts, which at the time didn't help
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1158:. Over six weeks, they re-investigated some of the most baffling historic criminal cases, including the
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Barlow and Watt appeared again in a six-part series in 1973, which saw the characters re-appraising the
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Series 1 received a Region 2 DVD release from Simply Media. This was released on 18 November 2013.
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The stories were set in the fictional south-eastern
English borough of Kingley (played by
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area of Kent), where the team were under the baleful eye of Chief
Constable Cullen (
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The character of John Watt would see one final solo appearance in the last ever
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1218:"BBC Online - Cult - Treasure Hunt - the Missing Episodes - Softly, Softly"
367:
The story saw Barlow widowed in 1972, after which he was headhunted by the
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Simply Media released Series 2 on Region 2 DVD in
September 2016.
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325:, the main characters – Detective Chief Superintendent Barlow (
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as dog handler PC Snow with his dogs Inky and Radar,
1099:* PC Knowles is never given a first name on-screen.
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51:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
1381:1970s British police procedural television series
1371:1960s British police procedural television series
371:to work on special cases (this became the series
16:British police procedural TV series (1969–1976)
1260:
303:. The programme was due to be called simply
8:
1152:They were spun off into one further outing,
1267:
1253:
1245:
993:Lodge, Professor Dowell, Edward Letheridge
133:
122:
1411:British English-language television shows
111:Learn how and when to remove this message
1204:"Softly, Softly: Task Force (1971-1976)"
948:
558:
396:
1195:
1396:1976 British television series endings
283:from 1969 to 1976. It was a revamp of
1406:British crime drama television series
1391:1969 British television series debuts
1386:1970s British crime television series
1376:1960s British crime television series
7:
49:adding citations to reliable sources
14:
1115:in their original format (either
329:) and Detective Inspector Watt (
25:
1401:British crime television series
36:needs additional citations for
205:
194:
1:
622:Insp./DI/CI/DCI Harry Hawkins
1416:British television spin-offs
60:"Softly, Softly: Task Force"
1432:
1317:Softly, Softly: Task Force
309:Softly, Softly: Task Force
272:Softly, Softly: Task Force
127:Softly, Softly: Task Force
1285:
1235:Softly, Softly: Taskforce
677:Sgt./Insp Richard Jackson
289:, itself a spin-off from
132:
1164:the Princes in the Tower
641:Chief Con. Arthur Cullen
1107:All bar one episode of
974:Insp. Thomas Armstrong
1187:, in September 1978.
1061:John Franklyn-Robbins
389:(Chief Con. Cullen).
1160:Lindbergh kidnapping
1065:CI/D Sup. Bill Adler
1046:Sara Jameson/Hawkins
1010:P/W DC Maggie Forest
751:Dr. Jean Morrow/Watt
660:Sgt./DS/DI Bob Evans
656:David Lloyd Meredith
603:D Sup./DCS John Watt
383:David Lloyd Meredith
279:series which ran on
180:David Lloyd Meredith
45:improve this article
1162:and the murders of
694:P/W DC Betty Donald
146:Troy Kennedy Martin
1138:Series development
765:Radar (police dog)
584:DCS Charlie Barlow
1358:
1357:
1280:and related shows
1121:16 mm colour film
1097:
1096:
1027:P/W DS Mary Green
970:Terrence Hardiman
942:
941:
801:Martin C. Thurley
728:Inky (police dog)
552:
551:
277:police procedural
268:
267:
186:Country of origin
121:
120:
113:
95:
1423:
1269:
1262:
1255:
1246:
1222:
1221:
1214:
1208:
1207:
1200:
1168:King Richard III
1084:DS Jack Stirling
949:
876:WPC Betty Arthur
821:PC Terry Nesbitt
559:
397:
385:(Sgt Evans) and
299:'s main channel
264:
262:
257:15 December 1976
254:
252:
247:20 November 1969
229:Original release
207:
196:
137:
123:
116:
109:
105:
102:
96:
94:
53:
29:
21:
1431:
1430:
1426:
1425:
1424:
1422:
1421:
1420:
1361:
1360:
1359:
1354:
1342:Jack the Ripper
1331:Barlow at Large
1281:
1273:
1230:
1225:
1216:
1215:
1211:
1202:
1201:
1197:
1193:
1145:Jack the Ripper
1140:
1129:
1111:survive in the
1105:
929:PC Will Pearson
873:Philippa Howell
836:Nigel Humphreys
818:Grahame Mallard
580:Stratford Johns
557:
395:
393:Series run down
374:Barlow at Large
327:Stratford Johns
317:
260:
258:
256:
250:
248:
178:
174:
170:
166:
162:
160:Stratford Johns
148:
117:
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100:
97:
54:
52:
42:
30:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1427:
1419:
1418:
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1408:
1403:
1398:
1393:
1388:
1383:
1378:
1373:
1363:
1362:
1356:
1355:
1353:
1352:
1349:Second Verdict
1345:
1338:
1327:
1326:
1325:
1313:
1310:Softly, Softly
1306:
1305:
1304:
1299:
1286:
1283:
1282:
1274:
1272:
1271:
1264:
1257:
1249:
1243:
1242:
1229:
1228:External links
1226:
1224:
1223:
1209:
1194:
1192:
1189:
1176:Second Verdict
1155:Second Verdict
1139:
1136:
1128:
1125:
1104:
1103:Archive status
1101:
1095:
1094:
1091:
1088:
1085:
1082:
1076:
1075:
1072:
1069:
1066:
1063:
1057:
1056:
1053:
1050:
1047:
1044:
1038:
1037:
1034:
1031:
1028:
1025:
1024:Heather Stoney
1021:
1020:
1017:
1014:
1011:
1008:
1004:
1003:
1000:
997:
994:
991:
985:
984:
981:
978:
975:
972:
966:
965:
964:Episode Count
962:
959:
956:
953:
940:
939:
936:
933:
930:
927:
923:
922:
919:
916:
913:
910:
904:
903:
900:
897:
894:
893:PC Joe Lincoln
891:
887:
886:
883:
880:
877:
874:
870:
869:
866:
863:
860:
857:
855:Malcolm Rennie
851:
850:
847:
844:
841:
838:
832:
831:
828:
825:
822:
819:
815:
814:
811:
808:
805:
802:
798:
797:
794:
791:
788:
785:
779:
778:
775:
772:
769:
766:
762:
761:
758:
755:
752:
749:
743:
742:
739:
736:
733:
730:
724:
723:
720:
717:
714:
711:
705:
704:
701:
698:
695:
692:
688:
687:
684:
681:
678:
675:
674:David Allister
671:
670:
667:
664:
661:
658:
652:
651:
648:
645:
642:
639:
633:
632:
629:
626:
623:
620:
614:
613:
610:
607:
604:
601:
595:
594:
591:
588:
585:
582:
576:
575:
574:Episode Count
572:
569:
566:
563:
556:
553:
550:
549:
546:
543:
540:
537:
533:
532:
529:
526:
523:
520:
516:
515:
512:
509:
506:
503:
499:
498:
495:
492:
489:
486:
482:
481:
478:
475:
472:
469:
465:
464:
461:
458:
455:
452:
448:
447:
444:
441:
438:
435:
431:
430:
427:
424:
421:
418:
414:
413:
410:
407:
404:
401:
394:
391:
319:At the end of
316:
313:
286:Softly, Softly
266:
265:
245:
241:
240:
235:
231:
230:
226:
225:
222:
218:
217:
213:
212:
209:
202:
201:
198:
191:
190:
189:United Kingdom
187:
183:
182:
157:
153:
152:
143:
139:
138:
130:
129:
119:
118:
33:
31:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1428:
1417:
1414:
1412:
1409:
1407:
1404:
1402:
1399:
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1394:
1392:
1389:
1387:
1384:
1382:
1379:
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1374:
1372:
1369:
1368:
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1351:
1350:
1346:
1344:
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1339:
1337:
1336:
1332:
1328:
1324:
1321:
1320:
1319:
1318:
1314:
1312:
1311:
1307:
1303:
1300:
1298:
1295:
1294:
1293:
1292:
1288:
1287:
1284:
1279:
1278:
1270:
1265:
1263:
1258:
1256:
1251:
1250:
1247:
1241:
1237:
1236:
1232:
1231:
1227:
1219:
1213:
1210:
1205:
1199:
1196:
1190:
1188:
1186:
1185:
1179:
1177:
1173:
1169:
1165:
1161:
1157:
1156:
1150:
1147:
1146:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1126:
1124:
1122:
1118:
1114:
1110:
1102:
1100:
1092:
1089:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1080:Warren Clarke
1078:
1077:
1073:
1070:
1067:
1064:
1062:
1059:
1058:
1054:
1051:
1048:
1045:
1043:
1040:
1039:
1035:
1032:
1029:
1026:
1023:
1022:
1018:
1015:
1012:
1009:
1006:
1005:
1001:
998:
995:
992:
990:
987:
986:
982:
979:
976:
973:
971:
968:
967:
963:
961:Series Active
960:
957:
954:
951:
950:
947:
946:
937:
934:
931:
928:
926:John Flanagan
925:
924:
920:
917:
914:
911:
909:
906:
905:
901:
898:
895:
892:
889:
888:
884:
881:
878:
875:
872:
871:
867:
864:
861:
858:
856:
853:
852:
848:
845:
842:
840:PC Pete Dodds
839:
837:
834:
833:
829:
826:
823:
820:
817:
816:
812:
809:
806:
803:
800:
799:
795:
792:
789:
786:
784:
781:
780:
776:
773:
770:
767:
764:
763:
759:
756:
753:
750:
748:
745:
744:
740:
737:
734:
731:
729:
726:
725:
721:
718:
715:
713:PC Henry Snow
712:
710:
709:Terence Rigby
707:
706:
702:
699:
696:
693:
690:
689:
685:
682:
679:
676:
673:
672:
668:
665:
662:
659:
657:
654:
653:
649:
646:
643:
640:
638:
637:Walter Gotell
635:
634:
630:
627:
624:
621:
619:
618:Norman Bowler
616:
615:
611:
608:
605:
602:
600:
599:Frank Windsor
597:
596:
592:
589:
586:
583:
581:
578:
577:
573:
571:Series Active
570:
567:
564:
561:
560:
554:
547:
544:
541:
538:
535:
534:
530:
527:
524:
521:
518:
517:
513:
510:
507:
504:
501:
500:
496:
493:
490:
487:
484:
483:
479:
476:
473:
470:
467:
466:
462:
459:
456:
453:
450:
449:
445:
442:
439:
436:
433:
432:
428:
425:
422:
419:
416:
415:
411:
408:
405:
402:
399:
398:
392:
390:
388:
387:Walter Gotell
384:
380:
379:Terence Rigby
376:
375:
370:
365:
363:
362:Walter Gotell
359:
355:
350:
346:
344:
343:Softly Softly
340:
339:Norman Bowler
334:
332:
331:Frank Windsor
328:
324:
323:
322:Softly Softly
314:
312:
310:
306:
302:
298:
294:
293:
288:
287:
282:
278:
274:
273:
246:
242:
239:
236:
232:
227:
223:
219:
214:
210:
203:
199:
192:
188:
184:
181:
177:
176:Walter Gotell
173:
172:Norman Bowler
169:
168:Terence Rigby
165:
164:Frank Windsor
161:
158:
154:
151:
147:
144:
140:
136:
131:
128:
124:
115:
112:
104:
101:February 2007
93:
90:
86:
83:
79:
76:
72:
69:
65:
62: –
61:
57:
56:Find sources:
50:
46:
40:
39:
34:This article
32:
28:
23:
22:
19:
1347:
1341:
1334:
1330:
1316:
1315:
1309:
1289:
1275:
1234:
1212:
1198:
1182:
1180:
1175:
1171:
1153:
1151:
1143:
1141:
1133:
1130:
1113:BBC Archives
1108:
1106:
1098:
1042:Jenny Hanley
1007:Julie Hallam
989:Peter Sallis
958:Years Active
944:
943:
912:DS Don Grant
908:Peter Childs
890:Peter Clough
859:PC Ted Perry
804:PC Knowles *
787:PC Ted Drake
747:Gay Hamilton
568:Years Active
488:12 Sept 1973
471:13 Sept 1972
437:16 Sept 1970
372:
366:
351:
347:
342:
335:
320:
318:
308:
304:
290:
284:
271:
270:
269:
221:Running time
126:
107:
98:
88:
81:
74:
67:
55:
43:Please help
38:verification
35:
18:
1302:Theme music
1127:DVD release
691:Susan Tebbs
548:50 minutes
542:15 Dec 1976
539:8 Sept 1976
531:50 minutes
522:27 Aug 1975
514:50 minutes
508:27 Nov 1974
505:4 Sept 1974
497:50 minutes
491:16 Jan 1974
480:50 minutes
474:31 Jan 1973
463:50 minutes
457:29 Mar 1972
446:50 minutes
440:10 Mar 1971
429:50 minutes
423:12 Mar 1970
420:20 Nov 1969
369:Home Office
208:of episodes
150:Elwyn Jones
1365:Categories
1191:References
1117:2" Quad VT
1109:Task Force
783:Brian Hall
525:3 Dec 1975
454:6 Oct 1971
305:Task Force
261:1976-12-15
251:1969-11-20
224:50 minutes
216:Production
142:Created by
71:newspapers
1068:1972–1973
1049:1972–1975
1030:1971–1973
1013:1971–1972
996:1971-1976
955:Character
896:1975–1976
879:1975–1976
843:1974–1975
824:1972–1974
807:1972–1974
790:1971–1972
754:1970–1974
716:1969–1976
697:1969–1971
680:1969–1971
663:1969–1976
644:1969–1975
625:1969–1976
606:1969–1976
587:1969–1972
565:Character
412:Duration
354:Rochester
197:of series
1297:Episodes
409:Episodes
356:and the
156:Starring
1172:Killers
999:2, 7, 8
771:1970–72
735:1969–70
315:Outline
259: (
255: –
249: (
244:Release
234:Network
85:scholar
1335:Barlow
1291:Z-Cars
1277:Z-Cars
1184:Z-Cars
945:Others
757:1–4, 6
400:Series
358:Medway
292:Z-Cars
87:
80:
73:
66:
58:
952:Actor
768:Radar
562:Actor
281:BBC 1
275:is a
92:JSTOR
78:books
1323:Inky
1240:IMDb
1087:1973
977:1971
932:1976
915:1976
862:1975
777:N/A
741:N/A
732:Inky
669:106
631:113
612:123
555:Cast
403:From
301:BBC1
238:BBC1
64:news
1238:at
1166:by
1119:or
1052:4–7
1033:2-3
938:15
921:15
902:17
899:7–8
885:12
882:7–8
868:12
849:20
846:6–7
830:29
827:4–6
813:23
810:4–5
796:16
774:2–3
760:12
722:83
719:1–8
703:26
700:1–2
686:22
683:1–2
666:1–8
650:55
647:1–7
628:1–8
609:1–8
593:56
590:1–4
364:).
297:BBC
211:149
206:No.
195:No.
47:by
1367::
1333:/
1093:4
1074:9
1055:8
1036:9
1019:9
1002:3
983:7
545:15
528:15
511:13
494:18
477:20
460:26
443:26
426:16
406:To
311:.
1268:e
1261:t
1254:v
1220:.
1206:.
1090:5
1071:4
1016:2
980:2
935:8
918:8
865:7
793:3
738:1
536:8
519:7
502:6
485:5
468:4
451:3
434:2
417:1
263:)
253:)
200:8
114:)
108:(
103:)
99:(
89:·
82:·
75:·
68:·
41:.
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