I wonder if it was intentional that Andrew Lancel's first scene in The Bill mirrored that of his first scene in Cardiac Arrest ....
(yes, I have too much time on my hands)

I know the Madford stuff is bizarre and over the top, but for some reason i am enjoying the conclusion to it all, the bit where Brandon was looking through her drawers, i was sitting thinking she is going to find him, it was tense so i must have been enjoying it

What i am finding is the normal crimes are usually solved within an episode, which is a shame some of them were decent enough to have a couple of episodes at least, whereas the boring stuff drags on for weeks

Yes I was thinking hurry up and get out of there when he was rooting through her stuff, I was also waiting for her to clock he had her asp in his pocket when she was hugging him, I thought the plastic was going to rustle and give him away!

Her asp? "Is that an asp rustling in your locket or are you just pleased to see me?"

I like how Madford was in complete disarray and then she went and made herself up and got her police uniform on to do the kidnap. The way she was causing havoc in her police uniform reminded me of the T-1000 in Terminator 2.

Also you notice how Brandon was unshaven at the start of the episode. Clean-shaven when he went to meet Madford at the river and then unshaven again by the end of the episode, all in the same day.

I'm not watching the episodes on Drama but do remember them - working on a collection of the DVDs to go through them all unedited at some point. Cathy was a complete and utter fruit cake but I thought the final episode was a little weak.

I've found myself really missing The Bill lately though, it was a nice little programme to have a couple of times a week all year round. I hope we get something to replace it soon. I still find it ridiculous that we have two continuous dramas based around a hospital but a continuous drama around the police service (which could arguably offer far more stories) is non-existent. I'm tempted to give Red Rock a go and see if that can fill some of the void.

LOL, Gina Gold called her Cathy Madford in todays ep

I had a chuckle when she said that!

I miss The Bill too, I am still watching at Drama pace but I'm quite a way behind on my recordings. I've started losing interest in the show during this 2003 period, so I haven't been as keen to keep up with the Drama showings.

I'm watching episodes on DVD too - I am watching early 1998 episodes at the moment. I just watched an episode where Polly Page sarcastically said to a young criminal "the day you stop causing trouble is the day I start a life of crime" which made me chuckle, seeing as we've just seen her In prison for murder!

In the recent Jim domestic violence storyline did I miss an ep or did they really cut it to pieces, one ep it seemed they all thought he was the abuser and were discussing it then it was known he was being abused , I don't recall seeing the story unravel.

As for Madford, thank heavens this is nearly over, but then we still have Kent.

Yes!! Have been waiting for the "Madford" line, love Gina!

I think this is when I lost interest when it was originally aired, I used to dip in and out, so vaguely remember bits of this storyline.

Still don't like how they try and squeeze so much into one episode and it's all so choppy!

good episode just now and Drama forgot to add the channel logo until 7 minutes into the episode meaning could watch without any onscreen rubbish

That was funny. I hadn't realised it was actually said on the show. I thought it was a forum joke!!

It's possible that the scripwriters picked the nickname up from what was being said online about her and then used it.

He he, you could well be right. I'd only read it on this forum fairly recently but, of course, there must have been plenty of media talk of the storyline back in 2003.

I'd forgotten what good entertainment it was, I've been recording the midday episode

The last storyline I remember from back in the day is the one where Moira from Emmerdale and Frank Foster from Corrie are an item and "Moira" gets killed in an explosion at the station - I think it was the station

todays episode missing previous and next time segments again

The Adam Okaro drinking game:

Everytime he says "the press" you have to take a shot
Everytime someone calls him "Adam" you have to take a shot
If Gina Gold calls him "Adam" you have to take two shots

Nice one.
In recent times you could add to that "The Borough Commander" (ironically he ended up being one!) and "My office, NOW".

Having said that, "My office, NOW" is probably better played in the Jack Meadows drinking game!

There were so many scandals on Okaro's watch and I realised that he mentioned "the press" in nearly every episode he was in.

Noted that the actor who played Tyrone,
the young kid in Friday's ep was Ben Kinsella. who was murdered in 2008.

Did I spot pc lewis hardy in one of the episodes this week playing a different character?

Fish Lips has latched herself onto Cameron now! She's got a mouth like a suction pad

Yeah, Aml Ameen ... he's been in it before too, in 2002 (series 18), according to IMDb. He was good as Lewis.

Just caught up with Friday's episode.

The actor who played Tyrone (Ben Kinsella) brutally murdered at the age of just 16. It was heartbreaking watching that episode with that knowledge.
I remember the case at the time but didn't realise he'd had a part in The Bill.

I read the Wikipedia report on the case
Each of his murderers received a minimum of 19 years in prison. I'd have thrown away the key!