The Sweeney: The Complete Series One

Britain's bare-knuckle cop show from the 1970s stars John Thaw in his pre–Inspector Morse incarnation as Detective Inspector Jack Regan, the take-no-prisoners leader of the rough-and-tumble Flying Squad, a unit assigned to combat London's organized crime underworld. Dennis Waterman costars as Regan's younger and more restrained Cockney partner, Detective Sergeant George Carter, who helps navigate the pair's way around the gangs of South London. Regan regularly collides with commanders and fellow officers due to his disregard for rules and his violent, sometimes deadly tactics (his ferocity and singleminded drive has already cost him his marriage). “I don't like your methods,” Carter tells him repeatedly, but he does respect the older man's commitment to the job and his tenacity in confronting villains, using whatever means are at his disposal. The Sweeney was the grittiest cop show in Britain in its day, and later served as a model for the creators of Life on Mars. For American audiences, the series offers a colorful portrait of the London criminal culture that makes a fascinating contrast to contemporary British productions such as Prime Suspect. Compiling all 13 episodes from the 1974-75 first season, DVD extras include the original pilot (with audio commentary by director Tom Clegg, star Dennis Waterman, and writer-producer Ted Childs), select episode commentaries, interviews, and a behind-the-scene featurette. Recommended. [Note: The Sweeney: The Complete Series Two is also newly available.] (S. Axmaker)