Z Cars

1962 Ended BBC One

Z Cars or Z-Cars was a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, Merseyside. Produced by the BBC, it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978. The series differed sharply from earlier police procedurals. With its less-usual Northern setting, it injected a new element of harsh realism into the image of the police, which some found unwelcome. Z Cars ran for a total of 803 episodes, of which fewer than half have survived. Regular stars included Stratford Johns (Detective Inspector Barlow), Frank Windsor (Det. Sgt Watt), James Ellis (Bert Lynch) and Brian Blessed ("Fancy" Smith). Barlow and Watt were later spun into a separate series "Softly, Softly". The name Z Cars relates to an imaginary "Z" Division of the local constabulary. The theme tune was based on a traditional Liverpool folk song, and was adopted by Everton Football Club as its official anthem.

In short

Z Cars (premiered 2 January 1962). Status: Ended. Platform: BBC One. 773 episodes, 12 × Season.

Seasons (12 · 773 episodes)

773

Cast

James Ellis

PC/DC/Sgt./Insp. Bert Lynch (1962–1965, 1967–1978)

Frank Windsor

DS John Watt (1962-1965)

Joseph Brady

PC "Jock" Weir (1962–1965, 1967-1968)

Brian Blessed

PC "Fancy" Smith (1962–1965)

Stratford Johns

DCI Charlie Barlow (1962–1965)

Colin Welland

PC David Graham (1962–1965)

Terence Edmond

PC Ian Sweet (1962–1964)

Leonard Williams

Sgt. Percy Twentyman (1962)

Jeremy Kemp

PC Bob Steele (1962-1963)

Robert Keegan

Sgt. Bob Blackitt (1962–1965)

Geoffrey Whitehead

PC Ken Baker (1964–1965)

John Slater

DS Tom Stone (1967-1974)

Michael Forrest

DC Glyn Hicks (1962–1964)

David Daker

PC Owen Culshaw (1967–1968)

Ray Lonnen

Det. Insp. Moffat

Geoffrey Hayes

DC Scatliff

John Collin

DS Cecil Haggar

Derek Waring

Insp Goss

Bernard Holley

PC Newcombe

John Challis

Sgt Culshaw

FAQ

When does “Z Cars” premiere?

“Z Cars” premiered on 2 January 1962. Upcoming episodes and any new seasons are listed in the Seans release calendar, updated daily from TVmaze data.

Where can you watch “Z Cars”?

“Z Cars” is associated with BBC One. Availability may vary by region — check the Seans calendar for air dates and confirm the offer in your streaming service.

How many episodes are in season 12 of “Z Cars”?

Season 12 of “Z Cars” has 13 episodes according to TVmaze. The full episode list with air dates is below — mark watched episodes and track your progress for free.

Will “Z Cars” get another season?

“Z Cars” has ended and no further seasons are planned. The full list of episodes and seasons is below — mark what you watched and track your progress.