Blue Heelers: articles


Blue Heelers Returns For Final Season

Channel Seven’s award winning Australian police drama series, Blue Heelers returns for its final season starting Saturday, April 1 at 7.30pm and will celebrate its milestone 500th episode on Saturday, April 8.

From its premiere in 1994, the group of ‘coppers’ stationed at Mt Thomas led by Senior Sergeant Tom Croydon have held a special place in the hearts of Australian audiences.

The remaining 11 episodes of the series will complete the journey that has made household names of actors John Wood, Lisa McCune and Martin Sacks and pay tribute to the show’s stellar acting, writing and directing talent.

In a season with many twists and turns, faced with his own mortality, Tom Croydon sheds responsibility and unwittingly becomes a player in what could be his ultimate downfall. The repercussions of his actions are felt throughout the station and relationships are pushed to breaking point.

Original cast member Sacks returns to direct his third episode of the series, “Moonlighting”, while former cast member Damian-Walshe Howling reprises his role as Adam Cooper.

Guest stars appearing this season include Marcus Graham, Jacinta Stapleton and Ian Roberts in his first dramatic role.

During its 12 years of production, Blue Heelers achieved 24 Logies and numerous other awards and also launched the careers of William McInnes, Grant Bowler, Tasma Walton and current cast members Ditch Davey, Rachel Gordon, Charlie Clausen and Samantha Tolj.

March 13, 2006
Seven Network



Blue Heelers

The fate of Tom Croydon begins to resemble that of the series in this final season.

This is the 500th episode of Blue Heelers and the first of 11 in its last series. It is probably no accident that tonight, one of the two longest-serving characters on the series, Tom Croydon, resembles a metaphor for a show staring at its own demise. Croydon's health is ailing and it is sad watching him limp around the station or on the beat, blending police work with his gruff counselling skills. He's still on top of the minutiae of crime, like the show, but how much energy he has left is debatable.

Tonight, an old colleague of Croydon's who dislikes him flags retirement as an option for him. Alex, struggling with his role as father to Rory, is shot at outside the school by a sniper who escapes in a car. And a father, traumatised and in denial about the future of a family member, channels his energy into crime in order to soften some harsh facts. It's good old dependable drama trying hard to stay keen with the puff it has left.

By Lenny Ann Low
April 01, 2006
Sydney Morning Herald