The Beat Shall Go On!

I might not have written on this blog for a while now but that doesn't mean I have stopped watching The Bill or fallen out of love with it. The total opposite in fact.

Every Thursday 9pm I am there watching it, trying to guess the suspects, sympathising with the victims, rooting on the officers etc

It is STILL the only telly show that I watch religiously, NOTHING comes between me and The Bill. Everybody knows not to ring me during 9pm-10pm cos I will not answer.

SO I AM *RAGING* TO HEAR THE STUPIDLY DEVASTATING NEWS TODAY THAT THE BILL HAS BEEN AXED.

LITERALLY WTF ARE ITV PLAYING AT!?

I am too angry and upset to write a sensible post at the moment. When I read the news on Digital Spy I just couldn't believe it.

I had a feeling when they changed the timeslot and the 'look' of the show that ITV were setting it up for an axe but the show still worked and people still watched it.

I can name a dozen SHIT shows still on the telly (and ITV) that deserve an axe and The Bill is not one of them.

When I started this blog for my Uni project it was because it was a subject that I was passionate about. I mean, I have been watching The Bill since I was probably 8 years old (I am now 22) and I can't remember missing an episode. Even if I went on holiday, I would tape it and watch it when I got back. Even at University, I would Sky Plus it if i couldn't watch it 'live'.

I've fallen in love with characters, I've hated characters, I've enjoyed the villians, I've enjoyed the scraps, I've cried with the victims, I've laughed along with the characters.... *sigh* In fact I used to want to become a PC purely because of The Bill.

So this news has hit me hard :(

It's my favourite show on the telly. I'm devastated. I think it's time to 'fight back' and show ITV that they made a WRONG decision.

Long Live The Bill

This Is The Bill

Your's forever

Sunny Hill :(

The Bill & Children In Need

Hello Bill fans!

Since my last post in August we've seen The 'new' Bill in action for a couple of months now. Has your opinion of the show changed? For me, I am still enjoying it. Still as gripping as ever but the only thing that I really miss is the character interaction.

I know people moaned before that it was more about the personal lives of the coppers than actual 'police work' story lines but in recent years I felt that they had found a nice balance. You had the comedy, friendships etc and now I just think it's gotten a bit too serious- like 90% about the story and 10% about the characters.

I still like it though! And I always have channels such as 'Watch' and 'Alibi' to get my fix of The 'old' Bill so mustn't grumble.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
On a more light-hearted note away from the show did anybody see The Bill special on Children In Need? It's the thing I look most forward too every year on C.I.N I have to say. The lads and lasses in blue really know how to put on a show for such a good cause.

This year it was the Boys in Blue who wowed the crowds with their rendition of Frank Sinatra's "Mack the Knife"...




How brill were they! PC Nate Roberts, DC Jacob Banks, PC Roger Valentine and DI Neil Manson did an amazing job. Every year we get a brilliant performance from the cast and I can't wait to see what they do next year!

I'm hoping we'll get to see Supt Jack Meadows doing a bit of break dancing or a rap perhaps... ;)

BILLboard

What a clever title you must admit?

Since the new time slot, there have been countless billboards in my town promoting The Bill. I absolutely love it! Sad thing is though every time I spot a 'BILLboard' I'm in the car, which makes it very awkward to get the ol' camera out.


I did manage to get this pic of the Smithy and Stevie Moss BILLboard. I had to quickly take it before we whizzed past (I of course wasn't driving- cos that's dangerous kids) and luckily it turned out alright.


The one time I was on foot I couldn't resist but get a photo with DI Manson. It was a rainy day so I made my friend take the picture, quickly. Gotta love the DI...

Rainy day+ No make-up= Covered smiley face!

I went back the other day to take a full picture but it's been removed!!! *gasps* (I was kinda hoping to take it home...) Bad times.

Hopefully I can pap some other BILLboards, if I'm not too late. I'll just have to do some more walking in future...

Have you spotted any others?

I'm rubbish I know...

Blimey, I feel awful having not posted on this blog for so long after promising to try harder :(

I'm sorry, I'm a rubbish Bill blogger I know and I'm not going to bore you with the same old excuses (though to be fair it has been a busy time!)...

As you will have probably noticed a lot of changes have happened to our beloved cop show The Bill. For those of you who are oblivious to the changes let me recap for you...

1. The biggest change to happen is The Bill has moved from its weekly time of 8pm (Wednesday and Thursday) to 9PM THURSDAYS! Still on ITV1...

2. For Scottish viewers they can still see the show on ITV3 Monday 11pm (the repeat of the Thursday show). Good news for Bill fans who miss the show or their stupid sky plus box fails to record it...

3. It's now being filmed in HD (high definition), it's the future....

4. The new post-watershed time means The Bill will be grittier and more gory (but it's still watchable, trust me). As for swearing so far, I've only the heard the words 'arsed' *sniggers*

5. The last episode before the 'new' one saw a lot of exists. We said a tearful goodbye too:

DS Stuart Turner

DC Kezia Walker

Supt. John Heaton

Inspector Rachel Weston

DI Samantha Nixon *sobs*

As none of these were killed off who knows we might see them in the future back in Sun Hill?

6. As a result of these changes Smithy is now Inspector Dale 'Smithy' Smith and The Guvnor (DCI Jack Meadows) is now Supt. Jack Meadows! How exciting!!

7. The sad news from all this is that 'the daddy' PC Tony Stamp is to be "rested" :(

8. Biggest change of all is the INTRO!!!! Not only are the credits different but so is the music. I'm talking totally diff. Gone is the trademark "dadah dah dah der der der der..." (you know what I mean!). Whilst it's all very snazzy being the sentimentalist that I am it still doesn't feel right.

A LOT of changes to take in, I know. Still as a Bill fan for many many years it felt like an end of an era but after giving the 'new' Bill a chance I have to say it is still as gripping and watchable as ever. Of course I miss some of the old faces (and the theme tune) but other than that I am loving it! The new filming style needs getting used to but as they say...

The Beat Goes On :)