The Chief (1990–1995) User Reviews

It's Smug Judge Deed in the Police Force.

[Sulla-2 · 29 July 2005]

There were, of course, actually two chiefs. Tim Piggot Smith did the first two years followed by Martin Shaw. The series was set in East Anglia with the Chief in charge of a fictional large force covering all of it. There is also the obligatory woman senior officer. Neither was an accurate representation of a Chief Constable because both of them were still trying to be Police Officers when they are really just senior management. Shaw, in particular, was forever trying to get his hands dirty at the sharp end and was totally unable to delegate responsibility. I actually enjoyed their battles with the Home Office and Local Politicians a lot better. There is scope to have further series but the writers need to forget that it is about crime and criminals. Just concentrate on the politics.