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{{Short description|Australian police drama series}}
{{About|the Australian television programme|the dog breed|Australian Cattle Dog}} {{About|the Australian television programme|the dog breed|Australian Cattle Dog}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2013}} {{Use Australian English|date=January 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox television {{Infobox television
| show_name = Blue Heelers
| image = bh logo2004.jpg | image = bh logo2004.jpg
| caption = | caption =
| show_name_2 = Boys in Blue (]) | alt_name = ''Boys in Blue'' (])
| genre = | genre = Drama
| creator = | creator = {{Plainlist|
* ]
| director =
* ]
| creative_director =
}}
| developer =
| starring = | director =
| narrated = | creative_director =
| developer =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme = | starring = {{Plainlist|
* ]
| endtheme =
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
}}
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer = {{Plainlist| | composer = {{Plainlist|
* Garry Hardman * Garry Hardman
* ] * ]
* Michael Atkinson
* Jason Bond
}} }}
| country = Australia | country = Australia
Line 27: Line 39:
| num_episodes = 510 | num_episodes = 510
| list_episodes = List of Blue Heelers episodes | list_episodes = List of Blue Heelers episodes
| executive_producer = | executive_producer = Riccardo Pellizzeri
| producer = | producer =
| company = ]<br>Seven Network Productions | company = ]<br>7 Network
| cinematography =
| distributor = ]
| cinematography = | camera = {{Plainlist|
| camera = ] (1994&ndash;2002)<br />] (2003&ndash;2006) * ] (1994–2002)
* ] (]) (2003–2006)
}}
| runtime = 45 minutes | runtime = 45 minutes
| network = ] | network = ]
| picture_format = {{Plainlist|
* ] {{small|(1994–2002)}}
* ] {{small|(2003–06)}}
* ] ] {{small|(2003–06)}}
}}
| audio_format = {{Plainlist|
* ] {{small|(1994–2006)}}
* ] {{small|(2003–06)}}
}}
| first_aired = {{Start date|1994|1|18|df=y}} | first_aired = {{Start date|1994|1|18|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2006|6|4|df=y}} | last_aired = {{End date|2006|6|4|df=y}}
| website = https://www.facebook.com/MountThomasPolice
}} }}


'''''Blue Heelers''''' is an Australian ] series that was produced by ] and ran for 12 years on the ], from 1994 to 2006. Although based around the policing of the town, the series generally depicted the everyday lives and relationships of the residents of ], a fictional small town in ]. The series was one of the highest-rated and most-awarded programs in the history of Australian television, having won 5 Logie awards, it is equal as the most awarded show in Logies history with '']''. It is also noted for its two main stars ], a four-time recipient of the ], and ], who also won Gold. '''''Blue Heelers''''' is an Australian ] series that was produced by ] and ran for twelve years on the ], from 1994 to 2006. Although based around the policing of the town, the series generally depicted the everyday lives and relationships of the residents of ], a fictional small town in ].
The series was one of the highest-rated and most-awarded programs in the history of ], having won 25 Logie awards, and having equal standing with '']'' as the most awarded show in the history of the ] (with five wins). It is also noted for its two main stars ], a four-time recipient of the ], and ], who also won Gold.


== Overview == == Overview ==
''Blue Heelers'' was first aired on 10 September 1993, with the episode "A Woman's Place". The last episode, aired on 4 June 2006, was the 510th episode, "One Day More". It was produced by ] for the ]. During its 13-season run it won a total of 32 awards and was nominated for a further 50.<ref name="BH-awards">Zuk, Tim. , Australian Television Information Archive.</ref> This included 25 ]s, five of which were the ], the most coveted television award in Australia.<ref name="FF">Idato, Michael. , ''Sydney Morning Herald'', 29 May 2006.</ref> ''Blue Heelers'' was first aired on 10 September 1993{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}, with the episode "A Woman's Place". The last episode, episode #510 titled "One More Day" aired on 4 June 2006. The series was produced by Southern Star Group for the ]. During its 13-season run it won a total of 32 awards and was nominated for a further 50.<ref name="BH-awards">Zuk, Tim. , Australian Television Information Archive.</ref> This included 25 Logie Awards, five of which were the ], the most coveted television award in Australia.<ref name="FF">Idato, Michael. , ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 29 May 2006.</ref>


As well as everyday policing matters, the series deals with many controversial and "touchy" subjects. The series was the first to examine the stressful world of young police officers who are "thrown into the deep end where they are left to sink or swim".<ref name="BCSM"/> As well as everyday policing matters, the series deals with many controversial and "touchy" subjects. The series was the first to examine the stressful world of young police officers who are "thrown into the deep end where they are left to sink or swim".<ref name="BCSM"/>


Police procedurals were enormously popular in Australia in the 1960s and 1970s, but by the 1980s they had been replaced by home-grown soap operas and mini-series, like '']'' and '']''.
Police procedurals were enormously popular in Australia in the 1960s and 1970s, but by the 1980s they had been replaced by home-grown soap operas and mini-series. ''Blue Heelers'', however, was Australia's most popular television drama while it lasted. The series drew more than 2.5&nbsp;million viewers every week at its peak.<ref name="FF"/> Along with ], ''Blue Heelers'' holds the Australian record for most episodes produced of a weekly prime-time drama. It was also nearly the longest-running series,<ref></ref><ref name="AFL">, ''Sydney Morning Herald'', 14 January 2004.</ref> but ''Homicide'' lasted one calendar month longer and, due to five feature-length episodes, had more time on air.


''Blue Heelers'', however, was Australia's most popular television drama while it lasted. The series drew more than 2.5&nbsp;million viewers every week at its peak.<ref name="FF"/> Along with the long-running ] series '']'', ''Blue Heelers'' holds the Australian record for most episodes produced of a weekly prime-time drama. It was also nearly the longest-running series,<ref></ref><ref name="AFL">, ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', 14 January 2004.</ref> but ''Homicide'' lasted one calendar month longer and, due to five feature-length episodes, had more time on air.
''Blue Heelers'' has also gained recognition in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada and other countries. It has been sold to 108 territories.<ref name="SS2006">, Southern Star Group, 13 January 2006. {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>


''Blue Heelers'' was sold to 108 territories and gained international recognition in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada and other countries.<ref name="SS2006">, Southern Star Group, 13 January 2006. {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
''Blue Heelers'' launched the careers of many Australian actors, such as ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. While many of these actors are still best known for their work on ''Blue Heelers'', some have gone on to bigger roles. Many other actors of today also appeared in guest roles, including ], ], ] and ]. ] and ] remained with ''Blue Heelers'' during its entire 12-year run, portraying ] and the publican ] respectively.

The series launched the careers of many Australian actors, such as Lisa McCune, ], ], ], ], ] and ]. While many of these actors are still best known for their work on ''Blue Heelers'', some have gone on to bigger roles. Many other actors of today also appeared in guest roles, including ], ], ], ] and ].

John Wood, alongside ] remained the only actors with ''Blue Heelers'' to remain during its entire 12-year run, portraying ] and publican ] respectively.


==Plot== ==Plot==
], ] and ]]] ], ] and ]]]


The series primarily focuses on the daily lives of Victorian police officers working at a police station in the fictional small town of Mount Thomas. Each episode is presented from the perspective of the officers. This was a specific technique that creator ] chose to employ.<ref name="DCITA">Government of the Commonwealth of Australia. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080801002251/http://archive.dcita.gov.au/2000/07/artbeat_july_2000/small_screen_big_picture_huge_future |date=1 August 2008 }}, Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, July 2000.</ref> The series primarily focuses on the daily lives of police officers working at a police station in the fictional small town of Mount Thomas in the Australian state of Victoria. Each episode is presented from the perspective of the officers. This was a specific technique that creator ] chose to employ.<ref name="DCITA">Government of the Commonwealth of Australia. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080801002251/http://archive.dcita.gov.au/2000/07/artbeat_july_2000/small_screen_big_picture_huge_future |date=1 August 2008 }}, Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, July 2000.</ref>


The police officers, commonly referred to as "Heelers", are always active sorting out the town's many problems. These problems range from trivial complaints such as land and fencing disputes to more serious offences, such as homicides and assaults. The small town is also faced with many other significant occurrences including bank robberies, escaped criminals, police shootings, kidnappings and the acts of deluded criminals. Of these, one of the more significant events is the bombing of the police station during the show's eleventh season. The police officers, commonly referred to as "Heelers", are always active sorting out the town's many problems. These problems range from trivial complaints such as land and fencing disputes to more serious offences, such as homicides and assaults. The small town is also faced with many other significant occurrences including bank robberies, escaped criminals, police shootings, kidnappings and the acts of deluded criminals. Of these, one of the more significant events is the bombing of the police station during the show's twelfth season.


Whenever overwhelmed, the Heelers call on the assistance of the police in the larger town of St Davids, home of the resident police inspector Russell Falcon-Price. An antagonist in the series, Falcon-Price often tries to terminate the employment of the Mount Thomas sergeant or to close the entire station. Whenever overwhelmed, the Heelers call on the assistance of the police in the larger town of St Davids, home of the resident police inspector Russell Falcon-Price. An antagonist in the series, Falcon-Price often tries to terminate the employment of the Mount Thomas sergeant or to close the entire station, which in reality would be almost entirely out of his control.


Along with their police work, aspects of the Heelers' personal lives are regularly featured, notably the relationship between ] and ], which ends with Maggie's death in one of the most watched moments on Australian television. Along with their police work, aspects of the Heelers' personal lives are regularly featured, notably the relationship between ] and ], which ends with Maggie's death in one of the most watched moments on Australian television.


== Cast == ==Episodes==
{{Main|List of Blue Heelers episodes}}
{{:List of Blue Heelers episodes}}


=== Main cast === ==Cast==
===Main===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|- |-
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! colspan="13" | Season ! colspan="13" | Season
|- |-
! style="width:5%;" | ] ! style="width:5%;" | ]
! style="width:5%;" | ] ! style="width:5%;" | ]
! style="width:5%;" | ] ! style="width:5%;" | ]
! style="width:5%;" | ] ! style="width:5%;" | ]
! style="width:5%;" | ] ! style="width:5%;" | ]
! style="width:5%;" | ] ! style="width:5%;" | ]
! style="width:5%;" | ] ! style="width:5%;" | ]
! style="width:5%;" | ] ! style="width:5%;" | ]
! style="width:5%;" | ] ! style="width:5%;" | ]
! style="width:5%;" | ] ! style="width:5%;" | ]
! style="width:5%;" | ] ! style="width:5%;" | ]
! style="width:5%;" | ] ! style="width:5%;" | ]
! style="width:5%;" | ] ! style="width:5%;" | ]
|- |-
|] |]
|] |]
| 510 | 510
| colspan="13" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="13" {{CMain|Main}}
|- |-

| ] | ]
| ] | ]
| 510 | 510
| colspan="13" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="13" {{CMain|Main}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | ]
| 484 | 484
| colspan="12" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="12" {{CMain|Main}}
| {{CNone}}
| style="background:#ececec;"|
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | ]
| 255 | 255
| colspan="7" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="7" {{CMain|Main}}
| colspan="6" style="background:#ececec;" | | colspan="6" {{CNone}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | ]
| 214 | 214
| colspan="5" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="5" {{CMain|Main}}
| colspan="5" style="background:#ececec;" | | colspan="5" {{CNone}}
| colspan="1" style="background:#ddf; text-align:center;"| '''Guest''' | colspan="2" {{CGuest|Guest}}
| colspan="1" {{CNone}}
| colspan="1" style="background:#ddf; text-align:center;"| '''Guest'''
| colspan="1" style="background:#ececec;" |
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | ]
| 96 | 96
| colspan="3" style="background:#dfd; text-align:center;"| '''Main''' | colspan="3" {{CMain|Main}}
| colspan="10" {{CNone}}
| colspan="10" style="background:#ececec; color:gray; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center;" class="table-na"|
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | ]
| 31 | 31
| {{CMain|Main}}
| style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main'''
| {{CNone}}
| style="background:#ececec; color:gray;" |
| {{CGuest|Guest}}
| style="background:#ddf;" | '''Guest'''
| colspan="10" style="background:#ececec;" | | colspan="10" {{CNone}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | ]
|178 |178
| colspan="5" style="background:#dfd; text-align:center;"| '''Main''' | colspan="5" {{CMain|Main}}
| colspan="7" {{CNone}}
| colspan="7" style="background:#ececec; color:gray; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center;" class="table-na"|
| colspan="1" style="background:#ddf; text-align:center;"| '''Guest''' | colspan="1" {{CGuest|Guest}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | ]
| 128 | 128
| colspan="2" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="2" {{CNone}}
| colspan="4" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="4" {{CMain|Main}}
| colspan="7" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="7" {{CNone}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | ]
| 253 | 253
| colspan="4" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="4" {{CNone}}
| colspan="7" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="7" {{CMain|Main}}
| colspan="2" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="2" {{CNone}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | ]
| 102 | 102
| colspan="5" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="5" {{CNone}}
| colspan="3" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="3" {{CMain|Main}}
| colspan="5" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="5" {{CNone}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | ]
| 202 | 202
| colspan="5" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="5" {{CNone}}
| colspan="6" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="6" {{CMain|Main}}
| colspan="2" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="2" {{CNone}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | ]
| 139 | 139
| colspan="6" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="6" {{CNone}}
| colspan="4" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="4" {{CMain|Main}}
| colspan="3" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="3" {{CNone}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | ]
| 193 | 193
| colspan="7" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="7" {{CNone}}
| colspan="6" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="6" {{CMain|Main}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | Susie Raynor
| 99 | 99
| colspan="9" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="9" {{CNone}}
| colspan="4" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="4" {{CMain|Main}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | Amy Fox
| 70 | 70
| colspan="10" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="10" {{CNone}}
| colspan="3" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="3" {{CMain|Main}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | Kelly O'Rourke
| 69 | 69
| colspan="10" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="10" {{CNone}}
| colspan="3" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="3" {{CMain|Main}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | Joss Peroni
| 68 | 69
| colspan="10" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="10" {{CNone}}
| colspan="3" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="3" {{CMain|Main}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | Mark Jacobs
| 59 | 59
| colspan="10" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="10" {{CNone}}
| colspan="2" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="2" {{CMain|Main}}
| colspan="10" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="10" {{CNone}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | Alex Kirby
| 50 | 50
| colspan="11" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="11" {{CNone}}
| colspan="2" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="2" {{CMain|Main}}
|- |-
| ] | ]
| ] | Matt Graham
| 20 | 20
| colspan="11" style="background:#ececec;"| | colspan="11" {{CNone}}
| colspan="2" style="background:#dfd;"| '''Main''' | colspan="2" {{CMain|Main}}
|} |}


]]]
===Recurring/semi-regular cast===
]]]
{{Main|List of recurring Blue Heelers characters}} {{Main|List of recurring Blue Heelers characters}}
Each episode featured a range of guest cast members, and over the run of the series hundreds of actors featured in these roles.<ref name="Heelers hit 150">James, Carol. , TV Week, 5 July 1997. Retrieved from {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180415121628/http://lisamccune.net/ |date=15 April 2018 }} on 13 August 2008.</ref>


===Recurring cast===
As well as the main (regular) cast members, a number of well-known Australian actors frequently appeared as either recurring or semi-regular characters. These included ] as ] ],<ref name="Ep2.26">{{cite episode|title=Paranoia (Part 2)|series=Blue Heelers|serieslink=Blue Heelers|airdate=1995-07-25|season=2|number=26}}</ref> ] as ] ],<ref name="Ep4.17">{{cite episode|title=Random Breath|series=Blue Heelers|serieslink=Blue Heelers|airdate=1997-06-03|season=4|number=17}}</ref> ] as Mt Thomas journalist ],<ref name="Ep4.17"/> ] as Snr. Det. Jack Woodley,<ref name="Ep4.14">{{cite episode|title=A Fair Crack of the Whip (Part 1)|series=Blue Heelers|serieslink=Blue Heelers|airdate=1996-04-30|season=4|number=14}}</ref> ],<ref name="Ep8.32">{{cite episode|title=The Lord Giveth|series=Blue Heelers|serieslink=Blue Heelers|airdate=2001-10-03|season=8|number=32}}</ref> ],<ref name="Ep2.26"/> ],<ref name="Ep7.22">{{cite episode|title=Small Potatoes|series=Blue Heelers|serieslink=Blue Heelers|airdate=2000-07-05|season=7|number=22}}</ref> ],<ref name="Ep13.7">{{cite episode|title=Burning Up|series=Blue Heelers|serieslink=Blue Heelers|airdate=2007-05-13|season=13|number=7}}</ref> along with ] as Dr. Mel Carter, ] as Inspector Monica Draper,
{|class="wikitable"
] as Susan Croydon, ] as Clancy Freeman, and the late ] as ].
! Actor

! Character
Many other notable actors also had one-off or recurring guest roles in ''Blue Heelers'' including ],<ref name="Ep7.9">{{cite episode|title=Unfinished Business|series=Blue Heelers|serieslink=Blue Heelers|airdate=2000-04-05|season=7|number=9}}</ref> ],<ref name="Ep2.33">{{cite episode|title=Just Deserts|series=Blue Heelers|serieslink=Blue Heelers|airdate=1995-10-03|season=2|number=33}}</ref> ],<ref name="Ep2.39">{{cite episode|title=The Discount Suit|series=Blue Heelers|serieslink=Blue Heelers|airdate=1995-11-07|season=2|number=39}}</ref> ],<ref name="Ep3.12">{{cite episode|title=Happy Families|series=Blue Heelers|serieslink=Blue Heelers|airdate=1996-04-09|season=3|number=12}}</ref> ],<ref name="Ep13.9">{{cite episode|title=Moonlighting|series=Blue Heelers|serieslink=Blue Heelers|airdate=2006-05-27|season=13|number=9}}</ref> ],<ref name="Ep12.41">{{cite episode|title=Lost|series=Blue Heelers|serieslink=Blue Heelers|airdate=2005-11-26|season=12|number=41}}</ref> ],<ref name="Ep12.5">{{cite episode|title=Chasing Smoke|series=Blue Heelers|serieslink=Blue Heelers|airdate=2005-03-02|season=12|number=5}}</ref> ],<ref name="Ep12.10">{{cite episode|title=Killing Time|series=Blue Heelers|serieslink=Blue Heelers|airdate=2006-04-13|season=12|number=10}}</ref> ] and ].
! Episode count

! Reference
== Production ==
On average, 42 episodes of ''Blue Heelers'' were broadcast per year on Australian television, with each episode comprising fifty scenes. One episode was made every week. The scripts were written to a formula which allowed one day for rehearsal, two days on location and two days in the studio.<ref name="Heelers hit 150"/> Episodes were shot eight to ten weeks ahead of their scheduled broadcast date.<ref name="BH in town">, Bendigo Advertiser, 8 April 2005. Retrieved 6 May 2008.</ref> There were 16 episodes in various stages of production at any one time (from the conception of new storylines to post-production). In addition, there were always seven complete episodes waiting to go to air.<ref name="Heelers hit 150"/> Apart from the regular cast members, the show employed 4,300 guest actors annually, plus 30 extras every week. A total of 150 people were involved in some way with the show's production each week, including cast members, crew, wardrobe, publicists and writers.<ref name="Heelers hit 150"/>

=== Conception and development ===
''Blue Heelers'' creator/producer, ], conceived the idea of ''Blue Heelers'' when he heard that an eighteen-year-old friend was planning to become a police officer. Intrigued, he inquired as to why this young boy, fresh out of school, would want to become a police officer, as opposed to the many other opportunities he had open to him. McElroy soon discovered that, at the time, a staggering 60% of Australian police officers were under the age of 26.<ref name="BB">Farmer, Monique. , ''Sydney Morning Herald'' 17 January 1994</ref> This, coupled with McElroy's desire to create a country cop show, formed the basis of the programme. When this same young officer left the force only a year later due to the shooting death of his colleague, McElroy was even more intrigued to learn about the very fickle, yet rewarding job of policing the community.<ref name="DCITA"/> McElroy continued his quest by asking ex-police officer Michael Winter to write down what it was like to be a city cop who transferred to a country town. These became the ideas that ''Blue Heelers'' was based around.<ref name="CCS">Schembri, Jim: , ''The Age'', 14 January 1994</ref> Michael Winter also conceived the name of the programme by recounting the common names for a country police officer: "tyre-biters"—referring to the fact that country cops are often involved in car chases—and "blue heelers"—referring to their blue uniforms and overall similar appearance and persona to a ], a protective and intuitive breed of Australian dog.<ref name="BB"/> From the time that McElroy's idea was initially conceived, to the time the programme was ready to air, three years passed.

During the early development of ''Blue Heelers'' two completely different pilots were shot: one depicting the story from the perspective of a police officer and the other from the perspective of a criminal. When these were presented to the Seven Network, the network committed to 13 episodes of the first pilot. The pilot went on to become the official first episode of ''Blue Heelers'', telling the story of a new cop in town, Maggie Doyle, and her beginnings in Mount Thomas. Hal McElroy chose to discard the second pilot, realising it was a fatal mistake to be "with the criminals as they plotted the crime". He also conceived his rule that the producers of the show "couldn't have a camera in a room unless there was a copper there as well" (a rule shared by long-running UK Police drama '']''). Hence, the basis of the show being from a police officer's perspective became a firm reality.<ref name="DCITA"/> (The only bending of this rule was with scenes featuring publican Chris; as she was billed with the main cast, she was given the same on-screen "rules" as the officers. In early episodes, before she worked at the station, this "rule" also applied to Wayne Patterson's wife Roz).

Hal McElroy gives his police adviser's opinion:

{{quote|
He had been posted to ] (in New South Wales) and he really loved it up there because the routine was so simple and straightforward-most often you knew the victim and sometimes you knew the culprit, and someone in charge would give them a clip behind the ear and say 'wash the police car' or 'sweep the yard' and 'don't ever do it again', rather than sending a juvenile to jail.

I loved it, and I said 'Hey this is great'. But all the writers said, 'No it's boring, we want that gritty, inner-city police stuff'. (We had Boys in Blue set up in Leichhardt in Sydney.) And I still remember the moment I was driving home up River Road and I thought, 'Then we can have two shows'. I said to this copper 'What are you called in the country? What is your nickname?' And he said they call highway patrol 'tyre biters' and coppers 'blue heelers'. And I thought 'That's the title!' So I rang Tony Morphett and said 'Let's do a show about young cops in the country. It's called Blue Heelers.
|Hal McElroy|<ref name="DCITA"/>}}

By creating the programme, McElroy and Morphett hoped to close the gap between to police and the public. They hoped to show the human side of the policing and that, like other citizens, police officers have feelings, regrets, aspirations and fears.<ref name="BCSM">Hallett,Bryce , ''The Australian'', 18 January 1994.</ref> They also hoped that the show would act as a tribute to the courage of police officers, who risk their lives everyday, never knowing if they'd return home at the end of the day.<ref name="BB"/>

=== Filming locations ===
Only about half of the footage for each episode was shot on location.<ref name="BH in town"/> Most of the scenes, including scenes in the police station and pub, were filmed at the Seven Network studios in Melbourne.<ref name="BH in town"/><ref name="Blue Appealers article">Webster, Di. , Who Weekly, 10 February 1997. Retrieved 3 May 2008.</ref> Much of the filming on location was carried out in towns such as ],<ref name="Blue Appealers article"/> and the more established parts of ].<ref name="Axe falls on Blue Heelers">Webb, Caroline; Idato, Michael. , The Age, 14 January 2006. Retrieved 26 March 2008.</ref> The scenes of the outside of the Mount Thomas police station were actually filmed at the old, disused ] police station, which was then a private residence. Scenes at Mount Thomas High School were filmed at Williamstown High School. The town of ] was most often used as the backdrop for Mount Thomas, seen in almost every episode.<ref name="Castlemaine">, Australia eguide. Retrieved 3 May 2008.</ref><ref name="ACMI">Victorian Government. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080802182100/http://www.acmi.net.au/tv50_tour.htm |date=2 August 2008 }}, . Retrieved 3 May 2008.</ref> Although the Blue Heelers' pilot was shot in Castlemaine, the cast and crew very rarely returned there to shoot further episodes;<ref name="BH in town"/> images of Castlemaine were usually just establishing shots. Chris Riley's fictional Imperial Hotel, for example, was actually the real Imperial Hotel in Castlemaine.<ref name="Castlemaine"/><ref name="ACMI"/> Mount Thomas' fictional Commercial Hotel was filmed at the Willy Tavern in Williamstown.<ref name="Blue Appealers article"/> The second Mount Thomas police station, adopted during the programme's reform of 2004, was filmed at Newport Railway workshops. The Mount Thomas Hospital was filmed at the Werribee Mercy Hospital.<ref>Hobsons Bay City Council. . Retrieved 4 May 2008. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060820021921/http://www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/Page/page.asp?Page_Id=128&h=0 |date=20 August 2006 }}</ref>

==Reception==
Described by critics before its launch as "'']'' meets '']''",<ref name="CCS"/> and as "the contemporary cousin of British cop show, '']''",<ref>Reviewers. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720024925/http://www.law4u.com.au/lil/tv_blue_heelers.html |date=20 July 2008 }}, Law4u. Retrieved 12 June 2008</ref> ''Blue Heelers'' was not anticipated by critics to become a hugely popular programme. However, it became a hit TV show soon after it began airing. During most of its broadcast, ''Blue Heelers'' was very popular in Australia, regularly attracting up to 2.5&nbsp;million viewers,<ref name="FF"/> and up to 3.5&nbsp;million viewers at its peak.<ref>Freeman, Jane. , The Age, 17 April 1997. Retrieved 16 June 2008</ref> Throughout the show's broadcast it continually drew a strong audience, regularly appearing among the top-rating prime time programmes on Australian television. Viewership of Blue Heelers never dropped below 1&nbsp;million viewers.<ref name="SS2006"/> The episodes "Gold" and "Fool's Gold" (episodes 140 and 141), which aired during the programme's fourth season, were two of the most popular ''Blue Heelers'' episodes. Each drew 2.5&nbsp;million viewers, considered a huge achievement in 1997.<ref name="AFL"/>

''Blue Heelers<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' executive producer, Gus Howard believed the show's popularity was due mainly to the quality of the cast.

{{Quote|Much of the success of Blue Heelers has been attributed to one of the best ensemble casts of any drama on television, with most every cast member becoming a household name... The basic vocation for the show has always been about shedding a little light on the human condition, something Australian audiences have readily identified with. The show epitomises and represents the Australian ethos in a way that truly reflects Australian life.|Gus Howard|<ref name="SS2006"/>}}

Much of the show's sixth season, as well as the first 10 episodes of its seventh season, were the most watched episodes of the series. These episodes focus of the death of Maggie Doyle (played by Lisa McCune). Maggie's being shot and left for dead during episode 255, "One More Day", was ranked by TV Week as the third most memorable moment of a drama series on Australian television.<ref name="TVWEEK50">TV Week, . Retrieved 8 September 2008. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208174715/http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=145967 |date=8 December 2008 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align: center"
!rowspan="2"| Season
!rowspan="2"| No. of episodes
!colspan="2"| Originally Aired
! rowspan="2"| Viewers ''(in millions)''
! rowspan="2"| Rating
! rowspan="2"| Drama Rank
|- |-
!] | ]
| Helena Hasham
!]
| 6
|
|- |-
| ]
| ''']'''
| Susan Croydon
| 45
| 15
| 10 September 1993
| {{citation needed|date=February 2023}}
| 22 November 1994
| rowspan="4" colspan="3" {{n/a}}
|- |-
| ]
| ''']'''
| Robbie Doyle
| 41
| 9
| 21 February 1995
|
| 21 November 1995
|- |-
| ]
| ''']'''
| Sally Downie
| 42
| 14
| 12 February 1996
|<ref name="Ep8.32">{{cite episode|title=The Lord Giveth|series=Blue Heelers|series-link=Blue Heelers|airdate=2001-10-03|season=8|number=32}}</ref>
| 26 November 1996
|- |-
| ]
| ''']'''
| Barry Baxter
| 42
| 8
| 10 February 1997
|
| 25 November 1997
|- |-
| ]
| ''']'''
| Grace Curtis
| 41
| 26
| 24 February 1998
|<ref name="Ep2.26"/><ref name="Ep7.22">{{cite episode|title=Small Potatoes|series=Blue Heelers|series-link=Blue Heelers|airdate=2000-07-05|season=7|number=22}}</ref>
| 25 November 1998
| {{n/a}}<ref name="ratings1998-2003">{{cite web|url=http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/fact-finders/television/australian-content/in-the-archive/top-drama-comedy-series-before-2004|title=TOP-RATING AUSTRALIAN DRAMA SERIES AND SERIALS (INCLUDING COMEDY) ON TELEVISION, 1998–2003
|publisher=screenaustralia.gov.au|accessdate=15 July 2016}}</ref>
| 18.0<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| '''#1'''<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
|- |-
| ''']''' | ]
| Pat Doyle
| 42
| 14
| 10 February 1999
|
| 24 November 1999
| {{n/a}}<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| 15.6<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| '''#2'''<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
|- |-
| ]
| ''']'''
| Hayley Fulton
| 41
| 9
| 9 February 2000
|
| 22 November 2000
| {{n/a}}<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| 13.7<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| '''#2'''<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
|- |-
| ]
| ''']'''
| Detective Constable Johnny Kowalski
| 41
| 4
| 21 February 2001
|
| 28 November 2001
| 1.757<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| 13.4<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| '''#1'''<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
|- |-
| ]
| ''']'''
| Mt. Thomas journalist ]
| 40
|
| 13 February 2002
| <ref name="Ep4.17"/>
| 20 November 2002
| 1.508<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| 11.3<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| '''#2'''<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
|- |-
| ]
| ''']'''
| David Murray
| 42
| 5
| 12 February 2003
| <ref name="Ep13.7">{{cite episode|title=Burning Up|series=Blue Heelers|series-link=Blue Heelers|airdate=2007-05-13|season=13|number=7}}</ref>
| 26 November 2003
| 1.397<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| 10.3<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| '''#3'''<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
|- |-
| ]
| ''']'''
| Charlie McKinley
| 39
| 4
| 4 February 2004
|
| 5 November 2004
| 1.264<ref name="ratings2004-2006">{{cite web|url=http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/fact-finders/television/industry-trends/in-the-archive/top-programs/top-20-drama-series-2004-2009|title=TOP 20 DRAMA SERIES AND SERIALS SHOWN ON TELEVISION, 2004–2009|publisher=screenaustralia.gov.au|accessdate=15 July 2016}}</ref>
| 9.3<ref name="ratings2004-2006" />
| '''#12'''<ref name="ratings2004-2006" />
|- |-
| ]
| ''']'''
| Boyd Spurling
| 42
| 5
| 2 February 2005
|
| 26 November 2005
| 1.209<ref name="ratings2004-2006" />
| 8.7<ref name="ratings2004-2006" />
| '''#19'''<ref name="ratings2004-2006" />
|- |-
| ]
| ''']'''
| Brad Fingleton
| 5
|
|-
| Merlyn Owen
| Father Brian Hegerty
| 11 | 11
| {{citation needed|date=February 2023}}
| 1 April 2006
| 4 June 2006
| colspan="3" {{n/a}}<ref name="ratings2004-2006" />
|}

=== 2004 Revamp: The Station Bombing ===
After low ratings in 2003 and 2004, the producers and executives of ''Blue Heelers'' realised that there were apparent problems which could potentially lead to the series's downfall. In 2004 ''Blue Heelers'' lost the top ratings spot to '']''.<ref name="investing in heelers future">Miller, Kylie. , The Age, 7 July 2004. Retrieved 12 July 2008.</ref> During 2003 and 2004, Australian television drama was also at its "lowest point in a decade" and many popular shows were cancelled.<ref>Warneke, Ross. , The Age, 8 July 2008. Retrieved 12 June 2008.</ref> As the show remained basically unchanged from its debut, ten years earlier, the production team decided that a revamp was in order.

At the beginning of season 11, the revamp began with new, more modern opening credits, using an electric guitar, rather than an acoustic. Later in that season, a live episode, "Reasonable Doubt", was broadcast in hope of offering a short-term ratings boost and encourage more long-term viewers. Although an immediate success, the live episode did not bring about a sustained increase in ratings.<ref name="investing in heelers future"/> Producers also hoped that a shift in direction, a change of mood and setting, and the addition of four cast members would cement ''Blue Heelers''' long-term future.<ref name="investing in heelers future"/> They also wanted the show to remain relevant and more accurately reflect today's modern world:<ref name="Blue If Heelers Axed">Fidgeon, Robert. , The Herald Sun, 14 July 2004. Retrieved 12 June 2008.</ref>

{{Quote|Mount Thomas was created in 1993 and the world has changed... It will now be more reflective of today's country towns, not the sleepy backwater it was. It wasn't an easy task but the creative team responded brilliantly and there's a real feeling of excitement again... The old girl can still dance. And dance to new tunes.|John Holmes|<ref name="The Force Is With Them"/>}}

The main plot, setting and character changes started in July 2004, with the airing of the episode "End of Innocence". In this episode, the main storyline was the bombing of the Mount Thomas police station. The blast killed popular main character Snr. Const. Jo Parrish (Jane Allsop) and recurring cast member Clancy Freeman, and injured the show's main protagonist,<ref name="Wood's support for Gold">Dennehy, Luke., The Herald Sun, 29 April 2006. Retrieved 26 March 2008.</ref> Senior Sergeant Croydon. After the bombing it was revealed that Croydon's wife, the Reverend Curtis, was missing. It was later revealed she had been brutally raped and murdered.<ref name="investing in heelers future"/> These events brought about sweeping changes to the mood of not only Croydon, but also the mood of the entire show. ] television writer Marcus Casey commented, "Mount Thomas has become a darker, grittier place, the people and cops in it transformed by an invasion of evil".<ref name="The Force Is With Them">Casey, Marcus. , The Daily Telegraph, 25 August 2005. Retrieved 12 June 2008.</ref>
Consequently, the story changed its focus from the old Mount Thomas police station to the new one that was used until the show's cancellation in 2006. The Seven Network feared that in the modern post-] world, a show about country police was no longer what audiences wanted.<ref>, The Daily Telegraph, 1 July 2004</ref> Storylines of the proceeding five episodes focused on the bombing of the station and the 4 new main characters: Rachel Gordon as Amy Fox, Geoff Morrell as Mark Jacobs, Samantha Tolj as Kelly O'Rourke and Danny Raco as Joss Peroni.<ref name="investing in heelers future"/><ref name="The Force Is With Them"/> Popular former cast member William McInnes also returned to the show, temporarily reprising his role as Nick Schultz. Producers hoped the new tone of the series, the new younger actors, and McInnes's role reprisal would lure back viewers who had stopped watching the programme.<ref name="The Force Is With Them"/> This new style of programme that ''Blue Heelers'' was embracing was a sign of the show trying to keep up with other larger television shows, particularly the ].<ref name="The Force Is With Them"/>

The revamp of the series resulted in a 25% ratings increase, bringing the series's weekly viewership to 1.6&nbsp;million people.<ref>Fidegon, Robert. , The Herald Sun, 7 August 2008. Retrieved 12 June 2008.</ref> Critical response after the event was reassuring, and it appeared that critics were approving of the drastic moves by Seven and Southern Star:

{{Quote|The recent shake-up at the old station has swept aside an unhealthy staleness that had settled on the place and there's some much-needed fresh energy provided by the new recruits, including Samantha Tolj as true-blue Aussie gal Kelly O'Rourke and Danny Raco as Italian stallion Joss Peroni.|Debi Enker|<ref>Enker, Debi. , The Age, 24 February 2005. Retrieved 13 June 2008.</ref>}}

=== Cancellation ===
In the hope that viewing would increase, an 11-episode season in 2006 was commissioned by the Seven Network.<ref>Miller, Kylie., The Age, 29 September 2005. Retrieved 26 March 2008.</ref> However, the ratings spike begun in 2004 was not sufficient for the Seven Network to commit to continuing to produce the show. In January 2006, Seven officially announced that they had cancelled ''Blue Heelers'', but would air a final shortened season of 11 episodes in mid-2006.<ref>Le Marquand, Sarah. , The Daily Telegraph, 14 January 2006. Retrieved 26 March 2008.</ref> At the time the show was still drawing 1.2&nbsp;million viewers per week on average, down from the 3.5&nbsp;million it was drawing at its peak.<ref>Nicholson, Sarah. , 31 May 2006, The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 9 September 2008.</ref> The announcement was front-page news on nearly all of Australia's major newspapers including ], ], ], ] and ].<ref></ref> Two different endings were shot for the final episode, which finished filming on 20 December 2005. The first ending wrapped up all the show's storylines, while the second left the show open for another season; the second version was used.<ref name="Axe falls on Blue Heelers"/>

For ''Blue Heelers''' final season in 2006, it was moved from its primetime Wednesday-night ], to a lower rating Saturday-night timeslot.<ref name="timeslot">, Seven Network, 13 March 2006. Retrieved 26 March 2008.</ref> In the Saturday timeslot ''Blue Heelers'' competed with '']'', a British police drama which had become quite popular in Australia on the ] and Saturday Night AFL Coverage on ] and ].<ref name="Wood's support for Gold"/> This move was slammed by leading cast member, John Wood.<ref name="Wood's support for Gold"/> ''Blue Heelers'' cancellation may also be related to Seven's ] broadcast, which saw Seven invest $780m for the 5-year broadcasting rights of the game.<ref name="AFL"/>

==Episodes==
{{Main|List of Blue Heelers episodes}}

Seasons generally ran in Australia from early February to late November. Each season generally consisted of 41 to 42 episodes. The eleventh season however, only consisted of 39 episodes, as the Seven Network had gained the rights to televise the ]. In total, 510 episodes were aired: 509 hour-long standard episodes and one live episode. The live episode, titled "Reasonable Doubts", was filmed to celebrate ''Blue Heelers'' 10th year on the air.<ref>Witham, Katrina. , The Courier-Mail, 15 April 2004. Retrieved 9 June 2008.</ref> To prepare, the cast was given six days to memorise their lines.<ref>Miller, Kylie. , The Age, 15 April 2004. Retrieved 9 June 2008.</ref>

The final episode of the 13th season aired as a 2-hour tribute. It opened with an introduction from John Wood and concluded with a ] of ''Blue Heelers'' moments from over its 13-season run.<ref>Blundell, Graeme. , The Australian, 3 June 2006. Retrieved 26 March 2008.</ref>

Australian television quiz-show, '']'', hosted by ], also aired a ''Blue Heelers'' special episode on 9 August 2001. Cast members John Wood, Neil Pigot, Ditch Davey, Jeremy Kewley, Jane Allsop, Suzi Dougherty, Paul Bishop, Caroline Craig and Peta Doodson took part in this special event.<ref>Zuk, Tim. , . Retrieved 11 July 2008.</ref><ref>{{cite episode|title=Blue Heelers Special|series=The Weakest Link|serieslink=The Weakest Link (Australian game show)|airdate=2001-08-09}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
!rowspan="2" colspan=2| Season
!rowspan="2"| No. of episodes
!colspan="2"| Originally Aired
|- |-
| Michael Isaacs
!]
| Clancy Freeman
!]
| 5 +
| {{citation needed|date=February 2023}}
|- |-
| ]
|bgcolor="082567" height="10px"|
| ] ]
| style="text-align:left;"| ''']'''
| 42
| style="text-align:center;"| 45
|<ref name="Ep4.17">{{cite episode|title=Random Breath|series=Blue Heelers|series-link=Blue Heelers|airdate=1997-06-03|season=4|number=17}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 10 September 1993
| style="text-align:center;"| 22 November 1994
|- |-
| Peta Doodson
|bgcolor="038a62" height="10px"|
| Inspector Monica Draper
| style="text-align:left;"| ''']'''
| 20 +
| style="text-align:center;"| 41
| {{citation needed|date=February 2023}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 21 February 1995
| style="text-align:center;"| 21 November 1995
|- |-
| ]
|bgcolor="D3212D" height="10px"|
| Gina Belfanti
| style="text-align:left;"| ''']'''
| 10
| style="text-align:center;"| 42
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 12 February 1996
| style="text-align:center;"| 26 November 1996
|- |-
| ]
|bgcolor="88540B" height="10px"|
| style="text-align:left;"| ''']''' | ]
| 5 +
| style="text-align:center;"| 42
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 10 February 1997
| style="text-align:center;"| 25 November 1997
|- |-
| ]
|bgcolor="848482" height="10px"|
| Les Anderson
| style="text-align:left;"| ''']'''
| 4
| style="text-align:center;"| 41
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 24 February 1998
| style="text-align:center;"| 25 November 1998
|- |-
| ]
|bgcolor="54626F" height="10px"|
| Detective Constable Sean Neale
| style="text-align:left;"| ''']'''
| 6
| style="text-align:center;"| 42
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 10 February 1999
| style="text-align:center;"| 24 November 1999
|- |-
| ]
|bgcolor="800020" height="10px"|
| Russ Cavell
| style="text-align:left;"| ''']'''
| 4
| style="text-align:center;"| 41
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 9 February 2000
| style="text-align:center;"| 22 November 2000
|- |-
| ]
|bgcolor="702963" height="10px"|
| Senior Constable Ian Goss
| style="text-align:left;"| ''']'''
| 5
| style="text-align:center;"| 42
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 21 February 2001
| style="text-align:center;"| 28 November 2001
|- |-
| ]
|bgcolor="B8860B" height="10px"|
| Theo Kallergis
| style="text-align:left;"| ''']'''
| 5
| style="text-align:center;"| 40
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 13 February 2002
| style="text-align:center;"| 20 November 2002
|- |-
| Suzi Dougherty
|bgcolor="008B8B" height="10px"|
| Dr. Mel Carter
| style="text-align:left;"| ''']'''
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 42
| {{citation needed|date=February 2023}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 12 February 2003
| style="text-align:center;"| 26 November 2003
|- |-
| ]
|bgcolor="B3446C" height="10px"|
| Melanie Anderson
| style="text-align:left;"| ''']'''
| 5
| style="text-align:center;"| 39
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 4 February 2004
| style="text-align:center;"| 5 November 2004
|-
|bgcolor="EC5800" height="10px"|
| style="text-align:left;"| ''']'''
| style="text-align:center;"| 42
| style="text-align:center;"| 2 February 2005
| style="text-align:center;"| 26 November 2005
|- |-
| ]
|bgcolor="003153" height="10px"|
| ] ]
| style="text-align:left;"| ''']'''
| 5
| style="text-align:center;"| 11
|<ref name="Ep2.26">{{cite episode|title=Paranoia (Part 2)|series=Blue Heelers|series-link=Blue Heelers|airdate=1995-07-25|season=2|number=26}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 1 April 2006
| style="text-align:center;"| 4 June 2006
|} |}


==Merchandise== ===Guest roles===

A CD Album titled "Music From Blue Heelers" was released in 1995. It included the Blue Heelers theme music, plus other songs related to the program, many of them Country songs.

The first full ''Blue Heelers'' novel, ''Maggie's Story'', was written by Roger Dunn and released in 1997 by Coronet Books. In August 1998, a second novel, ''Tom's Story'', written by Cassandra Carter was released by Bolinda Publishing.

{|class="wikitable" {|class="wikitable"
! Actor
! Character
! Ep. count
! Ref.
|- |-
| ]
!Name
| Robbie Davies
!Format
| 1
!Release
|
|- |-
| ]
|Music From Blue Heelers
| Daniel Curtis
|CD
| 2
|1995
|
|- |-
| ]
|Blue Heelers Maggie's Story
| Rod Wright
|Book
| 1
|1997
|
|- |-
| ]
|Blue Heelers Tom's Story
| George Ratcliffe QC / Bob Swinburn / Doc Parkinson
|Book
| 3
|August 1998
|
|- |-
| ]
|Blue Heelers
| Bruce Hinton
|calendar
| 2
|1999
|
|-
| ]
| Lily Majors / Alice Foster / Mrs Carmichael
| 6
|
|-
| ]
| Jamie Kingston / Stephen Farrow
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Melissa / Pam Patterson / Stephanie White
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Janelle Davies
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Les Collister
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Jeanette Holbrook
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Shaylee Simms
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Tahnya West
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Marky Emmett
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Jason
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Mark Powers
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| John Gemes
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Glenn Rossiter / Tony Costa
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Jeannie O'Dwyer / Mrs Brady
| 5
|
|-
| ]
| Danielle Simpson
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Angela White / Angela Hartigan
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Calvin Baker / Phil
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Jacqui Hatcher
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Kelly Lonsdale / Lee-Anne Rheinburger / Marianne Sheridan
| 4
|
|-
| ]
| Lelah Burton
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Aaron Bridges / Clint Billings / Craig Simpson
| 4
|
|-
| ]
| Carl Wagner
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Andrew Gilfillan / David Edwards / Jed Stone / Ty Birkenstock
| 4
|
|-
| ]
| Mary Barton / Dorothy Falcon-Price
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Sgt. Peter Baynes / Steve Camilleri
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Charles Shaw / Hayes
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Dr Lou Rigo
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Gail Hutton / Natalie Anderson
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Scott Osbourne
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Kid
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Jilly Miles
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Skye Clarke
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Denise Petricci
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Brad Fielding / George Patterson
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Osman Demir
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Guy Merrin
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Brendan Nash
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Vinnie Morelli
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Zac Taylor
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Carol Gibson / Megan Crane
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Andrea Gibson
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Craig Robertson
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Becky Jacobs
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Bob Bancroft / Mark Deeble
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Charlie Biden / Michael Doyle
| 4
|
|-
| ]
| Jason Tyler
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Peter Ball
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Alex Jones / Arnie Reiner / Errol / Mike De Costa / Tony Norris
| 5
|
|-
| ]
| Robbie Doyle / William Cassidy
| 2
| <ref name="Ep3.12">{{cite episode|title=Happy Families|series=Blue Heelers|series-link=Blue Heelers|airdate=1996-04-09|season=3|number=12}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| Helen Delaney / Magda Lapescu
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Pam Kelly
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Mark Lalor
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Constable Paula Milburn
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Tatum O'Hara
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Margaret White
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Archie Garrett
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Colin Roper
|
|
|-
| ]
| Lisa Robbins / Sandy
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Michael Stakis
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Leah Copeland
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Gabe Greenway
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Don 'Pop' Watson / Geoff Garrick
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Senior Detective Jack Woodley / Terry Kennedy
| 5
| <ref name="Ep4.14">{{cite episode|title=A Fair Crack of the Whip (Part 1)|series=Blue Heelers|series-link=Blue Heelers|airdate=1996-04-30|season=4|number=14}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| Danny OKeefe / Sergeant Bob Wilkie
| 5
| <ref name="Ep12.5">{{cite episode|title=Chasing Smoke|series=Blue Heelers|series-link=Blue Heelers|airdate=2005-03-02|season=12|number=5}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| Roman Kellerman / Arthur Lock
| 5
|
|-
| ]
| Leo Tappis / Gordon Jennings
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Bronywn Slater / Rosalie Parker
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Lindsay Cavanaugh / Sal D'Angelo / Jack 'Blackjack' Eagan
| 5
| <ref name="Ep2.39">{{cite episode|title=The Discount Suit|series=Blue Heelers|series-link=Blue Heelers|airdate=1995-11-07|season=2|number=39}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| Tim Ryan / Denis Katos
| 4
|
|-
| ]
| Miller
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Ron Blakely / Geoff 'Shorty' Abbott / Gerry Howson / Ivan Long / Bryan Reynolds
| 7
|
|-
| ]
| Harry Spencer / Jimmy Steedman
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Jeff Lovett
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Megan Maguire
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Dr Tatiana Zylinski
| 6
|
|-
| ]
| Brady Jackson
| 1
| <ref name="Ep2.33">{{cite episode|title=Just Deserts|series=Blue Heelers|series-link=Blue Heelers|airdate=1995-10-03|season=2|number=33}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| Dennis Morgan / Matthew Quinn
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Wayne Rhodes
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Clive Burton
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Simon Curtis / Terry Kennedy
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Tilda Dean
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Doc Bourke / Klaus Schultz
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Ms Haley / Penny Beck
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Chloe Bassetti
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Helen Burns
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Det. Bridget Ryan
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Robbie Hart
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Dean Crocker / Craig Dyer / Troy Harris
| 4
|
|-
| ]
| Alan Mackie / Lance Stroller
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Glenn Ritchie
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Ryan Dekker / Damian Nesbitt / Ian Bolger
| 5
|
|-
| ]
| Gavin Harrison / Victor Delaney / Gary Towers
| 3
|-
| ]
| Lee Cruickshank
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Sid Harrison
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Greg Duncan / Harvey McManus / Shane Kelly / Tim Merritt
| 4
|
|-
| ]
| Owen Douglas
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| David Larson
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Michael Fielding
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Charlie Glover / Stony
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Peter Carlson / Father Michael Carlisle
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Don Carson
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Lucas Summers / Kyle Madigan
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Dorothy Roberts
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Kylie Larkin
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Craig Perry
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Annie Baker
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Liz Stewart / Gail Watson
| 6
|
|-
| ]
| Justice Naomi Burke
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Bec Cleary / Briana Tomminello / Sally Lamont
| 5
|
|-
| ]
| Rosie Burgess
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Keith Herbert / Matthew Balfour
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Sandra Fielding
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Travis Walton
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Sonia Brookner
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Maureen Powers
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Meg Regan
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Aaron Landers
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Shane Donnelly
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Joe Fantini
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Briony
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Helene Lee / Phoebe Lawson
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Michael Kennedy
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Himself
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Jared Ryan
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Frank Jarvis
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Sheila O'Shaughnessy / Mrs. Flynn / Grandma Kenny / Irene Wilkes
| 5
|
|-
| ]
| Deanna Delbridge
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Jim Morgan
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Heather / Holly McLeod
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Nora Sharpe / Eileen Hart
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Louise Fordham / Nola Tully
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Glenn Peters
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Jan Parker / Peg Quinn / Kath Riordan
| 4
|
|-
| ]
| Marie Biden / Evie Osborn
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Elizabeth Schulz
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Marj Cummings
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Deslee Arnold / Vanessa McKay
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Mark Davies
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Pilgrim Bond
| 1
| <ref name="Ep13.9">{{cite episode|title=Moonlighting|series=Blue Heelers|series-link=Blue Heelers|airdate=2006-05-27|season=13|number=9}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| Luke Parnell
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Arnold Robinson
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Brucey
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Prudence Day / Kate Hughes
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| John Scanlan / Jim Jamieson
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Ivana Kocinski
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Boyd Spurling
| 5
|
|-
| ]
| Roy Haiseman
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Sandra Lynch
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Neil Morrison / Terry Walsh
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Clayton Saunders / Sam Turner
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Matt Proctor
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Aunty Sandra
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Bill Foster
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Kerry Mitchell
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Tina the Cook
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Paula Stanford
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Marcia Hyland / Raelene Stevena / Jan Bayliss
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Ken Norse
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Kris Torossian
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Jose de Sousa
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| John Garris / Det Sgt Daryl Darcy
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Michaela Brady / Tony Buckner
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Shirley Wilkie
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Janet Shaw
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Deborah Masters
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Grannie Gibson
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Audrey Roper
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Cameron Sharp
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Daniel Grieves
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Kevin Sutton / Bob Crowley
| 6
|
|-
| ]
| Fran Bennett / Sandra Stevens / Sonia Weller
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Frank Schumaker / Freddie Vandenburg / Magistrate / Vince de Souza
| 5
|
|-
| ]
| Nigel Kellett
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Father Leary
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| John Persic
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Maureen Flannery / Margaret Nelson
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Ted Gilly
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Matt Zdenkowski
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Dan Ballard / Nigel Carmody / Roy Fletcher
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Andrea Dean
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Peter Mattarazzo
| 1
|-
| ]
| Alex McKinley / Henry Townsend
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Anise Lightfoot / Margaret Todd
| 6
|
|-
| ]
| Commander Reg Jones / Dr Matthews / Harrison Brealey / Inspector Len Murray / Warren Bradford
| 6
|
|-
| ]
| Jim Tully / Alex Bailey / Frank Davis
| 5
|
|-
| ]
| Col Monroe
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Dr Peter Nelson / Martin Bridport
| 3
| <ref name="Ep12.41">{{cite episode|title=Lost|series=Blue Heelers|series-link=Blue Heelers|airdate=2005-11-26|season=12|number=41}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| Joshua Grieves
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Bernie Lochren
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Molly Malloy / Debbie Perkins / Kym Stewart
| 4
|
|-
| ]
| Sally-Anne Williams / Nerida Davidson
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Jamie Bennett / Jill Lambert
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Kate Kenny
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Amelia Porter / Libby Orr
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Dana
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Maxie Stubbs / Chook Fowler / Freddie
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Ben Murphy
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Geoff Grimshaw / Simon Winter
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Justin De Carlo
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Barry Lancer
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Detective Sergeant Neil Pendergast / Derrick Chalmers / Sergeant Harris
| 5
|
|-
| ]
| Bernie O'Halloran
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Det Barry Craig
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Miranda Cooper
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Siobhan Kennedy / Kerryn Robertson
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Mal Truesdale / Keith Cashell
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Zac Bronski
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Shane Donovan
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Glen Rigby / Dennis Cole
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Acting Sgt Lindy Schroeder
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Ashley Barker
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Andy Sexton / Steve Scarcella / Will Graham
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Bryce McLeod
| 2
| <ref name="Ep7.9">{{cite episode|title=Unfinished Business|series=Blue Heelers|series-link=Blue Heelers|airdate=2000-04-05|season=7|number=9}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| John Maguire
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Rip Vaughan
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Mick Boyce
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Jeremy Phillips
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Abe Burrows
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Nurse Angie Cohen
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Gary Harding
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Colin Docker
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Eddie Dodds
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Tyrone McKenzie
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Ronnie McKellan
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Ian Shannon / Gethin Fox / Anthony Hood
| 4
|
|-
| ]
| Nina McVie
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Ian Waldron
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Ted Garnett
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Max Arnold
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Mick Doyle / Paul Reynolds
| 9
|
|-
| ]
| Dave Weller / Sgt Carmello
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Brendan Maguire / Snr Constable Simon Barclay
| 5
|
|-
| ]
| Jimmy Fong
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Jane Roper
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Johnno Wilson
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Charlie Biden
|
|
|-
| ]
| George Considine QC
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Trevor Hardy / Stavros
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Fay Tudor
| 3
|
|-
| ]
| Psychologist
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Troy Rees
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Brendan Kelly / Brian Stenmark
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Julian Whitelaw
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Marjorie Price
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Bonnie Crowne / Ivy Henderson
| 2
|
|-
| ]
| Mr Blyth / Harry Jinks / Harry Quinn
| 4
|
|-
| ]
| Bill Lapscott
| 3
| <ref name="Ep12.10">{{cite episode|title=Killing Time|series=Blue Heelers|series-link=Blue Heelers|airdate=2006-04-13|season=12|number=10}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| Griff Hackstra
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Beetle
| 1
|
|-
| ]
| Brenda Lawson
| 1
|
|} |}


==Home Media== == Production ==
On average, 42 episodes of ''Blue Heelers'' were broadcast per year on Australian television, with each episode comprising fifty scenes. One episode was made every week. The scripts were written to a formula which allowed one day for rehearsal, two days on location and two days in the studio.<ref name="Heelers hit 150">James, Carol. , TV Week, 5 July 1997. Retrieved from {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180415121628/http://lisamccune.net/ |date=15 April 2018 }} on 13 August 2008.</ref> Episodes were shot eight to ten weeks ahead of their scheduled broadcast date.<ref name="BH in town">, Bendigo Advertiser, 8 April 2005. Retrieved 6 May 2008.</ref> There were 16 episodes in various stages of production at any one time (from the conception of new storylines to post-production). In addition, there were always seven complete episodes waiting to go to air.<ref name="Heelers hit 150"/> Apart from the regular cast members, the show employed 4,300 guest actors annually, plus 30 extras every week. A total of 150 people were involved in some way with the show's production each week, including cast members, crew, wardrobe, publicists and writers.<ref name="Heelers hit 150"/>

=== Conception and development ===
''Blue Heelers'' creator/producer, ], conceived the idea of ''Blue Heelers'' when he heard that an eighteen-year-old friend was planning to become a police officer. Intrigued, he inquired as to why this young boy, fresh out of school, would want to become a police officer, as opposed to the many other opportunities he had open to him. McElroy soon discovered that, at the time, a staggering 60% of Australian police officers were under the age of 26.<ref name="BB">Farmer, Monique. , ''Sydney Morning Herald'' 17 January 1994</ref> This, coupled with McElroy's desire to create a country cop show, formed the basis of the programme. When this same young officer left the force only a year later due to the shooting death of his colleague, McElroy was even more intrigued to learn about the very fickle, yet rewarding job of policing the community.<ref name="DCITA"/> McElroy continued his quest by asking ex-police officer Michael Winter to write down what it was like to be a city cop who transferred to a country town. These became the ideas that ''Blue Heelers'' was based around.<ref name="CCS">Schembri, Jim: , ''The Age'', 14 January 1994</ref> Michael Winter also conceived the name of the programme by recounting the common names for a country police officer: "tyre-biters"—referring to the fact that country cops are often involved in car chases—and "blue heelers"—referring to their blue uniforms and overall similar appearance and persona to a ], a protective and intuitive breed of Australian dog.<ref name="BB"/> From the time that McElroy's idea was initially conceived, to the time the programme was ready to air, three years passed.

During the early development of ''Blue Heelers'' two completely different pilots were shot: one depicting the story from the perspective of a police officer and the other from the perspective of a criminal. When these were presented to the Seven Network, the network committed to 13 episodes of the first pilot. The pilot went on to become the official first episode of ''Blue Heelers'', telling the story of a new cop in town, Maggie Doyle, and her beginnings in Mount Thomas. Hal McElroy chose to discard the second pilot, realising it was a fatal mistake to be "with the criminals as they plotted the crime". He also conceived his rule that the producers of the show "couldn't have a camera in a room unless there was a copper there as well" (a rule shared by long-running UK Police drama '']''). Hence, the basis of the show being from a police officer's perspective became a firm reality.<ref name="DCITA"/> (The only bending of this rule was with scenes featuring publican Chris; as she was billed with the main cast, she was given the same on-screen "rules" as the officers. In early episodes, before she worked at the station, this "rule" also applied to Wayne Patterson's wife Roz).

Hal McElroy gives his police adviser's opinion:

{{blockquote|
He had been posted to ] (in New South Wales) and he really loved it up there because the routine was so simple and straightforward-most often you knew the victim and sometimes you knew the culprit, and someone in charge would give them a clip behind the ear and say 'wash the police car' or 'sweep the yard' and 'don't ever do it again', rather than sending a juvenile to jail.

I loved it, and I said 'Hey this is great'. But all the writers said, 'No it's boring, we want that gritty, inner-city police stuff'. (We had Boys in Blue set up in Leichhardt in Sydney.) And I still remember the moment I was driving home up River Road and I thought, 'Then we can have two shows'. I said to this copper 'What are you called in the country? What is your nickname?' And he said they call highway patrol 'tyre biters' and coppers 'blue heelers'. And I thought 'That's the title!' So I rang Tony Morphett and said 'Let's do a show about young cops in the country. It's called Blue Heelers.
|Hal McElroy|<ref name="DCITA"/>}}

By creating the programme, McElroy and Morphett hoped to close the gap between to police and the public. They hoped to show the human side of the policing and that, like other citizens, police officers have feelings, regrets, aspirations and fears.<ref name="BCSM">Hallett,Bryce , ''The Australian'', 18 January 1994.</ref> They also hoped that the show would act as a tribute to the courage of police officers, who risk their lives everyday, never knowing if they would return home at the end of the day.<ref name="BB"/>

=== Filming locations ===
Only about half of the footage for each episode was shot on location.<ref name="BH in town"/> Most of the scenes, including scenes in the police station and pub, were filmed at the Seven Network studios in Melbourne.<ref name="BH in town"/><ref name="Blue Appealers article">Webster, Di. , Who Weekly, 10 February 1997. Retrieved 3 May 2008.</ref> Much of the filming on location was carried out in towns such as ],<ref name="Blue Appealers article"/> and the more established parts of ].<ref name="Axe falls on Blue Heelers">Webb, Caroline; Idato, Michael. , The Age, 14 January 2006. Retrieved 26 March 2008.</ref> The scenes of the outside of the Mount Thomas police station were actually filmed at the old, disused ] police station, which was then a private residence. Scenes at Mount Thomas High School were filmed at Williamstown High School. The town of ] was most often used as the backdrop for Mount Thomas, seen in almost every episode.<ref name="Castlemaine">, Australia eguide. Retrieved 3 May 2008.</ref><ref name="ACMI">Victorian Government. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080802182100/http://www.acmi.net.au/tv50_tour.htm |date=2 August 2008 }}, . Retrieved 3 May 2008.</ref> Although the Blue Heelers' pilot was shot in Castlemaine, the cast and crew very rarely returned there to shoot further episodes;<ref name="BH in town"/> images of Castlemaine were usually just establishing shots. Chris Riley's fictional Imperial Hotel, for example, was actually the real Imperial Hotel in Castlemaine.<ref name="Castlemaine"/><ref name="ACMI"/> Mount Thomas' fictional Commercial Hotel was filmed at the Willy Tavern in Williamstown.<ref name="Blue Appealers article"/> The second Mount Thomas police station, adopted during the programme's reform of 2004, was filmed at Newport Railway workshops. The Mount Thomas Hospital was filmed at the Werribee Mercy Hospital.<ref>Hobsons Bay City Council. . Retrieved 4 May 2008. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060820021921/http://www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/Page/page.asp?Page_Id=128&h=0 |date=20 August 2006 }}</ref> Sunbury railway station was commonly used as the Mount Thomas railway station.
Hobson's Bay, and Wyndham, Victoria were also locations used in Blue Heelers.

=== 2004 revamp: the station bombing ===
After low ratings in 2003 and 2004, the producers and executives of ''Blue Heelers'' realised that there were apparent problems which could potentially lead to the series' downfall. In 2004, ''Blue Heelers'' lost the top ratings spot to '']''.<ref name="investing in heelers future">Miller, Kylie. , The Age, 7 July 2004. Retrieved 12 July 2008.</ref> During 2003 and 2004, Australian television drama was also at its "lowest point in a decade" and many popular shows were cancelled.<ref>Warneke, Ross. , The Age, 8 July 2008. Retrieved 12 June 2008.</ref> As the show remained basically unchanged from its debut ten years earlier, the production team decided that a revamp was in order.

At the beginning of season 11, the revamp began with new, more modern opening credits, using an electric guitar, rather than an acoustic. Later in that season, a live episode, "Reasonable Doubt", was broadcast in hope of offering a short-term ratings boost and encourage more long-term viewers. Although an immediate success, the live episode did not bring about a sustained increase in ratings.<ref name="investing in heelers future"/> Producers also hoped that a shift in direction, a change of mood and setting, and the addition of four cast members would cement ''Blue Heelers''' long-term future.<ref name="investing in heelers future"/> They also wanted the show to remain relevant and more accurately reflect today's modern world:<ref name="Blue If Heelers Axed">Fidgeon, Robert. , The Herald Sun, 14 July 2004. Retrieved 12 June 2008.</ref>

{{Blockquote|Mount Thomas was created in 1993 and the world has changed... It will now be more reflective of today's country towns, not the sleepy backwater it was. It wasn't an easy task but the creative team responded brilliantly and there's a real feeling of excitement again... The old girl can still dance. And dance to new tunes.|John Holmes|<ref name="The Force Is With Them"/>}}

The main plot, setting and character changes started in July 2004, with the airing of the episode "End of Innocence". In this episode, the main storyline was the bombing of the Mount Thomas police station. The blast killed popular main character Snr. Const. Jo Parrish (Jane Allsop) and recurring cast member Clancy Freeman, and injured the show's main protagonist,<ref name="Wood's support for Gold">Dennehy, Luke., The Herald Sun, 29 April 2006. Retrieved 26 March 2008.</ref> Senior Sergeant Croydon. After the bombing it was revealed that Croydon's wife, the Reverend Curtis, was missing. It was later revealed she had been brutally raped and murdered.<ref name="investing in heelers future"/> These events brought about sweeping changes to the mood of not only Croydon but also the mood of the entire show. '']'' television writer Marcus Casey commented, "Mount Thomas has become a darker, grittier place, the people and cops in it transformed by an invasion of evil".<ref name="The Force Is With Them">Casey, Marcus. , The Daily Telegraph, 25 August 2005. Retrieved 12 June 2008.</ref>
Consequently, the story changed its focus from the old Mount Thomas police station to the new one that was used until the show's cancellation in 2006. The Seven Network feared that in the modern ] world, a show about country police was no longer what audiences wanted.<ref>, The Daily Telegraph, 1 July 2004</ref> Storylines of the proceeding five episodes focused on the bombing of the station and the four new main characters: Rachel Gordon as Amy Fox, Geoff Morrell as Mark Jacobs, Samantha Tolj as Kelly O'Rourke, and Danny Raco as Joss Peroni.<ref name="investing in heelers future"/><ref name="The Force Is With Them"/> Popular former cast member ] also returned to the show, temporarily reprising his role as ]. Producers hoped the new tone of the series, the new younger actors, and McInnes's role reprisal would lure back viewers who had stopped watching the programme.<ref name="The Force Is With Them"/> This new style of programme that ''Blue Heelers'' was embracing was a sign of the show trying to keep up with other larger television shows, particularly the ].<ref name="The Force Is With Them"/>

The revamp of the series resulted in a 25% ratings increase, bringing the series' weekly viewership to 1.6&nbsp;million people.<ref>Fidegon, Robert. , The Herald Sun, 7 August 2008. Retrieved 12 June 2008.</ref> Critical response after the event was reassuring, and it appeared that critics were approving of the drastic moves by Seven and Southern Star:

{{Blockquote|The recent shake-up at the old station has swept aside an unhealthy staleness that had settled on the place and there's some much-needed fresh energy provided by the new recruits, including Samantha Tolj as true-blue Aussie gal Kelly O'Rourke and Danny Raco as Italian stallion Joss Peroni.|Debi Enker|<ref>Enker, Debi. , The Age, 24 February 2005. Retrieved 13 June 2008.</ref>}}

=== Cancellation ===
In the hope that viewing would increase, an 11-episode season in 2006 was commissioned by the Seven Network.<ref>Miller, Kylie., The Age, 29 September 2005. Retrieved 26 March 2008.</ref> However, the ratings spike begun in 2004 was not sufficient for the Seven Network to commit to continuing to produce the show. In January 2006, Seven officially announced that they had cancelled ''Blue Heelers'' but would air a final shortened season of 11 episodes in mid–2006.<ref>Le Marquand, Sarah. , The Daily Telegraph, 14 January 2006. Retrieved 26 March 2008.</ref> At the time, the show was still drawing 1.2&nbsp;million viewers per week on average, down from the 3.5&nbsp;million it was drawing at its peak.<ref>Nicholson, Sarah. , 31 May 2006, The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 9 September 2008.</ref> The announcement was front-page news on nearly all of Australia's major newspapers, including '']'', ], '']'', '']'' and Brisbane's '']''.<ref></ref> Two different endings were shot for the final episode, which finished filming on 20 December 2005. The first ending wrapped up all the show's storylines, while the second left the show open for another season; the second version was used.<ref name="Axe falls on Blue Heelers" />

For ''Blue Heelers''' final season in 2006, it was moved from its primetime Wednesday-night ], to a lower-rating Saturday-night timeslot.<ref name="timeslot">, Seven Network, 13 March 2006. Retrieved 26 March 2008.</ref> In the Saturday timeslot, ''Blue Heelers'' competed with '']'', a British police drama which had become quite popular in Australia on the ], and ] on ] and ].<ref name="Wood's support for Gold"/> This move was slammed by leading cast member John Wood.<ref name="Wood's support for Gold"/> ''Blue Heelers''<nowiki/>' cancellation may also be related to Seven's ] broadcast, which saw Seven invest $780m for the 5-year broadcasting rights of the game.<ref name="AFL"/>

== Broadcast ==
=== Australia ===
''Blue Heelers'' originally aired on Tuesday nights at 7:30&nbsp;pm on the Seven Network, thus it was limited to a PG content level restriction. When the series was hailed as a success, it began the transition from this timeslot to the 8:30&nbsp;pm timeslot on the same day. After the move, writers could explore more diverse storylines, as the show was restricted to an M rating. The third and fourth season premiers aired on Monday nights during the 8:30&nbsp;pm timeslot, but the show moved back to its original slot before the next episode. In its fifth season, ''Blue Heelers'' moved to the Wednesday night 8:30&nbsp;pm timeslot, which it occupied for most of its run, until the end of its twelfth season. This move was made to make way for hospital drama '']''.

Starting in 2004, the Seven Network aired ''Blue Heelers'' weekdays at 2:00&nbsp;pm. All episodes aired with the final episode airing in 2007. This made way for the broadcast of early episodes of ''All Saints''.

Seasons generally ran in Australia from early February to late November. Each season generally consisted of 41 to 42 episodes. The eleventh season however, only consisted of 39 episodes, as the Seven Network had gained the rights to televise the ]. In total, 510 episodes were aired: 509-hour-long standard episodes and one live episode. The live episode, titled "Reasonable Doubts", was filmed to celebrate ''Blue Heelers'' 10th year on the air.<ref>Witham, Katrina. , The Courier-Mail, 15 April 2004. Retrieved 9 June 2008.</ref> To prepare, the cast was given six days to memorise their lines.<ref>Miller, Kylie. , The Age, 15 April 2004. Retrieved 9 June 2008.</ref>

The final episode of the 13th season aired as a 2-hour tribute. It opened with an introduction from John Wood and concluded with a ] of ''Blue Heelers'' moments from over its 13-season run.<ref>Blundell, Graeme. , The Australian, 3 June 2006. Retrieved 26 March 2008.</ref>

Australian television quiz-show '']'', hosted by ], also aired a ''Blue Heelers'' special episode on 9 August 2001. Cast members John Wood, Neil Pigot, Ditch Davey, Jeremy Kewley, Jane Allsop, Suzi Dougherty, Paul Bishop, Caroline Craig and Peta Doodson took part in this special event.<ref>Zuk, Tim. , . Retrieved 11 July 2008.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ci3VCdq1bUQ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/Ci3VCdq1bUQ |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|title=The Weakest Link Blue Heelers special|publisher=]|author=tsstevens|date=9 August 2001|access-date=12 November 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In February 2014, repeats of series 12 started airing; and, in May 2014, repeats of series 13 aired on ]. ''Blue Heelers'' has also screened on ] in Australia in various time-slots.

=== International ===
''Blue Heelers'' had a strong following not only in Australia but also worldwide; it has been sold to 108 territories<ref name="SS2006"/> and is shown in over 70 countries.<ref>Tuohy, Wendy. , The Age, 14 May 2000. Retrieved 16 June 2008.</ref>

==== New Zealand ====
In New Zealand ''Blue Heelers'' screened on ] in a popular timeslot. However, following the on-screen death of ], ratings fell, and the show was moved to a 9:30&nbsp;pm slot on Friday. Following that, the show moved to a late night Thursday slot where the rest of the episodes played out, with the show beginning anywhere between 11:30&nbsp;pm and midnight. It aired its final episode on TV One on 20 March 2008.

==== Ireland ====
Debuted on ] on 15 September 1995 and continued every Friday afternoon at 4:30&nbsp;pm. In 1998, the show moved to Thursday's around 1.00am on RTE 2. In September 2001, season 5 debuted airing weekday mornings at 10:30 am on RTE 1. The 5 episode per week output meant the show quickly caught up with the Australian broadcast, and in 2004, RTÉ dropped back to single weekly episodes airing late night Thursday's, typically around 1&nbsp;am. RTÉ began airing the final season on 30 May 2008 in a late night Saturday timeslot, and the final episode screened on 30 November 2008.
RTÉ began re-airing Blue Heelers weekly from episode one, commencing on 24 June 2009, usually around 4&nbsp;am Sunday mornings. RTÉ screened all episodes in their original unedited state. The drama proved very popular in Ireland and rated very well.

==== United States ====
''Blue Heelers'' aired briefly in the United States of America in the early 2000s on the short-lived cable channel ] (carried primarily by ]). No episode after number 76 was ever shown in the United States, and when Trio changed their programming in 2004, ''Blue Heelers'' was dropped from the schedule. The series returned to US airwaves in September 2021 on the new digital network , a channel devoted mainly to imported British and Australian series.

==== Canada ====
''Blue Heelers'' was broadcast on ] in Canada, last airing on 15 May 1998.<ref>Zuk, Tim. , . Retrieved 19 September 2008</ref>

==== United Kingdom ====
In the United Kingdom, ''Blue Heelers'' was broadcast on most of the regional franchises of the ] Network. At least ten out of the fourteen regional companies that formed ITV aired the first few years of the series and most initially broadcast it in the original hour-long format during the afternoon (with necessary edits to suit the time slot, usually regarding ]). Some ITV regions edited each episode into two half-hour editions, and stripped these episodes across two or three days. This half-hour format of broadcasting Australian series was well established by ITV with '']''. Very early hour-long episodes of ''Blue Heelers'' also ran unedited later in the evening, around midnight, on both Central and UTV.


] and ] were the first to broadcast ''Blue Heelers'', and they began with three half-hour weekly episodes, Monday to Wednesday, 14:20-14:50, starting from 3 January 1995. Later in the year, they then switched to airing hour-long episodes, 14:20-15:20, on Mondays. ] were next to start in February 1995 with a late night 23.40-00:35 slot on Tuesdays, before following Carlton with the half-hour 14.20-14:50 slot on Mondays and Tuesdays from March. Central also reverted to hour long episodes in 1996, usually on Monday and Friday, 14:20-15:15, but went back down to one hourly episode per week in 1997, on Mondays, 13:50-14:45, as the gap with Australian broadcasts narrowed. By 2000, half-hour editions were being aired again, 13:30-14:00, but now on Tuesday and Wednesday, where it remained until 2002. Central were one of the most consistent ITV regions to broadcast ''Blue Heelers'', completing series 6 by early 2002. When the three Carlton-owned ITV regions (Carlton, Westcountry and Central) started a uniform programme schedule during 2002, ''Blue Heelers'' continued to air as two half-hour episodes, and the final batch of episodes shown in these regions were from Season 7, finishing the season on Wednesday, 20 November 2002 (Australian air date: 22 November 2000).
=== VHS,DVD and Streaming Site: Past and Present Information===
2005-2011: Paramount Pictures Released each Season of Blue Heelers on DVD.


''Blue Heelers'' also aired on ], ] and ], typically Mondays at 14:20-15:15. During the summer school holidays, it was broadcast daily in a morning slot, usually from 11:05, until late 1998. ] and ] also screened the series from 1995 in the hour long format but by 1998, these regions had dropped the series. ] (UTV) began airing ''Blue Heelers'' in early 1995. The show initially screened 3 times a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons at 13:50-14:20. They then moved it to an hourly 14:20-15:20 slot later in the year. A few episodes also ran at 23:40 on Thursday nights, as they were considered unsuitable for daytime viewing. UTV cancelled ''Blue Heelers'' in 1998.
July 2013: The production company, ] formerly Southern Star Productions stated there are no plans at this stage to re-release.


] began aired hour-long episodes from 1995, airing on Fridays, and then later on Tuesdays from mid 1996, until episode 106, when the series was replaced by Murder She Wrote. The series then reappear on most Saturday afternoon during 1998 until 19 December. During 1999 From April until early August the series was broadcast at 04.30 most weekday morning before being dropped completely.
November 2015: Channel 7 said that there are still no plans to Re-Release Blue Heelers on DVD or Blu-ray.


], ], ], and ] all chose not to purchase ''Blue Heelers'', opting for locally made programming instead.
May 2017: Via Vision Entertainment stated they would be Re-releasing Blue Heelers on DVD.


When the English ] contractors reformatted as one company in late 2002, regionally-run programmes such as ''Blue Heelers'' and ''Shortland Street'' (which were at different points of the series in each region) disappeared from the schedules. No ITV region ever screened the series in full. ''Blue Heelers'' also aired on an early UK digital and cable channel, ], in the late 1990s. Early episodes aired daily, and then in a weekly slot on Fridays at 20.00 as episodes became more recent. Episodes to the later part of the 1997 season were shown before the series was dropped, along with the entire channel shortly afterwards.
2017-2018: Via Vision Entertainment Released four collection boxset sets of Blue Heelers which featured all 510episodes.


==Home media==
2018: Via Vision Entertainment Released Blue Heelers: The Complete Collection.
{{unreferenced section|date=March 2021}}


=== Home Media Overview ===
August 2018: 7PLUS (Channel 7 Streaming Service Starting Releasing all Episodes)
* 2005–2011: Paramount Pictures released each season of ''Blue Heelers'' on DVD.
* July 2013: The show's production company, ] (formerly Southern Star Productions), stated there are no plans at this stage to re-release.
* November 2015: Channel 7 said that there are still no plans to re-release ''Blue Heelers'' on DVD or Blu-ray.
* May 2017: Via Vision Entertainment stated they would be re-releasing ''Blue Heelers'' on DVD.
* 2017–2018: Via Vision Entertainment released four collectable ]s of ''Blue Heelers'' which featured all 510 episodes.
* 2018: Via Vision Entertainment released ''Blue Heelers: The Complete Collection''.
* August 2018: ] (Channel 7 Streaming Service) started releasing all episodes.
* August 2024: It has been mentioned that a Blu-Ray Release is in the works.


=== Blue Heelers VHS Releases === === VHS Releases ===
{|class="wikitable" {|class="wikitable"
|- |-
Line 552: Line 1,788:
| Welcome To Mt Thomas | Welcome To Mt Thomas
| VHS | VHS
| style="text-align:left;"| Season 1, Episode 1&2 | style="text-align:left;"| Season 1, Episode 1 & 2
| 1 | 1
| |
Line 560: Line 1,796:
| The Earth is Made of Glass | The Earth is Made of Glass
| VHS | VHS
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 1, Episode 3&4 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 1, Episode 3 & 4
| 1 | 1
| |
Line 568: Line 1,804:
| The Spice of Life | The Spice of Life
| VHS | VHS
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 1, Episode 5&6 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 1, Episode 5 & 6
| 1 | 1
| |
Line 574: Line 1,810:
| |
|- |-
| The Wheel Of Chance | The Wheel of Chance
| VHS | VHS
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 1, Episode 7&8 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 1, Episode 7 & 8
| 1 | 1
| |
Line 584: Line 1,820:
| Cops with Heart | Cops with Heart
| VHS | VHS
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 1, Episode 1 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 1, Episode 1<br/>Season 2, Episode 22 & 23
Season 2, Episode 22&23
| 1 | 1
| 1996 | 28 November 1996
| Behind The Scenes | Behind The Scenes
| Buena Vista Home Entertainment | Buena Vista Home Entertainment
|- |-
| Stories from the heart | Stories from the heart
| VHS | VHS
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 1, Episode 18&23 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 1, Episode 18 & 23<br/>Season 2, Episode 40 & 41
Season 2, Episode 40&41
| 1 | 1
| 1996 | 1996
Line 600: Line 1,834:
| |
|- |-
| Brotherly Love - Parts 1&2 | Brotherly Love – Parts 1 & 2
| VHS | VHS
| style="text-align:center;"|Season 2, Episodes 40&41 | style="text-align:center;"|Season 2, Episodes 40 & 41
| 1 | 1
| 3 August 1998 | 3 August 1998
Line 608: Line 1,842:
| |
|- |-
| Double Jeopardy - Parts 1&2 | Double Jeopardy – Parts 1 & 2
| VHS | VHS
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 2, Episodes 30&31 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 2, Episodes 30 & 31
| 1 | 1
| 7 September 1998 | 7 September 1998
Line 616: Line 1,850:
| |
|- |-
| Paranoia - Parts 1&2 | Paranoia – Parts 1 & 2
| VHS | VHS
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 2, Episodes 22&23 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 2, Episodes 22 & 23
| 1 | 1
| 5 October 1998 | 5 October 1998
| None | None
| |
|-
|} |}


=== Time Life Blue Heelers DVD Releases === === DVD Releases ===
{|class="wikitable" {|class="wikitable"
|+ ''TimeLife'' (DVD Releases)
|- |-
!Title !Title
Line 639: Line 1,873:
| Welcome To Mt Thomas | Welcome To Mt Thomas
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"| Season 1: Episode 1&2 | style="text-align:left;"| Season 1: Episode 1 & 2
| 1 | 1
| 2003 | 2003
Line 647: Line 1,881:
| The Earth is Made of Glass | The Earth is Made of Glass
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 1: Episode 3&4 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 1: Episode 3 & 4
| 1 | 1
| 2003 | 2003
| None | None
| ] | TimeLife
|- |-
| The Spice of Life | The Spice of Life
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 1: Episode 5&6 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 1: Episode 5 & 6
| 1 | 1
| 2003 | 2003
| None | None
| ] | TimeLife
|- |-
| The Wheel Of Chance | The Wheel of Chance
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 1: Episode 7&8 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 1: Episode 7 & 8
| 1 | 1
| 2003 | 2003
| None | None
| ] | TimeLife
|- |-
|} |}

=== Paramount Pictures Blue Heelers DVD Releases ===
{|class="wikitable" {|class="wikitable"
|+ ''Paramount Home Entertainment'' (DVD Releases)
|- |-
!Title !Title
Line 684: Line 1,917:
| Blue Heelers Season 1 | Blue Heelers Season 1
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"| Series 1,Episodes 1-17 | style="text-align:left;"| Series 1, Episodes 1–17

| 6 | 6
| 2 November 2005 | 2 November 2005
Line 691: Line 1,923:
| ] | ]
|- |-
| Season 02 (Parts 1&2) | Blue Heelers Season 2 (Parts 1&2)
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"|Series 1, Episodes 18-45 | style="text-align:left;"|Series 1, Episodes 18–45


Series 2, Episodes 1-9 Series 2, Episodes 1–9
| 10 | 10
| 1 December 2005 | 1 December 2005
Line 701: Line 1,933:


Commentary on episodes 19 and 44 (season 1) Commentary on episodes 19 and 44 (season 1)
| ] | Paramount Home Entertainment
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season 3 (Parts 1&2) | Blue Heelers Season 3 (Parts 1 & 2)
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 2, Episodes 10-41 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 2, Episodes 10–41
Season 3, Episodes 1-10 Season 3, Episodes 1–10
| 11 | 11
| 16 February 2006 | 16 February 2006
| Photo Gallery | Photo Gallery
| ] | Paramount Home Entertainment
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season 4 (Parts 1&2) | Blue Heelers Season 4 (Parts 1 & 2)
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 3, Episodes 11-42 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 3, Episodes 11–42
Season 4, Episode 1-11 Season 4, Episode 1–11
| 11 | 11
| 6 April 2006 | 6 April 2006
| Photo Gallery | Photo Gallery
| ] | Paramount Home Entertainment
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season 5 (Parts 1&2) | Blue Heelers Season 5 (Parts 1 & 2)
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 4, Episodes 12-42 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 4, Episodes 12–42
Season 5, Episode 1-11 Season 5, Episode 1–11
| 11 | 11
| 6 June 2006 | 6 June 2006
| Photo Gallery | Photo Gallery
| ] | Paramount Home Entertainment
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season 6 (Parts 1&2) | Blue Heelers Season 6 (Parts 1 & 2)
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 5, Episode 12-41 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 5, Episode 12–41
Season 6, Episode 1-12 Season 6, Episode 1–12
| 11 | 11
| 10 August 2006 | 10 August 2006
| Photo Gallery | Photo Gallery
| ] | Paramount Home Entertainment
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season 7 (Parts 1&2) | Blue Heelers Season 7 (Parts 1 & 2)
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 6, Episodes 13-42 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 6, Episodes 13–42
Season 7, Episodes 1-12 Season 7, Episodes 1–12
| 11 | 11
| 31 July 2008 | 31 July 2008
| Photo Gallery | Photo Gallery
| ] | Paramount Home Entertainment
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season 8 (Parts 1&2) | Blue Heelers Season 8 (Parts 1 & 2)
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 7, Episodes 13-41 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 7, Episodes 13–41
Season 8, Episodes 1-12 Season 8, Episodes 1–12
| 11 | 11
| 1 October 2008 | 1 October 2008
| Photo Gallery | Photo Gallery
| ] | Paramount Home Entertainment
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season 9 (Parts 1&2) | Blue Heelers Season 9 (Parts 1 & 2)
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 8, Episode 18-42 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 8, Episode 18–42
Season 9, Episodes 1-12 Season 9, Episodes 1–12
| 11 | 11
| 5 November 2009 | 5 November 2009
| Photo Gallery | Photo Gallery
| ] | Paramount Home Entertainment
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season 10 (Parts 1&2) | Blue Heelers Season 10 (Parts 1 & 2)
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 9, Episodes 13-40 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 9, Episodes 13–40
Season 10, Episodes 1-12 Season 10, Episodes 1–12
| 10 | 10
| 6 May 2010 | 6 May 2010
| None | None
| ] | Paramount Home Entertainment
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season 11 (Parts 1&2) | Blue Heelers Season 11 (Parts 1 & 2)
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 10, Episodes 13-42 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 10, Episodes 13–42
Season 11, Episode 1-10 Season 11, Episode 1–10
| 10 | 10
| 5 August 2010 | 5 August 2010
| None | None
| ] | Paramount Home Entertainment
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season 12 | Blue Heelers Season 12
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 11, Episodes 11-40 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 11, Episodes 11–40
| 8 | 8
| 4 November 2010 | 4 November 2010
| Blue Heelers: Live Episode | Blue Heelers: Live Episode
| ] | Paramount Home Entertainment
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season 13 (Parts 1&2) | Blue Heelers Season 13 (Parts 1 & 2)
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 12, Episodes 1-20 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 12, Episodes 1–20
Season 12, Episodes 21-42 Season 12, Episodes 21–42
| 10 | 10
| 3 March 2011 | 3 March 2011
| None | None
| ] | Paramount Home Entertainment
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season 14 | Blue Heelers Season 14
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"|Season 13, Episodes 1-10 | style="text-align:left;"|Season 13, Episodes 1–10
| 3 | 3
| 2 June 2011 | 2 June 2011
| None | None
| ] | Paramount Home Entertainment
|- |-
|} |}

=== Via Vision Entertainment Blue Heelers DVD Releases ===
{|class="wikitable" {|class="wikitable"
|+ ''Via Vision Entertainment'' (DVD Releases)
|- |-
!Title !Title
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| Blue Heelers (Collection 1) | Blue Heelers (Collection 1)
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"| Series 1, Episodes 1-45 | style="text-align:left;"| Series 1, Episodes 1–45


Series 2, Episodes 1-41 Series 2, Episodes 1–41


Series 3, Episodes 1-10 Series 3, Episodes 1–10
| 27 | 27
| 5 July 2017 | 5 July 2017
Line 840: Line 2,071:
| Blue Heelers (Collection 2) | Blue Heelers (Collection 2)
| DVD | DVD
|style="text-align:left;"| Series 3,Episodes 11-42 |style="text-align:left;"| Series 3, Episodes 11–42
Series 4, Episodes 1-42 Series 4, Episodes 1–42


Series 5, Episodes 1-41 Series 5, Episodes 1–41


Series 6, Episodes 1-42 Series 6, Episodes 1–42


Series 7, Episodes 1-12 Series 7, Episodes 1–12
| 44 | 44
| 6 September 2017 | 6 September 2017
| Photo Galleries (Series 4-7) | Photo Galleries (Series 4–7)
| Via Vision Entertainment | Via Vision Entertainment
|- |-
| Blue Heelers (Collection 3) | Blue Heelers (Collection 3)
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"| Series 7,Episodes 13-41 | style="text-align:left;"| Series 7, Episodes 13–41
Series 8,Episodes 1-42 Series 8, Episodes 1–42


Series 9,Episodes 1-41 Series 9, Episodes 1–41


Series 10,Episode 1-11 Series 10, Episode 1–11
| 37 | 37
| 4 October 2017 | 4 October 2017
| Photo Galleries (Series 8-9) | Photo Galleries (Series 8–9)
| Via Vision Entertainment | Via Vision Entertainment
|- |-
| Blue Heelers (Collection 4) | Blue Heelers (Collection 4)
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"| Series 10,Episodes 12-42 | style="text-align:left;"| Series 10, Episodes 12–42
Series 11,Episodes 1-39 Series 11, Episodes 1–39


Series 12,Episodes 1-42 Series 12, Episodes 1–42


Series 13, Episode 1-11 Series 13, Episode 1–11
| 31 | 31
| 3 November 2017 | 3 November 2017
Line 881: Line 2,112:
| Blue Heelers (Complete Collection) | Blue Heelers (Complete Collection)
| DVD | DVD
| style="text-align:left;"| Series 1-13,Episodes 1-510 | style="text-align:left;"| Series 1–13, Episodes 1–510
| 134 | 134
| 17 October 2018 | 17 October 2018
| Selected Episode Commentaries | Selected Episode Commentaries


Photo Gallery (Series 1-9) Photo Gallery (Series 1–9)


Blue Heelers: Live Episode Blue Heelers: Live Episode
| Via Vision Entertainment | Via Vision Entertainment
|- |-
| Blue Heelers (Complete Collection)
| DVD
| style="text-align:left;"| Series 1–13, Episodes 1–510
| 134
| 29 November 2023
| Selected Episode Commentaries

Photo Gallery (Series 1–9)

Blue Heelers: Live Episode
| Via Vision Entertainment
|} |}


=== Blue Heelers 7PLUS Streaming === === Streaming ===
{|class="wikitable" {|class="wikitable"
|+ ''Blue Heelers'' 7+ streaming
|- |-
!Title !Title
Line 900: Line 2,143:
!Episodes # !Episodes #
!Release Date !Release Date
!Streaming Status
!Expiry Date
!Distributors !Distributors
|- |-
Line 907: Line 2,150:
| style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 17 | style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 17
| 12 August 2018 | 12 August 2018
| Currently Streaming
|

| ] | ]
|- |-
Line 915: Line 2,157:
| style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 37 | style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 37
| 12 August 2018 | 12 August 2018
| Currently Streaming
|
| ] | 7plus
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season Three | Blue Heelers Season Three
Line 922: Line 2,164:
| style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 42 | style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 42
| 12 August 2018 | 12 August 2018
| Currently Streaming
|
| ] | 7plus
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season Four | Blue Heelers Season Four
Line 929: Line 2,171:
| style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 43 | style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 43
| 17 August 2018 | 17 August 2018
| Currently Streaming
|
| ] | 7plus
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season Five | Blue Heelers Season Five
Line 936: Line 2,178:
| style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 42 | style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 42
| 17 August 2018 | 17 August 2018
| Currently Streaming
|
| ] | 7plus
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season Six | Blue Heelers Season Six
Line 943: Line 2,185:
| style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 42 | style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 42
| 17 August 2018 | 17 August 2018
| Currently Streaming
|
| ] | 7plus
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season Seven | Blue Heelers Season Seven
Line 950: Line 2,192:
| style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 42 | style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 42
| 17 August 2018 | 17 August 2018
| Currently Streaming
|
| ] | 7plus
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season Eight | Blue Heelers Season Eight
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| style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 41 | style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 41
| 17 August 2018 | 17 August 2018
| Currently Streaming
|
| ] | 7plus
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season Nine | Blue Heelers Season Nine
Line 964: Line 2,206:
| style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 42 | style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 42
| 21 August 2018 | 21 August 2018
| Currently Streaming
|
| ] | 7plus
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season Ten | Blue Heelers Season Ten
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| style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 40 | style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 40
| 21 August 2018 | 21 August 2018
| Currently Streaming
|
| ] | 7plus
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season Eleven | Blue Heelers Season Eleven
Line 978: Line 2,220:
| style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 40 | style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 40
| 21 August 2018 | 21 August 2018
| Currently Streaming
|
| ] | 7plus
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season Twelve | Blue Heelers Season Twelve
Line 985: Line 2,227:
| style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 29 | style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 29
| 24 August 2018 | 24 August 2018
| Currently Streaming
|
| ] | 7plus
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season Thirteen | Blue Heelers Season Thirteen
Line 992: Line 2,234:
| style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 42 | style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 42
| 24 August 2018 | 24 August 2018
| Currently Streaming
|
| ] | 7plus
|- |-
| Blue Heelers Season Fourteen | Blue Heelers Season Fourteen
Line 999: Line 2,241:
| style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 10 | style="text-align:left;"| Episodes 10
| 24 August 2018 | 24 August 2018
| Currently Streaming
|
| ] | 7plus
|}

== Reception ==
=== Critical response ===
{{Expand section|date=September 2022}}
Described by critics before its launch as "'']'' meets '']''",<ref name="CCS"/> and as "the contemporary cousin of British cop show, '']''",<ref>Reviewers. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720024925/http://www.law4u.com.au/lil/tv_blue_heelers.html |date=20 July 2008 }}, Law4u. Retrieved 12 June 2008</ref> ''Blue Heelers'' was not anticipated by critics to become a hugely popular programme.

=== Viewership ===
It became a hit TV show soon after it began airing. During most of its broadcast, ''Blue Heelers'' was very popular in Australia, regularly attracting up to 2.5&nbsp;million viewers,<ref name="FF"/> and up to 3.5&nbsp;million viewers at its peak.<ref>Freeman, Jane. , The Age, 17 April 1997. Retrieved 16 June 2008</ref> Throughout the show's broadcast it continually drew a strong audience, regularly appearing among the top-rating prime time programmes on Australian television. Viewership of Blue Heelers never dropped below 1&nbsp;million viewers.<ref name="SS2006"/> The episodes "Gold" and "Fool's Gold" (episodes 140 and 141), which aired during the programme's fourth season, were two of the most popular ''Blue Heelers'' episodes. Each drew 2.5&nbsp;million viewers, considered a huge achievement in 1997.<ref name="AFL"/>

''Blue Heelers<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' executive producer, Gus Howard believed the show's popularity was due mainly to the quality of the cast.

{{Blockquote|Much of the success of Blue Heelers has been attributed to one of the best ensemble casts of any drama on television, with most every cast member becoming a household name... The basic vocation for the show has always been about shedding a little light on the human condition, something Australian audiences have readily identified with. The show epitomises and represents the Australian ethos in a way that truly reflects Australian life.|Gus Howard|<ref name="SS2006"/>}}

Much of the show's sixth season, as well as the first 10 episodes of its seventh season, were the most watched episodes of the series. These episodes focus of the death of Maggie Doyle (played by Lisa McCune). Maggie's being shot and left for dead during episode 255, "One More Day", was ranked by TV Week as the third most memorable moment of a drama series on Australian television.<ref name="TVWEEK50">TV Week, . Retrieved 8 September 2008. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208174715/http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=145967 |date=8 December 2008 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align: center"
!rowspan="2"| Season
!rowspan="2"| No. of episodes
!colspan="2"| Originally Aired
! rowspan="2"| Viewers ''(in millions)''
! rowspan="2"| Rating
! rowspan="2"| Drama Rank
|- |-
!]
!]
|-
| ]
| 45
| 10 September 1993
| 22 November 1994
| rowspan="4" colspan="3" {{n/a}}
|-
| ]
| 41
| 21 February 1995
| 21 November 1995
|-
| ]
| 42
| 12 February 1996
| 26 November 1996
|-
| ]
| 42
| 10 February 1997
| 25 November 1997
|-
| ]
| 41
| 24 February 1998
| 25 November 1998
| {{n/a}}<ref name="ratings1998-2003">{{cite web|url=http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/fact-finders/television/australian-content/in-the-archive/top-drama-comedy-series-before-2004|title=Top-Rating Australian Drama Series and Serials (Including Comedy) on Television, 1998–2003
|publisher=screenaustralia.gov.au|access-date=15 July 2016}}</ref>
| 18.0<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| '''#1'''<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
|-
| ]
| 42
| 10 February 1999
| 24 November 1999
| {{n/a}}<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| 15.6<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| '''#2'''<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
|-
| ]
| 41
| 9 February 2000
| 22 November 2000
| {{n/a}}<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| 13.7<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| '''#2'''<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
|-
| ]
| 41
| 21 February 2001
| 28 November 2001
| 1.757<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| 13.4<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| '''#1'''<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
|-
| ]
| 40
| 13 February 2002
| 20 November 2002
| 1.508<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| 11.3<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| '''#2'''<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
|-
| ]
| 42
| 12 February 2003
| 26 November 2003
| 1.397<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| 10.3<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
| '''#3'''<ref name="ratings1998-2003" />
|-
| ]
| 39
| 4 February 2004
| 5 November 2004
| 1.264<ref name="ratings2004-2006">{{cite web|url=http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/fact-finders/television/industry-trends/in-the-archive/top-programs/top-20-drama-series-2004-2009|title=Top 20 Drama Series and Serials Shown on Television, 2004–2009|publisher=screenaustralia.gov.au|access-date=15 July 2016}}</ref>
| 9.3<ref name="ratings2004-2006" />
| '''#12'''<ref name="ratings2004-2006" />
|-
| ]
| 42
| 2 February 2005
| 26 November 2005
| 1.209<ref name="ratings2004-2006" />
| 8.7<ref name="ratings2004-2006" />
| '''#19'''<ref name="ratings2004-2006" />
|-
| ]
| 11
| 1 April 2006
| 4 June 2006
| colspan="3" {{n/a}}<ref name="ratings2004-2006" />
|} |}


==Awards and nominations== === Awards and nominations ===
{{Main|List of awards and nominations received by Blue Heelers}} {{Main|List of awards and nominations received by Blue Heelers}}


In terms of awards, Blue Heelers is regarded as one of the most successful programmes on Australian television.<ref>AAP. , The Age, 30 September 2005. Retrieved 7 May 2008.</ref> ''Blue Heelers'' has been the recipient of many awards, including 25 ]s, five of which are the prestigious ], 3 ], 3 ], and 1 ].<ref></ref><ref></ref> ''Blue Heelers'' was nominated for a further twelve Gold Logies. ''Blue Heelers'' has also won multiple Silver Logies, including numerous Most Popular Actor, Most Popular Actress and Most Popular Programme awards, as well as many Outstanding Awards. Many ''Blue Heelers'' cast members have also presented awards at the Logies. In the 2005 ] poll,''Blue Heelers'' was voted 37th greatest show on Australian television and ranked within the top ten dramas. In terms of awards, Blue Heelers is regarded as one of the most successful programmes on Australian television.<ref>AAP. , The Age, 30 September 2005. Retrieved 7 May 2008.</ref> ''Blue Heelers'' has been the recipient of many awards, including 25 ]s, five of which are the prestigious ], 3 ], 3 ], and 1 ].<ref></ref><ref></ref> ''Blue Heelers'' was nominated for a further twelve Gold Logies. ''Blue Heelers'' has also won multiple Silver Logies, including numerous Most Popular Actor, Most Popular Actress and Most Popular Programme awards, as well as many Outstanding Awards. Many ''Blue Heelers'' cast members have also presented awards at the Logies. In the 2005 ] poll, ''Blue Heelers'' was voted 37th greatest show on Australian television and ranked within the top ten dramas.


{| class="wikitable" style="width: 35em; padding:4px;" {| class="wikitable" style="width: 35em; padding:4px;"
|+ '''''Blue Heelers'' award summary'''<ref name="BH-awards"/> |+ '''''Blue Heelers'' award summary'''<ref name="BH-awards"/>
|- style="background:#ddf;" |- style="background:#ddf;"
! Award ! Award
! style="background:#cec; width:50px;"| Wins ! style="background:#cec; width:50px;"| Wins
| style="background:#fcd; width:50px;"| Nominations | style="background:#fcd; width:50px;"| Nominations
|- style="background:#eef;" |- style="background:#eef;"
| style="background:#eef;" | ]<ref>TV Week editors. , TV Week. Retrieved 8 June 2008 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202224432/http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=63394 |date=2 February 2007 }}</ref> | style="background:#eef;" | ]<ref>TV Week editors. , TV Week. Retrieved 8 June 2008 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202224432/http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=63394 |date=2 February 2007 }}</ref>
Line 1,042: Line 2,401:
| style="background:#eef;" | '''TOTAL''' | style="background:#eef;" | '''TOTAL'''
| {{won|'''32'''}} | {{won|'''32'''}}
| {{nom|'''50'''}} | {{nom|'''52'''}}
|} |}


== Merchandise ==
==International broadcasting==
A CD Album titled ''Music From Blue Heelers'' was released in 1995. It included the Blue Heelers theme music, plus other songs related to the program, many of them ] songs.
''Blue Heelers'' had a strong following not only in Australia, but also worldwide; it has been sold to 108 territories<ref name="SS2006"/> and is shown in over 70 countries.<ref>Tuohy, Wendy. , The Age, 14 May 2000. Retrieved 16 June 2008.</ref>


The first full ''Blue Heelers'' novel, ''Maggie's Story'', was written by Roger Dunn and released in 1997 by Coronet Books. In August 1998, a second novel, ''Tom's Story'', written by Cassandra Carter was released by ].
===Australia===


{|class="wikitable"
''Blue Heelers'' originally aired on Tuesday nights at 7:30&nbsp;pm on the Seven Network, thus it was limited to a PG content level restriction. When the series was hailed as a success it began the transition from this timeslot to the 8:30&nbsp;pm timeslot on the same day. After the move, writers could explore more diverse storylines, as the show was restricted to an M rating. The third and fourth season premiers aired on Monday nights during the 8:30&nbsp;pm timeslot, but the show moved back to its original slot before the next episode. In its fifth season, ''Blue Heelers'' moved to the Wednesday night 8:30&nbsp;pm timeslot, which it occupied for most of its run, until the end of its twelfth season. This move was made to make way for hospital drama '']''.
|-

!Name
Starting in 2004, the Seven Network aired ''Blue Heelers'' weekdays at 2:00&nbsp;pm. All episodes aired with the final episode airing in 2007. This made way for the broadcast of early episodes of ''All Saints''.
!Format

!Release
In February 2014, repeats of series 12 started airing and in May 2014, repeats of series 13 aired on 7TWO.
|-

|''Music From Blue Heelers''
''Blue Heelers'' has also screened on ] in Australia in various timeslots.
|CD

|1995
===New Zealand===
|-

|''Blue Heelers Maggie's Story''
In New Zealand ''Blue Heelers'' screened on ] in a popular timeslot. However, following the on-screen death of ], ratings fell, and the show was moved to a 9:30&nbsp;pm slot on Friday. Following that, the show moved to a late night Thursday slot where the rest of the episodes played out, with the show beginning anywhere between 11:30&nbsp;pm and midnight. It aired its final episode on TV One on 20 March 2008.
|Book

|1997
===Ireland===
|-
Irish broadcaster ] originally began airing ''Blue Heelers'' on Friday afternoons at 4:30&nbsp;pm. Episodes were only a few months behind the Australian broadcast. The series took a two-year break in 2000, before re-commencing in a five-day-a-week timeslot at 10:30&nbsp;am in early 2002. The show quickly caught up with the Australian broadcast; resulting in the show being scaled back to the original one episode a week in 2004, and moved to a late night Thursday timeslot typically around 1:00&nbsp;am. RTÉ commenced broadcasting the final season on 30 May 2008 in a late night Saturday timeslot. RTÉ screened the final episode on 30 November 2008. RTÉ began re-airing Blue Heelers weekly from episode one, commencing on 24 June 2009, usually around 4:00&nbsp;am Sunday mornings. RTÉ screened all episodes in their original unedited state. The drama proved very popular in Ireland and rated very well.
|''Blue Heelers Tom's Story''

|Book
===USA===
|August 1998

|-
''Blue Heelers'' aired briefly in the United States of America in the early 2000s on the short-lived cable channel ] (carried primarily by ]). No episode after number 76 was ever shown in the United States, and when Trio changed their programming in 2004, ''Blue Heelers'' was dropped from the schedule.
|Blue Heelers

|calendar
===Canada===
|1999

|}
''Blue Heelers'' was broadcast on ] in Canada, last airing on 15 May 1998.<ref>Zuk, Tim. , . Retrieved 19 September 2008</ref>

===Iran===

''Blue Heelers'' is broadcasting on ]. All episodes were dubbed in ].

===Italy===

In Italy ''Blue Heelers'' was broadcast on Italia 7 Gold (now called '']''), from the 1st to the 6th season. All episodes were dubbed in Italian.

===United Kingdom===
In the United Kingdom the series was broadcast on most stations on the ] Network. Many companies tended to screen the show as hour-long episodes in the afternoon (occasionally with necessary edits to suit the time slot, usually regarding ]).

] started in February 1995 with a late night 23.40 slot on Tuesdays before following other regions with a typically 14.20 slot. Central were one of the most consistent ITV regions to broadcast ''Blue Heelers'', completing series 6 by early 2002.<br />Carlton Television aired Blue Heelers in half-hour episodes originally on Mondays to Wednesdays, starting from 3 January 1995, however the series then switched to airing hour-long episodes; ] Also followed the half hour format, from early 1995 until September 2001. When the three Carlton owner station stated a uniformed schedule during 2002 Blue Heelers reverted to two-part half hour episodes; with the final batch of episodes shown in the regions were from Season 7 finishing on Wednesday 20 November 2002.

''Blue Heelers'' also aired on ], ] and ], typically Mondays at 2:20&nbsp;pm, during the summer school holidays it was broadcast daily in a morning slot, until late 1998. Granada and border also screened the series from 1995 in the hour long format but by 1998 dropped the series. ] (UTV) began airing ''Blue Heelers'' in early 1995. The show initially screened 3 times a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons at 1:50&nbsp;pm. They then moved it to the 2:20&nbsp;pm slot later in the series. A few episodes also ran at 11:40&nbsp;pm on Thursday nights, as they were considered unsuitable for daytime viewing. UTV cancelled ''Blue Heelers'' in 1998.

] began aired hour-long episodes from 1995, airing on Fridays, and then later on Tuesdays from mid 1996, until episode 106, when the series was replaced by Murder She Wrote. The series then reappear on most Saturday afternoon during 1998 until December when the series was dropped.

], ] and ] all chose not to import the show. When the English ] contractors reformatted as one company in late 2002, regionally-run programmes such as ''Blue Heelers'' (which were at different points of the series in each region) disappeared from screens. No ITV region ever screened the series in full. The show also aired on UK cable channel ] in the late 1990s, first screening the early episodes daily and then in a weekly slot Fridays at 20.00 as episodes became more recent. Episodes to the later part of the 1997 season were shown before the series was dropped.


== See also == == See also ==
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* on 7plus * on 7plus
*{{IMDb title|0108709|Blue Heelers}} *{{IMDb title|0108709|Blue Heelers}}
* {{tv.com show|blue-heelers|Blue Heelers}}
* at the Australian Television Information Archive * at the Australian Television Information Archive
* at the National Film and Sound Archive * at the National Film and Sound Archive
Line 1,113: Line 2,452:
{{Southern Star Entertainment}} {{Southern Star Entertainment}}


] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
]
] ]
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] ]
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] ]
]

Latest revision as of 22:45, 3 January 2025

Australian police drama series This article is about the Australian television programme. For the dog breed, see Australian Cattle Dog.

Blue Heelers
Also known asBoys in Blue (working title)
GenreDrama
Created by
Starring
Composers
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons13
No. of episodes510 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerRiccardo Pellizzeri
Camera setup
Running time45 minutes
Production companiesSouthern Star
7 Network
Original release
NetworkSeven Network
Release18 January 1994 (1994-01-18) –
4 June 2006 (2006-06-04)

Blue Heelers is an Australian police drama series that was produced by Southern Star Group and ran for twelve years on the Seven Network, from 1994 to 2006. Although based around the policing of the town, the series generally depicted the everyday lives and relationships of the residents of Mount Thomas, a fictional small town in Victoria.

The series was one of the highest-rated and most-awarded programs in the history of Australian television, having won 25 Logie awards, and having equal standing with The Don Lane Show as the most awarded show in the history of the Logies (with five wins). It is also noted for its two main stars Lisa McCune, a four-time recipient of the Gold Logie, and John Wood, who also won Gold.

Overview

Blue Heelers was first aired on 10 September 1993, with the episode "A Woman's Place". The last episode, episode #510 titled "One More Day" aired on 4 June 2006. The series was produced by Southern Star Group for the Seven Network. During its 13-season run it won a total of 32 awards and was nominated for a further 50. This included 25 Logie Awards, five of which were the Gold Logie, the most coveted television award in Australia.

As well as everyday policing matters, the series deals with many controversial and "touchy" subjects. The series was the first to examine the stressful world of young police officers who are "thrown into the deep end where they are left to sink or swim".

Police procedurals were enormously popular in Australia in the 1960s and 1970s, but by the 1980s they had been replaced by home-grown soap operas and mini-series, like Neighbours and Home and Away.

Blue Heelers, however, was Australia's most popular television drama while it lasted. The series drew more than 2.5 million viewers every week at its peak. Along with the long-running Crawford Productions series Homicide, Blue Heelers holds the Australian record for most episodes produced of a weekly prime-time drama. It was also nearly the longest-running series, but Homicide lasted one calendar month longer and, due to five feature-length episodes, had more time on air.

Blue Heelers was sold to 108 territories and gained international recognition in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada and other countries.

The series launched the careers of many Australian actors, such as Lisa McCune, Grant Bowler, Ditch Davey, Rachel Gordon, Tasma Walton, Charlie Clausen and Jane Allsop. While many of these actors are still best known for their work on Blue Heelers, some have gone on to bigger roles. Many other actors of today also appeared in guest roles, including Hugh Jackman, Charles 'Bud' Tingwell, Peter O'Brien, John Howard and Robert Rabiah.

John Wood, alongside Julie Nihill remained the only actors with Blue Heelers to remain during its entire 12-year run, portraying Senior Sergeant Tom Croydon and publican Chris Riley respectively.

Plot

P.J. Hasham, Tom Croydon and Maggie Doyle

The series primarily focuses on the daily lives of police officers working at a police station in the fictional small town of Mount Thomas in the Australian state of Victoria. Each episode is presented from the perspective of the officers. This was a specific technique that creator Hal McElroy chose to employ.

The police officers, commonly referred to as "Heelers", are always active sorting out the town's many problems. These problems range from trivial complaints such as land and fencing disputes to more serious offences, such as homicides and assaults. The small town is also faced with many other significant occurrences including bank robberies, escaped criminals, police shootings, kidnappings and the acts of deluded criminals. Of these, one of the more significant events is the bombing of the police station during the show's twelfth season.

Whenever overwhelmed, the Heelers call on the assistance of the police in the larger town of St Davids, home of the resident police inspector Russell Falcon-Price. An antagonist in the series, Falcon-Price often tries to terminate the employment of the Mount Thomas sergeant or to close the entire station, which in reality would be almost entirely out of his control.

Along with their police work, aspects of the Heelers' personal lives are regularly featured, notably the relationship between Maggie and PJ, which ends with Maggie's death in one of the most watched moments on Australian television.

Episodes

Main article: List of Blue Heelers episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast released
14510 September 1993 (1993-09-10)22 November 1994 (1994-11-22)
24121 February 1995 (1995-02-21)21 November 1995 (1995-11-21)
34212 February 1996 (1996-02-12)26 November 1996 (1996-11-26)
44210 February 1997 (1997-02-10)25 November 1997 (1997-11-25)
54124 February 1998 (1998-02-24)25 November 1998 (1998-11-25)
64210 February 1999 (1999-02-10)24 November 1999 (1999-11-24)
7419 February 2000 (2000-02-09)22 November 2000 (2000-11-22)
84221 February 2001 (2001-02-21)28 November 2001 (2001-11-28)
94013 February 2002 (2002-02-13)20 November 2002 (2002-11-20)
104212 February 2003 (2003-02-12)26 November 2003 (2003-11-26)
11394 February 2004 (2004-02-04)5 November 2004 (2004-11-05)
12422 February 2005 (2005-02-02)26 November 2005 (2005-11-26)
13111 April 2006 (2006-04-01)4 June 2006 (2006-06-04)

Cast

Main

Actor Character Episode count Season
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
John Wood Tom Croydon 510 Main
Julie Nihill Chris Riley 510 Main
Martin Sacks P.J. Hasham 484 Main Does not appear
Lisa McCune Maggie Doyle 255 Main Does not appear
William McInnes Nick Schultz 214 Main Does not appear Guest Does not appear
Grant Bowler Wayne Patterson 96 Main Does not appear
Ann Burbrook Roz Patterson 31 Main Does not appear Guest Does not appear
Damian Walshe-Howling Adam Cooper 178 Main Does not appear Guest
Tasma Walton Dash McKinley 128 Does not appear Main Does not appear
Paul Bishop Ben Stewart 253 Does not appear Main Does not appear
Rupert Reid Jack Lawson 102 Does not appear Main Does not appear
Jane Allsop Jo Parrish 202 Does not appear Main Does not appear
Caroline Craig Tess Gallagher 139 Does not appear Main Does not appear
Ditch Davey Evan Jones 193 Does not appear Main
Simone McAullay Susie Raynor 99 Does not appear Main
Rachel Gordon Amy Fox 70 Does not appear Main
Samantha Tolj Kelly O'Rourke 69 Does not appear Main
Danny Raco Joss Peroni 69 Does not appear Main
Geoff Morrell Mark Jacobs 59 Does not appear Main Does not appear
Charlie Clausen Alex Kirby 50 Does not appear Main
Matt Holmes Matt Graham 20 Does not appear Main
Blue Heelers final cast of 2006
Main article: List of recurring Blue Heelers characters

Recurring cast

Actor Character Episode count Reference
Arianthe Galani Helena Hasham 6
Beth Buchanan Susan Croydon 15
Brett Climo Robbie Doyle 9
Catherine Wilkin Sally Downie 14
Danny Adcock Barry Baxter 8
Debra Lawrance Grace Curtis 26
Dennis Miller Pat Doyle 14
Emily Browning Hayley Fulton 9
Jack Finsterer Detective Constable Johnny Kowalski 4
Jeremy Kewley Mt. Thomas journalist Tony Timms
Josh Lawson David Murray 5
Kevin Harrington Charlie McKinley 4
Martin Copping Boyd Spurling 5
Matt Passmore Brad Fingleton 5
Merlyn Owen Father Brian Hegerty 11
Michael Isaacs Clancy Freeman 5 +
Neil Pigot Inspector Russel Falcon-Price 42
Peta Doodson Inspector Monica Draper 20 +
Rachel Blakely Gina Belfanti 10
Reg Evans Keith Purvis 5 +
Richard Carter Les Anderson 4
Richard Huggett Detective Constable Sean Neale 6
Roger Oakley Russ Cavell 4
Roy Billing Senior Constable Ian Goss 5
Steve Mouzakis Theo Kallergis 5
Suzi Dougherty Dr. Mel Carter
Tara Morice Melanie Anderson 5
Terry Gill Superintendent Clive Adamson 5

Guest roles

Actor Character Ep. count Ref.
Aaron Blabey Robbie Davies 1
Abe Forsythe Daniel Curtis 2
Alan Dale Rod Wright 1
Alan Hopgood George Ratcliffe QC / Bob Swinburn / Doc Parkinson 3
Alan David Lee Bruce Hinton 2
Alethea McGrath Lily Majors / Alice Foster / Mrs Carmichael 6
Alex Papps Jamie Kingston / Stephen Farrow 2
Alexandra Schepisi Melissa / Pam Patterson / Stephanie White 3
Alison Whyte Janelle Davies 1
Alwyn Kurts Les Collister 2
Alyce Platt Jeanette Holbrook 1
Amanda Douge Shaylee Simms 1
Amy Matthews Tahnya West 1
André de Vanny Marky Emmett 1
Andrew Bibby Jason 1
Andrew McFarlane Mark Powers 1
Andy Anderson John Gemes 1
Angus Sampson Glenn Rossiter / Tony Costa 2
Anne Phelan Jeannie O'Dwyer / Mrs Brady 5
Anni Finsterer Danielle Simpson 1
Annie Jones Angela White / Angela Hartigan 3
Anthony Hayes Calvin Baker / Phil 3
Anya Beyersdorf Jacqui Hatcher 1
Asher Keddie Kelly Lonsdale / Lee-Anne Rheinburger / Marianne Sheridan 4
Ashleigh Brewer Lelah Burton 1
Benjamin McNair Aaron Bridges / Clint Billings / Craig Simpson 4
Ben Geurens Carl Wagner 1
Bernard Curry Andrew Gilfillan / David Edwards / Jed Stone / Ty Birkenstock 4
Betty Lucas Mary Barton / Dorothy Falcon-Price 2
Brett Tucker Sgt. Peter Baynes / Steve Camilleri 3
Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell Charles Shaw / Hayes 2
Camilla Ah Kin Dr Lou Rigo 1
Cathy Godbold Gail Hutton / Natalie Anderson 2
Chris Sadrinna Scott Osbourne 1
Christie Hayes Kid 1
Christine Stephen-Daly Jilly Miles 1
Cleopatra Coleman Skye Clarke 1
Colette Mann Denise Petricci 1
Colin Hay Brad Fielding / George Patterson 2
Costas Kilias Osman Demir 1
Damian de Montemas Guy Merrin 1
Damian Rice Brendan Nash 2
Damien Fotiou Vinnie Morelli 3
Dan Spielman Zac Taylor 1
Daniela Farinacci Carol Gibson / Megan Crane 2
Danielle Carter Andrea Gibson 2
Danny Roberts Craig Robertson 1
Dasi Ruz Becky Jacobs 1
David Clencie Bob Bancroft / Mark Deeble 2
David Field Charlie Biden / Michael Doyle 4
David Lyons Jason Tyler 3
David Roberts Peter Ball 1
David Tredinnick Alex Jones / Arnie Reiner / Errol / Mike De Costa / Tony Norris 5
David Wenham Robbie Doyle / William Cassidy 2
Deidre Rubenstein Helen Delaney / Magda Lapescu 2
Denise Scott Pam Kelly 1
Eddie Perfect Mark Lalor 1
Elena Mandalis Constable Paula Milburn 2
Eliza Taylor Tatum O'Hara 1
Elspeth Ballantyne Margaret White 1
Ernie Dingo Archie Garrett 2
Esben Storm Colin Roper
Eva Lazzaro Lisa Robbins / Sandy 2
Felix Williamson Michael Stakis 1
Fiona Corke Leah Copeland 1
Frances O'Connor Gabe Greenway 3
Frank Gallacher Don 'Pop' Watson / Geoff Garrick 3
Frankie J. Holden Senior Detective Jack Woodley / Terry Kennedy 5
Gary Sweet Danny OKeefe / Sergeant Bob Wilkie 5
Geoff Paine Roman Kellerman / Arthur Lock 5
George Kapiniaris Leo Tappis / Gordon Jennings 2
Georgina Naidu Bronywn Slater / Rosalie Parker 2
Gerard Kennedy Lindsay Cavanaugh / Sal D'Angelo / Jack 'Blackjack' Eagan 5
Grant Piro Tim Ryan / Denis Katos 4
Greg Fleet Miller 1
Greg Stone Ron Blakely / Geoff 'Shorty' Abbott / Gerry Howson / Ivan Long / Bryan Reynolds 7
Gus Mercurio Harry Spencer / Jimmy Steedman 2
Harold Hopkins Jeff Lovett 1
Hayley McElhinney Megan Maguire 1
Helen Thomson Dr Tatiana Zylinski 6
Hugh Jackman Brady Jackson 1
Ian Rawlings Dennis Morgan / Matthew Quinn 2
Ian Roberts Wayne Rhodes 1
Ian Smith Clive Burton 1
Ivar Kants Simon Curtis / Terry Kennedy 3
Jacinta Stapleton Tilda Dean 2
James Condon Doc Bourke / Klaus Schultz 2
Jane Hall Ms Haley / Penny Beck 2
Jane Harber Chloe Bassetti 1
Jane Menelaus Helen Burns 1
Janet Andrewartha Det. Bridget Ryan 2
Jansen Spencer Robbie Hart 1
Jason Clarke Dean Crocker / Craig Dyer / Troy Harris 4
Jeff Truman Alan Mackie / Lance Stroller 2
Jeremy Callaghan Glenn Ritchie 1
Jeremy Lindsay Taylor Ryan Dekker / Damian Nesbitt / Ian Bolger 5
Jeremy Stanford Gavin Harrison / Victor Delaney / Gary Towers 3
Jesse Spencer Lee Cruickshank 1
John Bluthal Sid Harrison 2
John Brumpton Greg Duncan / Harvey McManus / Shane Kelly / Tim Merritt 4
John Clayton Owen Douglas 1
John Gregg David Larson 1
John Howard Michael Fielding 1
John Jarratt Charlie Glover / Stony 2
John McTernan Peter Carlson / Father Michael Carlisle 2
John Orcsik Don Carson 1
Jonathon Dutton Lucas Summers / Kyle Madigan 3
Julia Blake Dorothy Roberts 1
Julie Eckersley Kylie Larkin 1
Justin Rosniak Craig Perry 2
Justine Saunders Annie Baker 1
Kat Stewart Liz Stewart / Gail Watson 6
Kate Fitzpatrick Justice Naomi Burke 2
Kate Keltie Bec Cleary / Briana Tomminello / Sally Lamont 5
Kate Kendall Rosie Burgess 1
Ken James Keith Herbert / Matthew Balfour 2
Kerry Armstrong Sandra Fielding 1
Kieran Darcy-Smith Travis Walton 1
Kim Krejus Sonia Brookner 2
Kris McQuade Maureen Powers 1
Krista Vendy Meg Regan 1
Kristian Schmid Aaron Landers 2
Kym Gyngell Shane Donnelly 1
Lachy Hulme Joe Fantini 2
Laura Gordon Briony 1
Leah Vandenberg Helene Lee / Phoebe Lawson 2
Lee Cormie Michael Kennedy 1
Lee Kernaghan Himself 1
Leigh Whannell Jared Ryan 2
Les Dayman Frank Jarvis 1
Lesley Baker Sheila O'Shaughnessy / Mrs. Flynn / Grandma Kenny / Irene Wilkes 5
Leverne McDonnell Deanna Delbridge 1
Lewis Fitz-Gerald Jim Morgan 1
Libby Tanner Heather / Holly McLeod 2
Lois Ramsey Nora Sharpe / Eileen Hart 3
Louise Siversen Louise Fordham / Nola Tully 2
Luke Hemsworth Glenn Peters 2
Lynda Gibson Jan Parker / Peg Quinn / Kath Riordan 4
Lynette Curran Marie Biden / Evie Osborn 3
Maggie Dence Elizabeth Schulz 1
Maggie Kirkpatrick Marj Cummings 1
Mandy McElhinney Deslee Arnold / Vanessa McKay 2
Manu Bennett Mark Davies 1
Marcus Graham Pilgrim Bond 1
Mark Coles Smith Luke Parnell 1
Mark Mitchell Arnold Robinson 1
Mark Priestley Brucey 1
Marnie Reece-Wilmore Prudence Day / Kate Hughes 2
Marshall Napier John Scanlan / Jim Jamieson 2
Marta Kaczmarek Ivana Kocinski 1
Martin Copping Boyd Spurling 5
Martin Vaughan Roy Haiseman 1
Mary-Anne Fahey Sandra Lynch 1
Mat Stevenson Neil Morrison / Terry Walsh 2
Matthew Dyktynski Clayton Saunders / Sam Turner 2
Matthew Le Nevez Matt Proctor 1
Maureen Edwards Aunty Sandra 1
Max Gillies Bill Foster 1
Maya Stange Kerry Mitchell 1
Mel Schilling Tina the Cook 1
Melita Jurisic Paula Stanford 1
Mercia Deane-Johns Marcia Hyland / Raelene Stevena / Jan Bayliss 3
Michael Caton Ken Norse 1
Michael Denkha Kris Torossian 1
Michael Falzon Jose de Sousa 2
Michael Veitch John Garris / Det Sgt Daryl Darcy 2
Michala Banas Michaela Brady / Tony Buckner 2
Michele Fawdon Shirley Wilkie 1
Michelle Pettigrove Janet Shaw 1
Mirrah Foulkes Deborah Masters 3
Moya O'Sullivan Grannie Gibson 1
Nancye Hayes Audrey Roper 1
Nathan Phillips Cameron Sharp 1
Neil Fitzpatrick Daniel Grieves 1
Neil Melville Kevin Sutton / Bob Crowley 6
Nell Feeney Fran Bennett / Sandra Stevens / Sonia Weller 3
Nicholas Bell Frank Schumaker / Freddie Vandenburg / Magistrate / Vince de Souza 5
Nicholas Bishop Nigel Kellett 2
Nicholas Hope Father Leary 1
Nicholas Opolski John Persic 1
Nicki Paull Maureen Flannery / Margaret Nelson 2
Nigel Bradshaw Ted Gilly 1
Nique Needles Matt Zdenkowski 1
Norman Yemm Dan Ballard / Nigel Carmody / Roy Fletcher 3
Pat Bishop Andrea Dean 1
Paul Denny Peter Mattarazzo 1
Paul Mercurio Alex McKinley / Henry Townsend 2
Peta Brady Anise Lightfoot / Margaret Todd 6
Peter Curtin Commander Reg Jones / Dr Matthews / Harrison Brealey / Inspector Len Murray / Warren Bradford 6
Peter Hosking Jim Tully / Alex Bailey / Frank Davis 5
Peter Mochrie Col Monroe 1
Peter O'Brien Dr Peter Nelson / Martin Bridport 3
Peter Sumner Joshua Grieves 1
Peter Whitford Bernie Lochren 1
Petra Yared Molly Malloy / Debbie Perkins / Kym Stewart 4
Radha Mitchell Sally-Anne Williams / Nerida Davidson 3
Raelee Hill Jamie Bennett / Jill Lambert 2
Rebecca Rigg Kate Kenny 2
Rebecca Ritters Amelia Porter / Libby Orr 2
Rebecca Smart Dana 1
Reg Gorman Maxie Stubbs / Chook Fowler / Freddie 3
Rel Hunt Ben Murphy 1
Rhys Muldoon Geoff Grimshaw / Simon Winter 2
Ritchie Singer Justin De Carlo 1
Rob Carlton Barry Lancer 2
Robert Grubb Detective Sergeant Neil Pendergast / Derrick Chalmers / Sergeant Harris 5
Robert Mammone Bernie O'Halloran 2
Robert Taylor Det Barry Craig 2
Roslyn Oades Miranda Cooper 1
Roz Hammond Siobhan Kennedy / Kerryn Robertson 3
Russell Kiefel Mal Truesdale / Keith Cashell 3
Ryan Corr Zac Bronski 1
Sam Worthington Shane Donovan 1
Samuel Johnson Glen Rigby / Dennis Cole 2
Sarah Chadwick Acting Sgt Lindy Schroeder 3
Saskia Burmeister Ashley Barker 1
Scott Major Andy Sexton / Steve Scarcella / Will Graham 3
Shane Bourne Bryce McLeod 2
Shane Porteous John Maguire 1
Shaun Micallef Rip Vaughan 1
Simon Burke Mick Boyce 1
Simon Palomares Jeremy Phillips 1
Simon Westaway Abe Burrows 2
Simone Buchanan Nurse Angie Cohen 2
Spencer McLaren Gary Harding 1
Stefan Dennis Colin Docker 1
Stephen Curry Eddie Dodds 3
Steve Le Marquand Tyrone McKenzie 1
Steven Jacobs Ronnie McKellan 1
Sullivan Stapleton Ian Shannon / Gethin Fox / Anthony Hood 4
Tamsin West Nina McVie 1
Terence Donovan Ian Waldron 3
Terry Camilleri Ted Garnett 1
Terry Norris Max Arnold 2
Terry Serio Mick Doyle / Paul Reynolds 9
Tiriel Mora Dave Weller / Sgt Carmello 2
Todd MacDonald Brendan Maguire / Snr Constable Simon Barclay 5
Tommy Dysart Jimmy Fong 1
Toni Scanlan Jane Roper 1
Tony Barry Johnno Wilson 1
Tony Bonner Charlie Biden
Tony Llewellyn-Jones George Considine QC 1
Tony Nikolakopoulos Trevor Hardy / Stavros 2
Tottie Goldsmith Fay Tudor 3
Tracy Mann Psychologist 1
Travis McMahon Troy Rees 1
Troy Beckwith Brendan Kelly / Brian Stenmark 2
Tyler Coppin Julian Whitelaw 2
Val Jellay Marjorie Price 1
Val Lehman Bonnie Crowne / Ivy Henderson 2
Vic Gordon Mr Blyth / Harry Jinks / Harry Quinn 4
Vince Colosimo Bill Lapscott 3
Vincent Gil Griff Hackstra 1
Wayne Hope Beetle 1
Zoe Bertram Brenda Lawson 1

Production

On average, 42 episodes of Blue Heelers were broadcast per year on Australian television, with each episode comprising fifty scenes. One episode was made every week. The scripts were written to a formula which allowed one day for rehearsal, two days on location and two days in the studio. Episodes were shot eight to ten weeks ahead of their scheduled broadcast date. There were 16 episodes in various stages of production at any one time (from the conception of new storylines to post-production). In addition, there were always seven complete episodes waiting to go to air. Apart from the regular cast members, the show employed 4,300 guest actors annually, plus 30 extras every week. A total of 150 people were involved in some way with the show's production each week, including cast members, crew, wardrobe, publicists and writers.

Conception and development

Blue Heelers creator/producer, Hal McElroy, conceived the idea of Blue Heelers when he heard that an eighteen-year-old friend was planning to become a police officer. Intrigued, he inquired as to why this young boy, fresh out of school, would want to become a police officer, as opposed to the many other opportunities he had open to him. McElroy soon discovered that, at the time, a staggering 60% of Australian police officers were under the age of 26. This, coupled with McElroy's desire to create a country cop show, formed the basis of the programme. When this same young officer left the force only a year later due to the shooting death of his colleague, McElroy was even more intrigued to learn about the very fickle, yet rewarding job of policing the community. McElroy continued his quest by asking ex-police officer Michael Winter to write down what it was like to be a city cop who transferred to a country town. These became the ideas that Blue Heelers was based around. Michael Winter also conceived the name of the programme by recounting the common names for a country police officer: "tyre-biters"—referring to the fact that country cops are often involved in car chases—and "blue heelers"—referring to their blue uniforms and overall similar appearance and persona to a Blue Heeler dog, a protective and intuitive breed of Australian dog. From the time that McElroy's idea was initially conceived, to the time the programme was ready to air, three years passed.

During the early development of Blue Heelers two completely different pilots were shot: one depicting the story from the perspective of a police officer and the other from the perspective of a criminal. When these were presented to the Seven Network, the network committed to 13 episodes of the first pilot. The pilot went on to become the official first episode of Blue Heelers, telling the story of a new cop in town, Maggie Doyle, and her beginnings in Mount Thomas. Hal McElroy chose to discard the second pilot, realising it was a fatal mistake to be "with the criminals as they plotted the crime". He also conceived his rule that the producers of the show "couldn't have a camera in a room unless there was a copper there as well" (a rule shared by long-running UK Police drama The Bill). Hence, the basis of the show being from a police officer's perspective became a firm reality. (The only bending of this rule was with scenes featuring publican Chris; as she was billed with the main cast, she was given the same on-screen "rules" as the officers. In early episodes, before she worked at the station, this "rule" also applied to Wayne Patterson's wife Roz).

Hal McElroy gives his police adviser's opinion:

He had been posted to Yass (in New South Wales) and he really loved it up there because the routine was so simple and straightforward-most often you knew the victim and sometimes you knew the culprit, and someone in charge would give them a clip behind the ear and say 'wash the police car' or 'sweep the yard' and 'don't ever do it again', rather than sending a juvenile to jail.

I loved it, and I said 'Hey this is great'. But all the writers said, 'No it's boring, we want that gritty, inner-city police stuff'. (We had Boys in Blue set up in Leichhardt in Sydney.) And I still remember the moment I was driving home up River Road and I thought, 'Then we can have two shows'. I said to this copper 'What are you called in the country? What is your nickname?' And he said they call highway patrol 'tyre biters' and coppers 'blue heelers'. And I thought 'That's the title!' So I rang Tony Morphett and said 'Let's do a show about young cops in the country. It's called Blue Heelers.

— Hal McElroy,

By creating the programme, McElroy and Morphett hoped to close the gap between to police and the public. They hoped to show the human side of the policing and that, like other citizens, police officers have feelings, regrets, aspirations and fears. They also hoped that the show would act as a tribute to the courage of police officers, who risk their lives everyday, never knowing if they would return home at the end of the day.

Filming locations

Only about half of the footage for each episode was shot on location. Most of the scenes, including scenes in the police station and pub, were filmed at the Seven Network studios in Melbourne. Much of the filming on location was carried out in towns such as Williamstown, and the more established parts of Werribee. The scenes of the outside of the Mount Thomas police station were actually filmed at the old, disused Williamstown police station, which was then a private residence. Scenes at Mount Thomas High School were filmed at Williamstown High School. The town of Castlemaine was most often used as the backdrop for Mount Thomas, seen in almost every episode. Although the Blue Heelers' pilot was shot in Castlemaine, the cast and crew very rarely returned there to shoot further episodes; images of Castlemaine were usually just establishing shots. Chris Riley's fictional Imperial Hotel, for example, was actually the real Imperial Hotel in Castlemaine. Mount Thomas' fictional Commercial Hotel was filmed at the Willy Tavern in Williamstown. The second Mount Thomas police station, adopted during the programme's reform of 2004, was filmed at Newport Railway workshops. The Mount Thomas Hospital was filmed at the Werribee Mercy Hospital. Sunbury railway station was commonly used as the Mount Thomas railway station. Hobson's Bay, and Wyndham, Victoria were also locations used in Blue Heelers.

2004 revamp: the station bombing

After low ratings in 2003 and 2004, the producers and executives of Blue Heelers realised that there were apparent problems which could potentially lead to the series' downfall. In 2004, Blue Heelers lost the top ratings spot to McLeod's Daughters. During 2003 and 2004, Australian television drama was also at its "lowest point in a decade" and many popular shows were cancelled. As the show remained basically unchanged from its debut ten years earlier, the production team decided that a revamp was in order.

At the beginning of season 11, the revamp began with new, more modern opening credits, using an electric guitar, rather than an acoustic. Later in that season, a live episode, "Reasonable Doubt", was broadcast in hope of offering a short-term ratings boost and encourage more long-term viewers. Although an immediate success, the live episode did not bring about a sustained increase in ratings. Producers also hoped that a shift in direction, a change of mood and setting, and the addition of four cast members would cement Blue Heelers' long-term future. They also wanted the show to remain relevant and more accurately reflect today's modern world:

Mount Thomas was created in 1993 and the world has changed... It will now be more reflective of today's country towns, not the sleepy backwater it was. It wasn't an easy task but the creative team responded brilliantly and there's a real feeling of excitement again... The old girl can still dance. And dance to new tunes.

— John Holmes,

The main plot, setting and character changes started in July 2004, with the airing of the episode "End of Innocence". In this episode, the main storyline was the bombing of the Mount Thomas police station. The blast killed popular main character Snr. Const. Jo Parrish (Jane Allsop) and recurring cast member Clancy Freeman, and injured the show's main protagonist, Senior Sergeant Croydon. After the bombing it was revealed that Croydon's wife, the Reverend Curtis, was missing. It was later revealed she had been brutally raped and murdered. These events brought about sweeping changes to the mood of not only Croydon but also the mood of the entire show. The Daily Telegraph television writer Marcus Casey commented, "Mount Thomas has become a darker, grittier place, the people and cops in it transformed by an invasion of evil". Consequently, the story changed its focus from the old Mount Thomas police station to the new one that was used until the show's cancellation in 2006. The Seven Network feared that in the modern post-9/11 world, a show about country police was no longer what audiences wanted. Storylines of the proceeding five episodes focused on the bombing of the station and the four new main characters: Rachel Gordon as Amy Fox, Geoff Morrell as Mark Jacobs, Samantha Tolj as Kelly O'Rourke, and Danny Raco as Joss Peroni. Popular former cast member William McInnes also returned to the show, temporarily reprising his role as Nick Schultz. Producers hoped the new tone of the series, the new younger actors, and McInnes's role reprisal would lure back viewers who had stopped watching the programme. This new style of programme that Blue Heelers was embracing was a sign of the show trying to keep up with other larger television shows, particularly the CSI franchise.

The revamp of the series resulted in a 25% ratings increase, bringing the series' weekly viewership to 1.6 million people. Critical response after the event was reassuring, and it appeared that critics were approving of the drastic moves by Seven and Southern Star:

The recent shake-up at the old station has swept aside an unhealthy staleness that had settled on the place and there's some much-needed fresh energy provided by the new recruits, including Samantha Tolj as true-blue Aussie gal Kelly O'Rourke and Danny Raco as Italian stallion Joss Peroni.

— Debi Enker,

Cancellation

In the hope that viewing would increase, an 11-episode season in 2006 was commissioned by the Seven Network. However, the ratings spike begun in 2004 was not sufficient for the Seven Network to commit to continuing to produce the show. In January 2006, Seven officially announced that they had cancelled Blue Heelers but would air a final shortened season of 11 episodes in mid–2006. At the time, the show was still drawing 1.2 million viewers per week on average, down from the 3.5 million it was drawing at its peak. The announcement was front-page news on nearly all of Australia's major newspapers, including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Daily Telegraph (Sydney), The Herald Sun, The Age and Brisbane's Courier Mail. Two different endings were shot for the final episode, which finished filming on 20 December 2005. The first ending wrapped up all the show's storylines, while the second left the show open for another season; the second version was used.

For Blue Heelers' final season in 2006, it was moved from its primetime Wednesday-night timeslot, to a lower-rating Saturday-night timeslot. In the Saturday timeslot, Blue Heelers competed with The Bill, a British police drama which had become quite popular in Australia on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and Saturday Night AFL Coverage on Fox Footy Channel and Network Ten. This move was slammed by leading cast member John Wood. Blue Heelers' cancellation may also be related to Seven's AFL broadcast, which saw Seven invest $780m for the 5-year broadcasting rights of the game.

Broadcast

Australia

Blue Heelers originally aired on Tuesday nights at 7:30 pm on the Seven Network, thus it was limited to a PG content level restriction. When the series was hailed as a success, it began the transition from this timeslot to the 8:30 pm timeslot on the same day. After the move, writers could explore more diverse storylines, as the show was restricted to an M rating. The third and fourth season premiers aired on Monday nights during the 8:30 pm timeslot, but the show moved back to its original slot before the next episode. In its fifth season, Blue Heelers moved to the Wednesday night 8:30 pm timeslot, which it occupied for most of its run, until the end of its twelfth season. This move was made to make way for hospital drama All Saints.

Starting in 2004, the Seven Network aired Blue Heelers weekdays at 2:00 pm. All episodes aired with the final episode airing in 2007. This made way for the broadcast of early episodes of All Saints.

Seasons generally ran in Australia from early February to late November. Each season generally consisted of 41 to 42 episodes. The eleventh season however, only consisted of 39 episodes, as the Seven Network had gained the rights to televise the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. In total, 510 episodes were aired: 509-hour-long standard episodes and one live episode. The live episode, titled "Reasonable Doubts", was filmed to celebrate Blue Heelers 10th year on the air. To prepare, the cast was given six days to memorise their lines.

The final episode of the 13th season aired as a 2-hour tribute. It opened with an introduction from John Wood and concluded with a compilation of Blue Heelers moments from over its 13-season run.

Australian television quiz-show The Weakest Link, hosted by Cornelia Frances, also aired a Blue Heelers special episode on 9 August 2001. Cast members John Wood, Neil Pigot, Ditch Davey, Jeremy Kewley, Jane Allsop, Suzi Dougherty, Paul Bishop, Caroline Craig and Peta Doodson took part in this special event.

In February 2014, repeats of series 12 started airing; and, in May 2014, repeats of series 13 aired on 7two. Blue Heelers has also screened on Hallmark Channel in Australia in various time-slots.

International

Blue Heelers had a strong following not only in Australia but also worldwide; it has been sold to 108 territories and is shown in over 70 countries.

New Zealand

In New Zealand Blue Heelers screened on TV One in a popular timeslot. However, following the on-screen death of Maggie Doyle, ratings fell, and the show was moved to a 9:30 pm slot on Friday. Following that, the show moved to a late night Thursday slot where the rest of the episodes played out, with the show beginning anywhere between 11:30 pm and midnight. It aired its final episode on TV One on 20 March 2008.

Ireland

Debuted on RTÉ on 15 September 1995 and continued every Friday afternoon at 4:30 pm. In 1998, the show moved to Thursday's around 1.00am on RTE 2. In September 2001, season 5 debuted airing weekday mornings at 10:30 am on RTE 1. The 5 episode per week output meant the show quickly caught up with the Australian broadcast, and in 2004, RTÉ dropped back to single weekly episodes airing late night Thursday's, typically around 1 am. RTÉ began airing the final season on 30 May 2008 in a late night Saturday timeslot, and the final episode screened on 30 November 2008. RTÉ began re-airing Blue Heelers weekly from episode one, commencing on 24 June 2009, usually around 4 am Sunday mornings. RTÉ screened all episodes in their original unedited state. The drama proved very popular in Ireland and rated very well.

United States

Blue Heelers aired briefly in the United States of America in the early 2000s on the short-lived cable channel Trio (carried primarily by DirecTV). No episode after number 76 was ever shown in the United States, and when Trio changed their programming in 2004, Blue Heelers was dropped from the schedule. The series returned to US airwaves in September 2021 on the new digital network DigiTV, a channel devoted mainly to imported British and Australian series.

Canada

Blue Heelers was broadcast on Showcase in Canada, last airing on 15 May 1998.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, Blue Heelers was broadcast on most of the regional franchises of the ITV Network. At least ten out of the fourteen regional companies that formed ITV aired the first few years of the series and most initially broadcast it in the original hour-long format during the afternoon (with necessary edits to suit the time slot, usually regarding profanity). Some ITV regions edited each episode into two half-hour editions, and stripped these episodes across two or three days. This half-hour format of broadcasting Australian series was well established by ITV with A Country Practice. Very early hour-long episodes of Blue Heelers also ran unedited later in the evening, around midnight, on both Central and UTV.

Carlton Television and Westcountry Television were the first to broadcast Blue Heelers, and they began with three half-hour weekly episodes, Monday to Wednesday, 14:20-14:50, starting from 3 January 1995. Later in the year, they then switched to airing hour-long episodes, 14:20-15:20, on Mondays. Central Television were next to start in February 1995 with a late night 23.40-00:35 slot on Tuesdays, before following Carlton with the half-hour 14.20-14:50 slot on Mondays and Tuesdays from March. Central also reverted to hour long episodes in 1996, usually on Monday and Friday, 14:20-15:15, but went back down to one hourly episode per week in 1997, on Mondays, 13:50-14:45, as the gap with Australian broadcasts narrowed. By 2000, half-hour editions were being aired again, 13:30-14:00, but now on Tuesday and Wednesday, where it remained until 2002. Central were one of the most consistent ITV regions to broadcast Blue Heelers, completing series 6 by early 2002. When the three Carlton-owned ITV regions (Carlton, Westcountry and Central) started a uniform programme schedule during 2002, Blue Heelers continued to air as two half-hour episodes, and the final batch of episodes shown in these regions were from Season 7, finishing the season on Wednesday, 20 November 2002 (Australian air date: 22 November 2000).

Blue Heelers also aired on Anglia Television, Meridian Television and Channel Television, typically Mondays at 14:20-15:15. During the summer school holidays, it was broadcast daily in a morning slot, usually from 11:05, until late 1998. Granada Television and Border Television also screened the series from 1995 in the hour long format but by 1998, these regions had dropped the series. Ulster Television (UTV) began airing Blue Heelers in early 1995. The show initially screened 3 times a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons at 13:50-14:20. They then moved it to an hourly 14:20-15:20 slot later in the year. A few episodes also ran at 23:40 on Thursday nights, as they were considered unsuitable for daytime viewing. UTV cancelled Blue Heelers in 1998.

Scottish Television began aired hour-long episodes from 1995, airing on Fridays, and then later on Tuesdays from mid 1996, until episode 106, when the series was replaced by Murder She Wrote. The series then reappear on most Saturday afternoon during 1998 until 19 December. During 1999 From April until early August the series was broadcast at 04.30 most weekday morning before being dropped completely.

Grampian Television, HTV, Yorkshire Television, and Tyne Tees Television all chose not to purchase Blue Heelers, opting for locally made programming instead.

When the English ITV contractors reformatted as one company in late 2002, regionally-run programmes such as Blue Heelers and Shortland Street (which were at different points of the series in each region) disappeared from the schedules. No ITV region ever screened the series in full. Blue Heelers also aired on an early UK digital and cable channel, Carlton Select, in the late 1990s. Early episodes aired daily, and then in a weekly slot on Fridays at 20.00 as episodes became more recent. Episodes to the later part of the 1997 season were shown before the series was dropped, along with the entire channel shortly afterwards.

Home media

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Home Media Overview

  • 2005–2011: Paramount Pictures released each season of Blue Heelers on DVD.
  • July 2013: The show's production company, Endemol Australia (formerly Southern Star Productions), stated there are no plans at this stage to re-release.
  • November 2015: Channel 7 said that there are still no plans to re-release Blue Heelers on DVD or Blu-ray.
  • May 2017: Via Vision Entertainment stated they would be re-releasing Blue Heelers on DVD.
  • 2017–2018: Via Vision Entertainment released four collectable box sets of Blue Heelers which featured all 510 episodes.
  • 2018: Via Vision Entertainment released Blue Heelers: The Complete Collection.
  • August 2018: 7plus (Channel 7 Streaming Service) started releasing all episodes.
  • August 2024: It has been mentioned that a Blu-Ray Release is in the works.

VHS Releases

Title Format Episodes # Tapes & Discs Region 4 (Australia) Special Features Distributors
Welcome To Mt Thomas VHS Season 1, Episode 1 & 2 1 N/A
The Earth is Made of Glass VHS Season 1, Episode 3 & 4 1 N/A
The Spice of Life VHS Season 1, Episode 5 & 6 1 N/A
The Wheel of Chance VHS Season 1, Episode 7 & 8 1 N/A
Cops with Heart VHS Season 1, Episode 1
Season 2, Episode 22 & 23 		1 28 November 1996 Behind The Scenes Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Stories from the heart VHS Season 1, Episode 18 & 23
Season 2, Episode 40 & 41 		1 1996 Interviews with the cast
Brotherly Love – Parts 1 & 2 VHS Season 2, Episodes 40 & 41 1 3 August 1998 None
Double Jeopardy – Parts 1 & 2 VHS Season 2, Episodes 30 & 31 1 7 September 1998 None
Paranoia – Parts 1 & 2 VHS Season 2, Episodes 22 & 23 1 5 October 1998 None

DVD Releases

TimeLife (DVD Releases)
Title Format Episodes # Tapes & Discs Region 4 (Australia) Special Features Distributors
Welcome To Mt Thomas DVD Season 1: Episode 1 & 2 1 2003 None TimeLife
The Earth is Made of Glass DVD Season 1: Episode 3 & 4 1 2003 None TimeLife
The Spice of Life DVD Season 1: Episode 5 & 6 1 2003 None TimeLife
The Wheel of Chance DVD Season 1: Episode 7 & 8 1 2003 None TimeLife
Paramount Home Entertainment (DVD Releases)
Title Format Episodes # Tapes & Discs Region 4 (Australia) Special Features Distributors
Blue Heelers Season 1 DVD Series 1, Episodes 1–17 6 2 November 2005 Photo Gallery Paramount Home Entertainment
Blue Heelers Season 2 (Parts 1&2) DVD Series 1, Episodes 18–45

Series 2, Episodes 1–9

10 1 December 2005 Photo Gallery;

Commentary on episodes 19 and 44 (season 1)

Paramount Home Entertainment
Blue Heelers Season 3 (Parts 1 & 2) DVD Season 2, Episodes 10–41

Season 3, Episodes 1–10

11 16 February 2006 Photo Gallery Paramount Home Entertainment
Blue Heelers Season 4 (Parts 1 & 2) DVD Season 3, Episodes 11–42

Season 4, Episode 1–11

11 6 April 2006 Photo Gallery Paramount Home Entertainment
Blue Heelers Season 5 (Parts 1 & 2) DVD Season 4, Episodes 12–42

Season 5, Episode 1–11

11 6 June 2006 Photo Gallery Paramount Home Entertainment
Blue Heelers Season 6 (Parts 1 & 2) DVD Season 5, Episode 12–41

Season 6, Episode 1–12

11 10 August 2006 Photo Gallery Paramount Home Entertainment
Blue Heelers Season 7 (Parts 1 & 2) DVD Season 6, Episodes 13–42

Season 7, Episodes 1–12

11 31 July 2008 Photo Gallery Paramount Home Entertainment
Blue Heelers Season 8 (Parts 1 & 2) DVD Season 7, Episodes 13–41

Season 8, Episodes 1–12

11 1 October 2008 Photo Gallery Paramount Home Entertainment
Blue Heelers Season 9 (Parts 1 & 2) DVD Season 8, Episode 18–42

Season 9, Episodes 1–12

11 5 November 2009 Photo Gallery Paramount Home Entertainment
Blue Heelers Season 10 (Parts 1 & 2) DVD Season 9, Episodes 13–40

Season 10, Episodes 1–12

10 6 May 2010 None Paramount Home Entertainment
Blue Heelers Season 11 (Parts 1 & 2) DVD Season 10, Episodes 13–42

Season 11, Episode 1–10

10 5 August 2010 None Paramount Home Entertainment
Blue Heelers Season 12 DVD Season 11, Episodes 11–40 8 4 November 2010 Blue Heelers: Live Episode Paramount Home Entertainment
Blue Heelers Season 13 (Parts 1 & 2) DVD Season 12, Episodes 1–20

Season 12, Episodes 21–42

10 3 March 2011 None Paramount Home Entertainment
Blue Heelers Season 14 DVD Season 13, Episodes 1–10 3 2 June 2011 None Paramount Home Entertainment
Via Vision Entertainment (DVD Releases)
Title Format Episodes # Tapes & Discs Region 4 (Australia) Special Features Distributors
Blue Heelers (Collection 1) DVD Series 1, Episodes 1–45

Series 2, Episodes 1–41

Series 3, Episodes 1–10

27 5 July 2017 Photo Galleries

Commentary on

Episodes 19 & 44

Via Vision Entertainment
Blue Heelers (Collection 2) DVD Series 3, Episodes 11–42

Series 4, Episodes 1–42

Series 5, Episodes 1–41

Series 6, Episodes 1–42

Series 7, Episodes 1–12

44 6 September 2017 Photo Galleries (Series 4–7) Via Vision Entertainment
Blue Heelers (Collection 3) DVD Series 7, Episodes 13–41

Series 8, Episodes 1–42

Series 9, Episodes 1–41

Series 10, Episode 1–11

37 4 October 2017 Photo Galleries (Series 8–9) Via Vision Entertainment
Blue Heelers (Collection 4) DVD Series 10, Episodes 12–42

Series 11, Episodes 1–39

Series 12, Episodes 1–42

Series 13, Episode 1–11

31 3 November 2017 Blue Heelers: Live Episode Via Vision Entertainment
Blue Heelers (Complete Collection) DVD Series 1–13, Episodes 1–510 134 17 October 2018 Selected Episode Commentaries

Photo Gallery (Series 1–9)

Blue Heelers: Live Episode

Via Vision Entertainment
Blue Heelers (Complete Collection) DVD Series 1–13, Episodes 1–510 134 29 November 2023 Selected Episode Commentaries

Photo Gallery (Series 1–9)

Blue Heelers: Live Episode

Via Vision Entertainment

Streaming

Blue Heelers 7+ streaming
Title Format Episodes # Release Date Streaming Status Distributors
Blue Heelers Season One Streaming Episodes 17 12 August 2018 Currently Streaming 7plus
Blue Heelers Season Two Streaming Episodes 37 12 August 2018 Currently Streaming 7plus
Blue Heelers Season Three Streaming Episodes 42 12 August 2018 Currently Streaming 7plus
Blue Heelers Season Four Streaming Episodes 43 17 August 2018 Currently Streaming 7plus
Blue Heelers Season Five Streaming Episodes 42 17 August 2018 Currently Streaming 7plus
Blue Heelers Season Six Streaming Episodes 42 17 August 2018 Currently Streaming 7plus
Blue Heelers Season Seven Streaming Episodes 42 17 August 2018 Currently Streaming 7plus
Blue Heelers Season Eight Streaming Episodes 41 17 August 2018 Currently Streaming 7plus
Blue Heelers Season Nine Streaming Episodes 42 21 August 2018 Currently Streaming 7plus
Blue Heelers Season Ten Streaming Episodes 40 21 August 2018 Currently Streaming 7plus
Blue Heelers Season Eleven Streaming Episodes 40 21 August 2018 Currently Streaming 7plus
Blue Heelers Season Twelve Streaming Episodes 29 24 August 2018 Currently Streaming 7plus
Blue Heelers Season Thirteen Streaming Episodes 42 24 August 2018 Currently Streaming 7plus
Blue Heelers Season Fourteen Streaming Episodes 10 24 August 2018 Currently Streaming 7plus

Reception

Critical response

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Described by critics before its launch as "A Country Practice meets Cop Shop", and as "the contemporary cousin of British cop show, Heartbeat", Blue Heelers was not anticipated by critics to become a hugely popular programme.

Viewership

It became a hit TV show soon after it began airing. During most of its broadcast, Blue Heelers was very popular in Australia, regularly attracting up to 2.5 million viewers, and up to 3.5 million viewers at its peak. Throughout the show's broadcast it continually drew a strong audience, regularly appearing among the top-rating prime time programmes on Australian television. Viewership of Blue Heelers never dropped below 1 million viewers. The episodes "Gold" and "Fool's Gold" (episodes 140 and 141), which aired during the programme's fourth season, were two of the most popular Blue Heelers episodes. Each drew 2.5 million viewers, considered a huge achievement in 1997.

Blue Heelers' executive producer, Gus Howard believed the show's popularity was due mainly to the quality of the cast.

Much of the success of Blue Heelers has been attributed to one of the best ensemble casts of any drama on television, with most every cast member becoming a household name... The basic vocation for the show has always been about shedding a little light on the human condition, something Australian audiences have readily identified with. The show epitomises and represents the Australian ethos in a way that truly reflects Australian life.

— Gus Howard,

Much of the show's sixth season, as well as the first 10 episodes of its seventh season, were the most watched episodes of the series. These episodes focus of the death of Maggie Doyle (played by Lisa McCune). Maggie's being shot and left for dead during episode 255, "One More Day", was ranked by TV Week as the third most memorable moment of a drama series on Australian television.

Season No. of episodes Originally Aired Viewers (in millions) Rating Drama Rank
Season premiere Season finale
1 45 10 September 1993 22 November 1994 —
2 41 21 February 1995 21 November 1995
3 42 12 February 1996 26 November 1996
4 42 10 February 1997 25 November 1997
5 41 24 February 1998 25 November 1998 — 18.0 #1
6 42 10 February 1999 24 November 1999 — 15.6 #2
7 41 9 February 2000 22 November 2000 — 13.7 #2
8 41 21 February 2001 28 November 2001 1.757 13.4 #1
9 40 13 February 2002 20 November 2002 1.508 11.3 #2
10 42 12 February 2003 26 November 2003 1.397 10.3 #3
11 39 4 February 2004 5 November 2004 1.264 9.3 #12
12 42 2 February 2005 26 November 2005 1.209 8.7 #19
13 11 1 April 2006 4 June 2006 —

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Blue Heelers

In terms of awards, Blue Heelers is regarded as one of the most successful programmes on Australian television. Blue Heelers has been the recipient of many awards, including 25 Logie Awards, five of which are the prestigious Gold Logie, 3 AFI Television Awards, 3 People's Choice Awards, and 1 AWGIE Awards. Blue Heelers was nominated for a further twelve Gold Logies. Blue Heelers has also won multiple Silver Logies, including numerous Most Popular Actor, Most Popular Actress and Most Popular Programme awards, as well as many Outstanding Awards. Many Blue Heelers cast members have also presented awards at the Logies. In the 2005 50 Years 50 Shows poll, Blue Heelers was voted 37th greatest show on Australian television and ranked within the top ten dramas.

Blue Heelers award summary
Award Wins Nominations
Gold Logie Awards 5 5
Silver Logie Awards 20 35
AFI Television Awards 3 4
AWGIE Awards 1 1
People's Choice Awards 3 6
Australian Screen Editors' Awards 0 1
TOTAL 32 52

Merchandise

A CD Album titled Music From Blue Heelers was released in 1995. It included the Blue Heelers theme music, plus other songs related to the program, many of them country songs.

The first full Blue Heelers novel, Maggie's Story, was written by Roger Dunn and released in 1997 by Coronet Books. In August 1998, a second novel, Tom's Story, written by Cassandra Carter was released by Bolinda Publishing.

Name Format Release
Music From Blue Heelers CD 1995
Blue Heelers Maggie's Story Book 1997
Blue Heelers Tom's Story Book August 1998
Blue Heelers calendar 1999

See also

References

  1. ^ Zuk, Tim. Blue Heelers Awards, Australian Television Information Archive.
  2. ^ Idato, Michael. "Final Farewell", The Sydney Morning Herald, 29 May 2006.
  3. ^ Hallett,Bryce "Bush coppers show mettle", The Australian, 18 January 1994.
  4. television.au Aussie Cop Shows
  5. ^ "Blue Heelers Axed, and AFL the Main Suspect", The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 January 2004.
  6. ^ "Blue Heelers Final Episodes to Air in 2006", Southern Star Group, 13 January 2006.
  7. ^ Government of the Commonwealth of Australia. Small Screen, Big Picture, Big Future Archived 1 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, July 2000.
  8. "The Lord Giveth". Blue Heelers. Season 8. Episode 32. 3 October 2001.
  9. ^ "Paranoia (Part 2)". Blue Heelers. Season 2. Episode 26. 25 July 1995.
  10. "Small Potatoes". Blue Heelers. Season 7. Episode 22. 5 July 2000.
  11. ^ "Random Breath". Blue Heelers. Season 4. Episode 17. 3 June 1997.
  12. "Burning Up". Blue Heelers. Season 13. Episode 7. 13 May 2007.
  13. "Happy Families". Blue Heelers. Season 3. Episode 12. 9 April 1996.
  14. "A Fair Crack of the Whip (Part 1)". Blue Heelers. Season 4. Episode 14. 30 April 1996.
  15. "Chasing Smoke". Blue Heelers. Season 12. Episode 5. 2 March 2005.
  16. "The Discount Suit". Blue Heelers. Season 2. Episode 39. 7 November 1995.
  17. "Just Deserts". Blue Heelers. Season 2. Episode 33. 3 October 1995.
  18. "Moonlighting". Blue Heelers. Season 13. Episode 9. 27 May 2006.
  19. "Lost". Blue Heelers. Season 12. Episode 41. 26 November 2005.
  20. "Unfinished Business". Blue Heelers. Season 7. Episode 9. 5 April 2000.
  21. "Killing Time". Blue Heelers. Season 12. Episode 10. 13 April 2006.
  22. ^ James, Carol. Heelers hit 150, TV Week, 5 July 1997. Retrieved from LisaMcCune.net Archived 15 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine on 13 August 2008.
  23. ^ Blue Heelers in town, Bendigo Advertiser, 8 April 2005. Retrieved 6 May 2008.
  24. ^ Farmer, Monique. "Bush Bobbies", Sydney Morning Herald 17 January 1994
  25. ^ Schembri, Jim: "A Country Cop Show", The Age, 14 January 1994
  26. ^ Webster, Di. Blue Appealers, Who Weekly, 10 February 1997. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
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  40. Le Marquand, Sarah. Boot for Heelers, The Daily Telegraph, 14 January 2006. Retrieved 26 March 2008.
  41. Nicholson, Sarah. Every Dog Had Its Day, 31 May 2006, The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 9 September 2008.
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  44. Witham, Katrina. Live and Laughing, The Courier-Mail, 15 April 2004. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
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  48. tsstevens (9 August 2001). "The Weakest Link Blue Heelers special". YouTube. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
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  52. Freeman, Jane. The top dogs of local TV drama, The Age, 17 April 1997. Retrieved 16 June 2008
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  54. ^ "Top-Rating Australian Drama Series and Serials (Including Comedy) on Television, 1998–2003". screenaustralia.gov.au. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  55. ^ "Top 20 Drama Series and Serials Shown on Television, 2004–2009". screenaustralia.gov.au. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  56. AAP. Blue Heelers coming back, The Age, 30 September 2005. Retrieved 7 May 2008.
  57. "Blue Heelers" (1994) – Awards
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  59. TV Week editors. History of the Gold Logie, TV Week. Retrieved 8 June 2008 Archived 2 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  60. Zuk, Tim. List of Logie Award winners and nominees, Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved 8 June 2008.
  61. Television Awards 1986 – 2007 Archived 23 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Australian Film Institute. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
  62. Australian Writers' Guild Awards. Australian Writers' Guild Awards of 1997. @ Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
  63. Australian Writers' Guild Awards. Australian Writers' Guild Awards of 2002. @ Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
  64. People's Choice Awards. People's Choice Awards of 1998. @ Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
  65. People's Choice Awards. People's Choice Awards of 1999. @ Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved 26 April 2008.

External links

Blue Heelers
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