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6/10
Before the Ball
Prismark109 March 2024
The first of a two parter. Unfortunately we shall never find out how it all ended. The second part does not exist in the archive.

This and the follow up story are the last of The Dixon of Dock Green stories written by creator Ted Willis.

It starts of slowly and more lightheartedly. The Annual Police Ball si approaching and everyone sees it as a chore. Especially selling tickets for it or finding dates to go with.

The ladies are trying on their new dresses. Like Mary Crawford hoping to attend with her husband Andy and her dad George.

Until then notorious shoplifter Rosie Brown is back in the patch after some years away. The old coppers recognise her. The police even pay her visit to her husband. He too has regularly done bird.

In fact their kids are have little respect for the straight and narrow. Youngest child Gordon (Roy Holder) as swiped the Mayor's chain. Their other son Tony (Tony Garnett) dislikes the police even more than the rest of the Brown family.

At a robbery, Andy is shot while chasing the crooks. The Annual Police Ball is suddenly not that important.

It looks like angry Tony shot Andy Crawford. Tony Garnett who played Tony Brown went on to become a renowned and influential producer. His independent production company, World Productions went on to make modern police dramas Between the Lines, The Cops and Line of Duty.
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7/10
An interesting start, sadly the conclusion is missing.
Sleepin_Dragon20 May 2024
A meeting about The Policeman's charity ball is interrupted by news of a shoplifter, Dixon quickly learns that the dubious Browne family are back in Dock Green.

It's the final storyline for creator Ted Willis, so fitting he'd sign off with a two part story, such a shame that only the first half exists in the archive, I'd love to know how it ends.

There are some very memorable performances here, Vanda Godsell and George A Cooper are both really good, loved that scene where she puts on a show in the lingerie shop.

Andy's accident, that's quite a dramatic turn for the show.

Some great lines including, 'he's pinched The Mayor's chain,' this show really was charming.

7/10.

With no catch up service or recording devices, imagine how many people missed the second part, power cuts, holidays, family committments etc, I know how they felt.
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