The Bill (series 16)
| The Bill (series 16) | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of episodes | 86 |
| Release | |
| Original network | ITV |
| Original release | 4 January – 29 December 2000 |
| Series chronology | |
Series 16 of British television drama The Bill consisted of 86 episodes, broadcast between 4 January – 26 December 2000. As well as 83 regular episodes, the series also included a two-part recap special, Kiss Off, featuring a condensed broadcast of the Series 15 episodes "Lone Ranger", "Old Flame", "Push It" and "Kiss Off", prior to a special episode, The Trial of Eddie Santini, which provides closure to the Santini storyline from 1999. The series also sees a major cast change (especially in regards to the CID), with the third largest cast clearance, with 10 cast members leaving, with season 25 in second, where 11 cast members left, and season 18 having the most, which had 13 cast members leaving. On 5 June 2013, The Bill Series 16 Part 1 & 2 and The Bill Series 16 Part 3 & 4 DVD sets were released (in Australia).
Part One: Northumbria Police arrest Frank Bentley with a boot full of drugs and a handgun, after a high-speed car chase through Newcastle. Bentley and his lawyer, Liz McAuley, are actually Burnside and Rawton on an undercover assignment to investigate corrupt CID officers in Newcastle. Their target is DCI Bonnet, who seems to be in collusion with local gangster Saul Anderson. Despite Burnside being threatened by Anderson, and Rawton's cover nearly being blown when she runs into her cousin Cheryl at a bar, Burnside manages to gain Bonnet's trust. When Bonnet and Burnside meet at a private club, they are shocked when the police raid the place, but manage to escape without being spotted or arrested.
Part One: Still haunted by the memories of his stabbing, Quinnan returns to the Jasmine Allen Estate to face his past when Brownlow organizes a new community initiative scheme in an attempt to win back the trust of some of the estate's residents, following the death of student Donna Hunter from a drug overdose. However, Boulton threatens to undermine the initiative in his pursuit of a suspected drug dealer, Mick Glover, who has just been released from prison. Worrell offers to work with a women's drug group, while Quinnan volunteers to work with the youth centre on the estate. On his first day, a video camera that the youths are using to make a real-to-life film is stolen, and one of the youths is shot.
Part Two: Investigating Donna Hunter's death, Boulton is convinced that Glover is the source of the uncut heroin which is doing the rounds on the estate. However, as uniform struggle to gain control of the Jasmine Allen estate, Quinnan becomes concerned when Donna's brother Robbie disappears without trace. Boulton is suspicious when former rivals Hall and Newman team up in an attempt to protect themselves from Glover. Quinnan's search for the missing boy comes to a head when he is beaten up and locked inside a church crypt with the dying boy. As the relief search for the missing Quinnan, Boyden comes across a burnt body dumped in the basement of a disused factory.
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