Season 8 • Episode 15
LatestHarry Hawkins' jobbing gardener Stanton seems to have vanished. PC Pearson takes him to Stanton's caravan, near Ashford. Inside, it looks like a violent fight has taken place. An investigation begins, but it appears Stanton has no history.
Softly, Softly: Task Force is a police based drama series which ran on BBC 1 from 1969 to 1976. It was a revamp of Softly, Softly, itself a spin-off from Z-Cars. The change was made partly to coincide with the coming of colour broadcasting to the BBC's main channel BBC1. The programme was due to be called simply Task Force, but reluctant to sacrifice a much-loved brand the BBC compromised this so it became Softly, Softly: Task Force.
Acting
Frank Windsor's wattage—understated authority that defined TV policing.
Production
BBC's first colour crime series—history in muddy Thames Valley tones.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The title compromise came because BBC executives feared losing the 'Softly, Softly' brand recognition—imagine if Breaking Bad had been called 'Malcolm in the Middle: Task Force'.
This was transitional television: the last gasp of live studio drama techniques meeting the emerging filmed location style that would dominate the 1970s.
GB
