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Rockliffe's Babies

Rockliffe's Babies

19875.22 Seasons18 EpisodesEnded

Overview

Rockliffe's Babies is a British television police procedural devised by Richard O'Keefe, and starring Ian Hogg as maverick Detective Sergeant Alan Rockliffe, who is assigned to train seven young recruits to the CID, all fresh out of uniform. Under his irascible guidance, it is hoped that they will blossom into full-blown detectives. But Rockliffe is human – so human that he makes more mistakes than the 'Babies' he's supposed to be training. A follow-up series, Rockliffe's Folly, follows Rockliffe through his relocation to Wessex, dealing with rural crimes as part of a new team of investigators. The seven episode third series proved to be the last, with many citing a change in the programme's formula for the heavy ratings decline. Many viewers stated that the success of the two Babies series came not from Rockliffe himself, but from the popular ensemble cast.

Produced by Leonard Lewis
NetworksBBC One

Top Cast

Ian Hogg

Ian Hogg

DS Alan Rockliffe

Joe McGann

Joe McGann

PC Gerry O'Dowd

Alphonsia Emmanuel

Alphonsia Emmanuel

WPC Janice Hargreaves

Themes & Keywords

traineepolice proceduralstudent mentor relationship

About Rockliffe's Babies

Rockliffe's Babies is a crime, drama series that first aired in 1987 exploring themes of trainee, police procedural, student mentor relationship. it stars Ian Hogg, Joe McGann, Alphonsia Emmanuel. Rockliffe's Babies is a British television police procedural devised by Richard O'Keefe, and starring Ian Hogg as maverick Detective Sergeant Alan Rockliffe, who is assigned to train seven young recruits to the CID, all fresh out of uniform. Under his irascible guidance, it is hoped that they will blossom into full-blown detectives. But Rockliffe is human – so human that he makes more mistakes than the 'Babies' he's supposed to be training. A follow-up series, Rockliffe's Folly, follows Rockliffe through his relocation to Wessex, dealing with rural crimes as part of a new team of investigators. The seven episode third series proved to be the last, with many citing a change in the programme's formula for the heavy ratings decline. Many viewers stated that the success of the two Babies series came not from Rockliffe himself, but from the popular ensemble cast.

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