Courtesy of Scottish Television

DCI Jim Taggart first appeared in the three-part drama Killer (ITV, 1983). Taggart was tough, but never resorted to the violent techniques used by Jack Regan in The Sweeney (ITV 1975-78); a few harsh words and a thousand-yard stare were usually enough to intimidate a suspect. He had lived in Glasgow's Maryhill all his life, and reacted to murders in his hometown as if they were a personal insult.

Although Killer's focus was the investigation into a young woman's murder, it also explored the local community and its reaction to her death, and much of Taggart's success is built on a similarly strong sense of place. Creator and regular writer Glenn Chandler made good use of Glasgow's rough reputation, but though gangsters and hard-men abounded, Chandler often subverted these stereotypes by using them to misdirect the audience. Tellingly, the least sympathetic character in Killer is an affluent businessman, and Taggart has retained this particularly Scottish disdain for the wealthy and powerful.

Chandler worked as a pathologist before turning to writing, and this background inspired some inventive deaths. It may also account for the show's gallows humour. Early episodes explored acute social and political issues, as in the first story, 'Dead Ringer', in which a murderer is freed from prison after doubts about his conviction emerge. There was a concerted attempt to change Glasgow's image in the late 1980s and, perhaps as a consequence, stories became more fanciful, though without completely losing their dark heart. The bizarre 'Gingerbread' (1993) updated the Hansel and Gretel fairytale, adding prostitution, a serial killer and a transvestite Bingo caller. 'Hellfire' (1994), the last story to feature Mark McManus, had satanic chainsaw murders. After McManus's death in 1994, Taggart became an entertaining ensemble piece, with Alex Norton a welcome addition to the cast in 2002.

If Killer is included, then Taggart is now the longest-running police drama on British television, having long since overtaken Dixon of Dock Green (BBC, 1955-76), and predated The Bill's (ITV, 1984-) pilot, 'Woodentop' (Storyboard, tx. 16/8/1983), by a matter of weeks. During this time, Glasgow has become more a more cosmopolitan city and Maryhill been targeted for redevelopment. There have been changes in the police genre too, but having survived the death of its star - the series has now endured longer without its titular hero than it did with him - Taggart has proven tough enough to cope with any such challenges.

Kevin Sturton

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