Backup (TV series)

Backup
Created by	Nigel McCrery
Written by	Nigel McCrery Roy Mitchell
Directed by	Jan Sargent Bob Blagden
Starring	Martin Troakes Christopher John Hall Nick Miles Katrina Levon Calum MacPherson William Tapley
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of series	2
No. of episodes	14 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Caroline Oulton Chris Parr
Producer(s)	Hilary Salmon
Running time	50 minutes
Release
Original network	BBC1
Original release	7 September 1995 – 2 July 1997

Backup is a BBC crime drama series, focusing on the work of a police Operational Support Unit, similar to the Territorial Support Group. Created by Nigel McCrery and Roy Mitchell, who famous co-created Silent Witness and New Tricks, the series ran for a total of fourteen episodes across two series, between 1995 and 1997. Martin Troakes, Christopher John Hall and Nick Miles star as the main protagonists of the series, Bill Parkin, Eric Warren and John Barrett. A third series of the show was not commissioned due to declining viewing figures.

Initial press releases for the series stated, "When things get too much for the officers on the front line, they call for Backup, the Operational Support Unit (OSU)." Devised by Nigel McCrery, who was a former police officer himself, the series based on the operations of the nine officers of Charlie Van, an OSU squad of the West Midlands Police, and with a strong focus on the personal lives of the officers. Critical acclaim for the series was mixed, with many viewers stating that despite the high quality of the opening episodes, the standard and pace of the overall story arc began to decline, and that the last episode of the second series does not tie up all of the loose ends previously suggested during series one.

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