Blue Heelers Season 13

Synopsis

The thirteenth and final season of the Australian police drama Blue Heelers premiered on the Seven Network on 1 April 2006 and aired on Saturday nights at 8:30 pm. The 11-episode season concluded 4 June 2006, due to its cancellation by the Seven Network as a result of its sharp decline in ratings. When, in late 2005, the time came to renew Blue Heelers, Seven commissioned eleven further episodes to be produced, but its future after this was still undecided. In January 2006, Seven officially announced that they had cancelled Blue Heelers, but would air a final shortened season of only 11 episodes in mid-2006—the 11 episodes which had been filmed in late 2005, before Blue Heelers had been cancelled. This season focuses primarily on the show's main protagonist, Senior Sergeant Tom Croydon, his failing health and his personal troubles. John Wood, who portrays Croydon, is the only actor to appear in every episode of Blue Heelers and is, indisputably, the pillar of the show. The final episode of the thirteenth season aired as a 2-hour, movie-length tribute starting with an introduction from John Wood, and concluding with a compilation of Blue Heelers moments from over its 13-season run. For this thirteenth season, Blue Heelers was moved from its primetime Wednesday-night timeslot to the lower rating Saturday-night timeslot, which saw it come up against The Bill, a British police drama which has become quite popular in Australia. Ratings for this season, partially due to the series' move to its lower-rating timeslot, were relatively low; ratings were around the 1.2 million viewer mark, increasing to 1.5 million for the finale. Blue Heelers failed to even make it into the top 20 programmes at any time during its thirteenth season.

Main Cast

John Wood

Tom Croydon

Age : 77 | Popularity : 4%

Julie Nihill

Christine 'Chris' Riley

Age : N/A | Popularity : 12%

Ditch Davey

Const. Evan 'Jonesy' Jones

Age : N/A | Popularity : 7%

Simone McAullay

Senior Constable Susie Raynor

Age : N/A | Popularity : 3%

Samantha Tolj

Const Kelly O'Rourke

Age : N/A | Popularity : 4%

Episodes

Episode 1

01 April 2006 - Only the Lonely

Tom, who is not well and is trying to hide it from his colleagues, meets an old friend who has been caught shoplifting and discovers that he was trying to please his ten-year-old daughter who is dying from leukaemia. Tom continues to refuse to see a doctor. Alex is struggling with the idea of being a father, and is further discouraged when his son, Rory, goes missing and is feared kidnapped by gunmen who've been taking shots at uniformed police officers. Finally, the Heelers find that the gunman was taking revenge on the police for the death of his son.

Episode 2

08 April 2006 - Boss

The Heelers are concerned about Tom's health and, despite Amy's nagging, Tom is still very reluctant to see a doctor and denies claims that he is unwell. In the midst of this, Tom becomes personally involved in the case of a young boy who is being bullied and tormented by his peers; this forces Tom to reminisce about his troubles as a child. Matt helps an old colleague of Tom's when he arrives at the station seeking help with an old case.

Episode 3

15 April 2006 - Dirt

Tom's health is further declining and he finally gives in to Amy's persistence and opens up to her. Jonesy and Alex become mixed up in a mysterious cult after they find a baby's remains in a firepit in the national park. Alex continues to struggle with the idea of fatherhood and is further discouraged when he makes a mistake that lands Rory in hospital. An elderly man is arrested for shoplifting various items which he intends to give to his girlfriend.

Episode 4

22 April 2006 - What's Love Got to Do with It

Tom secretly goes to Melbourne to receive treatment for his cancer, confiding only in Amy. Kelly, becoming uneasy about Tom's disappearance, consults Amy who ensures her Tom is out innocently fishing. Following Tom's disappearance, Inspector Falcon-Price gleefully takes over the operation of the station and also becomes suspicious about Tom's whereabouts, finally deciding to question Kelly. Amy begins to get frustrated when the Inspector does his utmost best to hinder her case of a brutal home invasion and assault. When hers and the Inspector's opinions begin to differ, Amy finds herself taken off the case. Alex, in a bid to keep Rory hidden from the Inspector, sends him out on the road with Susie and is terrified when he again goes missing.

Episode 5

29 April 2006 - Affluenza

Joss comes up with yet another money-making scheme and catches the gambling bug when a pickpocket victim he and Kelly help gives him a winning tip. Jonesy looks into a string of assaults at the local racetrack. Alex and Matt disagree when Alex plans to let a businessman slide on a shoplifting charge and Matt wants to play things by the book. Matt continually maintains that the shoplifter is planning something bigger and even goes to the extent of investigating him on his day off. After his treatment, Tom is forced to accept help from good friends as he recovers from his operation.

Episode 6

06 May 2006 - Going Down Swinging

Falcon-Price is still at Mount Thomas and, after realising the extent of Tom's bad health, orders him out on the road as Divisional Patrol Supervisor, seeing a chance to get rid of Tom by proving he is not fit for active duty. It looks as if this is true when Alex is stabbed by an escaped offender and it looks as if Tom is to blame. Falcon-Price convinces Alex to have Tom brought before the Medical Officer and, when Alex agrees, Falcon-Price uses this as ammunition to get Tom out of the force; but gets it blown up back in his face. Meanwhile, Jonesy and Amy are have difficulty finding their suspect and Kelly's jealousy is showing when she tries to find some negative information about Joss's new girlfriend.

Episode 7

13 May 2006 - Burning Up

Joss's mother arrives in Mount Thomas and reveals she is worried about Joss's money habits. Joss reveals he has a gambling problem. While investigating a series of arsons, Kelly gets involved with a lawyer but questions the relationship when it comes to their conflicting interests in differing senses of ethic.

Episode 8

20 May 2006 - Down to Earth

The Heelers investigate the suspicious downing of a crop dusting plane, suspecting sabotage; they just do not count of the amount of suspects. Everyone is concerned that Joss has lost his nerve when he fails to back Kelly up during two incidents. Joss's gambling problems are increasing and his gambling problems start to affect his work. When he is left homeless, Kelly offers him accommodation. Again, Kelly is having problems with her new lawyer boyfriend and the ethical problems that their relationship is presenting. Alex fears for his son when he provides evidence about a robbery. Alex also fears Rory has a crush on Susie, or even worse, that Susie is the one with a crush.

Episode 9

27 May 2006 - Moonlighting

Joss's gambling debts peak; in an attempt to pay them off, he takes a second job as a cab driver. He is presented with a once only opportunity for easy money when a high roller offers him a job as a getaway driver. Amy and Jonesy investigate the murder of a client of Joss's and link it to an armed robbery and Joss's high roller client. Following this, Joss is taken hostage and it becomes a race against time to save him. Kelly's relationship is again tested when she and her boyfriend are again on opposing sides of a case.

Episode 10

04 June 2006 - One Day More - Part 1

Amy and Even are attempting an undercover operating when their cover is blown and Matt is almost shot. Tom is still battling with, and coming to terms with, his cancer and knows that he should be taking his time and renewing ties with his estranged family. He is distracted when disgraced former police-officer Adam Cooper arrives in Mount Thomas, as a photocopier technician. Cooper, who was dismissed by Tom for corruption, attempts to frame Tom and accuses him of illegally selling stolen firearms following the bombing of the former Mount Thomas police station; these are accusations that Inspector Falcon-Price is gleeful to hear and he readily accepts them and grants Cooper anything he desires. Tom also helps fellow cancer suffer, Gina, in her final days and Heelers are left to pick up the pieces. Alex and Amy must prepare for Tom's approaching case, which he seems to have no care for at all, and they are stretched to breaking point. After the accusations against Tom, the Inspector announces that the Mount Thomas station is to close and the Heelers start to find new jobs, facing the fact that they must leave Mount Thomas. Finally, Cooper's scheme is foiled, it is announced that the station is to remain open and the Inspector leaves, very disappointed.

Episode 11

04 June 2006 - One Day More - Part 2

Amy and Even are attempting an undercover operating when their cover is blown and Matt is almost shot. Tom is still battling with, and coming to terms with, his cancer and knows that he should be taking his time and renewing ties with his estranged family. He is distracted when disgraced former police-officer Adam Cooper arrives in Mount Thomas, as a photocopier technician. Cooper, who was dismissed by Tom for corruption, attempts to frame Tom and accuses him of illegally selling stolen firearms following the bombing of the former Mount Thomas police station; these are accusations that Inspector Falcon-Price is gleeful to hear and he readily accepts them and grants Cooper anything he desires. Tom also helps fellow cancer suffer, Gina, in her final days and Heelers are left to pick up the pieces. Alex and Amy must prepare for Tom's approaching case, which he seems to have no care for at all, and they are stretched to breaking point. After the accusations against Tom, the Inspector announces that the Mount Thomas station is to close and the Heelers start to find new jobs, facing the fact that they must leave Mount Thomas. Finally, Cooper's scheme is foiled, it is announced that the station is to remain open and the Inspector leaves, very disappointed.

Crew

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