Softly Softly Task Force

Season 2

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.

Where to Watch Season 2

26 Episodes

Baptism
E1
BaptismChief Constable Cullen puts Task Force is on high alert for three escaped prisoners who are holed in a derelict building.
Sunday, Sweet Sunday
E2
Sunday, Sweet SundayDet. Supt. Watt leads a special a Task Force at the seaside after Cullen hears rumours that a gang of skinheads are heading there on Sunday.
Safe in the Streets?
E3
Safe in the Streets?A gang of skinheads are attacking young Pakistanis who are illegal immigrants. Det. Supt. Watt attempts to find someone who give evidence that a crime is committed.
Good Listener
E4
Good ListenerPC Snow takes the time to listen to an old lady who is book keeper for an established firm that's under new management and appear to be running a long fraud scam.
Time Expired
E5
Time ExpiredWhen Sergeant Jackson spots ex-convict Ingram, the task force suspect the recently released former prisoner is trying to located a loot of stolen bullion which had been hidden at an unknown location just before Ingram and his soon-to-be-released partner in crime Thompson were arrested. There's a lot of hard, dirty and arduous work to be done, but it's not the task force members who sweat over it.
Lessons
E6
LessonsChief Superintendent Charlie Barlow is having himself a ball lecturing crime investigation officers how to proceed when investigating a murder case. But things soon turn nasty when the body of a teenage girl is found on the beach. Barlow and his team are forced to deal with the prime suspect, a window cleaner, and a grief-stricken father. Will Charlie Barlow be able to solve the case and show the inexperienced officers how the job is done?
Without Favour
E7
Without FavourWhile investigating a series of thefts Sergeant Evans steps on the toes of a shady landlord who allegedly employs some enforcers to collect rent due from his tenants. Evans gets into trouble with his superiors when he decides to take matters in his own capable hands and pays the landlord a visit for a friendly chat and a warning. Meanwhile, Superintendent John Watt has his own problems to deal with, having been assigned to substitute for Chief Constable Cullen as guest speaker at the Kingsley Rotary Club.
Never Hit a Lady
E8
Never Hit a LadyThamesford CID is investigating some cases of highway piracy. The robbers focus on lorry loads containing whiskey. The prime suspect is a Scottish lorry driver who seems to be involved in the crimes. When WP/DC Betty Donald volunteers for an undercover assignment posing as a prostitute to win the suspect's confidence, she soon discovers the risks her job entails - the hard way.
It's Ugly Head
E9
It's Ugly HeadPolice Woman Detective Constable Donald has to prove herself to her colleagues when she returns to work following an injury she received in making an arrest.
Who Wants Pride...?
E10
Who Wants Pride...?Dynamite has been stolen from a quarry, and is now in the hands of an explosives expert who is using it as part of a gang who are robbing armored cars. Barlow must work out their next target.
Collation
E11
CollationCollator Sergeant Jackson puts together a chart of a large number small crimes in the area to Det. Supt. Watt. He and Barlow put together a campaign of zero tolerance.
Do Me a Favour
E12
Do Me a FavourDet. Chief Supt. Barlow gets a tip off that there will be attempt to rob a haulage lorry as it leaves the motorway. A delay means Task Force now need to be more proactive.
Sweet Are the Uses of Adversity
E13
Sweet Are the Uses of AdversityPC Snow finds himself in hot water when sees a man leaving the flat of prostitute who is later found badly beaten up. Hawkins needs to solve the crime before it happens again.
Bearings
E14
BearingsDet. Chief Supt. Barlow is livid that a witness, to a passenger train crashing into a goods train, is ignored and Rail bosses start to pass the buck.
A World Full of Rooms
E15
A World Full of RoomsDet. Supt. Watt investigates a protection racket after a prostitute was badly beaten up by a sadistic criminal. Witnesses belief this was a warning to jailed hard man Jackie Frankitt.
The Lie Direct
E16
The Lie DirectIn the early hours, PC Snow discovers an abandoned van hidden on the hedge of a forest. On a closer inspection he discovers a woman bludgeoned to death in the back seat.
Ground Level
E17
Ground LevelDet. Chief Supt. Charles Barlow takes an interest into a local business that appears to be stealing bricks on an industrial scale from a new housing development.
Company Business
E18
Company BusinessWatt and Hawkins are looking into an employee at the fertiliser company Nitro Sync Chemicals who they believe has stolen platinum on three separate occasions.
Kick Off
E19
Kick OffAt a football ground, Barlow is on the look out for villain Tommy Nunn. When he suddenly vanishes, in the crowd, reports come in of a diamond robbery at a local jewelers.
Final Score
E20
Final ScoreThe shop robbery by Tommy Nunn is far more serious than first thought after cleaner Elsie Young is arrested with a suitcase carrying money and uncut diamonds
Something Big
E21
Something BigRegional Crime Squad requests the assistance of Thamesford CID. Two known London criminals are apparently setting up a huge illegal gambling operation in the Kingley vicinity. Soon Chief Superintendent Barlow gets the feeling that his CID officers are being used in an investigation where Task Force does all the work and Regional Crime Squad gets all the glory.
Games
E22
GamesA surprise security check at a local police station leads to the investigation of an assault on a teenage girl. As the rate of sexual assault on children is on the rise, Superintendent Watt and Inspector Hawkins are determined to crack this case quickly and efficiently to set an example. But things may not be what they seem.
In the Public Gaze
E23
In the Public GazeChief Constable Cullen gets a taste of the action when he witnesses a police officer getting severely beaten. Coming to the young constable's aide, Cullen soon faces a dilemma as one of the culprits makes allegations against the Chief Constable. Eventually, CC Cullen has to appear in court and gladly accepts Inspector Armstrong's help after one of the defendants dies in consequence of Cullen's action to safe a young bobby.
Held for Questioning
E24
Held for QuestioningTommy Lee has just been released from prison, and suddenly a series of safe-breaking cases are reported in the Thamesford vicinity. Task Force officers are hot on Tommy Lee's trail. But then a security guard is shot and seriously wounded, and all of a sudden a safe-breaking could turn to murder. While Inspector Hawkins is working hard to get a lead on Tommy Lee's whereabouts, the safe-breaker is desperately trying to escape the net that Thamesford Task Force is tightening around him.
Black Equals White
E25
Black Equals WhiteAn equal rights movement demonstration turns nasty when the protesters lock several dozen guests in a hotel dining room and plan to keep them hostage until their demands are met. Charlie Barlow tries to clear the situation without using violence but his plans soon fail when one of the protesters threatens to use a petrol bomb.
Cash and Carry
E26
Cash and CarryAn apparent false alarm at a cash and carry company causes Chief Superintendent Charlie Barlow to set a trap when the investigation reveals that the robbery must have been an inside job. Now it's up to the Task Force officers to not only catch the thieves but also to find the man behind the crime.