Above the Law: The Unofficial Guide to Star Cops

by Paul Watts

Star Cops was a BBC detective drama series set in space. Creator and writer Chris Boucher had honed his science fiction skills on Doctor Who and Blake's 7 and his detective skills on series such as Shoestring and Juliet Bravo.

With Star Cops he created something new and ahead of its time, something which challenged the BBC's capabilities in 1987. With Moon bases, anti-gravity sequences and space walks, Star Cops stretched the BBC's resources to breaking point, ultimately ending after just nine episodes.

But Star Cops lived on, becoming a cult show with loyal followers and even winning several awards.

Above The Law traces the journey of Star Cops from Boucher's childhood radio influences and first submission to the BBC, through to its transition as a television drama and successful 2018 audio relaunch. Looking at both fact and fiction, script changes and production difficulties, writing, effects, editing and music, this book will take you back to the studios of Television Center and the making of a cult classic.

Genres: Nonfiction

324 pages, Paperback

First published August 31, 2020

Reviews

[Derelict Space Sheep]

An obvious labour of love, workmanlike in its prose but comprehensive in detailing the production history of both the original TV show and the audio relaunch, and in examining the strengths and weaknesses that made Star Cops unique. A boon for fans.

[Bob Furnell]

An excellent, well researched and informative book though somewhat dry and encyclopedic in the writing.