Softly Softly: Task Force (1969)

Crime · Drama

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.

IMDb rating: 7.3 (203 votes)
Episode average: 7.7 +0.4 vs IMDb
Seasons: 5
Language: EN
Type: TV series

Front-loaded trajectory: strong early seasons, weaker later. Rising Shows ranks whole shows by the shape of their rating trend rather than one average score, which is how you find a show that got better rather than a show that started well. See every Front-loaded show in the explorer →

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Ratings refreshed Oct 3, 2026 · 5 seasons indexed

Cast

Seasons

Season 1 (1969)

7.83 avg 16 episodes 8.1 → 7.2 50 min avg

Bad finale

Season 1 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Arrival	8.1	24
2	Exercise	7.6	19
3	Diversion	7.9	18
4	The Spoilt Ones	8.1	17
5	To Protect the Innocent...	7.8	19
6	Any Other Night	7.4	14
7	The Aggro Boy	8.0	17
8	Standing Orders	7.9	16
9	Private Mischief	7.8	14
10	Open and Shut	7.8	14
11	Sprats and Mackerels	7.7	14
12	Like Any Other Friday...	7.9	14
13	Power of the Press	8.0	13
14	Trust a Woman	7.8	14
15	The Hermit	8.2	13
16	Escort	7.2	15

Season 2 (1970)

8.02 avg 26 episodes 8.1 → 9.6

Season 2 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Baptism	8.1	13
2	Sunday, Sweet Sunday	8.0	15
3	Safe in the Streets?	8.2	14
4	Good Listener	8.5	14
5	Time Expired	7.8	14
6	Lessons	8.1	10
7	Without Favour	7.7	12
8	Never Hit a Lady	8.6	15
9	Its Ugly Head	7.7	11
10	Who Wants Pride...?	8.2	12
11	Collation	8.0	11
12	Do Me a Favour	7.8	11
13	Sweet Are the Uses of Adversity	8.0	11
14	Bearings	8.0	11
15	A World Full of Rooms	7.3	11
16	The Lie Direct	7.6	10
17	Ground Level	8.0	13
18	Company Business	7.7	11
19	Kick Off	8.0	12
20	Final Score	8.0	12
21	Something Big	8.0	10
22	Games	7.6	11
23	In the Public Gaze	8.5	10
24	Held for Questioning	7.8	12
25	Black Equals White	7.8	10
26	Cash and Carry	9.6	48

Season 3 (1971)

7.52 avg 21 episodes 7.8 → 8.0

Season 3 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Once Bitten	7.8	10
2	Hostage	7.9	9
3	The Floater	6.7	9
4	Aberration	7.4	9
6	An Inside Job	7.9	10
7	The Bounty Hunter	7.2	7
8	Marksman	7.5	8
9	Copper Wire	7.0	7
10	Man of Peace	7.4	11
12	Better Than Doing Porridge	8.7	10
13	The Removal	7.5	12
14	Priorities	7.6	9
15	Resolution	7.4	7
16	The Amateur	7.6	9
17	Anywhere in the Wide World	7.9	10
20	Woman's World	7.2	10
21	A Policeman's Lot: Part 1: The Row on the Stairs	6.8	7
22	A Policeman's Lot: Part 2: You Pays Your Money	7.5	7
23	A Policeman's Lot: Part 3: It Depends Where You're Standing	7.6	7
25	The Easy Job	7.4	7
26	Conclusion	8.0	10

Season 4 (1972)

7.32 avg 14 episodes 7.3 → 7.3

Season 4 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Spit and Polish	7.3	11
3	Surveillance	7.2	6
4	Dog Eat Dog	7.8	7
5	Bank Rate	7.2	7
6	On the Third Day	7.8	10
7	The Witness	7.5	8
8	Run for Your Money	7.2	7
9	New Broom	7.0	7
10	Paper Chase	7.7	8
12	Justice	7.2	7
14	Needle	6.8	7
16	Time-Table	7.0	7
17	Conspiracy	7.5	14
18	Money for Sale	7.3	8

Season 5 (1973)

7.07 avg 3 episodes 6.6 → 7.0

Season 5 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
3	A Quiet Man	6.6	8
9	The Loudmouth	7.6	8
10	Interrogation	7.0	6

Softly Softly: Task Force (1969)

Cast

Seasons

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