Blue Heelers

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.

1. E1. Only the Lonely

   Apr 1, 2006

   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.

2. E2. Boss

   Apr 8, 2006

   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.

3. E3. Dirt

   Apr 15, 2006

   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.

4. E4. What's Love Got to Do with It

   Apr 22, 2006

   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.

5. E5. Affluenza

   Apr 29, 2006

   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.

6. E6. Going Down Swinging

   May 6, 2006

   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.

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