Stingers

I start seeing this series in a reprise way, as i started seeing it in 2005 the episodes of 98. all in all i can say that's a good police series. Not the American way that begins to be always the same. I only saw episodes till the beginning of 2002. If you like to see a police series with story that goes from one episode to another, with plot, characters then you shouldn't loose this series. Of course that there better and horse actors in the series, but all in all they go well against their American counterparts, and for me an European is good to see that's not only the Americans that can do good series. Sinceraly in the beginning i didn't like some characters, for instance the chief of the stingers didn't quite seemed to be comfortable in it. It take a good leap when the actress that was the second in command go up and started to be first. The plot around her and the others improved. I wait that the years that i didn't saw kept the good plot and that the new actors kept the same profile.

I have watched this Series since it was first aired and the quality hasn't waivered.

It is my fervent hope that the producers continue to realize the shows popularity and don't go by the very peculiar ratings system they seem to employ that advises them to cancel a show that is popular and replace it with rubbish.

In 1998, the show concentrated more on "plot". IMHO this was every bit as good as the previous reviewer thought, although as a result there was a certain element of "sameness" after a while.

In 1999-2001 (ie, til "now"), the producers of this series changed direction slightly. Whilst still having quite creative plot lines, they now chose to interweave the lives of the characters in the storylines. Thus, for example, we saw the car bomb explosion which killed a senior policeman, the lover of one of the main characters. In another example, we see a sister of another of the main characters shown as a druggie.

One danger of this (in terms of ratings :-) ) is that there is a risk that the characters may become "unlikeable"; and again IMHO, that did indeed happen to one of them: for reasons totally beyond my understanding, one of the female blondes (Danni) is now portrayed as somewhat of an airhead.

On balance, however, this has resulted in more "three dimensional" characters, since we now see more of their personal lives, their strengths and their weaknesses.

I cannot agree with the previous reviewer that this show "competed" with "Water Rats" in any way. To my mind, these are totally different shows, aimed at different audiences, and as far as I recall, in different timeslots, so there was no "competition". I couldn't say that I preferred one to the other for any reason.

'Stingers' is a cop show based on some true cases derived from a former undercover cop. The show's always charged with passion, mystery and excitement. So much happens in an episode and is always leaving the viewer hanging and wanting to know what'll happen next, meaning have to wait until next week's episode. I find the writers very creative and managing to keep the storyline going and grabbing viewer's attention right from the beginning to the end of the episode. This show gives out a feeling of reality and does relate to the Melbourne based police shops and how they function, etc, undercover, that is.

Like a few people I know, I came in late on 'Stingers'; not until 2000. Three years later there is no way I'd miss an episode. The show really is that good and has, for a better word, maintained its integrity, unlike 'Blue Heelers', for example. The crime is the thing; personal lives are there but only wheeled out when affecting an investigation! When Gary Sweet was brought in, some fans seemed worried, but he's really fitted in well, which didn't surprise me. Gary could measure up to any British or US actor in a similar series. The cast changes occasionally but each change brings something new and fresh. With arguably Australia's finest crew behind the scenes, 'Stingers' will continue to remain a cutting edge drama series.