Backup (1995–1997) User Reviews

Police Drama set in Birmingham.

[Sulla-2 · 12 August 2005]

There were two series of 'Back up' and they were both very good entertainment. Basically it is a series about a section of the Special Patrol Group ( SPG) They work has a crew of experienced male and female Constables working in uniform or plain clothes. They are based in Birmingham in the Digbeth area but can be called upon to assist any of the West Midlands Police areas, although they would mainly be in Birmingham. Their speciality is Public Order but they are in a position to provide back up for more or less anything. In real life, Officer on the SPG are very fit and highly trained. The officers portrayed in this programme are rather less fit. Several of the cast have gone on to bigger and better things but others have disappeared without trace.

Backup is one of the best UK police series

[safenoe · 10/10 · 23 October 2016]

I've only seen the first season of Backup and it has to be one of the best British TV police series. The rapport between the cast was fantastic, and I especially liked William Tapley as PC Lionel 'Oz' Adams, who appeared in both series. He grew up in Australia, hence his character's Oz nickname.

The second was Colette Koo, who played PC Susan 'Bruce' Li. Colette played a groundbreaking role, not only a Chinese-English character, but a female one. She was an inspiration, but unfortunately her character didn't appear in season 2. I emailed Colette about 10 years ago and she kindly responded, saying that audience focus groups thought a Chinese-English police officer was unrealistic, so sadly the powers-that-be caved into political correctness and axed PC Susan Li. I mean really, audience focus groups...you have to chuckle. Really, I didn't hear any audience focus groups complain that the Nazis in 'Allo 'Allo! weren't played by Germans.

Sadly Colette passed away in 2010, succumbing to cancer.

Backup should have run for more than 2 seasons. It deserved better.