55 Degrees North
Encyclopedia
55 Degrees North is a BBC television drama
series starring Don Gilet
as DS Nicky Cole, a London
detective relocated to Newcastle upon Tyne
after exposing police corruption
. Dervla Kirwan
co-stars as Claire Maxwell, an ambitious solicitor.
The first series was originally broadcast on BBC1, with the second series following a year later. The series was shown in the U.S. under the programme's working title; The Night Detective.
. Cole is then shunted up North
to avoid any difficulties or fallout, and ends up in Newcastle upon Tyne
as a Detective Sergeant in a busy CID
with the fictional Tyneside Police. To begin with, he finds himself on the night shift, and becomes increasingly frustrated at the inspector's desire to keep him there, despite the fact that his ability and motivation clearly exceed the demands of the job.
In the second series he becomes part of the day team and is a key member of the police squad that deals with, over the two series, a wide variety of crimes.
Whilst developing his police career, Cole also finds time to help support the family he has brought to the North with him. His uncle, Errol, and nephew, Matty, are an integral part of Cole's life.
Cole's relationship with CPS
lawyer, Claire Maxwell, provides another side to the story, as she is juggling work with caring for a baby, and Cole is caught between a rock and a hard place in choosing between her, or the attractive Sergeant, or one of Matty's school teachers. Another relationship developed is one between Cole and Sergeant Astel, who in the very first scene, smashes Cole's brake light after stopping him and not realising his status as a police officer. This awkward start turns into a strange but strong friendship by the end.
55 Degrees North is a police drama
at heart, but covers many different aspects of life, including love and relationships, and the importance of family. Many crimes committed are pertinent to the age, and complex issues such as genetic engineering
are tackled.
Reserve, training centre for the North and North East. This building is located on the Gateshead
bank of the River Tyne next to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge
.
The name given for the police force was Tyneside Police; with a logo similar to that of the defunct Tyne and Wear County Council and uniforms with slightly altered badge labels borrowed from Northumbria Police
; the real police force which covers the Newcastle upon Tyne area.
, and thus, the majority of the scenes are filmed in the dark. This creates an air of suspicion and tension, and this is clear as Cole is unsure who he can trust. His two main co-workers are reluctant to forge a relationship with him, and his immediate commanding officer seems distant, harsh, and somewhat afraid that Cole may blow the whistle on his career if he steps at all out of line.
It aired from 6 July 2004 to 10 August 2004.
Episode 1
Cole goes in pursuit of the only remaining witness who can appear at the trial of a major extortion
ist.
Episode 2
Cole attempts to trap a Newcastle brothel
owner involved in a crime ring.
Episode 3
A shopkeeper's efforts to punish a young shoplifter backfire, and a father's personal protest over access rights to his children causes traffic problems. This episode explores issues of racial tension and fathers' rights
.
Episode 4
After a drunken night out, Sergeant Astel discovers he's hit something - or someone - with his car.
Episode 5
Cole, who has come under investigation for corruption, discovers the person who reported him is the only one who can help clear his name.
Episode 6
Cole and co. head undercover in a local nightclub in an attempt to catch a serial date rapist
.
). This character is honest, open and amusing, and signals a stark contrast between the two series. He creates a more positive impression, and allows the show to move in a different direction.
It aired from 22 May 2005 to 10 July 2005.
Episode 1
Cole is under pressure to find out who is behind a series of threats to local scientists before Yates makes a quick arrest. Plus Astel and Clark find that they are no match for a gaggle of rowdy Geordie
girls. This episode explores genetic research
, and the argument between science and morality.
Episode 2
A dangerous robber is hitting building societies. When CID
track him down and blow his cover, Cole finds himself in a dangerous situation.
Episode 3
When an assault victim dies, a search is on for the two attackers - but which one dealt the fatal blow? This episode raises awareness of how difficult it is sometimes for the police and CPS to identify individuals, and pin evidence to perpetrators.
Episode 4
CPS lawyer, Claire Maxwell faces a chilling death threat when she and Cole become enmeshed in a land-rights case. This episode revolves around travellers and their rights to roam.
Episode 5
Cole takes the family to Lindesfarne for a peaceful weekend break. But when Errol is arrested on suspicion of murder, the detective is determined to ensure local police prove his innocence.
Episode 6
A community support officer takes the law into his own hands, but there are no records of his existence.
Episode 7
Cole's brother, Adam, is released from prison and is desperate to see his son, Matty.
Episode 8
Cole faces a race against time to catch two of Newcastle's most notorious crime families, but someone wants him silenced - permanently.
BBC television drama
BBC television dramas have been produced and broadcast since even before the public service company had an officially established television broadcasting network in the United Kingdom...
series starring Don Gilet
Don Gilet
Don Gilet is a British actor, best known for his roles in BBC productions Babyfather, EastEnders and 55 Degrees North. Don's surname is actually pronounced 'Gillit' but takes the stage name 'Jillay'.-Personal life:...
as DS Nicky Cole, a London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
detective relocated to Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
after exposing police corruption
Police corruption
Police corruption is a specific form of police misconduct designed to obtain financial benefits, other personal gain, or career advancement for a police officer or officers in exchange for not pursuing, or selectively pursuing, an investigation or arrest....
. Dervla Kirwan
Dervla Kirwan
Dervla Kirwan is an Irish actress famous for roles in British television shows such as Ballykissangel and Goodnight Sweetheart...
co-stars as Claire Maxwell, an ambitious solicitor.
The first series was originally broadcast on BBC1, with the second series following a year later. The series was shown in the U.S. under the programme's working title; The Night Detective.
Plot
Detective Sergeant Nicky Cole blows the whistle on a senior police officer guilty of corruption in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Cole is then shunted up North
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
to avoid any difficulties or fallout, and ends up in Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
as a Detective Sergeant in a busy CID
Criminal Investigation Department
The Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
with the fictional Tyneside Police. To begin with, he finds himself on the night shift, and becomes increasingly frustrated at the inspector's desire to keep him there, despite the fact that his ability and motivation clearly exceed the demands of the job.
In the second series he becomes part of the day team and is a key member of the police squad that deals with, over the two series, a wide variety of crimes.
Whilst developing his police career, Cole also finds time to help support the family he has brought to the North with him. His uncle, Errol, and nephew, Matty, are an integral part of Cole's life.
Cole's relationship with CPS
Crown Prosecution Service
The Crown Prosecution Service, or CPS, is a non-ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for public prosecutions of people charged with criminal offences in England and Wales. Its role is similar to that of the longer-established Crown Office in Scotland, and the...
lawyer, Claire Maxwell, provides another side to the story, as she is juggling work with caring for a baby, and Cole is caught between a rock and a hard place in choosing between her, or the attractive Sergeant, or one of Matty's school teachers. Another relationship developed is one between Cole and Sergeant Astel, who in the very first scene, smashes Cole's brake light after stopping him and not realising his status as a police officer. This awkward start turns into a strange but strong friendship by the end.
55 Degrees North is a police drama
Police procedural
The police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several...
at heart, but covers many different aspects of life, including love and relationships, and the importance of family. Many crimes committed are pertinent to the age, and complex issues such as genetic engineering
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
are tackled.
Tyneside Police
The exterior of the police station from which DS Nicky Cole works from, is actually the base of HMS Calliope, a Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
Reserve, training centre for the North and North East. This building is located on the Gateshead
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
bank of the River Tyne next to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art
The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art is an international centre for contemporary art located on the south bank of the River Tyne alongside the Gateshead Millennium Bridge in Gateshead, North East England, United Kingdom...
and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge
Gateshead Millennium Bridge
The Gateshead Millennium Bridge is a pedestrian and cyclist tilt bridge spanning the River Tyne in England between Gateshead's Quays arts quarter on the south bank, and the Quayside of Newcastle upon Tyne on the north bank. The award-winning structure was conceived and designed by architects...
.
The name given for the police force was Tyneside Police; with a logo similar to that of the defunct Tyne and Wear County Council and uniforms with slightly altered badge labels borrowed from Northumbria Police
Northumbria Police
Northumbria Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the areas of Northumberland and Tyne and Wear in North East England. The service is the sixth largest police force in England and Wales. The current Chief Constable is Sue Sim who was appointed by Northumbria Police...
; the real police force which covers the Newcastle upon Tyne area.
Cast
- DS Nicky Cole - Don GiletDon GiletDon Gilet is a British actor, best known for his roles in BBC productions Babyfather, EastEnders and 55 Degrees North. Don's surname is actually pronounced 'Gillit' but takes the stage name 'Jillay'.-Personal life:...
- Claire Maxwell -Dervla KirwanDervla KirwanDervla Kirwan is an Irish actress famous for roles in British television shows such as Ballykissangel and Goodnight Sweetheart...
- Errol Hill - George HarrisGeorge Harris (actor)George William Harris is a British actor of film, stage, television, radio and musical theatre. His notable roles include Kingsley Shacklebolt in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Captain Simon Katanga in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Clive King in popular medical drama Casualty, where he...
- Sgt. Rick Astel - Andrew DunnAndrew Dunn (actor)Andrew Dunn is an English actor, best known for the role of Tony in the BBC sitcom Dinnerladies between 1998 and 2000. He was born in Leeds, but was raised in North Shields, eight miles east of Newcastle upon Tyne, before leaving for London at the age of 20. He trained as a teacher but decided he...
- PC Rick Clark - Mark Stobbart
- Sgt. Brookes - Emma CleasbyEmma CleasbyEmma Cleasby is an English theatre, television, and film actress best known for her role as Megan in the 2002 horror film Dog Soldiers.-Music career:...
- DS Frank Maguire - Michael Hodgson
- DS Patrick Yates - Darren MorfittDarren MorfittDarren Morfitt is an actor who has appeared in 55 Degrees North, Grafters, Red Cap, Warriors, Making Waves, The Government Inspector and the cult werewolf movie Dog Soldiers. Most recently he starred as Jesus in the Manchester Passion and in the science fiction action film Doomsday as Dr...
- DI Carter- Christian RodskaChristian RodskaChristian Rodska is an English actor who has appeared in many television and radio series and narrated a number of audiobooks...
(Series 1) - DI Bing- Mark Lewis JonesMark Lewis JonesMark Lewis Jones is a Welsh actor, whose roles include that of a police inspector in BBC drama series, 55 Degrees North, a whaler in the movie, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World and Tecton, a soldier in Troy....
(Series 2)
Series 1
The first series sees Cole work on the night shiftNight Shift
A night shift is either a group of workers who work during the night, or the period in which they work. See shift work.Night Shift may also refer to:* Night Shift , a fictional team of supervillains in the Marvel Universe...
, and thus, the majority of the scenes are filmed in the dark. This creates an air of suspicion and tension, and this is clear as Cole is unsure who he can trust. His two main co-workers are reluctant to forge a relationship with him, and his immediate commanding officer seems distant, harsh, and somewhat afraid that Cole may blow the whistle on his career if he steps at all out of line.
It aired from 6 July 2004 to 10 August 2004.
Episode 1
Cole goes in pursuit of the only remaining witness who can appear at the trial of a major extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
ist.
Episode 2
Cole attempts to trap a Newcastle brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
owner involved in a crime ring.
Episode 3
A shopkeeper's efforts to punish a young shoplifter backfire, and a father's personal protest over access rights to his children causes traffic problems. This episode explores issues of racial tension and fathers' rights
Fathers' rights
The fathers' rights movement is a movement whose members are primarily interested in issues related to family law, including child custody and child support that affect fathers and their children. Many of its members are fathers who desire to share the parenting of their children equally with their...
.
Episode 4
After a drunken night out, Sergeant Astel discovers he's hit something - or someone - with his car.
Episode 5
Cole, who has come under investigation for corruption, discovers the person who reported him is the only one who can help clear his name.
Episode 6
Cole and co. head undercover in a local nightclub in an attempt to catch a serial date rapist
Date rape
"Date rape", often referred to as acquaintance rape, is an assault or attempted assault usually committed by a new acquaintance involving sexual intercourse without mutual consent....
.
Series 2
Series 2 sees Cole make it on to the day shift, and the introduction of Detective Inspector Bing (Mark Lewis JonesMark Lewis Jones
Mark Lewis Jones is a Welsh actor, whose roles include that of a police inspector in BBC drama series, 55 Degrees North, a whaler in the movie, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World and Tecton, a soldier in Troy....
). This character is honest, open and amusing, and signals a stark contrast between the two series. He creates a more positive impression, and allows the show to move in a different direction.
It aired from 22 May 2005 to 10 July 2005.
Episode 1
Cole is under pressure to find out who is behind a series of threats to local scientists before Yates makes a quick arrest. Plus Astel and Clark find that they are no match for a gaggle of rowdy Geordie
Geordie
Geordie is a regional nickname for a person from the Tyneside region of the north east of England, or the name of the English-language dialect spoken by its inhabitants...
girls. This episode explores genetic research
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
, and the argument between science and morality.
Episode 2
A dangerous robber is hitting building societies. When CID
Criminal Investigation Department
The Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
track him down and blow his cover, Cole finds himself in a dangerous situation.
Episode 3
When an assault victim dies, a search is on for the two attackers - but which one dealt the fatal blow? This episode raises awareness of how difficult it is sometimes for the police and CPS to identify individuals, and pin evidence to perpetrators.
Episode 4
CPS lawyer, Claire Maxwell faces a chilling death threat when she and Cole become enmeshed in a land-rights case. This episode revolves around travellers and their rights to roam.
Episode 5
Cole takes the family to Lindesfarne for a peaceful weekend break. But when Errol is arrested on suspicion of murder, the detective is determined to ensure local police prove his innocence.
Episode 6
A community support officer takes the law into his own hands, but there are no records of his existence.
Episode 7
Cole's brother, Adam, is released from prison and is desperate to see his son, Matty.
Episode 8
Cole faces a race against time to catch two of Newcastle's most notorious crime families, but someone wants him silenced - permanently.
Theme music
The theme music for 55 Degrees North is a specially composed piece, created by Norwell & Green.External links
- 55 Degrees North at bbc.co.ukBbc.co.ukBBC Online is the brand name and home for the BBC's UK online service. It is a large network of websites including such high profile sites as BBC News and Sport, the on-demand video and radio services co-branded BBC iPlayer, the pre-school site Cbeebies, and learning services such as Bitesize...
- 55 Degrees North at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...