The Bill

Name: The Short Straw
Duration: 30 min

Series 9 Episode 7
The Short Straw
Duration: 30 minutes
Subtitles available

When her car breaks down on her way to the station, Martella misses an important CID briefing and is furious when she is taken off the case by DI Burnside.

Contains Flashing Images, Mature Themes and Violence

S9 E1 · A Little Family Business
DCI Meadows investigates a burglary gone wrong. Cato is gunning for Loxton and Stringer.
S9 E2 · Breaking the Chain
Kendall tries to help a young offender keep away from crime, but CID have other ideas.
S9 E3 · The Fortress
Monroe and Maitland deal with a frustrated shopkeeper who is the target of petty crime.
S9 E4 · In Broad Daylight
WDC Morgan puts herself in danger attempting to trap two men suspected of sexual assault.
S9 E5 · Credible Witness
Stringer feels discredited when his description of a thief conflicts with a witness's.
S9 E6 · The Price of Fame
WPC Page goes uncover as a model to investigate a possible scam at a modelling agency.
S9 E7 · The Short Straw
When her car breaks down on her way to work, Martella misses an important CID briefing.
S9 E8 · Missing
DI Burnside has to deal with a man with a mentally young age.
S9 E9 · Goods Received
DS Greig investigates the burglary of an ailing business.
S9 E10 · Double Indemnity
DC Woods goes undercover when a woman is suspected of wanting her husband murdered.
S9 E11 · Hard Evidence
A murder investigation team from AMIP arrive at Sun Hill.
S9 E12 · High Hopes and Low Life
DC Carver and WDC Morgan investigate a career-ending attack on a promising young boxer.
S9 E13 · On the Loose
PC Quinnan goes undercover at an illegal dog fight.
S9 E14 · Out of Court
PC Stamp and WPC Ackland are keen to get a conviction against a woman for assault.
S9 E15 · Bedfellows
A "courtesy visit" by Cato to a community centre leads to two arrests and a protest.
S9 E16 · Cat and Mouse
A woman is keen to get rid of her burglar boyfriend and his fence.
S9 E17 · Brothers
DS Greig investigates a burglary where some Second World War medals are stolen.
S9 E18 · Playing Away
Carver deals with a student who claims to have been mugged, but all is not what it seems.
S9 E19 · Coming to Terms
Ackland and Quinnan investigate a break-in at the home of the parents of a murder suspect.
S9 E20 · Return to Sender
A young postwoman is beaten up, but she seems unwilling to talk to the police.
S9 E21 · Sticks and Stones
Two dawn raids turn up the proceeds of a robbery, but the suspects are already on trial.
S9 E22 · Tangled Webs
A mysterious break-in at a garage leads DI Burnside to a web of sexual deception.
S9 E23 · Recruiting Officer
PC McCann is asked to reassure a prospective black policeman.
S9 E24 · Give 'Em An Inch
Cato allows a demonstration to go ahead despite warnings it could be hijacked by racists.
S9 E25 · By Hook or By Crook
DS Roach is disgusted when a judge halts a trial and takes matters into his own hands.
S9 E26 · Home to Roost
PCs Stamp and Quinnan attend to Ray Hinkey, the victim of an assault at Sun Hill market.
S9 E27 · In Safe Hands
WDC Morgan arrests two shoplifters, and receives an allegation of sexual assault from one.
S9 E28 · Punch Drunk
A series of incidents caused by DS Roach put his career on the line.
S9 E29 · Fall Out
With the departure of DS Roach, one of his informants wants out.
S9 E30 · Awaydays
An elderly ex-copper is in London to search for his estranged daughter.
S9 E31 · Pride and Joy
When a young woman's car is stolen with a baby on board, CID fear an abduction.
S9 E32 · Fast Food
DC Carver and DC Woods follow up on a tip-off about drug dealing from a takeaway.
S9 E33 · Soft Touch
A runaway bulldozer and an abandoned revolver cause PC Stamp and PC Jarvis some problems.
S9 E34 · We Gave Him All Our Love
The body of a 14-year-old boy is washed up by the tide.
S9 E35 · Hearts and Minds
DI Burnside disagrees with Ch Insp Conway's approach to a young offender.
S9 E36 · Cry Baby
WPC Page and Inspector Monroe attend what appears to be a cot death.
S9 E37 · A Willing Victim
Garfield introduces a friend to a business manager, but the manager under investigation.
S9 E38 · Rank Outsider
A distracted WPC Page causes a prisoner to be released by mistake.
S9 E39 · Tender Mercies
A woman reports her husband missing, but what do her brothers know of his whereabouts?
S9 E40 · Double Take
DS Greig and WPC Croft investigate a burglary.
S9 E41 · Mouth and Trousers
A ban on overtime means a shortage of personnel when a family feud spills onto the street.
S9 E42 · Uses and Abuses
Pearce and Morgan visit a hospitalised man after having oven cleaner sprayed in his face.
S9 E43 · Picking a Winner
PC Quinnan goes undercover as a refuse collector to investigate a series of burglaries.
S9 E44 · Broken
Inspector Monroe deals with an assault on a staunch trade-unionist ex-coal miner.
S9 E45 · Insider Dealing
A prisoner admits to crimes he didn't commit in order to gain a transfer.
S9 E46 · To Have and to Hold
A woman alleges rape by her estranged husband, but he insists that she consented.
S9 E47 · Honour Among Thieves
Burnside investigates when the proceeds of a robbery cannot be found.
S9 E48 · Somebody to Love
WPC Datta tries to help a battered wife.
S9 E49 · Morning Has Broken
Vehicles parked suspiciously leads Monroe to think that an armed robbery could take place.
S9 E50 · Swaps
WPC Page is on an attachment with the Traffic Division.
S9 E51 · Trust
DS Greig suspects that his informant is giving him the run around.
S9 E52 · Divided We Fall
A man knocking on people's doors turns out to be suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.
S9 E53 · A Duty of Care
A young man falls to his death from an elevated fork lift, but how was he up there?
S9 E54 · Family Values
A mugger, stolen credit cards and a lorry hijacking. What could be the connection?
S9 E55 · A Matter of Life and Death
PC Quinnan and WPC Marshall race to the scene of a disturbance.
S9 E56 · Kith and Kin
Sgt Cryer and PC Quinnan deal with a bicycle accident and are led to a dubious supplier.
S9 E57 · Part of the Family
The theft of a necklace reveals a case of domestic violence against a young woman.
S9 E58 · Mighty Atoms
A 16-year-old boy goes missing. Could a notorious teenage criminal know his whereabouts?
S9 E59 · A Malicious Prosecution
A man sues the Met for wrongful arrest, malicious prosecution and false imprisonment.
S9 E60 · Outbreak
A violent remand prisoner escapes from hospital.
S9 E61 · Unreliable Witness
A timid music teacher is threatened by a former pupil.
S9 E62 · Sweet Charity
PCs Hollis and Stamp are caught in the crossfire when a mother and daughter fall out.
S9 E63 · David and Goliath
PC Jarvis and Sgt. Boyden are in court where a man is on trial for assaulting his son.
S9 E64 · What a Pair
WPC Ackland and PC Loxton investigate when a woman finds she has been robbed.
S9 E65 · Desirable Property
DS Greig and PC Quinnan investigate a series of burglaries in houses which are for sale.
S9 E66 · Blind Spot
PCs Jarvis and McCann know who is guilty of an assault, but can't prove it.
S9 E67 · Carrying the Load
WDS Morgan and DC Lines Investigate a lorry hijack.
S9 E68 · Deadly Weapon
DS Greig investigates a burglary where MOT certificates have been stolen.
S9 E69 · All the Wrong Connections
A young woman is hit by a car, and it appears to have been deliberate.
S9 E70 · Give and Take
WPC Page sees WDS Sally Johnson from Stafford Row plant drugs on a known dealer.
S9 E71 · Desperate Measures
A 15-year-old boy washing windscreens is brought into custody.
S9 E72 · To Catch a Thief
A wallet stolen by a petty thief leads DS Greig to a burglary suspect.
S9 E73 · Natural Reaction
The father of a teenage girl is determined to have her boyfriend prosecuted.
S9 E74 · Desperate Remedies
DS Greig investigates two bankrupt builders and a stolen excavator.
S9 E75 · Bright Lights
A number of indecent assaults on women are linked to an escaped mental patient.
S9 E76 · Bare Faced Lies
DI Burnside and DS Pearce seek the assistance of an exotic dancer in a case.
S9 E77 · But Not Forgotten
With DI Burnside is mysteriously absent, rumours start to fly.
S9 E78 · Push
WPC Page and PC Jarvis get more than they bargained for during a routine visit.
S9 E79 · Bad Reaction
DI Haines' experience with the Drugs Squad comes in handy on his first day at Sun Hill.
S9 E80 · Compliments of the Service
A drugs raid by Scotland Yard threatens a Brownlow's presentation at a community event.
S9 E81 · Game of Two Halves
WPC Croft is back in uniform for the day, much to the irritation of DCI Meadows.
S9 E82 · The Knowledge
Conway is caught in the middle when a dispute between cab drivers turns nasty.
S9 E83 · No Place Like Home
Residents from the Greenfield Estate protest about the presence of an absconder.
S9 E84 · Customer Care
PC Loxton and PC Garfield find some children left home alone.
S9 E85 · The Right Man for the Job
Sgt. Boyden deals with the aftermath of an accident where a suspected stolen car crashes.
S9 E86 · A Life in the Day Of
PC Loxton is called away from a parking clampdown to deal with a suicidal man.
S9 E87 · Having What it Takes
A member of a crime family comes into the station to confess to a three-year-old murder.
S9 E88 · Play the Game
DI Haines investigates when a man is hospitalised after a pub brawl.
S9 E89 · Unlucky for Some
WPC Datta has difficulty tracking down the owner of a stolen car.
S9 E90 · Gift of the Gab
DS Pearce and WPC Croft investigate bogus callers who are stealing people's pension money.
S9 E91 · A Class Act
When a drugs raid fails to deliver, DC Carver's dislike of a customer reaps results.
S9 E92 · Dangerous Trade
The sale of illegally-imported alcohol causes numerous problems around Sun Hill.
S9 E93 · Cheating Heart
Boyden and Marshall are called to a house where two women are fighting over the same man.
S9 E94 · Somewhere to Hang my Hat
Morgan investigates when an elderly man is found hurt at the bottom of a flight of stairs.
S9 E95 · No Comment
DCI Meadows has two murder suspects in custody, but both claim the right to silence.
S9 E96 · Shrinkage
Greig targets shoplifting at a warehouse where the security measures are questionable
S9 E97 · Street Legal
PC Loxton investigates an assault and uncovers a ring of car thieves.
S9 E98 · The Green-Eyed Monster
DI Haines works on a murder investigation and uncovers some secrets in the victim's past.
S9 E99 · Behind Closed Doors
WDS Morgan and DC Lines investigate when a woman is found assaulted at her workplace.

Series Selector for The Bill

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All episodes for series 9 of The Bill