Funny how you can completely miss something this good first time around, and even fail to be impressed when you watch it (distractedly, I admit) on DVD several years later.

Third time was a charm for me, though, and I'm now firmly convinced this was THE best sitcom of the 90s, together with "One Foot in the Grave"

The last great TV role for a Rowan Atkinson in top form, again on a script by motormouth Ben Elton, gags follow in a continuous stream, same as tears of myrth down my cheeks

I can't tell you how many times I had to rewind because I was laughing so hard for the previous gag that I missed the next one

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112194/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/thethinblueline/
(about this review... the guy's got some points as to why the series wasn't too well received back then, but I'd guess he just doesn't like Ben Elton much...)

http://www.sitcom.co.uk/thin_blue_line/
(that's better )

But never mind hoity-toity, namby-pamby, willy-nilly reviewers , make up your mind for yourself...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3XW4t87gtc

Several full episodes in there, nearly the whole series, I'd guess...

Not my fav i must admit, but there are some funny scenes there. The episode where the documentry crew film them and the "what 'ism' ever hurt anybody" scene stand out for me.