The Commander focuses on Clare Blake, leader of an elite murder investigative squad based in London, who allows her interpersonal relationships to cloud her judgement, and who, on several occasions, makes bad calls which are detrimental to an investigation. Midway through the series run, Ofcom and ITV received many complaints from viewers over Blake's willingness to sleep with suspects so that evidence can be gained from them - exemplified in her relationship with murderer James Lampton. Many viewers said that as much as the story was fictional, such action was so far out that it could not possibly be considered believable or true to life.
The series began with a one-off feature-length story broadcast in two parts in February 2003. Only known as The Commander for television broadcast, it did not carry an official title until the joint DVD release of series one and two in 2005. The episode gained enough viewers for two more stories to be commissioned. The other investigating officers in this episode are DCI Mike Hedges, DCS Les Branton, DAC Edward Sumpter, DI Ken Miles, DS Brian Hall and DC Carol Browning.
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Series 2 (2005)
The second series of The Commander was first broadcast in 2005. The series was released on a joint DVD in 2005 with the first series. The same roster of characters appear in the second series as the first, with slight changes to the cast. Thomas Lockyer takes over the role of DI Ken Miles, Pip Torrens takes over the role of DCS Les Branton, Ron Donachie takes over the role of George Hart, and Anthony Valentine takes over the role of DAC Edward Sumpter. Carol Browning is also promoted to DI.
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Series 3 (2006)
The third installment of the series was first broadcast in 2006, again in the form of one feature length story, split into two parts. Series three has never been released on DVD in the United Kingdom, having been broadcast between the release of the first DVD set released by Contender, and the second released by Acorn Media UK who only acquired the rights in 2007. Monica Dolan joins the cast as DC Pamela Hayes, following the departure of DI Carol Browning. DCS Les Branton does not appear in the series.
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Series 4 (2007)
The fourth series of The Commander was first broadcast in 2007, in the form of three separate stories each broadcast in two parts. The entire series was released on DVD in 2007 by Acorn Media UK, becoming the last series to be released on DVD in the United Kingdom. This series introduces two new characters to the cast: DCI Doug James, and DC Alison Goody, leaving Amanda Burton, Anthony Valentine and Paul Brightwell as the only remaining original cast members. Les Branton also makes a return to the series, this time however played by the original actor, Nicholas Jones.
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Series 5 (2008)
The fifth and final installment of the series was first broadcast in 2008, in the form of three separate episodes comprising one story. Abduction becomes the second series of The Commander not released on DVD in the United Kingdom. The series also introduces a further new cast: DS Matt Newton and DC Marion Randell, who join Amanda Burton, Anthony Valentine, MarkLewis Jones and Paul Brightwell, whose character DS Brian Hall has been suspended from the force.
