Audience

• The initial appeal of the programme was the fact that it offered a different, more realistic representation of the police force, one that more accurately mirrored the stories that were appearing in the press at the time. The programme had the added appeal of the humorous relationship between Regan and Carter.
• The filming style and action scenes would have appealed to fans of the crime genre who were ready for something different and more contemporary.
• Some of the takes are more longer than in contemporary examples of the genre, this is similar to more serious dramas of the time where audience concentration is expected
• As the series developed over the years the audience became involved with the two main characters which contributed to the continued success of the programme.
• At the height of its success it was pulling in 19 million viewers per episode. The ongoing popularity of the programme is evident in the two spin-offs produced, one in 1977 and another 2012.
• Uses & Grats-Entertainment/Escapism: The Sweeney was entertaining and a refreshing change from some of the other crime dramas broadcast at the time as it challenged the reassuring image of the police. It also had the added action which would've usually only been seen in film.
• Uses & Grats-Information: The Sweeney can give audiences an insight into police procedures they may be unfamiliar with. The insight to London gangland would have also reinforced preconceived ideas audiences may have from real life gangsters e.g. the Krays