Directed by Written by Original air date UK viewers (millions)
SJ Clarkson Tony Jordan 6 February 2006 6.88
A Manchester United fan is murdered and it is widely assumed that the culprit is a Manchester City fan. Sam suggests that he go undercover as a barman at the Trafford Arms pub to try to gain more information. He is assisted by Gene and Annie. The pub is frequented by a group of Manchester United supporters and it soon becomes apparent that they are planning a confrontation with Manchester City fans at the derby game to be held on the following Saturday.

Directed by Written by Original air date UK viewers (millions)
John McKay Matthew Graham 23 January 2006 6.50
When a man is killed at a textile factory, Gene is convinced the culprit is Ted Bannister, the union organiser. Gene pressures Ted into a confession which he gives to save the factory from closure. Gene is happy with the confession, but Sam pushes deeper, and discovers Ted was covering up for a fatal accident. Ted's son is found to have been planning a payroll robbery at the same firm and has stolen guns being tracked by DCI Litton. Sam tries to reason with the robbers and lets his guard down only to be saved at the last second by Gene.

Directed by Written by Original air date UK viewers (millions)
John Alexander Matthew Graham & Ashley Pharoah 13 February 2006 6.56
A handyman in the local newspaper office takes hostages to get his life story published. Annie attempts to infiltrate the offices disguised as a nurse, but Sam and Gene are captured along with Annie. The 2 pm deadline of the hostage-taker coincides with the time of day in 2006 when Sam's life support machine will be switched off, and Sam is convinced that he must avert one death to prevent the other.

Directed by Written by Original air date UK viewers (millions)
John McKay Ashley Pharoah 30 January 2006 6.64
Sam arrests the henchman of Stephen Warren, a local Mr Big, when he learns the whole of CID are on Warren's payroll. Sam also visits his childhood home to interact with his mother, who was being threatened by the landlord, also one of Warren's men. Sam tries to help her by giving her some money and she misunderstands his gesture. When Sam tries to investigate Warren, Warren sets him up in a honey trap. The girl involved in the honey trap sees the error of her ways only to be murdered by Warren. Gene disagrees with Ray, who says that if they don't play the game, people get hurt and helps Sam bring down Warren, putting his own guilty conscience to rest.

Directed by Written by Original air date UK viewers (millions)
Bharat Nalluri Matthew Graham 16 January 2006 6.27
An armed robber, Kim Trent, is brought into the station in connection with a case of a violent robbery from a local bookie's; there is no evidence against him, so Gene plants false evidence on him. Tyler sees this as grounds for a false conviction and allows Trent to be released without charge; Trent then goes on to commit a further armed robbery from a jewellers. This crime results in an innocent cleaning woman working in CID, June, being seriously injured. After Chris messes up forensic evidence, Sam finds new hope in solving the case with Leonard, a partially deaf street cleaner who saw the robbers without their masks. Sam tries to persuade him to testify by offering him police protection but Gene, Ray and Chris don't take the protection seriously resulting in the lives of Annie and Leonard being at risk.