viewers got to see first. The two broadcasters co-commissioned a six-part series of the show; UKTV also invested in return for repeat rights. New episodes of Taggart debuted on STV in autumn 2010 before being broadcast on ITV across the rest of the UK in 2011. The UKTV Channel Alibi showed the episodes in 2013. Online catch-up of the new series was not available to users of STV Player until the show had been broadcast on ITV and UTV. Format and broadcast information The format of the show changed over the years. Originally the show ran with three one-hour episodes to each story. This was later changed starting with the last transmitted story in 1998 to a regular pattern of two-hour stand-alone stories and beginning in July 2002 these were shortened to 60 minutes. After a two-hour special episode in January 2003 episodes were again lengthened starting in October this time to 90 minutes continuing through the 2008 New Year special "Genesis". After this the show became a series of one-hour stand-alone stories for the first time since 2003. Fans of the show were often frustrated by the erratic scheduling of the show. Although blocks or series of the show were filmed together, they were often not shown together as with other series. Instead, they were fitted into the schedule whenever there was a gap, meaning that they were often not shown in consecutive weeks or on one set night of the week. Often months passed between episodes of the same series being shown. This was very much the case in Australia with ABC TV showing episodes featuring the three lead actors in haphazard order with current or recent shows. This made it very difficult to understand the history of the show. DVD releases The DVD rights in the UK for many Taggart episodes the earlier series in particular are held by Clearvision. However, some episodes in particular those from 2002 onwards have been released on DVD in the UK by Acorn Media UK. There are also Region 1 and Region 4 releases for North American and Australasian markets. Some of the DVD releases are now quite rare and deleted and there has been no Blu-ray release at present. Cast Main Mark McManus as DCI Jim Taggart (1983–1995) Neil Duncan as DS Peter Livingstone (1983–1987, 1994) Iain Anders as Superintendent Jack McVitie (1985–1998) James MacPherson as DS/DI/DCI Michael Jardine (1987–2002)