Ep 3. Priorities

In season 4 episode 3 of Blue Heelers, titled "Priorities," the focus is on the personal lives of the police officers in the small Australian town of Mt. Thomas. Senior Constable Maggie Doyle (played by Lisa McCune) is struggling to balance her career with her relationship with her partner, journalist Richard Stiles (played by Roy Billing). Stiles has a tendency to involve Doyle in his stories, which often creates conflicts with her job as a police officer.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Tom Croydon (played by John Wood) is struggling with guilt over the death of a young boy in a car accident. Croydon was the first person on the scene of the accident, and he blames himself for not being able to save the boy. This is affecting his work and his relationship with his wife, who is trying to support him through his grief.

The episode also follows the story of Constable Wayne Patterson (played by Martin Sacks), who is investigating the theft of some valuable cattle. As he delves deeper into the case, he realizes that the local farmer who reported the theft may not be telling the whole truth. Patterson's investigation leads him to question his own priorities as a police officer.

As the three different storylines play out, the characters are forced to confront their own priorities and the choices they have made in their personal and professional lives. Doyle must decide whether to continue her relationship with Stiles, even if it means compromising her job. Croydon must find a way to move past his guilt and focus on his work again. And Patterson must decide whether to pursue the case at all costs, or to let it go in order to focus on other priorities in his life.

Overall, "Priorities" is a character-driven episode that explores the complex lives of the police officers in Mt. Thomas. It highlights the challenges of balancing work and personal life, and the difficult decisions that must be made along the way.