It was notable in that it was an early work that featured the criminal as the protagonist.

[1] The series was written by Trevor Preston, for which he received the 1981 Bafta Television Writers' Award.

Goddard noted that a dominant theme of the show was loyalty.

[1] The show aired on Monday nights, but received fewer viewers than BBC's Yes Minister.

[2] Billy Fox is outwardly a retired Covent Garden market porter,[3] but is involved in crime in London's East End.