User Reviews

Easily the best episode of the whole series: Jack Regan's broken marriage colliding head on with potential paedophilia/lesbianism/bank robbery/political commentary and a wardrobe full of unflattering costumes - mostly for the women. Regan's daughter and ex-wife are seen here for the first time - a magnificent plot ploy - in an attempt to create sympathy for characters until now never mentioned. Regan's marriage has failed: therefore they are separated: therefore his daughter is kidnapped by a couple of gay women who are in pay to a team of villains who plan to turn over a profitable high street jewellers. This story speaks volumes about what's considered acceptable and what is not in modern society: within seconds of the start an attractive, busty young woman in a pleated white tennis skirt bends over (possibly pretending to re-lace her shoe) presenting her white knickered arse to a salivating Regan and his ancient informant who speaks to Regan thus: I could be arrested for what you're thinking. The other women in this episode fare less well sartorially than our tennis skirt beauty: Janet Key (as Regan's ex) and Patricia Maynard (as their daughter's form teacher) are encumbered with massive lapelled jackets suitable for the period; but their costumes are counteracted by their love, caring and modern attitudes for their offspring and their charges. In a thankless role, redemption may be pless available to George Carter's wife (the future Juliet Bravo Mk 1) who is dreariness and haranguing personified. The guys come off slightly better: Dennis Waternan's gym kit will remain a constant for many years to come; Vosper Senior's (the ever and over reliable Reginald Marsh) dark business suit, shirt and tie are timeless; his greedy and stupid son fares less well. Additionally we have artefacts of time gone by which can only be recaptured in series like this: tall glass bottles of milk kept in half size fridges; Regan's transport of the day The Ford Capri - a metal turd on wheels . All is well that ends well, when Regan gives the main villain a jolly good and barbaric thumping. Plaudits to the magnificent Garfield Morgan who under acts each and everybody off the screen. The lighthearted attitudes which littered all the preceding episodes are set aside - here The Sweeney sets out its intention to become the most memorable series of all time. And so it was made.

A kidnapping story to close the first series. This one's good, full of drama and a decent performance from John Thaw, driven to the edge and increasingly desperate. The volatility works a treat here.