I just don't know what to think. personally I found the episode very flat and confusing. There was no hint as to what sort of character he is likely to be. Sadly, I can see the end in sight. It is just not the same without Brian.
shareStill far to early, but was not an impressive debut.... had the feel of a one-off apperance like we have had in the past when people join the team.
I was really unsure what to expect (Rodney Trotter or Freddy the Fish.....) and at times he was very Brian-ish, but its really hard what to make of him.
New Tricks has always been 2 (semi)-serious characters working with two comedy characters.... last night it felt like Gerry is now the clown of the group working with 3 serious characters.
After 3 fantastic episodes (though 2nd part of the Gibraltar one did feel a bit padded out), last nights show was a bit of a let down (didn't expect Brians departure to take effect like that so fast.... at least when Jack went missing for a couple of episodes in the past, it still ran smoothly)
I’m not sure what they were aiming for, it’s like Nicolas Lyndhurst was told to keep his face totally still and emotionless. We’ve all seen his other work, and while he isn’t the greatest actor we know he can do more than walk into a scene and say his lines totally devoid of any kind of personality.
At first I thought it might have been to show he's detached from the others doesn't want their friendship and works alone, but he’s also like it with the scenes at home with his daughter.
I really like Nick Lyndhurst but it was a disappointing start. I haven't adjusted to the loss of two of the original characters yet.
Why do you refuse to remember me?share
I enjoyed it personally. Danny Griffin is clearly carrying suffering from a painful past and he's hardly likely to reveal his problems to people he doesn't know. ***MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD*** Note his reaction when Gerry suggests he took the job to get away from his wife - we of course find out that he is a single father ensuring he comes home on time to look after a disabled daughter. By the end of the episode, once the other members of UCOS acknowledge his contribution to the murder investigation in this story, he opens up enough to introduce them to her. I think over time, we'll see him open up even further and reveal himself.
I also really liked the way he was completely unfazed by the various suspects being interviewed ("Ask me if I'm bothered." "Are you bothered?" etc) again suggesting he's either very brave or simply doesn't care because of things in his past. Either way, we'll find out in the coming weeks.
If UCOS were a real outfit, you would expect staff turnover within a 10-year period. I think part of the problem - besides people like Alun Armstrong doing such a phenomenal job - is that it's happening practically all at once. I think another problem is that they haven't made enough effort to develop the Denis Lawson character. We had all that business with him finding his daughter initially, but he's been sidelined ever since. Not a good move when you need the audience to regard him as a series 'veteran' in the face of so many changes.
I think part of the problem - besides people like Alun Armstrong doing such a phenomenal job - is that it's happening practically all at once.Yes, this is the main problem. It doesn't help that James Bolam and Alun Armstrong were my favourite of the four either. I'm hoping that Nick Lyndhurst will prove to be as quirky a character as was Brian and you can see how the screen writers have introduced an adjunct to his character, with his daughter, as they did with Brian, with his wife. I liked the daughter. Thought she was an interesting character and liked that her analysis of the singer's voice led to a discovery in the case.
I think another problem is that they haven't made enough effort to develop the Denis Lawson character.Agreed. He's a bit meh for me at the moment and I miss Jack all the more!
Why do you refuse to remember me?share
I liked the daughter as well, it was kind of a updated version of Jack and Mary when he would talk to her to bounce off idea's.
As I said earlier, there is bits of Brian there trying get out with this new character, but at the same time there is bits of Jack also.
Slightly better performance last night.
Still unsure where he fits into the team.
Also do not really like the fact that Gerry has simply become the one for cheap laughs, rather than being part of the team.
I think he's a bad fit. I've never thought him a very good actor, and it's not just that he's been typecast as Rodney, but his appearance is too youthful (despite the "grey" hair)for him to carry off anything with any gravitas.
And I'm sorry to say it, but an actor should be chosen on the basis of their suitability for the role, not because the writers want to crowbar in a "disability" angle. That girl is a dreadful actor and every moment she was onscreen was embarrassing.
This show goes from strength to non-strength.
Awight we're The Daamned we're a punk baand and this is called Carn't Be Appy T'day!
I think the writers tried to play this into the script when Gerry was trying to guess his age.
Have to say I really would have loved a Only Fools and Horses v Minder built-in joke added with Rodney meeting Terry.
Also I think the girl who played the daughter did well. She really does have cerebral palsy, and she only got into acting after being given a scene in the Inbetweeners movie.
I think James Bolam was right when he said is was getting stale, so with him leaving, plus two others a year later, it was the perfect opportunity to mix things up a bit. Instead it looks like they're trying to stick to the exact same formula, with a new female boss coming in and two new retired white guys.
I'm not inclined towards the "Dr Who should be black/female" line of thinking, but I think they could have done quite a lot with someone who maybe doesn't have such a rosy view of the good old days, someone for whom the police force in the 70s/80s was not an easy place to be. Take your pick from female, ethnic minority, gay whatever. Not to be used for heavy handed history lessons, but to provide some bloody character. Not that Denis Lawson is bad, I like Steve. Lyndhurst deserves time to settle in and develop some character too. But I think their lack of ambition to shake things up is probably the beginning of the end.
Not to be used for heavy handed history lessons, but to provide some bloody character.
Look, the "old retired guys" WOULD be white. Let's not even go there.
Plus, there is assertion that they are "low-paid" and that would fit with "old white guys." (The job is its own reward.)
You want to introduce those who "don't have a rosy view" but then WHY would they come back to work, at low pay, at less than ideal conditions? Only those who DO have ideal understandings of police work would want to do this job.
The object is to work old cases, with the cases furnishing the characters and problems.
The retired cops should be boring old foot-soldiers; draft-horses, who know how to do the routine police work of clearing unsolved cases.
The notion that different colored people are "more interesting" is racist and subjective.
Spare me from "interesting characters."
Why not have another young female as boss? Women are (usually) better at spread sheets and organization and assigning duties. Why not do what makes sense rather than what is "interesting" to someone who is easily bored?
Well stated.
shareOdd, double posted for some reason.
Rather than delete, I'll just add that I quite liked the idea of Amanda Redman becoming one of the "guys" when she retired, that would have been an interesting dynamic - the old boss having to adjust to having someone else in charge. Though I understand why she didn't want to just keep doing the same show forever.
"Take your pick from female, ethnic minority, gay whatever. Not to be used for heavy handed history lessons, but to provide some bloody character."
But that's exactly what it would have been. Another BBC heavy handed history lesson with lots of PC lecturing. Please, not again.
If anything has become a complete cliche, it's that.
As for the girl who plays Lyndhurt's daughter, I like her. She is really handicapped (to the best of my knowledge), and acts accordingly. She is not a bad actress certainly.
Jessica Rabbit
"I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way."
No reason why it should be heavy handed, any more than the disability angle needs to be with Dan.
shareThis is the BBC we're talking about. They tend to do their lecturing heavy-handedly.
The disability angle here is one the very few times I have seen where this is not the case.
Jessica Rabbit
"I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way."
I'd challenge the statement that Storme's cerebral palsy causes her to act accordingly. She's such a good fit in the part that it's easy for me to not notice Holly's disability. She just strikes me as a clever and precocious young woman with a quiet dad.
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