The Professionals Episode Reviews – DVD set one


reviewed December 2003

Jo:
By my calculations, Everest is next and since I did say I would try to find time to do it this week, here goes. A relaxing hour in front of the Lads is just what I need after a day spent Christmas shopping, spending lots of money and ending up with not one single thing for myself!

We open at the Star Hotel, and look! It has a little blue star above the door. As I understand it, a hotel with only one star is not the best quality, but clearly this star is intended to go with the name and is not part of a classification system. Inside we get a good shot of a newspaper proclaiming to the world that Everest has been conquered. The date is not visible, but those well up on modern cultural history presumably know that we are in the past. Even more so than the 25 years we have travelled back just by putting this DVD on. Shady looking men in suits nod at one another to the accompaniment of menacing music. Inside a hotel room one of the men pushes a young blonde girl out of a window.

Credits. These are still quite ludicrous but so much fun.

Then we get our first Lads scene and what a joy it is too, absolutely dead-pan pulling the leg of the enthusiastic new young agent, Tony. Bodie, resplendent in suit and tie, pulls his 'public school' voice, while the more casual Doyle sounds as common as mud and doesn't care. They are the perfect double act, putting the wind up young Tony and then wandering off bickering mildly and leaving him to stew. And how nice it is to see a little of how CI5 works, with assignments going up on the duty roster, seeing a young agent given his first taste of action ... and feeling that sense of Doom hanging over him, as frequently happens with Random Extra Speaking Agents, although refreshingly a surprising number survive their episodes.

We switch to a ghastly deathbed scene - the vultures gathered around expectantly. The dying man mutters 'I killed Suzy Carter' with his last breath, causing consternation among the non-mourners.

One of these non-mourners (Lord Peter Derrington) is then ushered in to see the Cow (oops, not in the building!) by the lovely Betty.
"How's the leg?"
"Still attached". Ha. Cowley remembers the man well from a brief meeting eight years previously, and waxes lyrical about how much he learned about truth and justice et al from him. Lord Derrington asks Cowley to investigate Suzy Carter's death, insisting it must be CI5 and no one else.

Another skip. Another non-mourner has a nightmare about pushing Suzy Carter out of a window. His wife is distraught that his years old nightmare about 'Suzy Carter' has resurfaced.

Bodie and Doyle pay a visit to the local constabulary in search of Suzy Carter's file. Bodie enjoys some needling with the constable, while Doyle keeps his face turned away through the exchange, only joining in to make a crack about filing. He seems to have developed a grouchy mood since we last saw him, unlike Bodie who appears far more jovial still.

More new characters are met in the form of a pair of spoiled teenagers at the Turvey residence. Said teens are awful and for siblings look nothing like one another. Their grandfather has a disturbing phone call dragging up the past and admitting he still has contacts and can sort things out.

Back to the cop shop. Doyle is grumbling to Bodie about having been here before: "Routine, leg work, sorting through files. I thought I'd left all this behind when I joined CI5. Excitement they promised me, action. But not, NOT, sorting through files." That would explain the bad mood, then. Not enjoying his deja vu, it seems. Turns out one of the S.Carter files is missing - a witness in a big corruption file who jumped from a window in 1953. The officer in charge has retired up north, and Cowley decides to send young Tony Miller to pull him in ... ah, that sense of Doom is growing. Especially when Bodie and Doyle are so amused by the lad.

Turvey makes a call requesting 'heavy help.'

The retired cop - our chap with nightmares from earlier - gets a late night caller at his door. It is young Tony. But even as he introduces himself a sniper in the bushes shoots both the cop, Turner, and poor young Tony. Like I said, Doomed.

Back at CI5 HQ, our Lads are gainfully employed sticking Cowley's head on a page 3 girl to stick on Tony's locker. Ah, they do care. More fantastic banter, and I love Doyle's faux Scottish accent: "Is that MacCow or Milk Cow, because ye ken the latter is correct." Bodie is wonderfully gleeful and Doyle's good mood is back. They should be like this always. Why do they need a case to work on? Can they not just be paid to sit around and snark? I love Doyle's blue check shirt with the holster uncovered. Cowley catches them in the act, but is too upset over Tony's death to be cross.
"Never send a boy on a man's errand, they'll only pinch his bike." It's a nice touch that they are all so upset over their colleague's premature demise. Also a nice touch to see Cowley's self-recrimination, as he so rarely admits to being wrong or so openly expresses concern for the dangerous errands he sends his men on.

By the time the bodies are being removed, all three have arrived to oversee the forensics. That was quick - did they fly? Cowley is now taking this case very personally, and snaps at Bodie and Doyle to find out everything. I like Doyle's trousers. And the way he whistles for Bodie when he spots something. He is struck by Turner's very fancy car - how did a retired cop afford that? They rather forcefully interrogate the grieving Mrs Turner as to where he got his money. Mrs Turner protests her treatment, but they are upset about Tony's death at such a young age, and care little for her husband. The name Suzy Carter triggers her memories of an old, old case that upset and changed him, but coincided with the start of their 'living well'. Betty then comes up trumps with the newspapers, and is able to give them chapter and verse on Suzy Carter. It isn't much though, as it was a heavy day what with the coronation and Everest, and all.

The Lads head for the Star Hotel. Bodie can't see the point; Doyle insists they need to get the feel of the place. It is now derelict. We learn that the corruption case Suzy Carter was to give evidence at involved Turvey Combines to the tune of £2 million - worth killing for.
"Would you push a girl out of a window for £2 million?"
"Is that a definite offer?" Ha.

The Lads report back to Cowley and in the next conversation we get a lot of exposition about the case and how it all ties together. But Cowley insists that they stay away from Mr Turvey, who is very influential. They are sent to visit Ann Berry, the policewoman meant to look after Suzy Carter.

Ann Berry is at that moment reading about the double shooting in the papers. She lives with another woman, Sally, who takes the call from Bodie and Doyle to announce their visit. Wow. Lesbians in 1977/8. How enlightened. And they are just portrayed as normal people, with no fuss about their presence. How enlightened. Ann is worried on hearing that CI5 are on their way. It is clear that Ann is also no longer with the police, and is also doing well. She suggests getting away for a holiday. They own dog kennels, and on hearing the dogs bark Ann goes out to check on them - big mistake. The sniper shoots yet another witness. Bodie and Doyle arrive too late, just in time to get their windscreen shot out by the sniper (the car repair bill for CI5 must be astronomical) and give chase. Ah, where would we be without our car chases? It isn't a long chase, though, as they get a tire shot out and lose him.

Doyle and Bodie discuss Ann and Sally's living arrangements very respectfully and tolerantly, merely remarking that in the 50s, in the police, Ann would have had a hard time. I like that they have this conversation while going through Ann's papers, as it gives the scene a very natural feel - talking over the case while working, rather than static dialogue. Doyle then gives a fantastic whoop of triumph, finding that Ann had shares in Turvey Combines, acquired in 1953 ...

They flout Cowley's commands by heading straight to Turvey's, although they must have stopped somewhere along the way to get the windshield replaced, as it is once more intact. Bodie says that Cowley telling them to lay off was "before Tony Miller was killed." Actually, it wasn't. Minus points for continuity. Doyle flashes back to his police days, playing devil's advocate by pointing out that their evidence is all circumstantial. Bodie is determined to go for it; Doyle has bad memories of seeing criminals slip through his fingers before due to lack of evidence. Nice touch.

They have a great conversation with Turvey. Verbal fencing. Turvey's friend, Sir Frederick Talon, puts his head around the door at a bad moment, and Turvey makes the most of the reinforcement to protest his treatment. 'Freddie' makes a note of their names, and promises to take it up with Cowley. Mr Turvey throws his particularly good malt scotch in Bodie's face. Class moment.

Cowley rips into them. Doyle is uncowed, mildly remarking that he should go easy on Bodie after taking a scotch in the face. A particularly good one. Cowley is more incensed by this than by thief flouting his orders.
"You're not just deaf; you're daft. A pure malt scotch in a face like yours!"
Cowley tells Bodie to channel his anger. And then gives them a pure malt scotch each, insisting that they're all damn good, no particularly about it. Their punishment is a return trip to files. The lovely Betty has got them ready.

Doyle looks fantastic, artfully laid out on the sofa in the VIP Lounge, chewing over the details of the case with a mug of tea in hand, while Bodie makes another for himself. Take note of the picture on the wall behind Bodie. Suitably and wonderfully tacky. They have a brainwave - look for the man on the door. Back to files to look for him. Presumably this was a break, then.

Out in the middle of nowhere, a hunting party. This must be the man on the door. And yes, he has a flashback. Every flashback of Suzy falling is different. Maybe because most of the people flashing back are imagining it, they didn't actually see it.

Cowley whinges to Lord Derrington about Turvey and being a man down, still upset over it. Lord Derrington gives him his own advice, to lay off Turvey, which is amusing. Lord Derrington admits regretting re- opening this, but Cowley is like a dog with a bone, won't let go, certain that someone even more influential than Turvey has become must be behind this. He is delighted by Bodie and Doyle's brainwave to look for the copper on the door.

The cop from the door is still out hunting in the wilds of Scotland, apparently, using a photographic gun, not bullet. Bodie and Doyle arrive puffing, Bodie complaining about being 50 miles from anywhere remotely resembling civilisation. How did they get there so fast? They have a wonderful, wonderful conversation with an enigmatic Scottish chap. They are in belligerent mood today. We learn from him that someone has been scrabbling around – it's a race with the sniper. Too late, Hamer is killed - but has a picture of his killer with his camera gun. Bullseye.

Sniper is identified. The lads are in yet another change of clothes. Bodie looks smarter than ever. Sticks out like a sore thumb. I like Doyle's jacket. Arrest made, they use unconventional but highly effective means to get him to talk. Yet another sparkling conversation between the Lads. They are in top form this episode. Maybe because they have so much joint screen time, always a good thing. He gives them to goods on Turvey. Cowley is not above teasing the lads over who will be sent to bring him in. They head off.
"Corruption: it's where the worms are." Great.

The Turvey kids' party is in full swing, and the Lads gatecrash. Turvey is indignant, and the Lads enjoy themselves thoroughly.
"You have to be mad in this job, or you go insane."
"You killed Tony Miller. We liked Tony."
Turvey tries to bribe them. Of course, they are incorruptible. Bodie gets his revenge for the scotch in face, and Turvey is arrested and hauled out in cuffs in front of his family, a broken man.

Cowley meanwhile is drawing his own conclusions. He dashes off, ignoring the Lads.

Back at the Star Hotel, Cowley meets Lord Derrington. He confronts the Lord over his role in the affair – that he had the whole thing reopened just to see how safe he was, which sounds odd to me. Cowley is disappointed in Derrington. Cowley comments that he can't forgive Derrington for Tony's death, and then the Lads appear. Cowley is indignant, protesting that he doesn't need help, but they remark that they are there to pick up tips and haul Derrington off. Would Cowley have shot him if they hadn't turned up?

Bodie makes a date, but then on hearing that Doyle is going to see Tony's mother heads off with him instead. Aw, so nice to see that the death of a colleague has such an impact on the other agents - expected, but not always shown.

The end. And what a good episode, one of the better ones. Great stuff.

Carol:
And darn, because I was determined to watch Everest and make some comments, but I won't have time for days yet. But since Jo has done such a brilliant job, I'll just make some comments on what her comments have reminded me of <G>

This has always been something of a favourite episode for me, although there are some dire moments, e.g. the dummy/girl falling from the window (which is nearly as bad as the dummy's head falling off in Slush Fund) and the repeated flashbacks of this don't make for improvement.

Little though we saw of him, I liked Tony - shame he got bumped off. (I always feel he should be wearing a red shirt.)

The filing. Sorry, I have to use a ! or 2 here. The Filing!! *One* filing room, holding *25 years* worth of files? And only 3 Suzy Carter's amongst them - that's without any variations of Sue, Susan, Susie, Suzanne...? <g>

I've never quite been able to figure the chronology of Turner's shooting - this is supposed to be up north, Tony turns up late at night, it's full daylight by the time B, D & C arrive and yet the bodies are only just being removed? Also, if this is 'up north' why do they drag Mrs Turner back to HQ to question her? Seems unnecessary.

I *love* the scene in the locker room <g>

I feel I must have been very innocent at 14, because I'm convinced that when I saw Everest on first showing, the reference to Ann Berry being a lesbian went way over my head. I like the way this was played down, personally.

Take note of the picture on the wall behind Bodie. Suitably and wonderfully tacky.
Not having rewatched yet, I think I can remember what this is <G> It was 1978, Jo. These things were normal and not at all tacky <g>

The trip to Scotland is where all credibility slips away - unless they took Concorde <G> Suspending disbelief, I love the conversation there.

So, a bit of a mixed bag of likes and dislikes. Overall a good plot and lots of nice banter between the lads. Must go and watch it again <g>

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