reviewed 19^th September 2005

Jo said:

Open on the dramatic sight of petrol being poured over…I dunno. Stuff. And then being set light to. We see a couple of men involved in this – one to pour petrol, and the other to light the match. This is very sensible. If you've been pouring petrol all around, the last thing you should do it strike a match, just in case you spilled any on yourself! But anyway, to continue: Match Man has a stocking over his head, but has it rolled up so his face can be seen, thus rendering it a complete waste of effort. And even when he pulls it down, it doesn't really hide who he is in any way. He heads into a nearby building, and en route passes a large number of cohorts, who are carrying more stuff out for the bonfire.

Inside, we find another man being pinned to the wall by a couple of the cohorts, and Match Man threatens him. 'His kind' are not wanted in their town. They exchange angry words for a while, and then the scene closes on the hapless prisoner about to receive a beating before being run out of town.

Nice. Very gritty.

Next scene – police HQ. Specifically, the office of Chief Constable Green. And lo! Here comes Match Man, otherwise known as Inspector Chives. Green is delighted to hear that 'that disgusting' organisation has decided to pack up and leave town.

Ho hum. Something rotten in the state of Denmark, methinks.

Roll credits.

Mr Cowley is being stalked. He walks along the street, and a very nice looking car follows. How suspicious. And since when does Mr Cowley walk anywhere? I thought he had female agents to drive him around! He enters a building. His stalker follows – only to be neatly (and violently) apprehended by the Cow. Woo hoo. Go, Mr Cowley!

It is Thomas Henry Pelling – otherwise known as the unfortunate victim from the teaser. And he knows who Cowley is, being a stalker.

Cowley: "And if I wasn't you might have made it. Eyes in my backside." LOL

Pelling has read all about the incorruptible CI5. Clearly Barry Martin's corruptibility never became public knowledge. He spins Cowley a rather breathless and broken line about power and madness, and hooks him very neatly.

Pelling (on being released): "You're good."
Cowley: "You're lucky. A few years ago I'd have broken your arm."
Pelling: "You've mellowed?"
Cowley doesn't answer. LOL.

Cowley takes Pelling up for a drink, and they appear to be in his gentlemen's club. Obviously, he entered the back way because of being stalked. Pelling is telling him about some nameless city he's just returned from, expounding that there isn't a porno magazine in the entire city.
Cowley: "I can't say I've got feelings about that either way."

Not just porn, though – no girlie magazines. Shock horror! Pelling then very earnestly explains. He doesn't care about the magazines himself. No, of course not. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. He's secretary of the Gay Youth organisation – but of course is not a homosexual himself. Because they couldn't go quite that far in 1978, apparently. But many of his friends are, and have suffered terribly. They recently opened a branch in 'that city', which is never, ever named. But they were hounded out of town, which is where our story opened. He shows Cowley the marks on his back, and fingers the police as culpable, because they were the only ones who'd known he was still there that night. And his story is sold.

And then there's another of those marvellous Cowley and the Minister scenes. Cowley has been great so far, and continues to be so. And the scene is a fantastic example of how to weave your exposition seamlessly into conversation. As the two men talk and exchange banter, we learn that since Green took over the police in 'that city', which is one of the largest in the country, it has had a remarkable turn around, crime levels dropping rapidly (22% in just three years), and is hailed as a huge success.
Minister: "Green runs a very tight ship, George."
Cowley: "So did Captain Bligh."
Minister: "George – we're not thinking of rocking that ship in any way, are we?"
Cowley: "Do you trust me?"
Minister: "Totally, utterly, implicitly. Up to a point."

Cowley asks for and is granted permission to conduct some off-the-record nosing around Green's well-policed city. Just as well, really, since Bodie and Doyle are already there…

Up in 'that city', Doyle is waxing nostalgic. Apparently, he went to school here for a bit, and we are given some solid canon information when he confirms this to Bodie, along with the fact that he 'mostly' came from Derby. Of course, his sojourn in 'this city' that was long before Green and his new broom swept in and lowered the crime rate so drastically. *g* It doesn't take them long to get picked on by a local police officer for being stopped in a no parking zone. Bodie moans about arrogant coppers as they move on.

Over at police HQ, meanwhile, Chives and Green make preparations for an upcoming football game – these preparations involving a low-key police presence bolstered by Chives' 'special boys' who will squish any trouble before it can escalate, but discreetly. Nice. Thus given licence to do pretty much what he wants, Chives discusses their not-so-professional plans with a colleague called Edwards, just to make sure we get the point that they are Evil.

Meanwhile, Bodie and Doyle check into a B&B in a scene of general hilarity.

Clerk (reading): "Raymond Doyle, London. I'm sorry, I need your full address."
Bodie: "Why? You thinking of writing to him, sweetheart?"

Nope – there's a very strict police check. Fishy. They head up to their room, Doyle picking up a briefcase and leaving Bodie to lug two heavy suitcases. It is funny. Bodie's face is a picture. Clearly they both pack like girls.

Bodie: "I'm not used to sharing, you know. 'Specially with a fella."

He also moans about the quality of the accommodation, but there shall be no five star on this assignment. Low profile is the keyword. Doyle does a wicked impression of Cowley's accent. Bodie then jinxes them by musing that at least they aren't near a railway, so of course a train immediately rushes past. Since the Lads possess a sense of humour, they both crack up.

Bodie (laughing): "It's a bad dream. Wake me when it's over."

They agree that Cowley almost certainly is on to something, and decide to head out and check up on some of the less salubrious parts of town, agreeing as they do that they don't much like having to leave their weapons behind. That's probably very psychologically revealing, but I shall just let it lie.

They find themselves a dingy little pub to drink in, which Doyle instantly pegs as a villains hangout. Except that the villains aren't being all that villainous. More fishiness.

The barmaid has a conversation with a newly released crook named Terry, who is on his way out of town, and he talks her into giving him one last drink before he gets out of town, bemoaning that he has no choice. He leaves, Bodie and Doyle follow. They intimidate him beautifully, probably aided and abetted by how afraid he is anyway, but it still looks good.

My, Doyle looks good in his brown leather jacket and shades, shirt partly unbuttoned…

Terry: "You're not cops, then?"
Bodie: "Who says?"
Terry: "You are cops?"
Doyle: "Who says?"

Gotta love the double act. They spin him a line, offer and give cash, and he provides them with a spot of his sage wisdom. Forget moving in on the town – the cops have got it sewn up. He's just come off a two-year stretch.

Doyle: "Oh, I see. You were framed, were you?"
Terry: "In solid oak."

He basically implies that even crooks going straight are being framed and imprisoned for crimes they didn't commit, just to get them off the street. Fishier and fishier. They then head to the local prison to check out a few more stories. No unsolved crimes allowed in this city.

After the Lads report in, Cowley calls on the Minister to assist him in going through some old case files from 'that city'. Wow. I didn't realise Ministers were so hands on. Also – how did Cowley get copies of those files?

A drunken man comes tottering out of a club with a couple of women in tow. How did he pick them up there? He chunters on drunkenly and randomly about the 'personal interest' the local police take, and how he must lock his car before leaving it for the night. But he was prepared to leave it unlocked for hours beforehand? This really must be a safe city. He puts his girls into a taxi, and then goes off to lock his car, repeating over and over that that is all he's going to do. So as soon as he reaches his car, he is arrested for being in charge of a car while drunk. Such a shame those handy little remote controls for cars hadn't been invented then – would have saved him a lot of aggravation. He protests his arrest, so a horde of other cops, both uniformed and plain clothed, come charging in with a staggering display of overkill, and take him down.

Watching, Doyle is appalled and intervenes. Chives promptly tries to fit him up for some random crime the previous week, only for Bodie to take his turn at intervention. Off the hook, but with cards marked.

Back at the station, Chives bellows for Edwards, rants a little about Doyle and Bodie not being the sort the Chief would want in his town, and they arrange to mount a small 'special'.

Cowley and the Minister are still researching old records, aided and abetted by the odd dram of whiskey.

Minister: "I can hold my liquor, George. It won't colour my judgement."
Cowley: "I know. And it's my liquor."

They conclude that all six cases rely on inconclusive evidence, which isn't much when looked at individually, but put together and Cowley's instincts can smell something rotten.

Minister: "Unfortunately, George, I cannot put your instincts on paper. I cannot present them as lucid argument. Facts – bring me facts."

In a nice mirroring scene, Chives reports his 'instinctive' distrust of the 'couple of undesirables' who've popped up in town, and Green commends him – willing to accept this instinct as judgement and verdict enough. Permission to launch the 'special' is granted.

Driving through town, Bodie and Doyle discuss their findings so far. Bodie is prepared to take what they've got so far and run with it, but Doyle has his police hat on and knows it isn't enough.

Bodie: "Oh come on, Ray. Let's go home. I like home. I miss it. I've got near and dear ones at home. And there's this one particular redhead…"
Doyle: "She'll keep."
Bodie: "Oh, well, if you think so. Actually, I was thinking of giving you her number..."

Do blokes really do that? Exchange the phone numbers of girls they've got lucky with? And do the girls really agree to go out with blokes they've never met, but have just been passed on to? Wow. I obviously mix with completely the wrong sort...

The conversation gets no further, as they are pulled over by the local constabulary, all official like, and get ticked off for speeding. Bodie moans, while Driver Doyle is conciliatory. Off they go again. And over they get pulled again. The cops now insist Doyle has gone through a red light. They insist on taking his licence again, despite having seen it not thirty seconds previously. "You will be reported for the matter to be considered for prosecuting," he is told both times, before the cop politely, but menacingly suggests that they might like to leave town.

Off they go again.

Doyle: "Tell me some more about this redhead, then."
Bodie: "Home?"
Doyle: "I think it's time we went home."

Back in London, though, the Minister isn't convinced. To the average citizen, what they're describing in Green's city sounds like utopia.

Cowley: "Aye, that's what they said about Hitler's Germany…Suppose his standards change? Suppose he suddenly clamps down on those who don't go along with his politics, or ethnic groups, or people who grow their hair below the Plimsoll line, or anyone who doesn't measure up in his opinion? Unbridled power. That's the thing I've been fighting all my life. It starts wars, and it hurts people, and it's damned bloody dangerous."

Whoa! Impassioned Cowley. Fantastic.

But the Minister still needs facts – something solid and irrefutable.

Minister: "I can't have you going over my head, George. Then you'd really think you were God."

Back in 'that city', Chives gets a call from Pelling. Calling from CI5 HQ, the call being recorded, Pelling informs Chives that he's returning to the city to re-open his branch of the Gay Youth organisation, and in view of what happened last time, would like some police protection. Chives woodenly agrees that they'll do their best, and cajoles details out of him of when and where they'll be returning. It is then agreed that Bodie and Doyle will head back to the city in the guise of Pelling's colleagues, while Cowley also heads there to check out Green. "Know thine enemy."

Green is delighted to receive a visit from the CI5 Controller. Cowley does his usual "Which service were you in?" schtick, resulting as usual in a blustering admission of 'none.' No baddie of the appropriate age is ever allowed to have fought in the war. It's almost like a code. Cowley is wonderfully dismayed to only be offered tea or coffee, in place of his beloved whisky!

Back at the hotel, Bodie and Doyle check themselves back in, accompanied by much rolling of the eyes by the clerk.

Doyle: "It's us again."
Bodie: "We got lucky and had to come back. Aren't you pleased to see us? (aside to Doyle) I think she is pleased, you know, she's just too frightened of becoming emotional."
Clerk: "Sign in, please."
Doyle (with a wink): "Certainly."
Clerk: "Your full home address."
Doyle: "Well, we're not itinerants, you know. I mean, it doesn't change from day to day."
She insists, because of the regulations. They scoff and mock, and Bodie asks for the same room.
Bodie: "It's just that my friend here does a spot of painting, and he finds the view inspiring."
Doyle: "And the doctor says it's doing his fractured eyelash so much good."
She remains unmoved.
Bodie: "You know, the tourist board ought to hear about you."
They head up to their room. And only after they've gone does the clerk allow herself a little grin of amusement. Hehe.

Cowley has another of his fantastic scenes with Green.

Green: "I hope you don't mind me calling you George, after all, I feel we are close colleagues, under the skin."
Cowley: "Not at all, Mr Green."
Heh.

Green suspects that Cowley's visit is not as informal as he claims, and puffs himself up with pride in his oh-so efficient police force. Chives enters, and is introduced to Cowley, and behind his wooden policeman act we detect a hint of resentment – he wrote to Cowley back when CI5 was first formed, but was rejected. Chives reports on the return of the Gay Youth organisation, which Green can't say too much about in front of Cowley, so he simply leaves it in Chives' hands.

At their new offices, Bodie and Doyle unload boxes of leaflets from the car. Sadly, Doyle has lost his nice brown leather jacket and replaced it with a red and black plaid thing, but still looks good. They almost immediately attract police attention. Inside, they examine their leaflets – cooking on a budget, coping with post-natal depression – not one word about Gay Youth.

Bodie: "That's a relief, my image remains untarnished."

Over dinner and drinks, Green continues to boast pridefully to Cowley about 'his city' and 'his law'. "Paternal pride," he explains, before moving on to how lucky Cowley is to be able to put his stamp on the whole country.

Cowley: "The thought of that doesn't intimidate you?"
Green: "Intimidates? It excites, George, it excites me. To have everything in my power."

Back at the supposed Gay Youth HQ, cars containing stocking-faced thugs come rocketing up and park outside. The stocking-faced thugs pile out, and in. The place is empty, and they agree to return tomorrow. On their way out, they are photographed by the watchful Lads.

Cowley is now at Green's house, where Green is having fun playing badminton with his teenage daughters. Leaving the girls to it, he joins Cowley for a walk and talk.

Cowley: "Remember those old films we used to watch when we were kids? The goodies always wore white hats, and the baddies black. Never a grey –not once a grey. They didn't prepare us for what life is really about, did they?"

He then asks Green what he'd do, where he'd start, if he had Cowley's job. Green instantly jumps to the conclusion that Cowley must be about to retire and is sizing him up as a potential replacement, and starts toadying and fantasising at once. Watch Cowley's very slight and understated reaction to Green boasting of being younger than him. Green is practically drooling at the thought of the power he could have, if he were running CI5.

Green: "You don't always use all the powers of your department to the full. You could cut through the red tape, George. You don't always have to do what is officially right, but right as you see it. Right as I see it…you are here to watch me, aren't you, George?"
Cowley (dour as a rainy day in Glasgow): "Aye."

Back at Gay Youth HQ – special operation #2 finds Bodie working mildly at the desk. He is grabbed, threatened…wonder how they divvied up the jobs here? Did he draw the short straw, or something? The thinly disguised thugs rip his shirt to display lots of bare back (all watching BBs swoon), and one man readies what looks like an actual whip (as opposed to the belt Chives used on Pelling). He is about to strike…and then a flash goes off. He freezes, as Doyle steps out of a cupboard, gun in hand, aiming right at him.

Doyle: "Doyle. CI5. That's Bodie."
Bodie (grabbing his gun): "Also CI5."

The thugs are rounded up, unmasked (for what that's worth) and have their not-so-pretty pictures taken. They are all cops. Bodie taunts, looking like he can smell something rotten, while Doyle becomes very tensely angry. He takes police corruption very personally. The cops claim to be off duty, so he phones the station and asks for one or two of them, taping his call. He is told that they are on duty, but on 'special assignment.'

Back at police HQ, the cops panic, and Chives comes up with a plan – the only way to avoid jail is to make sure the CI5 agents and their evidence never make it out of town. He handles it as a case – putting out an APB on 'two men masquerading as CI5 agents'. He also calls the local telephone exchange, asking for their cooperation…

Preparing to leave town, Doyle tries to phone CI5 HQ to let them know they are about to leave town, but he can't get a line. And the police are surrounding the building – they make a break for it and sneak out behind the coppers' backs. It is funny.

But more cops are coming. They are spotted, and the chase is on. They are chased into an old gas works, and trapped there. Chives hears the officer on the spot calling in, and heads out there himself.

Bodie: "We could break out."
Doyle: "Yeah, I know. Take a few good coppers with us."
Bodie: "Good coppers?"
Doyle: "Well, there's got to be some good coppers out there, they're only following orders. There's plenty of witnesses…"

He hides the bag of evidence, and heads out to give himself up, much to Bodie's dismay. But he follows suit, and they are arrested.

Chives arrives, and insists on taking them in his car. Bodie becomes agitated, clearly not as willing as Doyle to trust in the existence of even one good copper.

Bodie: "Now, hold on. You're not leaving us with him. Those ID's are genuine. Genuine!"

It is no use, however. Bodie takes a few hefty whacks for resisting arrest, they are pushed into Chives' car and off they go. But the arresting officer clearly has Doubts.

In the car, Doyle now allows his despite for Chives to show.

Doyle: "You must be out of your mind."
Chives: "Yes. I've considered that as one line of defence."

He drives them to the edge of a quarry, and then tries to prise the location of their evidence bag out of them. It clearly isn't Bodie's day as he takes a few smacks to the face while cuffed and unable to defend himself, resulting in a bloody nose. Chives then falls victim to the 'irresistible urge to talk through the dastardly plan' curse that seems to afflict so many TV baddies, and explains in detail his plan to kill them by crashing the car into the quarry and making it look like an accident, which of course will be believed because he is such a 'good copper', to which Bodie reacts with disgust. But all this talking gives the Arresting Officer time to catch up. Pulling up just behind, he calls to Chives to step away from the car, please sir. Aww. Such polite policing. Fantastic. Except that both he and his silent sidekick have guns, and are training them on their superior officer.

Arresting Officer: "I'm not standing by and watching you commit murder."

Doyle (his faith vindicated): "Good copper. Told you – there's always one."

Chives blames Green. Green throws the blame squarely back on Chives.

Cowley: "Chives was a runaway truck, careering down hill, running over the guilty and the innocent. A runaway truck – but you released the handbrake."
My, how poetic.
Green: "George?"
Cowley: "The name is Cowley. Mr Cowley."
Woo Cowley! And whatever they can or can't make stick against Green, he'll never hold a position of authority again.

Green: "My motives, what I did, I thought was in the public interest."
Cowley: "Aye. That's the tragedy."

Bodie and Doyle prepare to leave town, Hayes and Curry style.

Doyle: "I've said it before, and this time it's for keeps."
Bodie: "Let's get out of this lousy city."
Doyle (lagging just a beat behind): "Let's get out of this lousy city."

The end.

Overall...well, the plot is not without its flaws, but who cares when there's so much else to enjoy? Cowley is at his most devious best here, riffing off the Minister and subtly working on Green. Doyle looks fab, and the Lads are in sparkling good form. It's all good!


Sue said:

Excellent review as always, Jo :)

Absolutely off the top of my head without having yet rewatched the episode;

And then there's another of those marvellous Cowley and the Minister scenes.

I love this Minister. He's the only one Cowley likes and trusts. And the only one who can rein Cowley in when he gets going. He backs Cowley up in this episode and The Rack but is clearly no pushover either. And a fellow whisky drinker.

Was anybody else as astonished as I was to realise the actor also plays the vicar in Close Quarters?

Up in 'that city', Doyle is waxing nostalgic. Apparently, he went to school here for a bit.

This scene coupled with the one at the end when Bodie suggests the time with Annette was Doyle's first and Doyle protests that he wasn't and he was nearly fifteen, causes me to boggle a bit each time. I know they each try to out do each other but how low would they go in terms of what age they started having sex? I then start to muse on how many hundreds of women they have gone through since then and start to smirk a bit so perhaps we should move hastily on.

Doyle: "And the doctor says it's doing his fractured eyelash so much good."

I adore the fractured eyelash bit - could watch it over and over :)

Cowley: "The thought of that doesn't intimidate you?"
Green: "Intimidates? It excites, George, it excites me. To have everything in my power."

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts, absolutely. It just shows how lucky we are to have a strong willed and principled Cowley in charge or look what CI5 could become.

Watch Cowley's very slight and understated reaction to Green boasting of being younger than him.

And yet, Green doesn't look terribly fit or healthy compared to Cowley.

while Doyle becomes very tensely angry. He takes police corruption very personally.

Another favourite scene - Doyle is so very disgusted with them and calls their bluff so efficiently.

Bodie and Doyle prepare to leave town, Hayes and Curry style.

Oooh, another ASJ fan, Jo? Who do you favour? <BG>

Overall...well, the plot is not without its flaws, but who cares when there's so much else to enjoy? Cowley is at his most devious best here, riffing off the Minister and subtly working on Green. Doyle looks fab, and the Lads are in sparkling good form. It's all good!

Certainly is!



Rachel said:

Cowley takes Pelling up for a drink, and they appear to be in his gentlemen's club.

Are you sure? I always thought it was Cowley's home.

I've just looked at the novel version and it says: "He reached his own apartment block".

Overall...well, the plot is not without its flaws, but who cares when there's so much else to enjoy? Cowley is at his most devious best here, riffing off the Minister and subtly working on Green. Doyle looks fab, and the Lads are in sparkling good form. It's all good!

I agree, this is a good episode, I love Cowley's interaction with Green, feeding him leading questions: you can almost hear him willing Green to go over the top in his quest for power.


Birgit said:

Up in 'that city', Doyle is waxing nostalgic. Apparently, he went to school here for a bit, although we are given some solid canon information when he confirms to Bodie that he mostly came from Derby. Of course, his sojourn in 'this city' that was long before Green and his new broom swept in and lowered the crime rate so drastically.

Well, considering Doyle's revelations in Mixed Doubles, I reckon his career as a young tearaway would have ended prematurely under Green's supervision. <g>

They then head to the local prison to check out a few more stories. No unsolved crimes allowed in this city.

There's a very nice bit of clever timing in this scene - notice how Doyle waits until they've passed the copper (complete with dog) before answering Bodie's question. I wonder, though, how Doyle actually got the information without giving away who he was or rousing suspicion on the coppers'/ prison officers' behalf.

Do blokes really do that? Exchange the phone numbers of girls they've got lucky with? And do the girls really agree to go out with blokes they've never met, but have just been passed on to? Wow. I obviously mix with completely the wrong sort...

I'm no judge (it was definitely different in my time last century, but remember Deborah and Mandy from Hijack? When Bodie asks Debbie about Mandy's boyfriends, the answer is a laconic "how long have you got?" that really says it all :)

And over they get pulled again.

I love the way Doyle starts to seethe with anger about this treatment, especially the way he echoes the copper's spiel (nothing like falling back on old experience, eh?) and Bodie admonishing him to calm down. Lovely interaction between the two lads. :) What makes me a bit is why Doyle keeps his papers in the car - his insurance papers, okay, but his driving licence??

Cowley is wonderfully dismayed to only be offered tea or coffee,
in place of his beloved whiskey!

Do you think that's what he thinks? I've always reckoned he was annoyed about having to go through all the polite stuff while dealing with a man he clearly finds appalling.

He hides the bag of evidence, and heads out to give himself up, much to Bodie's dismay. But he follows suit

Exactly. Another bit of the implicit faith they have in each other and their supporting one another, exactly like...

It is no use, however. Bodie takes a few hefty whacks for resisting arrest, they are pushed into Chives' car and off they go.

... Doyle goes along starting to kick "his" copper when Bodie raises a riot although Doyle clearly can't be in favour of it. Nice cross-over action to show how well they work as a team.

In the car, Doyle now allows his despite for Chives to show.
Doyle: "You must be out of your mind."
Chives: "Yes. I've considered that as one line of defence."
It clearly isn't Bodie's day as he takes a few smacks to the face while cuffed and unable to defend himself, resulting in a bloody nose.

Watch Doyle's face in that scene - awwww :)

It's not one of my fav eps, but still a very good one, especially in view of the banter and relationship stuff.


Jo wrote:

Cowley is wonderfully dismayed to only be offered tea or coffee, in place of his beloved whiskey!

Do you think that's what he thinks? I've always reckoned he was annoyed about having to go through all the polite stuff while dealing with a man he clearly finds appalling.


Watching the scene last night, Green offers Cowley a drink, and Cowley opens his mouth to make his request (which, I can only assume is for his favourite tipple), but before he can speak Green bustles on offering tea or coffee, waxing enthusiastic about some brand of de-caf or other, and Cowley deflates with disappointment. That particular moment of quiet disgust is definitely about the drink. The rest of it is about how appalling Green is, though.


Birgit said:

That particular moment of quiet disgust is definitely about the drink. The rest of it is about how appalling Green is, though.

Ah, okay, point taken. Perhaps I should watch the ep again... after all, you're definitely right that Doyle looks a treat in this one. But maybe that's why I obviously didn't watch Mr Green's ambitions on the de-caf front with due attention. <g>


Daisy said:

Oh yes, thanks Jo! Lovely to come home to after another long Tuesday at work!

Was anybody else as astonished as I was to realise the actor also plays the vicar in Close Quarters?

Yes, I was! I guess it's because he's a good actor and the characters are so different, but it took me quite a few viewings (never a trial <g>) to notice in the first place.

I adore the fractured eyelash bit - could watch it over and over :)

Ohhh yes, I love this scene. Doyle's face is a picture (see, I do sometimes focus on something other than Bodie!).

I always thought it was Cowley's home. I've just looked at the novel version and it says: "He reached his own apartment block".

That's interesting - I've always assumed it was one of his offices. But I concede, as I haven't read the book. Plus, Cowley says to Pelling 'my place' is on the -something- floor, so I guess it must be his apartment.

Do blokes really do that? Exchange the phone numbers of girls they've got lucky with? And do the girls really agree to go out with blokes they've never met, but have just been passed on to?

Personally, I'd find it extremely creepy if I gave my number to a bloke
and then got called by one of his random friends! Plus also maybe a little
offended.

Watching, Doyle is appalled and intervenes. Chives promptly tries to fit him up for some random crime the previous week, only for Bodie to take his turn at intervention.

I love the way Bodie intervenes just as he senses that Doyle could use a
hand. Teamwork.

What makes me a bit is why Doyle keeps his papers in the car – his insurance papers, okay, but his driving licence??

I reckon it's because they're always speeding, so probably get pulled over
a lot - might as well have these things to hand I suppose <g>.

"…you are here to watch me, aren't you, George?"
Cowley (dour as a rainy day in Glasgow): "Aye."

Cowley strikes me as the sort of man who'd hate to lie unless absolutely necessary- this line is so perfect.

At their new offices, Bodie and Doyle unload boxes of leaflets from the car.

I love the little scene in the doorway, Doyle's _expression - they are completely taking the mickey out of the whole situation, but it's very funny!

He hides the bag of evidence, and heads out to give himself up, much to Bodie's dismay. But he follows suit

He doesn't exactly look pleased though! And I love the way he takes the safety catch off just next to the copper - just to prove he could've shot his ear off if he'd only wanted to.

Doyle looks fab!

Do you think we could take a moment out the wax-lyric-ing about Doyle to recognise how incomparably beautiful Bodie looks in this episode? A vision in black. A vision running in black. A vision in a blue shirt (brings out the colour of his eyes - and the shape of all his muscles <g>). The lovely white shirt and the close up in the office. The lovely polo neck look. And, we also get a bit of Bodie skin shown in this episode! How can you have failed to mention that?! Perhaps not the side I'd've chosen but beggars can't be choosers <g>

Anyway that's more than enough from me - but yes, an excellent episode!


Rachel said:

Green instantly jumps to the conclusion that Cowley must be about to retire and is sizing him up as a potential replacement, and starts toadying and fantasising at once. Watch Cowley's very slight and understated reaction to Green boasting of being younger than him.

A bit belated I know but I looked up the actor, Paul Hardwick, who plays Green and guess what? he was actually 5 years older than Gordon Jackson!

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