andrew jones I remember watching the last few series of Minder in the 90's as they came out. I really enjoyed them and so I've been stocking up on the early episodes that are repeated on a regular basis on sky.Here we have wheeler dealer Arthur Daley played by the great Veteran actor George Cole and his diminutive Minder played Dennis Waterman. The show was started with the idea of it being more about Waterman's character and Arthur daley would be more secondary.... Yeah like that was ever going to happen! A bit like racing a bullet train on a bicycle and then being surprised with the outcome.George Cole makes the show for me,his portrayal of Arthur is superb. The facial expressions the "Mockney" he uses and the spot on timing are brilliant. Waterman was good but he was never going to hold his ground or steal George Cole's thunder here, ironically Waterman was the one boxing out of his weight.Arthur Daley is several rungs up the ladder from "Del boy" in only fools and horses. He owns properties, has a car lot, drives a nice Jag or Daimler and has a minder. This said, on his manner he was still only thought of as small time. He didn't discriminate at all,he was quite happy to do business with anyone just as long as there was a "nice little earner" in it.I sometimes felt like the Terry McCann character was selectively stupid for the most part. He was clever enough to save the day or come to the rescue when one of Arthurs grubby deals back fired, but time and time again he was always stupid enough to get involved in the first place. It was clear that producers or writers still thought Waterman was the star because in a huge amount of episodes women just want to jump into bed with him at the drop of a hat! (yeah right) Also his hard man image strains the boundaries at times. Perhaps these plot holes were added to boost Waterman's inflated ego??? Also his appearance makes him the least convincing ex-boxer in the entire world.Lots of great secondary characters make each episode worth watching even if your not keen on Arthurs latest deal. Notable performances from Glyn Edwards as long suffering Dave, owner or part owner of the Wincherster club. Not only does he have to put up with Arthurs bar bill slate being longer than the great wall of China,he is often sucked into his dodgy deals as well. Patrick Malahide as DS Chisholm who can never quite nail Daley for anything and has probably ruined his career trying.The early episodes are the ones to go for but don't look to harshly on the later 90's episodes there are still some gems to be had,even if it was just more about comic situations,such as Arthur having to spend the night in a scruffy old canal boat or being trapped in his own lock-up. Enjoy!

naseby I'm trying to think offhand of a dreadful episode of this series - it should be said though, through no fault of his own, Gary Webster who played Ray after Terry left didn't quite cut the mustard as well as 'Tel'. Dennis Waterman (Terry McCann in Minder) was a popular actor at the time, following up from his success as Sergeant George Carter, tough but respected copper in police drama 'The Sweeney' with John Thaw. Obviously, in 'Minder' his associate, the spiv-like conman, 'Arfur' Daley,(George Cole) stole the show, scheming, ducking, diving and wheeler-dealing. Being able in talking his way in, let alone out, of tricky situations, with his 'spiel' (a term not used now, meaning fast-talking and lies, basically!). We're offered the reason in the opening credits if missed, that Arthur has taken Terry on to be his 'minder' - all things tough, hard, to be minded including Arthur's dodgy goods in his lock up the 'export and import' empire - (Fire damaged smoke alarms, need I say more!) he also had a car lot, with of course dodgy motors. Arthur has plenty of sidelines going involving his low-life connections and his intent to aspire to being a respected businessman means he tries also to con his way in to respectable people's lives in offering 'his services' and proclaiming he is 'one of them'. These are his 'earners', that inevitably go awry at some point leaving Terry to pick up the pieces. Terry is the lovable-rogue type, ex-con trying to go straight - but remember he works for Arthur Daley of all people - that's going to be a contradiction in itself! Terry, although working for Arthur still retains dignity and honesty, pulls the birds, is hard where it's needed only, but is constantly at Arthur's beck and call, but sometimes puts the spiv in his place! George Cole played his role like a true master - even getting himself an 'earner' by ending up portraying the same-like character in a series of commercials for a building society. He actually reprises a role from 'The St. Trinian's' films of the 1950's, as a character called 'Flash Harry' - obviously this has taken fruition even more here!Arthur often referred to the missus as " 'er indoors", who we never actually see! The duo were ably served by some great support from Glynn Edwards as 'Dave' the barman, with his sardonic comments (Arfur: "...that suit I got you was a 'steal' Dave." "Yeah," replies Dave, "And I know the bloke that stole it!"). And of course, the police were sniffing around on the duo with slimy 'Charlie' (Albert) Chisholm, brilliantly played by Patrick Malahide, ("It's you, Daley, the plot sickens.") as was Mr Rycott (Peter Childs)and their respective partners, 'Taff' Jones and 'Mellish'. They were always ahead of these four, when they thought they'd get them. Even though you knew they were crooks, you couldn't help but laugh when they got away with it. Some fine established British actors appeared in it as did ones who were going to go on to other things. Good support also from a young Ray Winstone and George Layton as very dodgy motor mechanics-cum car thieves! You always got your money's worth with this series, at least up until Terry's departure (As I've said, no fault of Gary Webster, perhaps if the roles were reversed I'd be saying it was better with him in it).

Corky1984 George Cole and Dennis Waterman team up in an ITV classic. The show combines subtle humour with genuinely entertaining scripts and a whole host of brilliant supporting characters. The show lets stories develop over an hour rather than rushing through them and puts today's so-called comedy dramas in the shade. The early episodes were more serious and hard-edged, but the comedy was apparent even then. As the show progressed Cole took over as the centre of attention, playing cockney geezer Arthur Daley, a TV masterpiece. Waterman's easy going style made for a great double act. Barman Dave is another great character, his members only Winchester pub being the local haunt of all the low level crooks on the manor! The language used in Minder is very funny at times, I love the Cockney slang they use, like 'er indoors' for wife, and 'sobs' for pounds! Of course Cole is the star of Minder, his trademark brown overcoat and trilby hat always raising a smile even before he's made one of his dodgy promises! The show coped very well with Waterman's departure at the end of the 80s, the new chap brought in to replace him fitting in well. ITV nowadays consists mainly of cheap and tacky gameshows and reality programmes, all of them terrible. Minder was an original and in many ways unique show. It should appeal to fans of the Sweeney and those who enjoyed Only Fools and Horses. Minder is actually better than Only Fools, not getting mired down in sentimentality. It's a shame no terrestrial station will repeat it, it'd thrash most of today's programmes.

Mike-792 Brilliant British TV series starring George Cole as Arthur Daley, a shady businessman and used-car dealer on London's "alternate economy". Dennis Waterman is Terry McCann, Daley's business associate and bodyguard, or "minder", hence the title. The show ran for several years and usually centered on Arthur hatching some half-baked scheme, only to escape just a half-step ahead of the police or British mobsters. Patrick Malahide played Det. Sgt. Chisholm, a low-rent Javert who always seemed to let Arthur and Terry slip through his fingers.