Bottlebrush I've just started watching the reruns of this series on TV (I had watched some of it originally). It is brilliant - so funny, original, well acted and with brilliant story writing, each episode actually being unique. All the cast members are great - I remember I went off it a bit when most of the original cast disappeared rather abruptly. The replacements were OK - just not nearly as good as the originals.It's a great shame the BBC doesn't produce such programmes any more. I rarely find the BBC watchable at all nowadays, with its dramas with unpleasant, ugly characters that one doesn't relate to or wouldn't aspire to be like, annoying forced PC messages, and generally poor scriptwriting.But New Tricks is thoroughly recommended!

Prismark10 What started as a rather risky and quirky show about retired cops dredging up old unsolved cases that ended up lasting 12 series with phenomenal ratings.The quality kept up until series 11 when the rapid cast turnover took its toll in the writing and the new characters did not gel quite like James Bolam, Alun Armstrong, Dennis Waterman and Amanda Redman.New Tricks was a phenomenal show for the BBC which started during the reign of Greg Dyke as Director General of the BBC and under his watch the corporation had a renaissance of successful and populist dramas.New Tricks rather reminded me of those Euston Film serials that ITV had in the 1970s and 1980s. A series with a healthy mix of drama and comedy such as Minder and featured a lot of location shooting.Apart from their office, each episode would showcase some part of London, it had a great cast of actors that certainly blended well and the mysteries were enough to keep you entertained. It really was a special show.It is just a shame the wheels fell off a bit when many of the original cast left in quick succession. The final series was a mild return to form but all good things have to end.

kikkapi20 Another of my favorite shows and one I try not to miss. This is one of the very few programs that can keep me at home. I wouldn't miss it for any reason.I just savor every moment of this wonderful series about a group of "old" British detectives who constantly runs into trouble with fine humor and everlastingly rocks "the establishment" within the police force. Quirky, eccentric and not adverse to bursting the bubbles of his snobby and stiff bosses, they're really copper's copper (without the helmet) and always leads us through such an entertaining series of plot twists and turns, it's really quite irresistible. This is fine entertainment by some of the finest British actors alive. It's great fun!

winstonfg For us Brits, it's always nice to see familiar faces back where they belong, and this show does that for both Dennis Waterman and James Bolam. While not quite reaching the heights that 'Minder' did for Waterman, it's nevertheless highly entertaining - and he does get to sing the title theme...AGAIN.The real star though, is Alun Armstrong, whose portrayal of obsessive alcoholic savant Brian is both funny and touching; and the storybase of a "cold case" police unit made up of retired ex-coppers allows plenty of latitude for self-deprecating humour. Amanda Redman is always good value too, and she doesn't disappoint here as the no-nonsense boss of this team of superannuated mavericks.Yes, there are lots of clichés and several improbable situations, but overall it's a good-natured romp with a bunch of old pros. I always try to watch it if I'm in.