timsmith37
This was not the first outing for Alan Plater's schoolteacher detectives, who in 1981's Get Lost had been played admirably by Alun Armstrong and Frances Tomelty. However no-one could quibble with the re-casting. James Bolam effortlessly nails each line of the arch dialogue, while the talented Barbara Flynn has that rare quality of looking both believably ordinary and incredibly fanciable. Some wonderful British character actors also get plenty of screen time in what is effectively an ensemble piece. Colin Blakely, Keith Marsh, Danny Schiller, Robert Longden and Keith Clarke all do sterling work, but special mention must be made of Dudley Sutton's tweedy schoolmaster and Terence Rigby's saturnine Big Al, while Dominic Jephcott was a real find as the callow university educated detective. A beautifully constructed series, that remains as pertinent as ever in a society increasingly disrespectful of privacy and intolerant of eccentricity.
willsona-2
Having seen several of the later series, my wife and I were looking forward to this (the series opener) and enjoyed it very much. The review provided on this web page could only have been written by an American. There is a world of difference between American humour, which is mainly action based, and British humour, which relies heavily on the dialogue. By fast forwarding through the first two hours, the reviewer could only have made his incomprehension worse! you cannot watch British movies like that. On the other hand, perhaps his copy, like ours, had the content for disc 3 on the CD that was labeled 'Disc 1' in which case he could be forgiven for getting confused. So far as the characterization is concerned, yes they are a little larger than life, and a little unusual, but as an expatriate Brit., I find most depictions of Americans by American actors equally unbelievable, and frequently find myself asking, "Would that bloke really behave like that?" PS. I spell in English English.
Guy Chapman
If you think "CAddyshack" or "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" are the funniest thing on earth, this is not for you. If you love cool jazz and warm humour prepare for a treat.It's not just the script, although Alan Plater is undoubtedly a genius.It's not just the acting, although not a gesture is out of place, every nuance in its place.It's not just the soundtrack, although the Beiderbecke-inspired jazz soundtrack is superb in every respect.It's the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. Pace? Who needs it. This is a series which proves beyond doubt that frenetic, fast-paced comedy is *not* the be-all and end-all. This is comedy to be enjoyed with a glass of wine and the life partner of your choice; it is as British as chips and brown ale, it is timeless. Watching it again twenty years on it is as perfect as it was on first viewing.
Ian Jones (icj-1)
Set in and around Leeds in the North of England, Trevor Chaplin and Jill Swinburne are teachers in a typical secondary school. Trevor is a jazz freak whilst Jill is an eco-activist. They stumble across some nefarious goings on in the local community and with the help of some unlikely characters solve a tangled web of corruption.The humor in this show is absolutely top notch both in situations and dialog and although I have seen it a couple of times, it never seems to get stale. I love this show.
