Old dogs can still learn new tricks (New Tricks: Series 5 (DVD))

Member Name: blissman70

Product:	New Tricks: Series 5 (DVD)
Date:	10/07/09 (83 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: good stories, fine acting and all round entertaining

Disadvantages: none apart from Waterman singing the theme tune

Creators: Roy Mitchell and Nigel McCrery
Directors: (several, including...) Rob Evens, Martyn Friend, Dermot Boyd and Julian Simpson.
Writers: (several, including...) Nigel McCrery, Roy Mitchell, Chris Coghill and Lisa Holdsworth.
Stars: Alun Armstrong, James Bolam, Amanda Redman and Dennis Waterman

** Please note: this is a review about the series itself and not the DVD as it is not released until September 2009, so I do not know about any extras in the set.

The theme tune, 'It's alright' was composed by Mike Moran and sung by Dennis Waterman.

This fifth series in the crime drama, with it's unique touch of humour was first aired on the BBC in 2008, (to be released on DVD in September 2009), and continues to following the lives of the members of UCOS.... (Unsolved Crime and Open Squad)... as they continue to re-investigate unsolved crimes from the past.
(Although this series is seen as the finale to the entire show I do believe a 6th series has been commissioned by the Beeb to be broadcast in 2009)

* MAIN CHARACTERS...

* Detective superintendent Sandra Pullman, (Amanda Redman), is the head of the four person team and the only 'official' serving police officer.
She is hot headed and likes to get her own way, even if it means shouting a lot, and with a love for her job she likes to get a result what ever the cost.

* John Halford...aka 'Jack', (James Bolam), is an Ex- Detective Chief Superintendent who retired form the force to look after his wife after she was involved in a hit and run accident. He comes across as a calm mannered person but underneath he does have a bit of a fiery temper.
Pullman does sometimes look upon him as a source of knowledge on some cases.

* Gerald Standing...aka Gerry, (Dennis Waterman) is an Ex- Detective Sergeant who seem to be a bit of a lovable rogue with his old style policing and humorous outlook on life. Leaving the force due to punching his superior officer whilst under investigation for corruption.
He is no stranger to women, but with 3 divorces under his belt he is no success with women either... although he does have a few kids which he tries his best to look after.

* Brian Lane, (Alun Armstrong) is an Ex detective Inspector and an ex alcoholic with the mind of a genius, being able to remember the smallest of detail from many years back, although suffering form OCD and slight paranoia.
He is married to Esther, (Susan Jameson), who is probably the most patient women in the world.
His career in the force ended due to a death in custody for which he was held responsible for... but he stands by the fact that he was set up... but his brilliant mind is not lost in UCOS.

* Deputy Assistant Commissioner Robert Strickland (Anthony Calf) who becomes the new boss of UCOS, making the decisions of which cases to re-open and which to leave closed. This rather arrogant 'yes man' is more interested in making himself look good in front of his superiors, thus putting a lot of pressure on the team, constantly checking that they are obeying his every rule.

* BRIEF IDEA...

UCOS is a small team of four (although five if you count the snivelling, pen pushing, politically correct Strickland), who re-open long dead cases and re-investigate them... usually coming up with a result due to modern scientific breakthroughs.
Sandra is seen as in charge of the team, probably as she is still the only serving police officer. She is constantly battling to keep the team together, especially in the early episodes in this series with Jack missing...
So, with her team of ex-police officers she re-opens some unsolved cases, and many old wounds, to finally put ghosts to rest....

Each episode offering a new case for the four person team to crack... with some interesting results.

** WHAT SERIES FIVE DVD will have to offer
* Episodes

* 1... Spare parts...
Jack has to attend court to face the person he thinks murdered his wife, unfortunately, due to his previous actions, the case doesn't go as he wanted, leaving him bewildered.
Meanwhile, the team re-open the murder case of a rich man who left his entire fortune to a prostitute.

* 2... Final Curtain...
The team are in turmoil when Jack goes missing after the court case but still have to reinvestigate a case from the early 90's of a man shot dead on stage by his wife... unfortunately, the case seem to be a little to dangerous for Brian.

* 3... A face for Radio...
An arson attack on a radio station, which a man died live on air, is re-opened as new information comes the teams way... meanwhile, Brian is adamant he can locate Jack before a new member joins the team.

* 4... Loyalties and Royalties...
Gerry is over the moon when UCOS are sent to investigate the death of the lead guitarist of his favourite rock band, although his dreams are soon shattered when he actually meets them.
Brian has his own trouble as he finally locates Jack.

* 5... Couldn't organise one...
A death at a brewery years before needs the teams attention, leaving the men slightly worse for ware... but Sandra has ulterior motives for her investigations as she begins to uncover more facts about her dead father.

* 6... Magic Majestic...
When a magic trick in the past went wrong, ending in murder, the team are asked to investigate...leading to some rather difficult events for Brian.

* 7... Communal Living...
Brian seems to be on the verge of falling off the wagon and soon finds what he thinks is the perfect solution when UCOS begin to investigate a suspicious death... As the case begins to unravel, Gerry begins to realise he needs to sort out his priorities.

* 8... Mad Dogs...
Whilst re-investigating the death of a British soldier at his barracks UCOS come under pressure from higher powers to drop the case... especially when they uncover some disturbing information regarding Soldiers being used as guinea pigs for medical dangerous tests...
Meanwhile, Brian is beginning to crack and is soon back to his old self...

* I do not know about extras on these DVDs as it has not been released yet but I would guess that there will be none... but I could be wrong...


* IN CONCLUSION...

A brilliant series with some continually fine acting styles of Redman, Waterman, Bolam Armstrong to give 8 episodes of excellent drama with that little bit of humour.

The shows writers have decided to stick with the easy pace and realistic story lines, keeping to what the audience have become accustomed, especially with keeping the same cast throughout the entire show, making Sandra and the rest of the gang almost like part of the family.
Pullman does a great job as the slightly aggressive Redman, with her tough stance attitude and will to succeed...then there's Bolam as the grieving Halford, with his mind constantly thinking about his dead wife and the need to avenge her death... Waterman continues to play his part as the Jack the lad Standing and his calm outlook on life, although he does have many more commitments and pressure throughout this series... and finally, to complete the team there's Armstrong, who brilliantly plays his part as the intellectual with a strange attitude to life, constantly on the verge of that alcohol wagon he has been riding since the first episode in 2003... Ow, and not to forget Calf, who is either a very good actor or really is a snivelling ass licker who is more keen on impressing his political superiors than bringing people to justice...

As with the five previous series this one has some very interesting story lines and some good twists... although one or two of the episodes script could have been stole straight from the lockers in the Diagnosis Murder studio... but, regardless, every episode is well written, showing some sensitivity about each individual case which is reinvestigated by the rather strange mixture of characters... and what a strange mixture they are and always have been....


In all, yet another excellent series to compliment the previous four series... bringing many more hours of fine entertainment and some fantastic stories with some interesting ideas thrown in...

You can pre order this series from www.Amazon.co.uk for around £18.00 as it is not available until September 2009... But for this you will get the usual 3 DVDs with nearly 8 hours of brilliant entertainment for you to enjoy.

Summary: With UCOS on your tail you'll never get away with that murder