Glasgow UCOS

It Seems New Tricks May Be 'Getting To The End Of The Day'
As had been quite clearly flagged up at the end of the previous series, Series 9 included the first change of personnel amongst the four main characters since the show was launched in 2003, as Jack Halford retired from UCOS. However, he did appear in the first episode just to tidy up the circumstances of his departure.

We had to wait until Episode 4 to meet Jack's replacement, DI Steven McAndrew played by Denis Lawson. He is a hard headed Glaswegian who has been drafted in to help the team. McAndrew is completely different from Jack Halford, and I think the script writers made absolutely the right decision here and it would have been a mistake to try to clone Jack which would have resulted in the inevitable and constant comparisons.

Apparently James Bolam, who played Jack Halford, wanted to leave as he felt the show had become stale. I would beg to differ as the script writers have continued to come up with some very interesting and varied stories. For...

Talk about addiction!
I'm almost through the second season of NEW TRICKS.
Unless the writers have had brain embolysms, I plan to go the full distance.
The casting is as good as it gets: you will be in love with the four characters within ten minutes into the pilot,
and will enjoy the working out of each character's charm and eccentricity, even more than the narratives themselves.
Character-driven is a useless term - "Hamlet, one of Shakespeare's most clearly character-driven plays" - but when the author is musified by his or her creations, the plot is the least of it. Character is all.

Applause to the writers, directors, and the exceptional cast. Every night, before my cats and dogs, I dance to NEW TRICKS' theme.

Being seventy-two, of course, helps!

Show not stale....it has been stripped!!!
Several people including the actors have stated that the show has become stale. That is the reason James Bolam (Jack) stated for why he left this season. It is also the reason, posted throughout the internet, that Redman and others will be leaving after season 10.

The problem is not staleness (doing the same thing) but rather they got rid of any and everything that made this show fun. Gone are Jerry's wifes and kids, gone is Brian's dog and Esther barely makes an appearance every couple of shows. The show has the feel of a job (we've all been there) that has had a change of management and ever body now has to tow the company line.... no more fun, nor more excitement...let's get rid of all and any employee morale. Lawson's McAndrew replaced Jack in episode 4 (and except for a brief dinner with Esther) had little or no fanfare. Here was an opportunity for several episodes of him interacting with the team in various funny situations. Can you imagine McAndrew with Gerry's...

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