One for the tv planner - all time favourite Sweeney episode

[Arthur Pringle]

Going off topic slightly I noticed on Network's site that a play starring John Thaw from 1984 called 'Killer Waiting' is being released as part of a trilogy of plays in September-
networkonair.com/shop/2223-killer-5027626434649.html

I visit Network every so often to check if any more Sweeney blu rays are scheduled for release, it's been over 3 years since the first series came out!

[Del Boy]

Jul 16, 2015 12:46:47 GMT Alex Drake said:

Taste of Fear for me is also a good stand alone episode.

Hargreaves in the phone box and the slow motion panic attack, just brilliant, Cook in the travel agents you can really believe he's 'lost it', the best baddie surely, fantastic acting. We were used to the relationship between Regan and Carter but Hargreaves and Cook were just incredible in this. We are so used to hearing about mental health issues now but this was new territory for a 70's show. Interesting to see two different takes on 'mental' breakdown.

Great points Alex.
For me this episode demonstrates why the Sweeney was so popular at the time. It was pushing the boundaries of television drama and was the benchmark show at the time. 
This particular episode has the normal Sweeney squad interaction that we had got used to over the first two series but added a hopeful new recruit who turned out to be a dangerous liability,  just at the time that they were dealing with some clearly nasty violent crooks.

They were portrayed brilliantly, especially by George Sweeney. His deranged very believable Tim Cook character really had you rooting for Regan and co to remove them from the streets ASAP.

[Superclassic]

My favourite Sweeney episode....it's always tough,this question.Others have chose a couple,so I'm going to plump for Poppy and Ringer. Ringer had three absolutely spot on villains and a very good storyline-for the first episode it's an absolute belter.Poppy is a cool episode with a good story,a vicious villain in Vic Labbett,and it has a very tasty car chase too,with one of my favourite Sweeney lines..."I hope you're bloody insured".Class.  

[Charles Bronson]

I would say Taste Of Fear is my favourite episode, although there are some other episodes I also like very much indeed, such as Ringer, Bait, Thou Shalt Not Kill,and Faces.
What a fantastic series I never tire of watching the episodes again and again.

[Albert Riddle]

Well bronson you know I like to be different it's loving arms for me not everyone's favourite I know but I love arty ward character quality !!!

My second favourite is queens pawn then placer ?

[Cartman]

Yes I like loving arms, also visiting fireman.

[John Steed]

Great series and so difficult to say which are my favourite episodes but for now;

Faces
Night Out
Taste of fear
Contact breaker


Steed 

[Dirty Epic]

Bloody hard one this but my fave three are Faces, Poppy and Taste of Fear.

Faces. An interesting tale of Mancunian gangsters getting involved with anarchists. Colin Welland is excellent as Tober the no nonsense hard as nails ex-marine you know could kill you with his bare hands. He’s also much more savvy from a criminal PoV than the anarchist thrill seekers he’s got involved with but he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place when they threaten his daughter and the criminal codes he lives under. Also interesting in showing how the secret service infiltrated such groups and how they’d hang people out to dry (Jenkins – Keith Buckley) if things went wrong.

Poppy. So many of Trevor Preston’s Sweeney episodes could feature here but I’ve gone for Poppy. Vic Labbett (James Booth) is back in London a few years after skipping after a heist from a merchant bank. Quite selfish he’s not contacted his wife/kid in this time nor intends looking up old flames or associates. He's got a deal with Sterndale and a go between Vane to exchange his ‘poppy’ for diamonds before he heads abroad again. However a chance sighting from one of Regan’s snout’s blows Labbett’s cover and both the squad, his wife, associates and an old flame Kay Nolan are on his tail wanting him or something from him. Things come to a head when Regan and the squad close in and Labbett thinks Vane has double crossed him and kills him. Things don’t end well for all parties in the end in this one and it’s one of those Sweeney episodes where it all comes together brilliantly.

Taste of Fear. Arguably the most violent Sweeney it introduces Tim Cook (George Sweeney) a ex-squaddie with PTSD after a ill fated tour in Ulster. AWOL from the army he and another absconder Ames have taken to crime under the wing of a draughtsman Tug Wilson (Arthur English). They rob the house of a bookmaker Pat Shaw and his Irish accent sets off Cook who kneecaps him. This brings them to the attention of Regan and the Squad and a career minded new recruit Bob Hargreaves (Norman Eshley). Hargreaves is the polar opposite of Regan however initially Regan welcomes him into the squad. However after a ill fated operation to apprehend Cook and Ames Regan becomes critical of Hargreaves. This turns into hostility when Hargreaves cowardly side turns violent and he bashes Wilson to find out when Cook and Ames are hiding. With Haskins already on his back about Hargreaves Regan has a word with Wilson regarding Hargreaves. Meanwhile Cook has terrified Ames’s sister to allow them to stay in the travel agents where she works. There's a showdown between Cook, Ames and the Squad which again sees Hargreaves cowardly side manifest itself as he leaves the rest of the squad to sink or swim against Cook and Ames. Another episode which I feel comes together well and it set things up nicely for the follow up On the Run.

There’s probably another ten episodes I could change for these three and having not watched much Sweeney for a while would be interesting to see if our favourites change as time goes on. But for me these three just seem to be three of may standouts in a excellent TV show unmatched even 40 years on. Perhaps I'll give them a watch again some time soon after having a break from them over the last few years too.

[Batgirl]

I also have 'Taste of Fear' amongst my favourite episodes.    'Bad Apple' isn't a favourite but Jack Regan looks quite tanned and hot in that episode, just for your info. Alex Drake.

[Charles Bronson]

There are so many good episodes of The Sweeney, but I'd go for "Taste Of Fear", "Thou Shalt Not Kill", "Bait",  "poppy", and "Faces" ( I love Colin Welland's performance in this episode.)  
"Taste Of Fear" has to be my favourite though.