Cartman
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Post by Cartman on Jan 17, 2018 13:12:47 GMT
What a fantastically compelling episode and what a way to start series 2. There was real human drama in this one, the decent, honest, working class guy (pop) and his sadness at the way his son went off the rails.
Also, the stunning Lesley Anne Down, although agree that she was never that good an actress
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Post by Charles Bronson on Jan 17, 2018 17:20:00 GMT
Yeah,I too was always surprised at how many parts Leslie Ann Down got.she really wasn't all that good as an actress.
She come into the very successful Upstairs Downstairs near the end of the series. I think that is what put her on the map. Then she got a part in a Pink Panther film.
She's been settled in America for nearly forty years now I think.
Charles.
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Cartman
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Post by Cartman on Jan 18, 2018 8:49:29 GMT
She was a sort of 70s equivalent of Kelly Brook, looked amazing, but not particularly talented.
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Lord Emsworth
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Post by Lord Emsworth on Dec 11, 2019 11:25:32 GMT
What a fantastically compelling episode and what a way to start series 2. There was real human drama in this one, the decent, honest, working class guy (pop) and his sadness at the way his son went off the rails. Also, the stunning Lesley Anne Down, although agree that she was never that good an actress
I watched Chalk and Cheese last night - and it's probably one of the episodes I've watched the most
It's class from start to finish.
When I was a nipper I really fancied Lesley Anne Down - later on I transferred my affections to Joanne Whalley, but that's another story for another day.
This episode is as good as The Sweeney gets. As Cartman states, it's got the lot: pathos, grit, human interest, class and privilege, entitlement, and an all too plausible story to anchor it all down.
The sentiment that Tommy Garret (played surprisingly well by Paul Jones) expresses about how his Dad worked all his life for a council house and a colour telly was quite common in this era. The idea that grafting was only for mugs was often expressed in TV and cinema during this era.
I also liked the nods to other stories - the modern day highwaymen motif as Tommy and Giles target the wealthy travelling to or from a night out, and the reference to On The Waterfront, as Pop mourning his dead son, cries he could have been a contender.
Overall it's the mournful, world weary vibe that really works. No laughs in this one, just solid police work to nail a couple of wrong uns. The moral of the tale? Never mess with a posh bird, the toffs will always screw you over.
Brilliant
5/5
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Vienna
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Post by Vienna on Dec 11, 2019 14:45:24 GMT
Top episode analysis there Lord Emsworth. It gets better the more you watch it, IMO. Lesley Anne Down was top class totty back in the day too, as you say. Vi
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Post by Dirty Epic on Dec 12, 2019 7:53:00 GMT
A good review of a good Series 2 episode LE. In my view Tommy has touched lucky and managed to get into what he thinks is a long term relationship with Caroline (Downey) and her circle of friends like Giles Nunn (Shane Briant) and wants that world for himself… shunning the world/past he’s from. In relation to this he see’s his dad/Pop’s hard working, honest ethics as something to go against something which has done nothing for him and will do nothing for him either if he follow’s that… although again in hindsight! Whether his previous hard graft job of scaffolding would have got him there is debateable but it certainly wouldn’t put him in the ‘South Ken set’ he’s aspiring to now although in hindsight perhaps that might have been better for him. Sadly Nunn’s gambling addiction, impulsiveness and lack of street smarts puts Tommy in dodgy situations where the robbery jobs could and eventually do go wrong. Unlike Nunn as Tommy – perhaps due to his upbringing/background, has a conscience and ultimately feels he has to pay a price for what he has done when a man get’s killed in the aftermath of these jobs. Caroline also is stringing along and to some extent using Tommy for her own ends/pleasure and would be nice to think George/Regan could have got something on her – conspiracy, aiding offenders etc. which would make her cosy little world crash down too… sadly they probably didn’t. Another great Trevor Preston episode and you get the feeling here that much of this story has some sort of personal/associate history of things similar. Yes LE your 5/5 rating is spot on.
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Lord Emsworth
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Post by Lord Emsworth on Dec 12, 2019 14:01:40 GMT
Yes agree with all of that Dirty Epic
I'm not totally sure if it's Caroline, or Caroline's world, or both, that Tommy wants
I think it's mainly Caroline herself, who, as we know, is playing him, though does tell him to his face that they are together on her terms and she'll "see how she wants when she wants". Though she never lets on about shagging Giles.
I suspect many of us can relate to Tommy's predicament having lost our hearts (and our minds) to a pretty face and only realised, in hindsight, that the person was probably not good for our long term well being. It's certainly happened to me on a couple of occasions.
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Lord Emsworth
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Post by Lord Emsworth on Dec 12, 2019 14:04:28 GMT
Caroline also is stringing along and to some extent using Tommy for her own ends/pleasure and would be nice to think George/Regan could have got something on her – conspiracy, aiding offenders etc. which would make her cosy little world crash down too… sadly they probably didn’t. Caroline must have been guilty of some offence or another. Possibly even accessory to murder? Surely, at the very least, knowingly giving criminals information to aid and abet violent robberies must exist as some kind of crime?
I reckon she'd have probably been charged with something though would only have got a short sentence, possibly suspended.
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Post by D.C. Burtonshaw on Dec 12, 2019 19:12:44 GMT
Excellent reviews there Dirty Ems - not to mention also, not only was George feeling gutted a great old childhood friend, turned out to go down a very bad path ultimately leading to disaster, poor old Pop Garrett has lost the only thing he was living for......... - quite a stark end to the beggining of the 2nd series, but one of the best in the whole series nonetheless.
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Post by Soldier on May 21, 2020 19:20:38 GMT
Enjoyed watching the repeat of this on ITV4 this morning, don't see this one repeated as much, so haven't watched it for a while.
One of my favourite episodes. Got vague childhood memories of this one.... I would have been 5, and starting school the next day, I sneaked downstairs watching from the door for a couple of minutes until I was spotted! I can clearly remember the balaclavas & the hold up in Tolman's garage.
Thought it was a false memory for a few years, until I finally got round to seeing it about 20 years ago (for some reason, this one doesn't get many repeats. Wonder if there's a rights dispute - when they released the series on iTunes about 10 years ago, it was missing there too.)
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