2.1 National Pelmet

[westldner]

I was watching this again. I thought it was funny and interesting how Terry started the episode "I don't know what I'm doing here!?". Never thought the first series was a success, so maybe it help explained how Dennis Waterman really felt about starting another series.

[eightiesclassic]

Mar 7, 2016 16:38:29 GMT jno said:

Mar 6, 2016 22:07:55 GMT bensonrad said:

I am not sure what beach they are on later though with the horses, as that was not Brighton, you got to love TV editing when they walk out the shop and are so swiftly at the stable, not sure where that was filmed, nearest race track would be Plumpton. Story line was not the greatest and a bit of a let down with the so called villain at the end.

All filming location information for 'National Pelmet' is here: www.minder.org/locations/S02E01_NationalPelmet.htm

The seafront at Littlehampton, being nice and open and very accessible, lends itself very well to filming - most notably doubling up for 'Devon' as a field trip destination in the In-betweeners ("get the sea-police out")

[eightiesclassic]

Nice to see a young and perky Liza Goddard doing the "Posh Totty" schtick in this one. Almost as yummy - a nice bit of Mk1 Range Rover action, always good.

A little disappointed in Terry's character in this one actually, in how dismissive he was of Rita's overtures. Ok, so he wasn't interested, he didn't have to be so much of a tool about it.

[ltd]

Feb 15, 2018 9:45:56 GMT thewoodster said:

And Liza Goddard scrubbed up alright back then..lol

She guest stars in an episode of Davidson era Dr Who and looks great with an 80s rock chick hairstyle.

[Twin2]

Watched this today too (what happened to my "no more than 2 episodes a day"?! I should have known it wouldn't last  )

Rita screeches on for just a little bit too long imo and I too thought Terry was a bit rude to her, okay he didn't fancy her but he could have been a bit more polite about it and I think he would have comforted her with a quick *arm round the shoulders* even if it was just for a millisecond so she didn't read too much into it.

[barrythebook]

Oct 28, 2019 16:26:49 GMT Twin2 said:

Rita screeches on for just a little bit too long imo and I too thought Terry was a bit rude to her, okay he didn't fancy her but he could have been a bit more polite about it and I think he would have comforted her with a quick *arm round the shoulders* even if it was just for a millisecond so she didn't read too much into it.

Terry was a little blunt towards Rita wasn't he and to be honest that wasn't really his style.

He comes across as quite arrogant and big headed in his scenes with Rita - i didn't like it either.

[jjmolloy]

Oct 28, 2019 19:00:43 GMT barrythebook said:

Oct 28, 2019 16:26:49 GMT Twin2 said:

Rita screeches on for just a little bit too long imo and I too thought Terry was a bit rude to her, okay he didn't fancy her but he could have been a bit more polite about it and I think he would have comforted her with a quick *arm round the shoulders* even if it was just for a millisecond so she didn't read too much into it.

Terry was a little blunt towards Rita wasn't he and to be honest that wasn't really his style.

He comes across as quite arrogant and big headed in his scenes with Rita - i didn't like it either.

Yes I fully agree, it was most un-Terry like not to let Rita down gently, as he always showed understanding to everyone he met across the series. Equally, a well known 'bird bandit' like Terry would surely have realised from the off that he made no impression on Jocelyn and didn't stand a chance!

Excellent episode but the whole Terry/Rita/Jocelyn line just didn't add up at all.

[pr1]

I enjoy this episode more each time I watch it. Fifty minutes of pure, great entertainment.

[logie]

Disappointed in this as an opener to S2; there are some decent moments such as A&T on the train down to Brighton, and Terry munching on the horse's nosh but overall I found it dragged, and Terry's attitude toward Rita was a bit un-necessary. Always good to see Jim Norton though, he had some nice scenes with DW. I agree Ken Hutchison was wasted in his role - a fine actor who could have been utilised better. Interesting that both he and Norton were in 'Straw Dogs' together.

Overall, though it's nice to see them off the manor for a change, i think 'A load of bull...' is a much better 'away' episode.

[jno]

Press photo:

[barrythebook]

When Terry catches him and takes him to the ground it soon turns into a different story.

I think is the only time that we Terry in a fight situation that he doesn't know how to handle.

[harryshand]

Nothing more to add other than agreement that the train scenes are peak Minder. Very good opener to S2.

Great banter between Arthur and Terry all the way through this tbh.

[myinspiration]

Dec 8, 2017 13:12:40 GMT root said:

Mar 15, 2015 20:28:58 GMT VAT said:

This ep has one of the best ever Minder scenes...on the train to Brighton! Sheer class, Arthur & Terry swaying all over the place, buying a fruit pie and dodgy sandwich and moving out of the way for backpackers and Arthur telling Terry about Mugs and "Pakistani craftsmen or no Pakistani craftsmen!"

And Sir Johnny Gielgud stuffing an individual fruit pie into his North and South! Priceless

Very, very, funny line!

[nationalpelmet]

Agreed. Some superb dialogue between them on the train. Seem really relaxed that brings out the characters. And for an earlier episode some great humour with Pelmet’s “trouser coughs” and the two gross of Milton’s which are destined to be sold outside Stamford Bridge. Liza Goddard looking very lovely. The only thing slightly out of kilter is the crazed ex husband, not sure if it really fits in but what do I know !!
You look like an inside forward, my son 😆

[barrythebook]

Dec 2, 2020 21:18:51 GMT nationalpelmet said:

 The only thing slightly out of kilter is the crazed ex husband, not sure if it really fits in but what do I know !!

On the first viewing, I seriously thought that the fire being set in the stables and the big guy in the black suit hanging around at the race track, was someone trying to 'nobble' the horse.

This would have been a more suitable storyline imo.
Could have been a few heavy types who'd bet big on another horse and wanted to make sure Pelmet didn't ruin the day.

[gra966]

Watched this one on You Tube last night , as hadn t seen it for a while . A brilliant episode for comedy scenes & dialogue between Arthur & Terry , also one of the few that steers away from the usual London locations . However , I have to agree that it does appear to lack something . One of the main factors being , no interaction with Dave in The Winchester & also no involvement from either Chisholm or Rycott .
The scene with Terry trying to get to sleep , with the horse farting , still has me laughing out loud . Terry s line about the china figures being knocked up by a bunch of Pakistanis , in a shed behind Orient football ground , would most certainly be cut from tv showings today .
I also have to agree that someone like Ken Hutchinson , should have had more limelight in the episode & perhaps we could have seen more of Liza Goddard s character . The  summary states the episode was filmed around April 1980 , which would explain why Ken Hutchinson , looked absolutely frozen , in the final scenes , when he ended up in the water . The fire in the stables looked pretty fierce & I am sure it would have taken more than just one fire extinguisher to put it out . However , reading previous reports , I believe the blaze was much bigger , off screen !! 

Most of the car spotting in this episode , involves a large assortment of background vehicles , in the racecourse car park . Near the beginning , Arthur & Terry walk passed a first generation Audi 100 , a pond green Rover SD1 & a couple of Renault 20s . Later on we see an old grey Morris Oxford , a white  VW Beetle & a nice red Jensen Healey . Not forgetting of course , the usual collection of ancient Bedford TK horseboxes . 
We also see O Brady transporting the hay bales in a Mini Moke & Jocelyn & Everitt share a mustard coloured Range Rover . An " OLD " friend ( in more ways than one ! ) , turns up at the end , to take away a rather soggy Birkett , the regular MK2 Escort panda car , that appeared in just about everything , at the time . 

I am surprised Liza Goddard didn t turn up again in Minder , playing a different character . In the mid 1980s , we were more used to seeing her , as re occuring Bergerac villain Philiipa Vale . Surprisingly , we never saw her in The Sweeney or The Professionals . 

7/10 

[jjmolloy]

They wouldn't get away with it now No.347

When they are at the point to point and Arthur ridicules Tel's choice of horse (ridden by Liza Goodard) He sneers ''But it's got a bint on it!''  

Ahh those glorious carefree non PC days..  

On the train down to Brighton Arthur waxes lyrically about the Brighton Belle, this was a very luxurious train running from Victoria to Brighton, top class carriages, food etc.
It was much favoured by theatrical types such as Laurence Olivier, JohnGielguld, Led Zep manager Peter Grant and others especially the late train which they would catch back down to the south coast after the West End theatres finished up for the night.


Brighton BELLE LAST RUN - YouTube

Also we see a great shot of the beautiful but ill fated West Pier, closed due to safety since 1975 and gradually falling to bits since including a fire and storm damage. I lived near Brighton in the late 90s so will always have an affection for the place. 

[jjmolloy]

In addition we see Jim Norton as O'Brady the head groom, seen 15 years later as Bishop Brennan in Father Ted!!

[bigaitch]

Not a favourite of mine as I felt the plot was a bit weird...however some great dialogue on the train journey, especially a trip down memory Lane with corridor and compartment type carriages.
Any appearance from Liza Goddard has to be commended....and the flatulent horse and Terry’s reaction is hilarious.

[kelotoph]

Rated this one as 'Good'. The plot's a bit thin, but well handled by the cast. I loved the train sequences at the beginning, reminding me what good old British Rail slam-door trains were like back in the day. The dialogue between Arthur and Terry on the train is excellent as well. Like others, I thought that Terry's rebuff of Rita was rather ungentlemanly. Ken Hutchison had 'suspect character' written all over him from the start and of course, he was not out to nobble Pelmet after all. I was tickled by the idea of turning the 'Miltons' into Chelsea Footballers - at the time, the 'Miltons' would probably have beaten Chelsea! Favourite line was after Jocelyn introduced herself to Arthur:

    Jocelyn: Hello, Jocelyn Maxwell-Saunders"
    Arthur: "Arthur Edward Daley"

Not funny in itself, but shows Arthur's lack of social sophistication.

[billyfarmer]

Below is a Press Photograph (which I obtained on eBay).



Written below, the words which can be found on the back of the above Press Photograph.

Thames Television

Thursday 11 September 1980

Minder

9.00 - 10.00pm

National Pelmet

Dennis Waterman and George Cole return to ITV tonight, as Terry (the Minder) and Arthur (his guv'nor), in a new thirteen-part series of Minder, filmed entirely on location in London.

In National Pelmet, Arthur plans to unload some reproduction pottery on the Hon. Jeremy Burnham-Jones (Robert Swann), a Brighton antique dealer who also races horses, In an effort to gain Jeremy's confidence, Arthur arranges for Terry to mind one of his horses, Pelmet, is one of Britain's foremost chasers, and there is reason to believe that someone plans to either steal or injure the horse, Terry is not happy about spending nights with a horse in it's stable, especially as Rita (Jane Carr), the stable-hand, appears to be more interested in Terry, than the horse.

Pictured: top left, George Cole as Arthur Daley, to right, Jane Carr as Rita, bottom left, Liza Goddard as the jockey, Jocelyn, bottom right, Dennis Waterman as Terry McCann, as seen in Thames Television's opening programme, in a new series of Minder.


Some inaccurate information above, the second series of Minder, wasn't filmed entirely on location in London.

[westminster]

Always found Liza Goddard too much of a head-girl type for me, but she does look rater tasty in this episode. It would have been to see her in other Minders.

ps. Liza Goddard was married to Christopher Biggins for a while if my memory serves me right. Which is just bizarre 

[steve99]

Didn't know Liza was married to old Biggins. She was certainly married to Alvin Stardust for a good while, although I don't know if his chat-up line was asking her to be his coo ca choo whilst pointing at her with his gloved hand. That was bound to do the trick. I quite like this episode and the scenes on the train journey are good - thankfully no deeply unconvincing pretend scenery on show. It was typical of Arthur to say to Terry it wasn't so bad sleeping in the stable whilst Arthur enjoys the good life in a nice hotel, at least until he ventures onto the balcony and cops an earful of old plaster.

Willis Hall being more or less forced to change the storyline to horse racing shows the folks who oversaw greyhound racing were clearly very sensitive to even a fictional programme inferring there were sometimes shady goings-on at their tracks, however I'd be surprised if there wasn't. Too easy for dodgy geezers to make some money I'd have thought. If it can happen in horse racing - and it certainly does outwith Jocelyn and Jeremy's little fiddle - it must surely occur in dog racing. Despite there being no jockey I can't believe no one's ever slipped a dog some food they shouldn't have or even a pill prior to he race to achieve a 'result'.

Not sure why Terry was so offhand with Rita - maybe he just didn't fancy her and didn't want to give her any false hopes. Plus having to share a stable with the equine raspberry blower whilst realising he has no chance with Joceyln may have put him into grumpy mode (to think Tel reckoned Jeremy was playing for the other side - what a sickener!) Having the contents of his suitcase hosed out and tucking into the nag's laxative-laced grub wouldn't have improved his mood either.

I see there was a real fire at the stables and surely to goodness no one lit up a fag in Pelmet's presence, given its tendency to trump frequently. Dennis Waterman said in ReMinder the horse's flatulence was for real so if someone did strike a match it won't have been Dennis. A classic if maybe untypical line of Arthur's in this episode when he says Rita must have better manners in the kip than the 'orse. Who knows though, maybe Rita was one for Dutch Ovens* and this was what sent her ex over the edge.

*I believe these were first referred to in a Barbara Cartland novel and were a source of conflict between the dashing hero and his lady.

[coyote]

Jun 9, 2021 19:40:23 GMT westminster said:

Always found Liza Goddard too much of a head-girl type for me, but she does look rater tasty in this episode. It would have been to see her in other Minders.

ps. Liza Goddard was married to Christopher Biggins for a while if my memory serves me right. Which is just bizarre 

She wasn't, it was former Doctor Who Colin Baker. Biggins was always "out", at least to the acting community, and overtly camp to the public in characters such as "Lukewarm"



As an aside, the transition between Peter (Moffat) Davison and Baker was when I stopped watching Doctor Who, I loved Davison but thought Baker was terrible.

[westminster]

Jun 9, 2021 23:44:34 GMT coyote said:

Jun 9, 2021 19:40:23 GMT westminster said:

Always found Liza Goddard too much of a head-girl type for me, but she does look rater tasty in this episode. It would have been to see her in other Minders.

ps. Liza Goddard was married to Christopher Biggins for a while if my memory serves me right. Which is just bizarre 

She wasn't, it was former Doctor Who Colin Baker. Biggins was always "out", at least to the acting community, and overtly camp to the public in characters such as "Lukewarm"



As an aside, the transition between Peter (Moffat) Davison and Baker was when I stopped watching Doctor Who, I loved Davison but thought Baker was terrible.

Ahh, right. I'm not sure where I got the Biggins thing from. But it did seem a little unlikely, to say the least.  

[McCann]

Jun 9, 2021 19:40:23 GMT westminster said:

ps. Liza Goddard was married to Christopher Biggins for a while if my memory serves me right. Which is just bizarre 

Cawww that'd be one for the scrapbook  

[steve99]

I remember seeing Chris Biggins on TV years ago, not in character and maybe on This Is Your Life, and it was mentioned that he was married to a woman in the 70s for a few years but I don't think she was well-known.

[ltd]

Jun 9, 2021 19:40:23 GMT westminster said:

Always found Liza Goddard too much of a head-girl type for me, but she does look rater tasty in this episode.

I know what you mean about her being the head girl type. That said, I do like her guest appearances in Bergerac which often  have sense of fun about them, although she's surprisingly chilly in the one where she's facing off with a woman crime boss type. I forget the title of the episode.

[myinspiration]

The 'religious nutter' ending spoiled this one for me. It added nothing, and the actor was terrible.
As someone says above, him being a horse rustler or an equine spy would have been perfectly adequate.

But Johnny Gielgud, and his individual fruit pies going into his North and South, are classic Minder!

[steve74]

Series 2 starts off with an episode that has Terry and Arthur away from the manor. It is set at a horse racing stables and has Terry protecting the stables prize racehorse Pelmet. This episode is a classic case of two halves with the first half being classic Minder and the second not quite living up to that standard. As said by others the train journey down to Brighton is one of my favourite sequences in Minder - "Can you see Johnny Gielgud with his light ale slopping around in his plastic beaker while he stuffs an individual fruit pie into his north and south" - love it. The scene where Arthur shows off his 'antique statue ware' to Terry is priceless - "It's an ornament, a statue, it's a geezer" - "I don't think Arthur Negus could have nailed it better". I laughed at Terry kipping down with Pelmet, what with the horses flatulence problem. I enjoy the stable scenes but I think the plot loses it's way slightly and I could do without Rita's screaming at her ex husband. I also think Terry came across rude towards Rita which seemed out of character. Love the ending with Arthur getting Terry to paint the statues in the blue of Chelsea "Do what?". So all in all a mixed bag of an episode for me but there is a lot more good than bad. 4 out of 5.