ned
One Of Your Own
Posts: 168
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Post by ned on Jun 30, 2020 17:59:03 GMT
Series 10 is very uneven. There's a couple of top notch episodes like All Quiet on the West End Front and Bring Me The Head of Arthur Daley, and then there's this. All over the place tonally.
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Post by ltd on Jun 30, 2020 18:12:48 GMT
Made it to the end and what a strange episode. Totally baffling and surely doing someone in the business a favour. But who though Harry, who? Was it, as some have suggested, a public information film type about mental health? Did it then get cancelled for some reason, and then padded it out to make a full length series episode? It's certainly an enigma, and not in a good way.
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Post by harryshand on Jun 30, 2020 18:47:22 GMT
Made it to the end and what a strange episode. Totally baffling and surely doing someone in the business a favour. But who though Harry, who? Was it, as some have suggested, a public information film type about mental health? Did it then get cancelled for some reason, and then padded it out to make a full length series episode? It's certainly an enigma, and not in a good way. Maybe the writer chap ltd, but to be honest I dunno. It definitely has the feel of a training video padded out to an overlong episode.
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ned
One Of Your Own
Posts: 168
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Post by ned on Jun 30, 2020 19:23:42 GMT
www.imdb.com/name/nm0254707/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_smPreviously when this episode has been discussed, not much has been known about the writer Arthur Ellis. I had (possibly unkindly) assumed it was one of those industry pseudonyms used when a piece of work goes badly awry. But there is now a brief biography on IMDB and it seems that the writer has had his own struggles with mental health. Which makes the portrayal of depression in this episode seem even more bizarre.
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roytro
Car Lot Browser
Posts: 16
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Post by roytro on Jun 30, 2020 21:32:43 GMT
Interesting. Was going to ask whether the writer penned anything else.
Can't really add to what other people have said. Felt like it was two halves written by two people who weren't speaking to each other. Was probably trying to be edgy and profound, especially for the time, but the writer simply didn't have the finesse to carry it off. A shame, because it's a waste of one of the show's final episodes.
Still voted it average, though, which I know is generous, but I couldn't bring myself to mark anything with GC in it as poor.
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Post by ltd on Jul 1, 2020 7:01:11 GMT
www.imdb.com/name/nm0254707/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_smPreviously when this episode has been discussed, not much has been known about the writer Arthur Ellis. I had (possibly unkindly) assumed it was one of those industry pseudonyms used when a piece of work goes badly awry. But there is now a brief biography on IMDB and it seems that the writer has had his own struggles with mental health. Which makes the portrayal of depression in this episode seem even more bizarre. Interesting stuff there, thanks ned. Looks like an author trying to put his own personal experience in his work. Nothing wrong with that (write what you know and all that) and it's a shame it doesn't come off in his Minder episode.
I know The Black and Blue Lamp is well regarded in some quarters and I'd very much like to see it. Appears to be yet another of those BBC productions the corporation is quite happy to leave languishing in the vaults.
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logie
One Of Your Own
Posts: 249
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Post by logie on Jul 2, 2020 9:59:18 GMT
www.imdb.com/name/nm0254707/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_smPreviously when this episode has been discussed, not much has been known about the writer Arthur Ellis. I had (possibly unkindly) assumed it was one of those industry pseudonyms used when a piece of work goes badly awry. But there is now a brief biography on IMDB and it seems that the writer has had his own struggles with mental health. Which makes the portrayal of depression in this episode seem even more bizarre. Brilliant find, Ned. Well done mate
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logie
One Of Your Own
Posts: 249
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Post by logie on Jul 2, 2020 10:02:48 GMT
Also seems as is if he wrote that IMDB bio himself, which would explain the candour within...
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logie
One Of Your Own
Posts: 249
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Post by logie on Jul 2, 2020 10:08:15 GMT
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Post by ltd on Jul 2, 2020 16:51:25 GMT
Flagged as a security risk by Firefox, Edge and Chrome and won't proceed any further. Anything dubious about it logie?
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roytro
Car Lot Browser
Posts: 16
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Post by roytro on Jul 2, 2020 20:12:23 GMT
It's actually a nice-looking site, once you get into it. Doesn't look like it's him, though:
"Jon Manning started Arthur Ellis in 2017, naming this movement after his Grandfathers. Arthur Manning and Ellis Graham."
Bit of a coincidence, though.
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logie
One Of Your Own
Posts: 249
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Post by logie on Jul 3, 2020 6:23:39 GMT
Flagged as a security risk by Firefox, Edge and Chrome and won't proceed any further. Anything dubious about it logie? Quite possibly. I didn't get much further than the title page; proceed with caution all ye who enter there...
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Post by McCann on Jul 23, 2020 8:34:04 GMT
This is dreadful. It does drag. The weakest episode of all. Everyone has an off day.
But it is out of synch with the rest of series 10. I would wonder if they ran out of budget and that impacted on this one.
The only high point is Dave trying on the syrup of figs. He looks ridiculous.
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Post by ontheslate on Jul 23, 2020 9:43:19 GMT
This is dreadful. It does drag. The weakest episode of all. Everyone has an off day. But it is out of synch with the rest of series 10. I would wonder if they ran out of budget and that impacted on this one. The only high point is Dave trying on the syrup of figs. He looks ridiculous. You are spot on there it drags on and has a total none ending the episode seems to be bodged together
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Post by Toecutter on Nov 4, 2020 0:35:20 GMT
This is dreadful. It does drag. The weakest episode of all. Everyone has an off day. But it is out of synch with the rest of series 10. I would wonder if they ran out of budget and that impacted on this one. The only high point is Dave trying on the syrup of figs. He looks ridiculous. You are spot on there it drags on and has a total none ending the episode seems to be bodged together I always think he looks like DW in that syrup.
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Post by jno on Nov 4, 2020 4:24:45 GMT
The most I get from this is enjoying the 90s vibe, watching Arthur & Ray doing a humdrum day early 90s, as well as the snowy cemetery. As a Minder story though, it's non-existent and this is the only time I have ever voted 'Rubbish'. You so expect something to happen but it never does. I think it's fair to say this one is by far the worst episode of Minder in its entire run.
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Post by ltd on Nov 6, 2020 22:29:28 GMT
The most I get from this is enjoying the 90s vibe, watching Arthur & Ray doing a humdrum day early 90s, as well as the snowy cemetery. As a Minder story though, it's non-existent and this is the only time I have ever voted 'Rubbish'. You so expect something to happen but it never does. I think it's fair to say this one is by far the worst episode of Minder in its entire run. It's an absolute turkey. The only one I possibly dislike more is The Long Good Thursday.
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Post by dcjones1 on Dec 21, 2020 22:10:20 GMT
This episode reminds me of how soaps and non-soaps have helplines at the end of episodes. Now I certainly don’t think important issues shouldn’t be discussed, but there is time and a place and entertainment programs should be just that - entertainment. Obviously soaps do deal with ‘issues.’ They are trying (although often miserably) to portray real life. But I still view it is escapism, not a educational film. The recent series of Doctor Who had a ‘depression’ episode like the Minder one being discussed. Doctor Who is about escapist as you get, but the writers seem to want to turn it into a soap opera. It makes me chuckle to think of ‘The Great Depression of 1994’ was made today, there would be helplines at the end of the show. Not quite what Leon Griffiths would of envisioned when he created the show, I would think.
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Post by bigaitch on May 15, 2021 21:54:09 GMT
I thought this was a strange episode that tries to make humour out a serious subject but fails. I accept the attitude towards mental health issues has changed massively in the years since this was filmed, but it just lacks any real bite , drama or, Dave wearing the wigs excepted, any humour. A poor effort.
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Barrel
One Of Your Own
Posts: 130
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Post by Barrel on Jan 17, 2022 19:36:11 GMT
Apart from setting up a minor continuation with James Warrior as D.S. Rogerson (Bring Me the Head of Arthur Daley) and Dave's wig session...not much Again lol....i dunno if its because the first time I've seen it is in the year 2022 and not 1994, and standards of British drama are so much lower now than back than.... but I enjoyed it.. It's a pleasent enough hour spent in front of the tv although the misraeble boat on first the uncle ....than the retired copper ...was overdone.. and could cause others agg. But there was still something to this episode...Arthurs dabbling in psychiatry I found very amusing...I liked the library and funeral locations... and the syrup on Dave drew a chuckle. I think the episode is indicative of how easy viewing so much of the Ray years were. I watched this on a Winters Sunday afternoon.There wasn't the need anymore for the stock big fight at the end with a villain.
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Post by pr1 on Jun 12, 2022 16:01:00 GMT
I didn’t remember the plot to this episode when I put it on to watch this afternoon. I quickly remembered and after about ten minutes I turned it off and moved on to the next episode. Arthur’s quip about the large cardboard check being legal tender is mildly amusing. I sat through this entire episode once. I think that’s enough.
I’d be interested in knowing why the script was ever approved for production. It is too poor to simply blame on the realities of TV production in that something had to be filmed. Weak scripts occasionally do have to be used but this one was a disaster.
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615
One Of Your Own
Posts: 122
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Post by 615 on Jun 12, 2022 21:09:47 GMT
There are a few Ray episodes that you wonder why they bothered (The Cruel Canal). Maybe there might have been a case for some of the weaker episodes of doing them as 2 x 25 minute stories with a linking sketch to join them. After all they did it with Minder's Christmas Bonus, although of course that was a clips collection.
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sambda
Car Lot Browser
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Post by sambda on Feb 19, 2023 4:33:46 GMT
I quite like "The Cruel Canal" but *this* is quite, quite off-kilter. One of the strangest single entries in an ongoing series since "The Swedish Tiger" in "Upstairs, Downstairs".
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Post by jjmolloy on Sept 2, 2023 21:53:03 GMT
It's a side plot as such, and not commented on so far, but former DI Keys, whom Arthur sells a car to clearly is in the early stages of Dementia, with symptoms such as confusion, memory loss, ability to recall events years ago but not that day, and vice versa. It's not referred to as such, the other characters don't seem to pick up on it except to say he's a ''bit muddled''
But back in 1994 awareness of Dementia/Alzeimers generally wasn't very high, non existent really compared to today, where it's an issue that has moved to the forefront with numbers rising and set to keep doing so as we live longer. Since I last would have watched this a loved one has been diagnosed, so when I saw this yesterday on ITV4 it really touched me, whereas it wouldn't have previously.
Perhaps the writers weren't really aware at the time that they were symptoms of Dementia, and some of the other characters comments jarred just a little, when Arthur asked the doctor would Henry be in hospital for long for example, ''a long time'' she replied. Hospitals can't do anything for Dementia sufferers really except to treat infections and provide end of life care, but the characters concern for Henry was very heartfelt and their compassion and understanding was very much evident, and given the knockabout nature of the show generally it reflects credit on the writers and cast on a prime time series made almost 30 years ago, and this storyline for me is the stronger and more important in this episode, and redeems the somewhat silly main plot.
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Post by Portland Road on Sept 4, 2023 21:34:20 GMT
Very good points jjmolloy - people with dementia could be dismissed as a 'nuisance' at that time.
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Post by hollandpark on Sept 14, 2023 10:45:23 GMT
I have to also agree with many comments here, not sure what they were trying to go for. probably my least favourite of all of the post waterman episodes and probably the weakest of season 10. Dave with the wig on was one of the few laughs I got from it. Thankfully the next episode was a cracker
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manta
On Wages
What’s French for en-suite?
Posts: 74
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Post by manta on Dec 21, 2023 16:12:36 GMT
Also have to agree with the many comments here about a truly odd episode. I thought about having my stab about the mental health aspects but what do I know about where this stood in 1994 (and what do I know now) compared to the professionals so I'll keep schtum. It's basically Rubbish as an episode of Minder but the various Arthurisms and the Colditz gag, albeit drawn out, drags it up to a Poor.
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Post by Dazza on Jan 9, 2024 12:11:56 GMT
Never enjoyed this episode..
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Post by ontheslate on Jan 15, 2024 12:53:33 GMT
Never enjoyed this episode.. don't think anyone enjoyed this episode, was the only episode out of all the series I put down as rubbish.
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