Video review

Minder series 1, volume 3, episodes 7-9. Rated PG.

Minder is finally being brought out for home viewing. Amazingly for the first time, it's being released in original UK broadcast order by Clear Vison. Even more amazingly, it's on both Region 2 DVD and PAL VHS for the UK market.

I've reviewed the VHS release here. The DVD has a few more features, but I didn't get the DVD review copy, only the VHS!

Series 1, episode 7

First broadcast 10th December 1979 by Thames Televison.

This episode is fairly typical of first-season Minder. The show is still about Terry (the show was created as a vehicle for Dennis Waterman after all!), but Arthur certainly has his moments, primarily for comic relief, but he does move the story on from time to time.

Since we know that Arthur and Terry live in Fulham, it's a little strange that Arthur's local newsagent is in Southall - even in 1979 the Asian capital of Britain. The scene is set firmly in that part of West London when the man who owns the car that Terry is repossessing works down the road at Park Royal.

Terry is not happy with his lot acting as a balliff and as a bouncer at "The Lonsdale" (the Winchester seems not to be a regular in the series quite yet), and seems to want to quit working for Arthur, but Arthur finds him "one last job" working as a Minder at his local newsagent for Mr. Mukerjee. Much is played on the cultural differences between the Asian family and the native Londoners, especially when the newsagent's young daughter is revealed to be a true Londoner herself, to her father's chagrin.

Terry does some detective work, and once again proves that he is all heart. However, there are plenty of fists flying near the end of the episode.

Good story, if slightly non-PC these days. Not much comedy, but plenty of Terry acting the fighter that he is.

George Cole ­ Arthur Daley;
Dennis Waterman ­ Terry McCann;
Saeed Jaffrey ­ Mukerjee;
Graham Stark ­ The Car Owner;
Shireen Anwar ­ Indira;
Ahmed Khalil ­ Aslam;
Stanley Lebor ­ Wilson;
Roy Evans ­ Elderly Man;
Edwin Brown ­ Harry;
Christopher Scoular ­ Young Driver;
Mike Grady ­ Kevin;
Michael Fleming ­ Immigration Officer;
Eamonn Boyce ­ Barman;
Clive Hornby ­ Norman Gibbons;
Spencer Banks ­ Keith;

Executive Producer - Verity Lambert;
Producers - Lloyd Shirley, George Taylor;
Writer - Leon Griffiths;
Director - Peter Sasdy.

Watch out for...

Remember Mike Grady? He played Wolfie's hippy flatmate in Citizen Smith.

Series 1, episode 8

First broadcast 17th December 1979 by Thames Televison.

A slight change in direction here, as high drama, though still present, gives way to more comedy than we've had so far. The introduction of George Layton as Terry and Arthur's mate Des (seem once before this episode) was more than a stroke of genius. For Des sounds and acts stupid, yet he has all of Arthur's guile. If you don't remember Des (he was "just" a recurring character) he ran the under-the-arches dodgy garage and mechanics. A sort of cross between EastEnder's Frank Butcher and Phil Mitchell, with more than a hint of Barry thrown in for good measure.

The story starts with a mini-cab driver being diverted from his cab so that a pair of youths can burn it out. Then we realise that the firm he works for, Candy Cabs, has Arthur as it's major shareholder. After learning that this is not the first such incident, Arthur decides that someone is trying to put one over on him, and he installs Terry (who has just been squarely beaten in the boxing ring) as an undercover driver to get things sorted out. More comedy here as Terry is less than keen, especially considering the car that is provided. As if we needed to be told that we're now watching comedy, the musical score now switched to that plinkety-plonk piano beloved of the Keystone Cops et al.

Now we're getting to the Minder that kept the show in the nation's hearts for so long. Drama, fisticuffs, but plenty of laughs too. Still no Dave though.

George Cole ­ Arthur Daley;
Dennis Waterman ­ Terry McCann;
Alfred Burke ­ Kevin;
George Layton ­ Des;
Michael Bruce ­ Barry;
Charlie Hawkins ­ Greg;
Darryl Read ­ Billy;
Oscar James ­ Dave;
Morgan Sheppard ­ John;
Diana Malin ­ Debbie;
Daphne Anderson ­ Katie;
Eric Mason ­ Paddy;
Michael Hughes ­ Mini-cab driver;
Vicki Woulf ­ Woman in Flat.

Executive Producer - Verity Lambert;
Producers - Lloyd Shirley, George Taylor;
Script Executive - Linda Agran;
Writer - Tony Hoare;
Director - Francis Megahy.

Watch out for...

Oscar James as cabbie Dave - he went on to play Tony Carpenter the Carpenter in EastEnders.

Series 1, episode 8

First broadcast 1st January 1980 by Thames Televison.

The eighties start here, but with a whimper rather than a bang. Despite an excellent cast, there just seems to be something wrong with his story. Perhaps Leon Griffiths' original Minder concept had overtaken him.

Terry is bouncing at a nightclub, and he is disgusted by the unncessary violence shown by one of the other bouncers. Whilst Arthur (doing some actual carrying for a change) and Terry are delivering some iffy vodka to a club, they hear a girl singing very badly, and Arthur falls in love. He offers the girl, Sharon, a lift home in the Daimler, and becomes her manager, spending lots of money on her.

'Er indoors isn't happy about it, and throws Arthur out, so he has to stay with Terry. Arthur asks to be woken early so that he can take his children to school [Yes, you read that correctly. Arthur apparently has children!] After sorting out a gig for Sharon, and spending plenty more money on it, Sharon leaves him, and Arthur realises that he's been ripped off. So he asks the now anti-violent Terry to get his money back.

A great start to the rest of Minder's history. We not only get Dave and the Winchester, but also a couple of cameos for Patrick Malahide in the role he would make famous - DS Chisholm. Alas, the backstory is too out of place for this to be really Minder as we know it. Just seeing Arthur snogging a girl half his age is beyond my suspension of disbelief, but that's with hindsight. Perhaps on the first day of Minder's golden decade it wasn't. But we have to watch this with hindsight, so...

George Cole ­ Arthur Daley;
Dennis Waterman ­ Terry McCann;
Glynn Edwards ­ Dave Harris;
Patrick Malahide ­ DS Albert "Charlie" Chisholm;
Sheila White ­ Sharon;
Eric Deacon ­ Chris Lambert;
Brian Croucher ­ Big John;
Anthony Heaton ­ Vic Piner;
Gennie Nevinson ­ Penny;
Peter Blake ­ Barry;
Aaron Shirley ­ Sammy;
Tommy Wright ­ Henry Piner;
Richard Hunter ­ Alan;
Michael Melia ­ Freddie.

Executive Producer - Verity Lambert;
Producers - Lloyd Shirley, George Taylor;
Script Executive - Linda Agran;
Writer - Leon Griffiths;
Director - Mike Vardy.

Watch out for...

Brian Croucher played the traitorish Travis in Blake's Seven. He then went on to play the brother of Kathy Beale/Mitchell in EastEnders.

Peter Blake went on to appear as Kirk in the BBC comedy "Dear John".

Michael Melia played Eddie Royale in EastEnders, the short-term landlord of the Queen Vic who was murdered in the square by a drug-crazed Nick Cotton.