So Brian tells Esther about Jack. One down, two to go! Hopefully that was to raise his mood.
I actually enjoyed tonights episode - mainly cos I never do NOT enjoy an episode of New Tricks, but I suppose the first episode without Jack permanently (as opposed to his temporary absense a few years ago) was always going to look a bit strange and it did, specially with them not investigating in two pairs as they always did. One on his/her own looked odd!
Plus Brian was carrying the burden of what he knew so there was no comedy bits in at all, and that's the only episode that's ever happened.
I've never watched a Harry Potter so I didn't get the school thing!
So, definitely not one of the best, but I still enjoyed it, even if no one else did!
And of course, episode after next we're back to a foursome again.
There wasn't really much humour last week but it worked.
The problem was there was no dynamic, they didn't really work together as a team and there was far too much plot and far too many characters for them to have a bit of time together like they normally do.
Even with just the three of them we could have had a lot more interaction between them, more emphasis on what they were feeling.
So Brian tells Esther about Jack. One down, two to go! Hopefully that was to raise his mood.
I actually enjoyed tonights episode - mainly cos I never do NOT enjoy an episode of New Tricks, but I suppose the first episode without Jack permanently (as opposed to his temporary absense a few years ago) was always going to look a bit strange and it did, specially with them not investigating in two pairs as they always did. One on his/her own looked odd!
Plus Brian was carrying the burden of what he knew so there was no comedy bits in at all, and that's the only episode that's ever happened.
I've never watched a Harry Potter so I didn't get the school thing!
So, definitely not one of the best, but I still enjoyed it, even if no one else did!
And of course, episode after next we're back to a foursome again.
There wasn't really much humour last week but it worked.
The problem was there was no dynamic, they didn't really work together as a team and there was far too much plot and far too many characters for them to have a bit of time together like they normally do.
Even with just the three of them we could have had a lot more interaction between them, more emphasis on what they were feeling.
I feel as though all the personalities had been sucked out of the investigators. They were going through the motions rather than working as a team like they have before.
After 8 years and 67 episodes, it was always going to feel odd without him, but those 67 episodes will always be there to watch.
It's just different now. And as I said before, the first episode was always going to be the strangest one, specially as there was no humour in it at all, and it's the only episode you could say that about. Every episode has had at least one comic exchange!
They made Brian particularly subdued in this episode - for obvious reasons. Hope he's back to his usual self next week.
And I wonder if we'll see Mark this series. When that woman asked Brian what his son did I instantly said to myself 'have they remembered he's an accountant'? Obviously they had - but it was strange the way Brian said he used to be and he doesn't know what he does now.
This plot is way too shoddy, they seem to be rushing through each strand of the investigation so it's hard keeping track. ......
Glad it wasn't just me either. I've always enjoyed NT, but last night's episode just seem to leave me cold. The plot was so convoluted that at 10 o'clock I was no wiser about it than I was at 9 o'clock.
That was poor again. I could accept last week as a misfiring experimental episode, but now it looks as if this will be the new style. Yeah, it's nice seeing the old gang and guest stars like Brian Pettifer, but as many have said, this doesn't feel like New Tricks. For the second week we meet the suspects first, which feels wrong to me and is a symptom of a change in focus. In the past we usually start with the cops, with Scampi digging up a body or Gerry getting into debt etc. But now it uses a standard cop show formula where the story could have been written for any set of cops and they don't collect clues in a Gerry-like or Brian-like way.
The end bit where Gerry tells Sandra off was the first moment in two episodes where Gerry has acted like Gerry, while Sandra didn’t appear involved. Even Brian being depressed came over poorly. It was how most of us would react, but not Brian. He can spiral out of control over toy soldiers or go obsessive if someone moves his paperweights, but the impending death of his best friend makes him only mildly vague so that even his wife doesn’t get worried.
It wouldn't matter too much if the story was at least interesting, but all the ideas such as Brian bonding with the kid and the school being racist were introduced and led nowhere. I could tell the episode wasn't working when the biggest discussion point in our house was whether the sterile house had featured on Grand Designs.
Sorry about the moaning for those who get upset about this sort of thing, but for me, no longer is the success of this series resting on the new bloke, but on whether the writers return to the winning formula of character and good stories and humour. No secret tunnels behind the wardrobe would help too. Oh and while I'm moaning, my tv doesn’t like New Tricks either. I assume they're filming in HD, but scenes in the dark or with a strong light source are blocky like a picture taken on an old camera phone. And I had to keep playing with the sound as I couldn’t hear anyone. In short, must do better, a lot better.
There certainly seemed to be a problem with sound. I could hear Sandra, Brian and Gerry OK, but other actors were all but inaudible. I had the sound turned up to full on my kitchen TV, and was beginning to wonder if my hearing was going! But it seemed to be a feature of the sound recording on the show.
Can anyone explain about the undercover private detective, Clare Swan aka Swain, please? Did they say she died in a car accident just when she was about to give her employer (the developer) the information she had discovered? And if they did, then was it really an accident? Bit of a coincidence? If it wasn't an accident, did they find out who did it? I don't know whether I wasn't paying enough attention or if they didn't explain that bit properly!
Can anyone explain about the undercover private detective, Clare Swan aka Swain, please? Did they say she died in a car accident just when she was about to give her employer (the developer) the information she had discovered? And if they did, then was it really an accident? Bit of a coincidence? If it wasn't an accident, did they find out who did it? I don't know whether I wasn't paying enough attention or if they didn't explain that bit properly!
She was a victim of a hit 'n run a couple of days after leaving the school, but before she had collated her evidence for the developer. Thus she was on UCOS' files as an unsolved case which meant the UCOS team could continue with the case even when the dental records confirming the skellington's identity came in from New Zealand.
I suppose the implication was the Headmistress killed her too but not much was really made of it (or if it was I missed it:o).
I also didn't like last night's episode. Brian and Gerry just were not their usual selves. There was no atmosphere about it all.
I was glad when Gerry made a reference to Jack last night wanting to know if a replacement had been found for him yet.
I think we need more undercover stories involving the three of them - remember the one at the nursing home?
Couldn't believe James Bolam has already been cut from the credits
Comments
Could be, as I fear the spell has now been broken, along with the programme's dynamic.
I actually enjoyed tonights episode - mainly cos I never do NOT enjoy an episode of New Tricks, but I suppose the first episode without Jack permanently (as opposed to his temporary absense a few years ago) was always going to look a bit strange and it did, specially with them not investigating in two pairs as they always did. One on his/her own looked odd!
Plus Brian was carrying the burden of what he knew so there was no comedy bits in at all, and that's the only episode that's ever happened.
I've never watched a Harry Potter so I didn't get the school thing!
So, definitely not one of the best, but I still enjoyed it, even if no one else did!
And of course, episode after next we're back to a foursome again.
The problem was there was no dynamic, they didn't really work together as a team and there was far too much plot and far too many characters for them to have a bit of time together like they normally do.
Even with just the three of them we could have had a lot more interaction between them, more emphasis on what they were feeling.
I enjoyed it.:)
I've never watched a Harry Potter either.
I feel as though all the personalities had been sucked out of the investigators. They were going through the motions rather than working as a team like they have before.
After 8 years and 67 episodes, it was always going to feel odd without him, but those 67 episodes will always be there to watch.
It's just different now. And as I said before, the first episode was always going to be the strangest one, specially as there was no humour in it at all, and it's the only episode you could say that about. Every episode has had at least one comic exchange!
They made Brian particularly subdued in this episode - for obvious reasons. Hope he's back to his usual self next week.
And I wonder if we'll see Mark this series. When that woman asked Brian what his son did I instantly said to myself 'have they remembered he's an accountant'? Obviously they had - but it was strange the way Brian said he used to be and he doesn't know what he does now.
I will miss Jack saying 'Bollocks!' though.
I'm glad he told her, I was worried the burden might start him drinking again.
Glad it wasn't just me either. I've always enjoyed NT, but last night's episode just seem to leave me cold. The plot was so convoluted that at 10 o'clock I was no wiser about it than I was at 9 o'clock.
The end bit where Gerry tells Sandra off was the first moment in two episodes where Gerry has acted like Gerry, while Sandra didn’t appear involved. Even Brian being depressed came over poorly. It was how most of us would react, but not Brian. He can spiral out of control over toy soldiers or go obsessive if someone moves his paperweights, but the impending death of his best friend makes him only mildly vague so that even his wife doesn’t get worried.
It wouldn't matter too much if the story was at least interesting, but all the ideas such as Brian bonding with the kid and the school being racist were introduced and led nowhere. I could tell the episode wasn't working when the biggest discussion point in our house was whether the sterile house had featured on Grand Designs.
Sorry about the moaning for those who get upset about this sort of thing, but for me, no longer is the success of this series resting on the new bloke, but on whether the writers return to the winning formula of character and good stories and humour. No secret tunnels behind the wardrobe would help too. Oh and while I'm moaning, my tv doesn’t like New Tricks either. I assume they're filming in HD, but scenes in the dark or with a strong light source are blocky like a picture taken on an old camera phone. And I had to keep playing with the sound as I couldn’t hear anyone. In short, must do better, a lot better.
She was a victim of a hit 'n run a couple of days after leaving the school, but before she had collated her evidence for the developer. Thus she was on UCOS' files as an unsolved case which meant the UCOS team could continue with the case even when the dental records confirming the skellington's identity came in from New Zealand.
I suppose the implication was the Headmistress killed her too but not much was really made of it (or if it was I missed it:o).
I was glad when Gerry made a reference to Jack last night wanting to know if a replacement had been found for him yet.
I think we need more undercover stories involving the three of them - remember the one at the nursing home?
Couldn't believe James Bolam has already been cut from the credits
Unless you meant the opening title sequence (I have yet to watch it)?
Yes, I too.
Yes, we had to keep turning up the sound and then turning it down again