38. Nothing's really new

COLD CASE NO NEW TRICKS.

I blame my Leader. There's a thing called Cold Case on Sky Three (FREEVIEW) and she heard about it from who knows who or where. It is about a team of detectives who investigate defunct cases.
Have to admit I was sceptical. Any tele show that is on digital when you first hear about it is like any film that has gone straight to DVD or any DVD that is free with a newspaper. Suspect.
Well, we gave it a try. The first episode we watched was full of flashbacks and meaningful glares. Ah well...

Nothing's really new anyway.

NEW TRICKS SAME COLD CASE.

It helped not if you compared it with New Tricks.
New Tricks had the female boss played by Amanda Redman and the bunch of old detectives played by Alun Armstrong, James Bolam and Dennis Waterman. They investigated abandoned cases.

They were successful. Dennis Waterman's singing was less so.

AND ALL A DEAD END.

Much the same trick was performed years ago by a writer called Roy Vickers with his Department of Dead Ends books.
I was much younger then so to my mind he did it better.

And he didn't have Dennis singing.

THE VACILLATIONS OF POPPY CAREW.

This DVD was obtained via a coupon in my Leader's newspaper. Yeah, I know.
Seems it was originally a television adaptation of the story by Mary Wesley.
It starred Tara Fitzgerald as Poppy with a splendid bunch of co-stars including the inspired casting of Sian Phillips as Calypso, a favourite Mary Wesley character.
Sadly it lacked the unique Wesley writing. She could make the most bizarre situation believable. Invariably did, too. It's hard to capture such magic on film.

Heck, it was gratis and we rather enjoyed it.

PRIME SUSPECT - the FINAL ACT.

We saw this first of a two part thriller which brings back Helen Mirren as Detective Superintendent Jane Tennyson for the last time (allegedly).
It is a harrowing story in which Jane is facing the prospect of a bleak retirement as a lonely alcoholic and it bears no resemblance whatsoever to that of the many retired police officers I know.
Most of them seem to enjoy themselves whether they be re-employed in security work or jobless and constantly holidaying.

Never mind, forget the flaws, on film Mirren is magic.