This series went on for several years and although I have only managed to see the first season, if every season is as good it definitely rates a 10!! In the tradition of "The Bill" and "Taggart" (for gritty realism) this was a terrific series that spanned the 1990s - who knew that the Dept. of Customs and Excise was such an exciting place to work. I bet this show was responsible for a huge recruitment drive for the department. Every episode highlights a particular crime - drug smuggling, a paedophile ring, triads, even armed robbery and the knock, knock, knock on the door that means that customs has come calling!!
The underlying story shows how constantly rubbing shoulders with criminals corrupts the weak. For me the four stand out stars in series one are David Morrissey, Jack Ellis, the flamboyant Anthony Valentine and Ian Burfield. Morrissey plays Gerry, one of the forces up and coming juniors but he is being bled dry, money wise, by his mercenary ex-wife and his credit card and account has just been frozen by the bank. Eddie (Ellis), on the other hand has had to take an early retirement due to the onset of motor neurone disease - he doesn't know how he will face the long years of life in a wheel chair. Enter sinister coin smuggler George Webster (Valentine) who instantly sizes up the situation when Gerry is sent to investigate the smuggled coins. A few throwaway questions shows Gerry is desperate for money and weak, so he sends him tickets to a football match and sets in motion recruiting him. Gerry is torn by loyalty to his work at first but he is dismayed when Eddie, who he has invited to the game for a treat, proves to be putty in the villain's hands - easy money and women break down Gerry's defences.
Ian Burfield as Tommy would have to be one of the scariest villains ever on TV. A complete psychopath, his psychotic outbursts, his very blasé suggestion to Eddie that his wife can be made away with for the right price and the fact that the hotel receptionist is completely terrified of him makes for unnerving watching. Eddie, as well as his disease, also has the added burden of feeling that his wife is seeing other men. She isn't, that is just part of his sickness and stress, but she does need someone to talk to and when Eddie sees her and Gerry together he loses his head and they have a brawl in the pub. His pent up feelings and emotions make his scenes memorable and it is quite amazing that his best known role is as the evil prison guard, Jim Fenner, in "Bad Girls". Presiding over all is Malcolm Storrey as head of the department Bill Adams, the gentle giant whose voice is never raised above a whisper - except sometimes!!
Highly Recommended.
The underlying story shows how constantly rubbing shoulders with criminals corrupts the weak. For me the four stand out stars in series one are David Morrissey, Jack Ellis, the flamboyant Anthony Valentine and Ian Burfield. Morrissey plays Gerry, one of the forces up and coming juniors but he is being bled dry, money wise, by his mercenary ex-wife and his credit card and account has just been frozen by the bank. Eddie (Ellis), on the other hand has had to take an early retirement due to the onset of motor neurone disease - he doesn't know how he will face the long years of life in a wheel chair. Enter sinister coin smuggler George Webster (Valentine) who instantly sizes up the situation when Gerry is sent to investigate the smuggled coins. A few throwaway questions shows Gerry is desperate for money and weak, so he sends him tickets to a football match and sets in motion recruiting him. Gerry is torn by loyalty to his work at first but he is dismayed when Eddie, who he has invited to the game for a treat, proves to be putty in the villain's hands - easy money and women break down Gerry's defences.
Ian Burfield as Tommy would have to be one of the scariest villains ever on TV. A complete psychopath, his psychotic outbursts, his very blasé suggestion to Eddie that his wife can be made away with for the right price and the fact that the hotel receptionist is completely terrified of him makes for unnerving watching. Eddie, as well as his disease, also has the added burden of feeling that his wife is seeing other men. She isn't, that is just part of his sickness and stress, but she does need someone to talk to and when Eddie sees her and Gerry together he loses his head and they have a brawl in the pub. His pent up feelings and emotions make his scenes memorable and it is quite amazing that his best known role is as the evil prison guard, Jim Fenner, in "Bad Girls". Presiding over all is Malcolm Storrey as head of the department Bill Adams, the gentle giant whose voice is never raised above a whisper - except sometimes!!
Highly Recommended.