Taggart (TV Series) Football Crazy (2000) User Reviews

Taggart does football.

[bethwilliam · 6/10 · 11 April 2008]

It was only a matter of time before Taggart turned to football as a setting for murder.

Jackie Reid and her fiancé enjoy their day off at the local football field. After the match the umpire is found dead from a heart attack. His body has been laid out with a red card in his hand. Dr. Stephen Andrews finds he is the victim of disrespect rather than foul play.

However Sir Archie Drummond, an influential Board member is found crushed beneath a vintage car a few days later. The investigation leads back to the club which is having a very bad season. Jimmy McEvoy, the manager is also poisoned. Finally, the business manager is also brutally murdered. Each victim receives a red card before they are dispatched.

Suspicion falls on the club owner, Alan Hamilton, who has been fiddling the books. He stands to gain if the club is sold and its assets liquidated.

It isn't until the end that Jackie realizes that only a mother's love is a stronger motive for murder. This is a well written episode that sees a number of sub-plots develop. Jardine's efforts to court WPC Heather McIntyre is priceless.

Killer football

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 4 June 2019]

'Taggart' is overall not quite one of the classic detective/mystery dramas/series (have been a big fan of many of them for much of my life, and always get excited when something new comes along). Like to love a vast majority of the episodes from the Taggart (particularly so, more consistent, and Jardine periods while not being as enthused with the Burke era. Especially when the episodes became too short and rushed and when the cases became bland and tired.

"Football Crazy" is not one of the best 'Taggart' episodes, while also not one of the worst. Both extremes applying for both the Jardine period, the bizarre "Apocalypse" being to me the worst from this period, and of the overall show. It is a solid episode with the setting made good use of and better than the previous episode "Wavelength" (which was still not bad at all), albeit not a great or "killer" one.

A tighter pace, at times, would have been more welcome, particularly in the early stages of the episode.

While there is less of a running out of ideas feel than in "Wavelength" some of the execution is slightly on the ordinary side.

But there is really not much to dislike and a lot to like. The story is compelling on the most part, with the final solution not being a predictable one, and the subplots are written well and doesn't bloat or clutter the episode. There is a better balance of case and team personal life than in "Wavelength", while still making the team interesting. Also loved everything with Jardine.

As always for 'Taggart', "Football Crazy" looks great visually. have always loved the gritty, like-a-character-of-its-own Scottish setting, the moody colour palette that adds to the grit and the slick photography. The music fits well and doesn't intrude or feel dull, while the theme song is not one to forget. As to be expected, the episode is solidly directed. The acting is fine, with James MacPherson and Blythe Duff in particular being very strong as expected, as is their chemistry which was always part of the charm of the Jardine-era episodes, while Robert Robertson steals his scenes. The team work really well today and always love how they go about solving the cases. John Michie is settling well.

Intriguing is also a good way to sum up the writing, it provokes thought too and while a serious episode it doesn't take itself overly seriously too much or become too dark. There is enough to keep one guessing and a mystery is always great when there are no shortage of suspects and that's the case here.

Overall, solid but not great. 7/10