The murder of a teenage girl leads the team to travelers working at a nearby fairground.The murder of a teenage girl leads the team to travelers working at a nearby fairground.The murder of a teenage girl leads the team to travelers working at a nearby fairground.
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Michael MacKenzie
- Dr Magnus Baird
- (as Michael Mackenzie)
James Cullen
- Policeman
- (uncredited)
- Director
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Featured review
At the fairground
Have loved 'Taggart' (another show gotten into during my teenage years) for a long time, although the more deliberate and even grittier Taggart and Jardine periods to me are superior to Burke's. Although it was actually through watching the late afternoon reruns of the Burke period episodes (starting from "Compensation" right up to when the episodes became shorter, too short in my mind) at one point that got me hooked, the Taggart and Jardine episodes were actually seen a lot later.
Do have to agree that 'Taggart' had run out of ideas by this episode. This was apparent too in "Dead Man Walking" but not near as badly. 'Taggart' was capable of such greatness, such as with most of the episodes from the Taggart and Jardine periods and with "Compensation", "A Death Foretold" and "Judgement Day" of the Burke period episodes. So it was very sad to see it run out of ideas around this point and that it was also capable of episodes as mediocre at best as "Law". It has its moments in a good way but there were some pretty awful things about "Law" as well.
"Law" is not a complete waste. It is made with a lot of grit and atmosphere, as well as a slick style, that fits the gritty tone of the show very well. The scenery once again is both beautiful and uncompromising. The main theme is still memorable and fits the show's gritty tone well.
Some of the middle act is intriguing and atmospheric. The regulars are all very good, Blythe Duff never disappoints and Alex Norton had really grown on me as Burke by this point. The team interaction never looks disconnected, with moments of amusing banter.
Most of the story however did not grab me. It took a long time for the episode to get properly interesting, with a very dull and bland (as well as derivative) first act. The case in general is agreed too much of a series of rehashed ideas past their sell by date, and suffers from a real lack of suspense or surprises and a very fatigued pace. Was not surprised by who the perpetrator was at all, in fact for me everything about the reveal was suspected early on.
Worse is the final quarter or so, where it starts to get silly and where interest was very quickly lost again. Lets not start on the ending, which is not only one of the oldest type of endings for a detective mystery show there is but it was also unbelievably ridiculous and forced. What should have been intense was instead laughable. The supporting characters are not particularly interesting and the supporting cast don't register that much. The script is mundane this time round and it lacks the grit and tautness seen with nearly all the previous episodes of 'Taggart'. The music also shows its age, liked it a lot for a long time for the show but in the mid/late Burke period episodes there is too much of an 80s sound to it and it doesn't fit.
In conclusion, disappointingly mediocre for 'Taggart'. 4/10
Do have to agree that 'Taggart' had run out of ideas by this episode. This was apparent too in "Dead Man Walking" but not near as badly. 'Taggart' was capable of such greatness, such as with most of the episodes from the Taggart and Jardine periods and with "Compensation", "A Death Foretold" and "Judgement Day" of the Burke period episodes. So it was very sad to see it run out of ideas around this point and that it was also capable of episodes as mediocre at best as "Law". It has its moments in a good way but there were some pretty awful things about "Law" as well.
"Law" is not a complete waste. It is made with a lot of grit and atmosphere, as well as a slick style, that fits the gritty tone of the show very well. The scenery once again is both beautiful and uncompromising. The main theme is still memorable and fits the show's gritty tone well.
Some of the middle act is intriguing and atmospheric. The regulars are all very good, Blythe Duff never disappoints and Alex Norton had really grown on me as Burke by this point. The team interaction never looks disconnected, with moments of amusing banter.
Most of the story however did not grab me. It took a long time for the episode to get properly interesting, with a very dull and bland (as well as derivative) first act. The case in general is agreed too much of a series of rehashed ideas past their sell by date, and suffers from a real lack of suspense or surprises and a very fatigued pace. Was not surprised by who the perpetrator was at all, in fact for me everything about the reveal was suspected early on.
Worse is the final quarter or so, where it starts to get silly and where interest was very quickly lost again. Lets not start on the ending, which is not only one of the oldest type of endings for a detective mystery show there is but it was also unbelievably ridiculous and forced. What should have been intense was instead laughable. The supporting characters are not particularly interesting and the supporting cast don't register that much. The script is mundane this time round and it lacks the grit and tautness seen with nearly all the previous episodes of 'Taggart'. The music also shows its age, liked it a lot for a long time for the show but in the mid/late Burke period episodes there is too much of an 80s sound to it and it doesn't fit.
In conclusion, disappointingly mediocre for 'Taggart'. 4/10
- TheLittleSongbird
- Mar 22, 2021
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