The Frighteners (TV Series) Firing Squad (1972) User Reviews

Money matters...

[canndyman · 7/10 · 9 February 2021]

This episode concerns tough-guy mercenary Pitt, who's heading back to Heathrow from an African dictatorship country where he's been handsomely paid off for his services. But, he has a a nasty surprise waiting for him when he lands - his former gang members are waiting, seeking revenge for him double-crossing them before he left for Africa. They know he has a sizable amount of money on him, and are looking to settle a score - while relieving him of his loot.

This is certainly one of the better episodes from this unusual (and often hit-and-miss series) - the story building steadily towards a unexpected climax.

Fans of classic ITC shows of the 60s will no-doubt recognize Edward Brayshaw as Pitt - usually cast as a 'baddie', and seemingly playing to type here. We also get to see Rudolph Walker in the early scenes - best known of course from controversial race-relations 70s sitcom 'Love Thy Neighbour' - and later on to find yet more fame as a regular in the long-running BBC soap 'EastEnders'.

It was fascinating too to see the empty Stamford Bridge football ground of Chelsea FC featuring prominently in the second half - though a pity that the imposing and impressive three-tier new main stand is largely out of shot!

This episode makes for quite a taut and gritty little thriller, and it's a pity that more episodes of this short-lived series weren't perhaps quite as well-conceived as this one.

A bare knuckled, gritty episode.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 15 September 2022]

Having worked with unscrupulous men in Africa, Pitt returns home, but finds his enemies laying in wait, and wanting revenge.

I quite enjoyed this episode, it's perhaps not deserving of such a low score.

It's good, it's gritty, it's unapologetic, very much of its time, it wasn't a stretch to believe that the men after Pitt were violent thugs, and prepared to do anything to get what they wanted.

It's well paced, thoughtful and well realised, the series hasn't been of of my favourites, but this is definitely one of the better episodes.

Edward Bradshaw is very good here as Pitt, a very talented actor, a fine straight actor, with roles on Dr Who, The Avengers etc, but perhaps best known as Harold Meaker from Rentaghost.

Having been at Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea FC about 8 months ago, it was an absolute treat to see how the ground appeared back in 1972, the shots on and around it were fascinating, the place itself naturally unrecognised now. The location work really does help.

Good, it's a good episode.

7/10.

A Bridge too far.

[southdavid · 6/10 · 21 January 2021]

I quite enjoyed this one after the disappointment of "The Disappearing Man", though not very original, it had an interesting location and at least told a decent story.

A mercenary, Pitt (Edward Brayshaw) having switched sides in an African coup several years previously returns home to the UK with his dubiously gotten gains. Sold out by the warlord he put in power, on his return his former associates led by Mr. Bancroft (Michael Craig) are waiting for him and take him to Stamford Bridge, where they have a plan to take their share from him.

Storyline wise, this was pretty good. Slowly shifting up the tension across the episode before an uneasy twist towards the end that I have to admit I didn't see coming. The performances were all pretty solid too. Generally, I didn't recognise anyone from this although once I looked over their careers on the IMDB I could picture Brayshaw from his run in "Rentaghost".

It was fascinating to see so much of Stamford Bridge in the early 1970's which is, naturally, unrecognisable from the way it appears now. I'm not really sure why they settled on that location within the story, any wide-open space would have sufficed, although I suppose that the idea was that Bancroft provided security to the ground, so incapacitating and paying off the nightwatchman would be easier.

It's nothing ground-breaking admittedly, but sometimes a half decent story told well is all you need.