Proswatch - Not a Very Civil Civil Servant
Skipping in very civilly...
The DVD says… “The foolish man built his house upon the sand… Cowley’s reluctant to involve his lads in a case of backhanders and crumbling new council houses. Until, that is, he realises how far the corruption goes…”
Hmm - proverbs. It’s not a write up to inspire to be honest… sounds like a job for Not A Very Civil Civic Centre to be involved in, rather than CI5. But heigh ho…
So it begins with (yet) Another Development for Temple-Blake, and a bloke getting pushed on the sand. I love the ‘admire your always tidy desk’ line - straight away we see that Repton is the sort of official that doesn’t do any actual work. We don’t like him at all. Oh it’s whatsit from Eastenders. ‘Alright son?’ Nicely deceptive.
Cowley is there, and the title is shoehorned in. Then ‘we build for Britain’ - very war-time type slogan. Cowley is so the wrong labourer for this job - he’d tip over with the shovel for starters.
Yay - theme! Da da daaahhhhhh!
I like Temple-Blake - the baddies are so deliciously bad. So it’s Tony Temple, is it? *snorts*. Or perhaps it’s Tony Blake. Oh I hope its Tony Temple… that just makes me happy inside. What a horrible office though - looks like a conference room for a company dealing in water coolers, or paper clips. Great view of Tower Bridge...
hmm… so what building would that be then? Ah - Tower Thistle Hotel on St Katharine’s Dock. I notice the official website does not have any pictures of the outside of the building - wise move. Bloody ugly!
Is it wrong to say that Repton has a face I want to slap on sight? If only to see the chins wobble… oh that is bad of me. Bad. They’re talking about something - oh, some jury, some tit of an iceberg - um, tip… *glares at wine*
Ooo fencing! Although that’s not Cowley - oh yes, now it is. And Bodie is a disco man - bad connotations with shiny spandex, roller-skates… and look - Doyle! That’s a very cheeky look from Bodie…
but no response from Doyle unless Bodie was after the bulldog chewing a wasp effect…
Not sure about the fencing gear - I know some like it, but in mind they are auditioning for The Mummy Returns. Baddies again, having afternoon drinks. ‘Sir James’ - this is a bit like ‘It’s Only A Beautiful Picture’ - landed gentry being frightful villains. The line ‘too upset and shaky to drive that big Jag of yours’ is class - there really are some great lines throughout this ep.
I think Bistokids pointed out the way a mere rise of the whisky glass can mean follow the accountant, and poison him in his greenhouse. Very funny…
Hmm, time for a quick click around the flist while the baddies talk… where is Bodie and Doyle? More Cowley / Repton stuff - oh that slash was unfortunate *scrubs brain*… ‘Not quite as interesting’ - yes, we get that. ‘We still talk by cheque’ - nice. Still want to slap Repton though.
Bad haircut for the hitman / subnormal gardener. Like most people can creep around in wellies on gravel. Nice ‘up the nose’ camera work, very flattering.
So the accountant only drinks one brand of whisky, and the (let’s call him Kurt - thanks Schnuffi!) has brought the right amount in his poisoned bottle? Not exactly failsafe, is it? Still, there is the accountant, bothering to put his briefcase all the way over that side, before coming back over this side and having a fatal sip. Oh, and another as the first wasn’t quite fatal enough. Then - agh! Choke! Stumble! Stagger! Fall!
‘Tie your mother down…’ Hmm, a song from Queen on the jukebox - are they trying to tell us something? And who is the person B & D need to speak to - surely not the single bloke at the bar? Nah...
Oh, hang on...
Doyle’s (or rather Martin’s) bad cheek looks a bit prominent in this ep…
Ooo action! Big huge kick from Doyle! Big huge punch from Bodie! Quick change of actors / stuntmen / actors! Doyle really does fling himself against the bar - ouch. And I love the way they sort of migrate like iron filings to magnets towards each other after the fight - empty room but let’s stand-right-here.
And the classic ‘too many of you fellows are bent’ line - see, what are we supposed to make of that look and suppressed grin?
Doyle crumbles first…
but Bodie soon follows…
And then chip shop! I love this scene - the extras are all really good, and I love the fact that Hallaran is paying for their chips. Sort of friendly with him, aren’t they? Especially Bodie… And the dialogue - ‘big boy’, ‘big knobs’…*sniggers in the shallow end*
Back to plot - gosh that Webb man is irritating. Sort of like a yapping terrier. And he yaps right into Cowley’s hands… Barney and Tobias - upper class names for workers at Webb’s club.
Quick click around the flist again… Are Temple-Blake ‘cousins’? Gosh, you’d never know… I like the ‘I don’t mind helping… I should think not, you’d be on the dock!’ lines between TB and Webb. Strange angles - the cameraman is obviously a bit bored…
I like the old Colonel who takes such a dislike to Bodie. The youth of today, eh Colonel? Look at their disgraceful sideburns! ‘He was military, once…’ ‘One of those rag and bone regiments’ - oh poor Bodie is getting a trouncing. Still Cowley is amused...
‘Storm in a concrete mixer’ - nice, again. ‘I won’t have them on parade anymore’ - I like this - reminds me of the old boy in Dead Reckoning.
Kurt goes off and menaces people with his wig. ‘A ten out of ten thumping’ eh? Awful. Meanwhile Cowley goes to see (oh darn - it’s Blake! Tony Logan-Blake. Who is Temple then? Sir James? Anyone care? Nope…). And then fast forward in time, and the verdict is not-guilty. Doyle isn’t happy (although looks really impish, mmm).
Not a happy trio.
Although Bodie does know what Doyle socks smells like and holds the door open for him.
And then another door opens (nice editing) to see the Minister and Repton posed like dummies at the windows. And then Cowley says CI5 can now begin their work - what - over halfway in and the story is just starting? Oh boy… Nice dialogue about Bodie’s shoes… And Cowley has a plan, apparently. That's nice.
Bodie goes to see Aubrey. Poor Aubrey. And Doyle goes and fingers brushes - oh lovely ‘or have you been going to the dogs, well haven’t we all’. He has a very grim matter of fact way about him.
Oh that Webb yaps. Yap yap yap. I like the way Cowley is all quiet and then he lays his verbal traps. Others have said, but the lines by the baddies about the police man and his young wife are understated genius. And - oh, are they ‘cousins’? Nooo...
Oh I heard that as ‘not one but two shoelaces in his briefcase. And an extra stiff cock.’ *rewinds* Oh. Collar. Whoops. *puts wine away*
Hmm, a requisition for 300 sheets of ‘photocopying paper’ - yes I see, very dodgy. ‘I see it means nothing to you’ - too right, please explain. Oh - he copied the private accounts - of course! Rigggght…
‘One bloke kept patting his inside pocket’ - as if you have been paid to nobble a jury, you’d obviously take your pay packet in with you, it’s the logical choice.
Bodie is in! Where? Who cares!
He flirts over the RT with Doyle. Doyle flirts back. Love the ‘colonel who was at the relief of Mafeking’ and ‘vanish, there’s movement on Mars’ lines!
Kurt and Eastenders bloke go hunting. ‘Intellectual knobs’ now is it eh? Ah the greenhouse, the scene of the crime. Kurt’s lines sound like he is a frustrated bard. Bodie creeps up… casual punches… one baddies gets handcuffed - yeah, see yer baddie.
Does Bodie not know the plan then, as Doyle radios in to Cowley Kurt is on his way? Well, Cowley does reckon Bodie is not much of an actor in … (brain fart - cannot remember the ep!). Maybe that is why. They are back at Sir James’ house. Cowley is a bit nifty with his punches, and then the dreaded foam of doom does for Kurt! He screams, he runs!
‘Ashes to Ashes’ - hmm, another LoM type reference! I like the way Kurt just stands weakly panting by the garage and waits meekly as Doyle handcuffs him. And now they are both together again, and I am pleased.
Nice little goofy look on Doyle’s face. Cowley very formally speaks to the Minister and Repton. Ooo nice speech - he does do impassioned speeches well.
Ends on the fencing - and more nice lines. An odd ep - if I wasn’t watching for Bodie and Doyle but for all round plot, then this is not bad at all - great dialogue, good villains, strong cameos. It’s just so little time on screen for the lads, and it still feels a police investigation could have done the same job. One for The Sweeney this, and it shows.
The DVD says… “The foolish man built his house upon the sand… Cowley’s reluctant to involve his lads in a case of backhanders and crumbling new council houses. Until, that is, he realises how far the corruption goes…”
Hmm - proverbs. It’s not a write up to inspire to be honest… sounds like a job for Not A Very Civil Civic Centre to be involved in, rather than CI5. But heigh ho…
So it begins with (yet) Another Development for Temple-Blake, and a bloke getting pushed on the sand. I love the ‘admire your always tidy desk’ line - straight away we see that Repton is the sort of official that doesn’t do any actual work. We don’t like him at all. Oh it’s whatsit from Eastenders. ‘Alright son?’ Nicely deceptive.
Cowley is there, and the title is shoehorned in. Then ‘we build for Britain’ - very war-time type slogan. Cowley is so the wrong labourer for this job - he’d tip over with the shovel for starters.
Yay - theme! Da da daaahhhhhh!
I like Temple-Blake - the baddies are so deliciously bad. So it’s Tony Temple, is it? *snorts*. Or perhaps it’s Tony Blake. Oh I hope its Tony Temple… that just makes me happy inside. What a horrible office though - looks like a conference room for a company dealing in water coolers, or paper clips. Great view of Tower Bridge...
hmm… so what building would that be then? Ah - Tower Thistle Hotel on St Katharine’s Dock. I notice the official website does not have any pictures of the outside of the building - wise move. Bloody ugly!
Is it wrong to say that Repton has a face I want to slap on sight? If only to see the chins wobble… oh that is bad of me. Bad. They’re talking about something - oh, some jury, some tit of an iceberg - um, tip… *glares at wine*
Ooo fencing! Although that’s not Cowley - oh yes, now it is. And Bodie is a disco man - bad connotations with shiny spandex, roller-skates… and look - Doyle! That’s a very cheeky look from Bodie…
but no response from Doyle unless Bodie was after the bulldog chewing a wasp effect…
Not sure about the fencing gear - I know some like it, but in mind they are auditioning for The Mummy Returns. Baddies again, having afternoon drinks. ‘Sir James’ - this is a bit like ‘It’s Only A Beautiful Picture’ - landed gentry being frightful villains. The line ‘too upset and shaky to drive that big Jag of yours’ is class - there really are some great lines throughout this ep.
I think Bistokids pointed out the way a mere rise of the whisky glass can mean follow the accountant, and poison him in his greenhouse. Very funny…
Hmm, time for a quick click around the flist while the baddies talk… where is Bodie and Doyle? More Cowley / Repton stuff - oh that slash was unfortunate *scrubs brain*… ‘Not quite as interesting’ - yes, we get that. ‘We still talk by cheque’ - nice. Still want to slap Repton though.
Bad haircut for the hitman / subnormal gardener. Like most people can creep around in wellies on gravel. Nice ‘up the nose’ camera work, very flattering.
So the accountant only drinks one brand of whisky, and the (let’s call him Kurt - thanks Schnuffi!) has brought the right amount in his poisoned bottle? Not exactly failsafe, is it? Still, there is the accountant, bothering to put his briefcase all the way over that side, before coming back over this side and having a fatal sip. Oh, and another as the first wasn’t quite fatal enough. Then - agh! Choke! Stumble! Stagger! Fall!
‘Tie your mother down…’ Hmm, a song from Queen on the jukebox - are they trying to tell us something? And who is the person B & D need to speak to - surely not the single bloke at the bar? Nah...
Oh, hang on...
Doyle’s (or rather Martin’s) bad cheek looks a bit prominent in this ep…
Ooo action! Big huge kick from Doyle! Big huge punch from Bodie! Quick change of actors / stuntmen / actors! Doyle really does fling himself against the bar - ouch. And I love the way they sort of migrate like iron filings to magnets towards each other after the fight - empty room but let’s stand-right-here.
And the classic ‘too many of you fellows are bent’ line - see, what are we supposed to make of that look and suppressed grin?
Doyle crumbles first…
but Bodie soon follows…
And then chip shop! I love this scene - the extras are all really good, and I love the fact that Hallaran is paying for their chips. Sort of friendly with him, aren’t they? Especially Bodie… And the dialogue - ‘big boy’, ‘big knobs’…*sniggers in the shallow end*
Back to plot - gosh that Webb man is irritating. Sort of like a yapping terrier. And he yaps right into Cowley’s hands… Barney and Tobias - upper class names for workers at Webb’s club.
Quick click around the flist again… Are Temple-Blake ‘cousins’? Gosh, you’d never know… I like the ‘I don’t mind helping… I should think not, you’d be on the dock!’ lines between TB and Webb. Strange angles - the cameraman is obviously a bit bored…
I like the old Colonel who takes such a dislike to Bodie. The youth of today, eh Colonel? Look at their disgraceful sideburns! ‘He was military, once…’ ‘One of those rag and bone regiments’ - oh poor Bodie is getting a trouncing. Still Cowley is amused...
‘Storm in a concrete mixer’ - nice, again. ‘I won’t have them on parade anymore’ - I like this - reminds me of the old boy in Dead Reckoning.
Kurt goes off and menaces people with his wig. ‘A ten out of ten thumping’ eh? Awful. Meanwhile Cowley goes to see (oh darn - it’s Blake! Tony Logan-Blake. Who is Temple then? Sir James? Anyone care? Nope…). And then fast forward in time, and the verdict is not-guilty. Doyle isn’t happy (although looks really impish, mmm).
Not a happy trio.
Although Bodie does know what Doyle socks smells like and holds the door open for him.
And then another door opens (nice editing) to see the Minister and Repton posed like dummies at the windows. And then Cowley says CI5 can now begin their work - what - over halfway in and the story is just starting? Oh boy… Nice dialogue about Bodie’s shoes… And Cowley has a plan, apparently. That's nice.
Bodie goes to see Aubrey. Poor Aubrey. And Doyle goes and fingers brushes - oh lovely ‘or have you been going to the dogs, well haven’t we all’. He has a very grim matter of fact way about him.
Oh that Webb yaps. Yap yap yap. I like the way Cowley is all quiet and then he lays his verbal traps. Others have said, but the lines by the baddies about the police man and his young wife are understated genius. And - oh, are they ‘cousins’? Nooo...
Oh I heard that as ‘not one but two shoelaces in his briefcase. And an extra stiff cock.’ *rewinds* Oh. Collar. Whoops. *puts wine away*
Hmm, a requisition for 300 sheets of ‘photocopying paper’ - yes I see, very dodgy. ‘I see it means nothing to you’ - too right, please explain. Oh - he copied the private accounts - of course! Rigggght…
‘One bloke kept patting his inside pocket’ - as if you have been paid to nobble a jury, you’d obviously take your pay packet in with you, it’s the logical choice.
Bodie is in! Where? Who cares!
He flirts over the RT with Doyle. Doyle flirts back. Love the ‘colonel who was at the relief of Mafeking’ and ‘vanish, there’s movement on Mars’ lines!
Kurt and Eastenders bloke go hunting. ‘Intellectual knobs’ now is it eh? Ah the greenhouse, the scene of the crime. Kurt’s lines sound like he is a frustrated bard. Bodie creeps up… casual punches… one baddies gets handcuffed - yeah, see yer baddie.
Does Bodie not know the plan then, as Doyle radios in to Cowley Kurt is on his way? Well, Cowley does reckon Bodie is not much of an actor in … (brain fart - cannot remember the ep!). Maybe that is why. They are back at Sir James’ house. Cowley is a bit nifty with his punches, and then the dreaded foam of doom does for Kurt! He screams, he runs!
‘Ashes to Ashes’ - hmm, another LoM type reference! I like the way Kurt just stands weakly panting by the garage and waits meekly as Doyle handcuffs him. And now they are both together again, and I am pleased.
Nice little goofy look on Doyle’s face. Cowley very formally speaks to the Minister and Repton. Ooo nice speech - he does do impassioned speeches well.
Ends on the fencing - and more nice lines. An odd ep - if I wasn’t watching for Bodie and Doyle but for all round plot, then this is not bad at all - great dialogue, good villains, strong cameos. It’s just so little time on screen for the lads, and it still feels a police investigation could have done the same job. One for The Sweeney this, and it shows.