The Professionals (TV Series) The Rack (1978) User Reviews

Coogan's bluff...

[canndyman · 8/10 · 29 September 2020]

This was never one of my favorite episodes but, over the years it has grown on me more, and it's now one I really enjoy.

The plot is quite simple - after a tip-off from a reliable informant, a drugs raid on the notorious gangster Coogan brothers' mansion yields nothing. Worse still, one of the brothers dies whilst in CI5 custody. A full-scale enquiry and hearing is convened, which could spell the end for Cowley's elite team should they be found guilty.

Apparently, Brian Clemens was inspired to write this episode in response to the ever-increasing criticisms of the show due to its violence by the 'Mary Whitehouse' brigade - and his elite force is literally put on trial-by-TV. Will they somehow get the miracle they need to win round the jury - not to mention a very clever prosecution attorney hired by the remaining Coogan brother?

The tension in this one builds nicely and, for once, it does look like CI5 are up against impossible odds. It does perhaps get quite necessarily 'talky' during the court scenes - but Lisa Harrow is excellent and believable as the attorney out to prove CI5's guilt - and Gordon Jackson does an equally good turn as Cowley, passionately pleading on his squad's behalf.

Some viewers may recognize guest star Michael Billington from his 'UFO' days of Colonel Foster - and others no-doubt will recognize Christopher Ellison as Burnside from The Bill (as well as his appearance in a season one episode of The Professionals itself). This does mean too that at one point we do get two actors in the same room who both unsuccessfully auditioned for the part of James Bond - Michael and Lewis!

Look out too for the Coogan brothers mansion - famously used as Steed's house in season 1 of The New Avengers, as well as the setting for the Brian Clemens film Blind Terror.

All in all, an unusual and powerful episode that sees CI5 battle more with words, rather than guns and car chases - and where they really feel the heat as the walls close in around them.

The Practical Vs The Naive

[Theo Robertson · 8/10 · 7 August 2010]

The Rack is a very atypical episode of the fondly remembered show THE PROFESSIONALS . It's a show best remembered for its high octane machismo involving shoot outs and car chases but could also include quieter moments of drama , so much so that one of the stars Martin Shaw started getting delusions of grandeur that he was a seriously hardcore thespian luvvie that he used his a contractual obligation for not allowing repeats to be enforced

The episode is atypical in that the protagonists don't actually shoot anyone which probably made it a somewhat tame episode than that to what we were used to . It's basically a court room drama but one that has very strong relevance today and that is - what happens when society is under attack from bad guys ? Doyle defends himself from a violent drug dealing villain who is later found dead under the custody of CI5 . and a high flying lawyer does everything in her power to disband the organisation . It's essentially the idealistic trying to disband the practical because they don't agree with the practical . It might be a bit far fetched in the other commentator saying Gordon Jackson deserved a BAFTA but his speech to the idealistic lawyer as to why CI5 exists does sum up why democracies needs armies , and police forces and all the other " violent " institutions that bleeding hearts despise

Something different

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 5 October 2020]

THE RACK is an intriguing moralistic second episode which begins with a powerhouse turn from Christoper Ellison, later of THE BILL and FORT BOYARD game, playing a long-haired thug (he'd previously played a short-haired cop in an episode in the first series). Doyle brutally interrogates him which results in Ellison's death, and the rest of the episode is taken up by the investigation into that death in custody. It's intriguing stuff, asking more questions than delivering the straight action of previous episodes.

Gordon Jackson should have been nominated for a BAFTA!

[h-ahmad-1 · 9/10 · 15 May 2009]

Highly unlikely, as The Professionals was a hard-hitting and violent crime action series where the heroes could be just as ruthless as the villains, thus making it the target of angry critics.

This episode was a response to all their reactions with Brian Clemens writing a harrowing story about CI5 being put on trial after a man is killed in their custody. He was Paul Coogan (Burnside himself, Chris Ellison), the brother of much-feared London gangster Big John (an excellent Michael Billington), a sociopath of the highest order.

The Rack isn't only about Cowley's efforts to save his organization, but it's also about the predicament of Ray Doyle whose punch had killed Paul. He and Bodie try to find out if the younger Coogan brother had been in any fights before he got arrested by them.

Everybody gives superb performances in this one. Martin Shaw makes you empathize with Doyle as he comes to terms with his actions, Lewis Collins gives a highly supportive turn as the ever-loyal Bodie who also injects shades of humour into the proceedings and last, but not least, there is Lisa Harrow as the persistent and belligerent prosecutor Geraldine Mather. In some respect, she steals the show as she grills the main men in the case.

Not much action to speak of in this one, apart from the pre-credits teaser when the CI5 gang bust the Coogans.

The Rack

[Prismark10 · 2/10 · 19 December 2018]

I did write when I reviewed the very first episode of The Professionals that it always appeared to be a bit too crypto fascist for my liking. The Rack is an example.

It starts out very conventionally. An informer called 'Nosey' Parker tips CI5 off about the activities of notorious former boxer now gangster John Coogan. He is arrested along with his brother Paul. No drugs is found in the premises and both are taken to a disused warehouse to be interrogated because that is where a shadowy crime fighting organisation takes all suspects.

Doyle apparently punches or shoves Paul and he later dies. A smart lawyer is hired by the gangster and an enquiry is held whether CI5 should be disbanded.

Calling this far fetched is the least of it. Does a police force or MI5 come under threat of being disbanded each time someone dies in custody?

What is wrong with this episode:

Was a post mortem held on Paul Coogan? What was the cause of death? Why was he buried so quickly?

Lawyers are bad, especially smart female ones who take on CI5. Why were the suspects taken to a disused warehouse to be interrogated? What was wrong with a police cell?

Since when Cowley was a lawyer? I thought he was a soldier. Can CI5 not afford a proper barrister? Why were Bodie and Doyle not properly prepared for cross examination? Hold on was this a trial or an enquiry?

I like the fact the Cowley puts up a feeble defence when asked to name his informant and then promptly names him. Nosey Parker nearly gets killed when the gangster and his goons get to him, making everyone involved in this inquiry to be grossly incompetent.

In fact Parker has a better case against CI5, Coogan's lawyers and the people holding the enquiry for the damage done to him.

This is feeble stuff, the episode tries to do something different but it is cack handed. Understandable why Martin Shaw wanted to pull away from being associated with the show.