It is hard to resist an episode for anything that has such an eye catching title and a premise this intriguing. "Puppet on a String" is an example of both those things. Also love 'Taggart' as a show, as a lifelong fan of mystery/detective shows/films/dramas, especially the Taggart era closely followed by the early Jardine episodes. Post-Jardine was more hit and miss, with the later Burke episodes for my tastes being somewhat rushed and run out of ideas like.
"Puppet on a String" is one of the truly great episodes of the Burke period. One of the best episodes from this period and actually to this day one of my favourite 'Taggart' episodes. One that also gets better with each re-watch, first time round the episode struck me as very impressive but did confuse me at times. It does strike me as an episode one needs to see more than once to completely understand the latter stages of the story, but despite how that sounds that is disparaging it. "Puppet on a String" is still wonderful stuff.
The photography is both gritty yet moody, very well suited to the story's style, and the location is striking yet suitably unforgiving. The music matches that perfectly and the main theme is not one to forget. Really love how the team work together, there is a spark between them, the chemistry between them has really grown (have always gotten a lot of pleasure out of the one between Jackie and Robbie) and the investigative elements are cohesive with some clever evidence.
All the regulars are very good, Alex Norton having grown on me quite a bit actually at this point. Jimmy Chisholm is memorable as a very interesting character that leaves one feel uneasy. The writing has the right amount of entertainment value (the banter) and grit (in the crime solving it doesn't shy away).
Really liked the story, a very clever and absorbing story that has one surprise after another. The ending is one of the show's cleverest and most unexpected, it left me floored on first watch and there is still that feeling now. It is the biggest example of why the episode is one one needs to see more than once, as it is not the easiest of endings to get your head around first time.
Summing up, wonderful and one of the best Burke period episodes. 10/10