It's Minder minus Terry ... and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Not that Waterman's character Terry was needing to be changed. I liked Terry. Earlier series were all about Terry & Arthur's escapades in London in the 70's and early 80's. Which worked really well in the ruins of London, that never really got rebuilt after WW2.
I never have seen this first episode of Series 8 in its entirety but quite quickly Ray grew on me, even with his awful 80's wardrobe of padded shoulders and paisley shirts. He's not Terry, move on. It felt like the original series, which is an accomplishment. But the Euston Film production and scripts takes care of that. They were well produced, well cast. and well acted. I liked the story line of this episode. Though, Arthur had seemed to take on a Mafia Don like character in the new series, whereas with Terry, he was very much the coward. Like all previous episodes, you get glimpses of tv and film stars to be, like Roberta Taylor, of Eastenders & The Bill fame in this one. It typifies a changing London and UK. Its all about the entrepreneur and London is smartening up as the developers took over and relinquished Londoners of their homes for property investors. All the Minders reflected London and the UK of the time and this series highlights an ever closening ties with our Europe.
The only thing I do not like is the awful sound track which beset all 90's tv in the UK. An eerie synth background noise, its not melodic at all. Programs like Bergerac started it and others followed...
Minder (TV Series)
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Entrepreneur (1991)
User Reviews
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A Perfect New Beginning
ArtVandelayImporterExporter6 December 2023
Dennis Waterman left Minder after a very strong Series 7, feeling the stories had grown stale. Having binge-watched Series 1-7 over the past 90 days or so, I suggest the writers had stopped trying with the Terry McCann character, but the stories were still highly entertaining, albeit leaning heavily on George Cole's comedic gifts at the expense of Waterman's grit.
So how to re-launch a massive hit show minus the actor and character it was originally written for?
The producers deliver a 29-minute (!) cold opening that starts with Arthur holding court - Don Corleone-style - at a family wedding. Right away we think, oh, he's putting us all on. And there are plenty of laughs.
However, it turns out the Daley character has rediscovered some of his original cunning and grown a heretofore unseen backbone. When rival mobsters try to run a protection racket on the estate, Arthur turns to Terry, only to find McCann has married and moved to Australia.
At the same time, he gets stuck with his nephew Ray as what you might call an office temp. Run some errands. Do some driving. That sorta thing.
But when the rival heavies show up to turn over a fresh-look Winchester Club - now co-owned by Daley and Dave (Glyn Edwards sporting a shorter haircut) - all looks lost until Ray slowly removes his boxy David-Byrne-like sport coat, unbuttons the top collar on his paisley silk shirt, and takes care of business.
"I don't think you've met my new Minder, have ya? Ray Daley. He's family."
Cue a re-worked Minder theme.
As someone who watched the Series 1-7 Waterman era on latenight Canadian television in high school/university and considers it the greatest show ever aired, by gawd I actually cheered out loud.
S8E1 also introduces us to DS Morley (Nicholas Day) and DC Park (Stephen Tompkinson) who come across as highly competent, serious coppers who figure prominently in the B-plot involving cars imported from France.
I have no idea whether three series of the Gary Webster era will hold up, but now I'm excited to watch.
So how to re-launch a massive hit show minus the actor and character it was originally written for?
The producers deliver a 29-minute (!) cold opening that starts with Arthur holding court - Don Corleone-style - at a family wedding. Right away we think, oh, he's putting us all on. And there are plenty of laughs.
However, it turns out the Daley character has rediscovered some of his original cunning and grown a heretofore unseen backbone. When rival mobsters try to run a protection racket on the estate, Arthur turns to Terry, only to find McCann has married and moved to Australia.
At the same time, he gets stuck with his nephew Ray as what you might call an office temp. Run some errands. Do some driving. That sorta thing.
But when the rival heavies show up to turn over a fresh-look Winchester Club - now co-owned by Daley and Dave (Glyn Edwards sporting a shorter haircut) - all looks lost until Ray slowly removes his boxy David-Byrne-like sport coat, unbuttons the top collar on his paisley silk shirt, and takes care of business.
"I don't think you've met my new Minder, have ya? Ray Daley. He's family."
Cue a re-worked Minder theme.
As someone who watched the Series 1-7 Waterman era on latenight Canadian television in high school/university and considers it the greatest show ever aired, by gawd I actually cheered out loud.
S8E1 also introduces us to DS Morley (Nicholas Day) and DC Park (Stephen Tompkinson) who come across as highly competent, serious coppers who figure prominently in the B-plot involving cars imported from France.
I have no idea whether three series of the Gary Webster era will hold up, but now I'm excited to watch.
I tried to like it
kris-gray2 September 2020
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Entrepreneur (Sep 5, 1991)
dovestones11 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Series 8 Episode 1
Arthur is attending a family wedding and using a cloakroom as a temporary office. Another guest at the wedding, Wilf, speaks with Arthur about being blackmailed for protection money. Arthur says he will send Terry round to deal with the problem.
Arthur's brother, Bert, and his wife Doreen, are dancing at the wedding. Doreen tells Bert he needs to talk to Arthur about their son, Ray. Bert asks Arthur about giving Ray a job. Not as a Minder like Terry, as Ray is "executive material". Ray is brought in to see Arthur and tells Arthur he doesn't want to end up stealing like his friends. He wants to be like Arthur. Arthur turns him down, then gets a phone call and asks for Ray to come back. Arthur tells Ray he needs someone to do some odd jobs for him in the morning.
Arthur goes to Terry's house, but it is empty, with the bedding stripped down, no clothes in the wardrobe and the keys left behind. Arthur heads to the lock-up. Ray is in the office with a woman, who informs Arthur she is Terry's mother-in-law and Terry has left Arthur's employment to go into business with Johnny Bradbury. At the Winchester Arthur complains to Dave that Terry has gotten married and set up business with Johnny Bradbury. Dave was already aware and reluctantly tells Arthur where Terry is staying. Arthur goes looking for Terry but gets no response at the door. Terry's mother-in-law arrives and tells Arthur that Terry has emigrated to Australia. At the car lot Ray informs Arthur that business has been good, with many customers coming by to collect items from Arthur, including cars and video recorders. Arthur tells Ray he has been conned because Terry has left and Arthur has no protection.
At the police station Arthur tells D. S. Morley and D. C. Park he has been robbed but they laugh. They note Arthur is vulnerable without Terry. Morley gets a phone call regarding Ray, who has been arrested for not having a drivers license. Arthur also notes Ray has once again been duped by a customer, paying with a fake cheque.
At the Winchester, Dave tells Arthur he is being threatened for protection money. Arthur says he'll take care of it. Arthur purchases a fake drivers license for Ray and gets him out of the police station. Arthur sends Ray to Brussels to collect a car he has bought.
Morley and Park arrive at Arthur's car lot and Morley is interested in buying a Golf. Arthur is reluctant to do business with the police but the offer of a cash purchase tempts Arthur. He tells Morley he can get him a new car from Brussels in 48 hours. Ray arrives at the car dealers. He eavesdrops on Pierre speaking French on the phone, then takes delivery of a white Golf. On the ferry home Arthur still doubts Ray and says he needs a new Minder.
Three men arrive at the Winchester threatening Dave. Ray and Arthur park the Golf outside the Winchester. Ray is reluctant to leave the Golf unattended but Arthur tells him it is alarmed. The three men smash up furniture and the customers leave. Arthur and Ray enter. Arthur bluffs, saying Terry is on the way but they know he is gone. Ray easily beats up two of the men and Arthur threatens the third to never take liberties with him again and to return the cars and video recorders they took or Arthur will send Ray, his new Minder, around to collect.
Word has spread that Arthur has a new Minder. He sets Ray up in a new flat. Morley and Park meet Arthur at his car lot to collect Morley's new Golf. Arthur asks him to wait for Anton to arrive from Brussels to do a road test. Morley doesn't want to wait. Later, Arthur and Pierre are arguing about Arthur selling the car before Anton could road test it. Pierre tells him it is illegal and he will not sell Arthur any more cars if he doesn't return Morley's Golf so it can be road tested. Arthur explains the situation to Morley but he doesn't trust Arthur. Morley says a road test regulation is fake and the car is in perfect working order.
Next day at Ray's flat, Arthur tells Ray the situation. Ray asks Arthur if he is involved in Pierre's car smuggling scheme. Arthur says no. Ray tells Arthur he heard Pierre on the phone telling someone they would follow the usual procedure, send Anton over and whatever was in the car was worth £100,000. Ray guesses it is cannabis. Arthur deduces the road test is an excuse for Anton to remove whatever is in the car. Ray says he searched the car but found nothing. Arthur realises Morley is driving the car with drugs hidden in it somewhere.
Ray steals the car from outside Morley's house. At the lock-up they strip it down but find nothing inside. Morley sees his car is missing. He and Park spot it being driven while on patrol and Morley recklessly chases after it. Ray is driving the Golf. Arthur is following behind in his Jaguar. He notices Morley driving after the Golf and blocks him from driving past. Morley stops and angrily yells at Arthur, who acts dumb. Morley and Park drive to Morley's house where the Golf is parked outside waiting. Morley is baffled. Arthur drives up, claiming to be passing. Ray sneaks in the back of Arthur's car and they drive off.
At the lock-up Arthur and Ray meet with Pierre and Anton. Pierre tells Arthur to bring them the car. As they talk Pierre says it's "in the bag" which catches Ray's attention. Once they leave Ray mentions Pierre's comment about "in the bag" and says Pierre said it on the phone and meant "in the boot". They surmise the drugs are in the spare wheel. Arthur says they need to switch Morley's spare wheel with another, but Ray is caught in the act. In the Police station Morley cuts into the spare wheel and pulls out the cannabis.
He tells Arthur and Ray they are going to jail. Arthur points out that Morley is the legal owner of the car and all it's contents. Morley protests. Arthur says someone obviously sold the drugs to Arthur, then Arthur unknowingly sold them to Morley. Morley quickly works out the road test was fake to retrieve the drugs.
Pierre collects the Golf from Arthur's car lot, again saying it's "in the bag." Morley is hiding in Arthur's office. At the Winchester, Morley stops by to tell Arthur how appreciative he is and wants to buy Arthur a drink. Arthur declines, stating he has to think of his reputation. Morley storms off.
Arthur is attending a family wedding and using a cloakroom as a temporary office. Another guest at the wedding, Wilf, speaks with Arthur about being blackmailed for protection money. Arthur says he will send Terry round to deal with the problem.
Arthur's brother, Bert, and his wife Doreen, are dancing at the wedding. Doreen tells Bert he needs to talk to Arthur about their son, Ray. Bert asks Arthur about giving Ray a job. Not as a Minder like Terry, as Ray is "executive material". Ray is brought in to see Arthur and tells Arthur he doesn't want to end up stealing like his friends. He wants to be like Arthur. Arthur turns him down, then gets a phone call and asks for Ray to come back. Arthur tells Ray he needs someone to do some odd jobs for him in the morning.
Arthur goes to Terry's house, but it is empty, with the bedding stripped down, no clothes in the wardrobe and the keys left behind. Arthur heads to the lock-up. Ray is in the office with a woman, who informs Arthur she is Terry's mother-in-law and Terry has left Arthur's employment to go into business with Johnny Bradbury. At the Winchester Arthur complains to Dave that Terry has gotten married and set up business with Johnny Bradbury. Dave was already aware and reluctantly tells Arthur where Terry is staying. Arthur goes looking for Terry but gets no response at the door. Terry's mother-in-law arrives and tells Arthur that Terry has emigrated to Australia. At the car lot Ray informs Arthur that business has been good, with many customers coming by to collect items from Arthur, including cars and video recorders. Arthur tells Ray he has been conned because Terry has left and Arthur has no protection.
At the police station Arthur tells D. S. Morley and D. C. Park he has been robbed but they laugh. They note Arthur is vulnerable without Terry. Morley gets a phone call regarding Ray, who has been arrested for not having a drivers license. Arthur also notes Ray has once again been duped by a customer, paying with a fake cheque.
At the Winchester, Dave tells Arthur he is being threatened for protection money. Arthur says he'll take care of it. Arthur purchases a fake drivers license for Ray and gets him out of the police station. Arthur sends Ray to Brussels to collect a car he has bought.
Morley and Park arrive at Arthur's car lot and Morley is interested in buying a Golf. Arthur is reluctant to do business with the police but the offer of a cash purchase tempts Arthur. He tells Morley he can get him a new car from Brussels in 48 hours. Ray arrives at the car dealers. He eavesdrops on Pierre speaking French on the phone, then takes delivery of a white Golf. On the ferry home Arthur still doubts Ray and says he needs a new Minder.
Three men arrive at the Winchester threatening Dave. Ray and Arthur park the Golf outside the Winchester. Ray is reluctant to leave the Golf unattended but Arthur tells him it is alarmed. The three men smash up furniture and the customers leave. Arthur and Ray enter. Arthur bluffs, saying Terry is on the way but they know he is gone. Ray easily beats up two of the men and Arthur threatens the third to never take liberties with him again and to return the cars and video recorders they took or Arthur will send Ray, his new Minder, around to collect.
Word has spread that Arthur has a new Minder. He sets Ray up in a new flat. Morley and Park meet Arthur at his car lot to collect Morley's new Golf. Arthur asks him to wait for Anton to arrive from Brussels to do a road test. Morley doesn't want to wait. Later, Arthur and Pierre are arguing about Arthur selling the car before Anton could road test it. Pierre tells him it is illegal and he will not sell Arthur any more cars if he doesn't return Morley's Golf so it can be road tested. Arthur explains the situation to Morley but he doesn't trust Arthur. Morley says a road test regulation is fake and the car is in perfect working order.
Next day at Ray's flat, Arthur tells Ray the situation. Ray asks Arthur if he is involved in Pierre's car smuggling scheme. Arthur says no. Ray tells Arthur he heard Pierre on the phone telling someone they would follow the usual procedure, send Anton over and whatever was in the car was worth £100,000. Ray guesses it is cannabis. Arthur deduces the road test is an excuse for Anton to remove whatever is in the car. Ray says he searched the car but found nothing. Arthur realises Morley is driving the car with drugs hidden in it somewhere.
Ray steals the car from outside Morley's house. At the lock-up they strip it down but find nothing inside. Morley sees his car is missing. He and Park spot it being driven while on patrol and Morley recklessly chases after it. Ray is driving the Golf. Arthur is following behind in his Jaguar. He notices Morley driving after the Golf and blocks him from driving past. Morley stops and angrily yells at Arthur, who acts dumb. Morley and Park drive to Morley's house where the Golf is parked outside waiting. Morley is baffled. Arthur drives up, claiming to be passing. Ray sneaks in the back of Arthur's car and they drive off.
At the lock-up Arthur and Ray meet with Pierre and Anton. Pierre tells Arthur to bring them the car. As they talk Pierre says it's "in the bag" which catches Ray's attention. Once they leave Ray mentions Pierre's comment about "in the bag" and says Pierre said it on the phone and meant "in the boot". They surmise the drugs are in the spare wheel. Arthur says they need to switch Morley's spare wheel with another, but Ray is caught in the act. In the Police station Morley cuts into the spare wheel and pulls out the cannabis.
He tells Arthur and Ray they are going to jail. Arthur points out that Morley is the legal owner of the car and all it's contents. Morley protests. Arthur says someone obviously sold the drugs to Arthur, then Arthur unknowingly sold them to Morley. Morley quickly works out the road test was fake to retrieve the drugs.
Pierre collects the Golf from Arthur's car lot, again saying it's "in the bag." Morley is hiding in Arthur's office. At the Winchester, Morley stops by to tell Arthur how appreciative he is and wants to buy Arthur a drink. Arthur declines, stating he has to think of his reputation. Morley storms off.
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