Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (TV Series) Bridging the Gap (2002) User Reviews

A wake with no body?

[ShadeGrenade · 10/10 · 13 May 2012]

When I heard back in 2001 that the B.B.C. had decided to revive 'Auf Wiedershen, Pet', my heart sank. Why bother, I thought? It could not possibly be the same without 'Wayne'? ( Gary Holton died of a heroin overdose in 1985 ). Besides, recent attempts at programme revivals such 'Agony Again', 'Doctor At The Top' and 'The Liver Birds' had flopped. It was with some trepidation that I tuned in to the first episode in 2002. To my surprise, it turned out far better than expected. It is now seventeen years since 'the magnificent seven - 'Oz' ( Jimmy Nail ), 'Dennis' ( Tim Healy ), 'Barry' ( Timothy Spaull ), 'Bomber' ( Pat Roach ), 'Moxey' ( Christopher Fairbank ), 'Neville' ( Kevin Whately ), and 'Wayne' ( Gary Holton ) - were last together in Spain. At the start of this episode, Oz has apparently died, and the gang are invited to a wake in Middlesborough. Wayne's son 'Wyman' ( Noel Clarke, later to play 'Mickey' in the smash-hit 2005 revival of 'Dr.Who' ) informs the others that his father died two years before of a congenital heart condition. There is another shock in store for them too; Oz is not dead after all. He has reunited the gang to propose a business deal; to dismantle the Middlesborough Transporter Bridge, and sell it to Malaysia. Whoever gets the job will make a small fortune. Oz found out about the project when he shared a prison cell with disgraced ex-Tory M.P. 'Jeffrey Grainger' ( the excellent Bill Nighy ). As both Neville and Barry have their own businesses, finding the £10,000 investment won't be a problem. It isn't for Moxey either - he steals it from the safe of Liverpuddlian gangster 'Mickey Startup' ( Michael Angelis ). Dennis is reduced to driving taxis for a drug dealer, so Oz proposes to loan him the money and he can repay it out of his share of the profits. One way or another the boys are back together again...

Thanks to a terrific script by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, not to mention superb playing from the main cast, 'Auf Pet 2002' turned out a winner, and the biggest hit the B.B.C. had had in years. Rather than put the lads back as they once were, it acknowledges that time has passed. As well as the performers mentioned earlier, we also have Julia Tobin back as Neville's wife 'Brenda'. The actress was re-hired at Whately's insistence. Of the characters, Barry seems to have had the most success - enjoying a millionaire lifestyle while married to the sexy 'Tatiana' ( Branka Katic ). Oz has undergone the biggest change, from a beer-swilling, violent slob into an ambitious, computer literate, new man. Needless to say, the old Oz still lurks below the surface, as Dennis' drug dealing passenger finds out to his cost. It was good to see Jimmy Nail looking like his old self again; when he played 'Spender' a few years before, he was barely recognisable. 'Bomber' looks in bad shape, though. There was a good reason for this - Pat Roach was dying of cancer ( though this was not public knowledge then ).

With only six episodes, the new series became one long story instead of a dozen or so smaller ones. Michael Angelis and Alan Igbon had previously appeared in 'Boys From The Blackstuff', believed to have been one of the main inspirations for 'Auf Pet'.

The one negative aspect is 'Wyman'. No offence to Noel Clarke, but the character does not interact well with the others. He isn't in the construction business, for one thing. He is a disc jockey. After informing the others of Wayne's passing, he should have been written out. He seems to have been included purely as an afterthought, to offset possible complaints from young viewers about it being an 'old blokes' show. Bad news for Joe Fagin fans - the closing theme 'Why Aye Man' was by Mark Knopfler.

Funniest moment - when the drug dealer threatens to eat Oz's liver if he sees him again, he snarkily replies: "Would that be with or without the farva beans?".

Clement and La Frenais had once again pulled off the difficult trick - as they had done thirty years before with 'Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads' - of constructing a follow-up that was easily on a par with the original.

"I am from Macedonia" "Don't bother me as long as you're not from Sunderland"

[ygwerin1 · 8/10 · 17 March 2020]

After originally only watching a few episodes on the Beeb, I have just seen all of the 1st 2 Series on UKTV Play. That's all they have on there, and I am having to catch up with this Episode on YouTube.

First the Tragic News of the actual demise of the actor Gary Holton, my sincere sympathy to his family for their sad loss. Episode 13 of Series 2 was signed off as a Fitting Tribute to his memory.

Now in this 1 Episode of the 3rd Series, we are presented with the Son of Wayne. In itself its not a distasterous idea, but here's my 2 penny's worth of an alternative idea. Wayne had a relationship with the German woman Christa, who worked in the office on the German building site. Wayne was actually serious about her, but she wasn't about him not enough to want to shack up with him. She was pregnant by Wayne but had been in two minds, about having the kid. She decided in the end to have it, but to continue to live in Germany. There is a big gap in time between the two Series, enough time for Christa's kid to be a teenager. My idea is that Christa hasn't told her child much about its dad, and when the nipper is old enough it decides to find out for itself. So we would still have Son of Wayne but a German one with a German name, a lad determined to find out about his dad.

After the way Series 2 ended I am finding it not exactly easy to get used to watching Series 3, with the character development and plot.

Series 2 ended with Barry's much anticipated marriage to his sweetheart Hazel. Now I suppose I'll have to read between the lines, to find out what's happened to her. And also discover who the hell the new Mrs Tatiana Taylor is, and how she got her claws into the gullible Barry. But biggest poser has to be is the job transformation, from self employed building contractor. To the import and export of garbage, Russian vehicular tat and past its sell by date food. Barry in Marbella would have been happy to see ex pat cons, repatriated to blighty for punishment. Now Barry has become wealthy by recycling crap, possibly being joined in his business empire by Dodgy Eastern European characters. Barry has also flushed his ideals down the pan, and now shacked up with who knows what.

Neville well when are we going to find out the true voyage he has made from Geordie brickie? To the family Business Tycoon importing IKEA style do it yourself flat pack housing. We've heard Neville's lack of argument to Dennis on his rational, but what of the poor sods who buys them? So you've got your 'Home' but it still has to be 'built' on a site. And connected to the usual Mod Cons, mains Drainage, Water supply, Electricity, and Gas if you want it.

Dennis well whatever happened to his plans? Primary in that certainly in Dennis's affections was his girlfriend Christine Chadwick, so much so she even came with him to Spain. Dennis in Series 2 was apparently if not on the up with work, he didn't want to continue as a brickie on Tyneside. But certainly with his personal life with the gorgeous Christine, so how the hell did Dennis wind up further down the Tyne than when he started?

And Oz what the frig? Transformation more a metamorphosis, from the itinerant Geordie brickie to the would be business entrepreneur. Doing a stint in stirr hardly surprising, but teaming up with a born again schyster and dreaming up this scam?

The Episode is entitled Bridging The Gap and Oz wants his former oppo's, to pitch in their hard earned reddies into the Tyneside Bridge project.

But with the frankly monumental difference in character changes, a more apt title may be Spanning The Chasm. I don't know what the shows writers were on when they came up with this stuff, but it must certainly have been potent.