New Tricks (TV Series) The Truth Is Out There (2009) User Reviews

UFOs, Conspiracies, Aliens, Wow!

[Robinson2511 · 9/10 · 7 April 2016]

For a very down to earth series such as New Tricks, The Truth is out There is quite surprising. An episode based around a reported UFO sighting, a conspiracy by the U.S government to cover up an international incident and a possible close encounter with extra-terrestrials makes one of the more out-there episodes of the show.

Does that mean I dislike it? Hell no! This episode was really entertaining and really interesting. In terms of structure it's just like any other episode only with a hint on the paranormal added in along with a government conspiracy.

Some people have a problem with the episode using the U.S government as the basis of the conspiracy, I'm British so I may not have the final say on this but I don't see the problem, it's not as if the episode is actively portraying the U.S government as murderers, it's nothing shows like the X Files or Burn Notice hadn't already done, or is there something different with a British show portraying the U.S government this way, if there is, I don't get it.

I like how the episode is left open-ended, with the team given three different endings to the story and why the victim was killed. The three witness give very different accounts to what happened that night, was the incident that shook the U.S government to do with terrorism suspects, aliens, or did it really happen at all? As Brian Lane says at the end of the episode, each explanation is just as likely as the other!

Very good episode, one that defies convention.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 10 May 2022]

A case that's personal to Jack, sees The UCOS team investigating a strange death, where they encounter The US Military, and some UFO conspiracy theorists.

It's definitely an episode that defies convention, it doesn't stick to any of the show's rules, it dares to be a little different. They manage to keep it on the rails, it never becomes silly or over the top, it definitely has some nice, humorous moments.

The opening was a bit odd, it took some getting used to, the ending reverted back to normal. I do watch, and love The X Files, it was definitely influenced in terms of the story, but some of the camera angles, tone and vibe also felt similar.

The ever usual great acting, Michael Landes was great as always, but it's actually Amanda Redman herself that stole the show here.

Very enjoyable, 8/10.

'It's life Jack, but not as we know it!'

[Milk_Tray_Guy · 8/10 · 15 August 2023]

New Tricks goes X-Files, as the team launch an investigation involving a recently deceased retired police officer, his widow, a deceased journalist and his former girlfriend, government conspiracies, cover-ups, and an alleged crashed alien spacecraft! The story shows influence from some well-known alleged UFO incidents, including Roswell (1947, US) and Rendlesham Forrest (1980, UK). Watching the down-to-earth coppers grappling with the possibility of 'little green men' is funny, and the ever reliable Dennis Waterman, James Bolam, Alun Armstrong, and Amanda Redman get plenty of mileage from it. But there are real stakes here, and things get pretty serious. Nice to see Michael Brandon guesting as the retired US Air Force Base Commander, but the real standout is Mark Williams (The Fast Show, Father Brown) as the absolutely spot-on, stereotypical leader of the local UFO Investigation group! One of the very best episodes 8/10.

Americans made to look bad

[ctyankee1 · 24 April 2015]

A case is opened of a man that was a cop who believed in UFOs. Him and another believer went in to the forest with special suits on when they saw something that was like a crash.

Jack knew the man named Edleman and liked him. They opened the case for a couple of reasons one was his girlfriend said Edleman did not kill himself. His computer was taken by someone and the police could not find out what his last days were and what he saw. His girlfriend helped with the the things he had on his computer by some thing on his lottery ticket.

Anyway this episode blamed the Americans. Brian who supposedly very smart believes in the UFO siting. It comes out that the Americans had a number of British citizens under arrest for probable terrorism and they died in an airplane crash that the CIA covered up.

I like New Tricks but this story is bizarre. UCOS believes the Americans are also scaring and threatening former soldiers who saw the crash and living in England so they will not talk.

I was also surprised to see the man that plays Father Brown/Mark Williams, in this he also looks nutty. I did not like the fact America was used as ploy for this episode with all the other countries that are involved in terrorism they picked the US that is trying to stop it as a topic for this episode.

Ex-Files

[safenoe · 9/10 · 1 September 2017]

This episode of New Tricks is reminiscent of The X-Files which took the world by storm back in the 90s and led to a Roswell revival. This episode has more American characters than normal, but unfortunately no DAC Strickland, who always brings flair to each episode he's in. Perhaps this episode inspired the revival of The X-Files almost a decade later.

Michael Landes, Michael Brandon - two US stars in this episode. I wonder where Leonard Kuziak's diner was in real life - sort of a theme caravan. Leonard is played by Michael Landes.

The ending was a bit ambiguous so not like the ending of Close Encounters of the Third Kind where we see the aliens and all that.

The odd truth

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 31 January 2018]

Have always been a big fan of detective/mystery shows from a fairly young age, well since starting secondary school.

'Inspector Morse', 'A Touch of Frost', 'Midsomer Murders' (in its prime), 'Law and Order', 'Inspector George Gently', 'Criminal Minds', 'Murder She Wrote', you name them to name a few. 'New Tricks' has also been a favourite from the start (despite not being the same without the original cast in recent years). Although it can be corny at times (in an endearing sort of way) it has always been perfect for helping me relax in the evenings. Something that was needed during all the hard times endured in school.

Although somewhat of a let down after the terrific previous episode "The War Against Drugs", "The Truth is Out There" for me is a better episode as has been said. It is a long way from being one of my favourite 'New Tricks' episodes this said. As has been noted, "The Truth is Out There" is a very different episode.

What is essentially a light-hearted show this is an uncharacteristically heavy one. This is apparent in as early as the opening exchange between Sandra and Jack, opening exchanges have often been amusing, this one was very sombre. Not a bad thing, just noting the difference. The American portrayal didn't bother me that much.

"The Truth is Out There" is a strange episode (not as much as "Wicca Work" though) somewhat, with a lot crammed in and a fairly complicated story. The different strands seem muddled and unrelated to each other on paper, but oddly enough actually tie up better than expected and just about avoids being confusing. Was not sure what to make of the ending though, it was an interesting one and different, one can also see where Brian is coming from, but the ambiguity of it was oddly unsatisfying in a case that to me needed to have everything tied up.

Visually, "The Truth is Out There" is slick and stylish as ever. The music is a good fit and the theme song (sung with gusto by none other by Dennis Waterman himself) is one of the catchiest for any detective/mystery show and of any show in the past fifteen years or so.

Writing is intelligent, thought-provoking and classy, though the humour is more prevalent in other episodes.

A huge part of 'New Tricks' appeal is the chemistry between the four leads and their performances. The chemistry is so easy going and charming with a little tension.

One of the show's biggest delights is Alun Armstrong, achieves a perfect balance of funny comic timing and touching pathos which was maintained all the way up to his final episode. It is also lovely here to see his role in the team and skills appreciated more all the time. James Bolam's Jack is the quietest, most sensible (mostly) and most composed of the team, with a tragic personal life that Bolam portrays very touchingly without any overwrought-ness.

The only woman on the team, Amanda Redman more than holds her own in what is essentially the boss role of the four. Dennis Waterman brings some nice levity without unbalancing things. The supporting cast are solid, if not quite what one would call outstanding.

In summary, odd and atypical but interesting and generally well done. 8/10 Bethany Cox

An episode out of character with the series

[LCShackley · 4/10 · 14 August 2012]

I was not surprised to see that the writer and director of this episode had also been involved in the series MI-5. It's full of the same kind of anti-American paranoia that is typical of the other series. Tiresome, worn-out plot elements include sinister American military men, CIA cover-ups, and Guantanamo Bay. This is a much heavier episode than usual, and is very much out of character with the rest of the series. I hope this is only an aberration, and not a sign of things to come.

It also has one of the worst endings of any episode in the series. We are left believing that the CIA has managed to put a stop to the investigation and has bribed or threatened anyone who could assist the UCOS team. It's just another symptom of the anti-American sentiment that is so rampant at the BBC.

Spooky Conspiracy sputters out

[scsaxe · 5/10 · 1 May 2022]

UCOS investigates a disappearance, talking to alien hunters and physics people who were in the area and could help solve the case. The episode starts out pretty spooky, as UCOS is dealing with a scary conspiracy but pushes forward anyway. But the case ends up not really going anywhere, the team seems to sort of figure out what happened, but doesn't completely nail things down or close out the case, leaving a disappointing episode.