I accept that New Tricks did rather lose its way in later seasons, and the loss of Alun Armstrong was a big nail in the coffin. However, the criticism in one of the reviews that this episode focuses more on Strickland than the rest of the regulars I don't accept as an issue. I am a Dr Who fan and one of the best episodes is The Weeping Angels and this is billed as a 'Dr Who Lite' episode because he doesn't feature in it much. I think it does some good for any long running series to have story lines that aren't always heavy on the main cast. That said, this is just a great episode on its own - not only do we see a bit more of Strickland, we have Tim McInnerny playing the MI5 role really well. I have seen this episode a few times now and it is a great watch.
8 Reviews
Episodes switched
repete5228 December 2020
Different than usual New Tricks, but still works well on its own terms
scsaxe24 April 2022
We finish up the Stephen Fisher spy arc with an unusual episode. Strickland, Stephen Fisher, and others in a black ops team get attacked by somebody, and Strickland asks UCOS to help out as a personal favor.
As other reviews point out, this is more a spy show with UCOS as an addon, but it works well on its own terms. The spy drama is suspenseful, UCOS is clearly out of its depth, but still makes useful contributions to the ending, and Strickland ties everything together in the end.
As other reviews point out, this is more a spy show with UCOS as an addon, but it works well on its own terms. The spy drama is suspenseful, UCOS is clearly out of its depth, but still makes useful contributions to the ending, and Strickland ties everything together in the end.
Who is to blame; gangsters, the IRA or MI-5?
Tweekums23 October 2012
Warning: Spoilers
The team are rather surprised when DAC Strickland arranges to meet them in a car park and arrives in a taxi
it turns out somebody is clearing up loose ends from a case thirty years ago and Strickland is one of those loose ends. He and a small group he was at Sandhurst with had broken into the house of a journalist at the behest of MI-5; soon afterwards the journalist was killed in a hit and run accident. At the time the journalist had been investigating ties between a London gangster and the IRA. Two members of the team are dead already and Strickland and his friend Stephen Fisher believe they might be next on the hit list. It turns out that a document that they photographed that night had gone missing from the journalist's study; clearly whatever it contained was worth killing for and somebody feared that those involved in the break in might work out its significance
Strickland, Fisher and the UCOS team will have to find out what was on that document if they are to learn why the group is being targeted thirty years after the initial break in.
This was a much more convoluted episode than usual; that wasn't a surprise though as anything involving Ireland in the bad old days and the security services is bound to be fairly murky especially when you have Tim McInnerny putting in his excellent trademark performance as a slightly sinister Whitehall type; it is hard to believe that he was once Blackadder's idiotic sidekick Percy! Anthony Calf also but in a good performance as Strickland; getting far more screen time than his character usually gets. There was more action than usual with shootings, explosions and even a hit man getting rundown. Just because it was more complex than usual doesn't mean there weren't any laughs; McAndrew's method of overhearing a conversation was both amusing and inventive.
This was a much more convoluted episode than usual; that wasn't a surprise though as anything involving Ireland in the bad old days and the security services is bound to be fairly murky especially when you have Tim McInnerny putting in his excellent trademark performance as a slightly sinister Whitehall type; it is hard to believe that he was once Blackadder's idiotic sidekick Percy! Anthony Calf also but in a good performance as Strickland; getting far more screen time than his character usually gets. There was more action than usual with shootings, explosions and even a hit man getting rundown. Just because it was more complex than usual doesn't mean there weren't any laughs; McAndrew's method of overhearing a conversation was both amusing and inventive.
A very good, very different episode.
Sleepin_Dragon22 August 2022
The UCOS team are summoned by Strickland to take up an off the record case, an attempt on Stephen Fisher's life.
I'll start by saying, I don't know what it is, it is as far away from any episode of New Tricks that I can think of, it's a plot that would perhaps have been more suitable on Waking The Dead maybe, with Boyd taking Lawson's part, attacking the suspects etc.
It may not be New Tricks in a conventional sense, but it does work, it really does work, it's higher octane than is normally the case, but as it's a series finale, let's applaud them for doing something a little different.
I like that there's more a focus on Strickland, a cracking character, but too often just a bit part player, and for that he's just too good.
Great to see Tim Mcinnerny back as Stephen Fisher, he made a big impact when he appeared a little while back, he's a terrific actor, he's a big character, far from likeable, but very noticeable. His voice is one you listen to. The show hardly ever brought characters back, I'm glad in his case that they decided he needed another story.
Awesome to see Gabrielle Glaister here as well, I can't watch her without thinking of one word, Bob! It's like a Blackadder II reunion.
Overall, I really did enjoy it, 8/10.
I'll start by saying, I don't know what it is, it is as far away from any episode of New Tricks that I can think of, it's a plot that would perhaps have been more suitable on Waking The Dead maybe, with Boyd taking Lawson's part, attacking the suspects etc.
It may not be New Tricks in a conventional sense, but it does work, it really does work, it's higher octane than is normally the case, but as it's a series finale, let's applaud them for doing something a little different.
I like that there's more a focus on Strickland, a cracking character, but too often just a bit part player, and for that he's just too good.
Great to see Tim Mcinnerny back as Stephen Fisher, he made a big impact when he appeared a little while back, he's a terrific actor, he's a big character, far from likeable, but very noticeable. His voice is one you listen to. The show hardly ever brought characters back, I'm glad in his case that they decided he needed another story.
Awesome to see Gabrielle Glaister here as well, I can't watch her without thinking of one word, Bob! It's like a Blackadder II reunion.
Overall, I really did enjoy it, 8/10.
Spies coming in from the British cold
safenoe20 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This is Fisher's final appearance in New Tricks, and what a send-off. He and DAC Strickland share the most screen time in this episode, and maybe there can be a Fisher spin-off series. Anyway, we learn more about the duo's time at Sandhurst and their spy days.
Julian Simpson writes and directs, and Gerry and Steve have more screen time than Sandra and Brian. New Zealander Kerry Fox, who appeared in Intimacy, appears as one of Strickland's former spy pals.
Julian Simpson writes and directs, and Gerry and Steve have more screen time than Sandra and Brian. New Zealander Kerry Fox, who appeared in Intimacy, appears as one of Strickland's former spy pals.
Intelligence group 'New Tricks'
TheLittleSongbird3 March 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.
"Part of a Whole" is a very interesting try at doing something relatively different, and while it was not entirely successful it was generally done very well. It is grittier and more darkly sombre than can usually be seen, but the gritty elements have tension and while humour is kept at relative minimum there was enough entertainment value to keep things from being overly serious.
The story is an absorbing and clever one, if at times over-complicated and like there was too much going on and with not enough breathing space.
Really liked that there was more of Strickland and loved his role here. Likewise with Fisher in a very worthy last episode for him. The team are not featured prominently sadly and are somewhat underused, but when they are present they are a sheer delight and their chemistry, a huge part of why 'New Tricks' is as good as it is in its prime years, sparkles.
Visually, "Part of a Whole" 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. The chemistry between the characters and cast entertains, charms and has some intensity.
Alun Armstrong balances comic timing and pathos brilliantly, and Amanda Redman does the same with authority and class. Dennis Waterman entertains while also bringing suitable grit and Denis Lawson has really settled in well now. Anthony Calf gets to do some of his best work of the show, and Tim McInnernny plays a slimeball to perfection.
In conclusion, largely successful but not entirely try at being different. 7/10 Bethany Cox
'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.
"Part of a Whole" is a very interesting try at doing something relatively different, and while it was not entirely successful it was generally done very well. It is grittier and more darkly sombre than can usually be seen, but the gritty elements have tension and while humour is kept at relative minimum there was enough entertainment value to keep things from being overly serious.
The story is an absorbing and clever one, if at times over-complicated and like there was too much going on and with not enough breathing space.
Really liked that there was more of Strickland and loved his role here. Likewise with Fisher in a very worthy last episode for him. The team are not featured prominently sadly and are somewhat underused, but when they are present they are a sheer delight and their chemistry, a huge part of why 'New Tricks' is as good as it is in its prime years, sparkles.
Visually, "Part of a Whole" 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. The chemistry between the characters and cast entertains, charms and has some intensity.
Alun Armstrong balances comic timing and pathos brilliantly, and Amanda Redman does the same with authority and class. Dennis Waterman entertains while also bringing suitable grit and Denis Lawson has really settled in well now. Anthony Calf gets to do some of his best work of the show, and Tim McInnernny plays a slimeball to perfection.
In conclusion, largely successful but not entirely try at being different. 7/10 Bethany Cox
More Spooks than New Tricks
tjhyb115 January 2015
If any episode was proof that Redman & Armstrong's fears that the writers had veered far from the show's original concept were well-founded, this is it. The four regulars feature almost as bit-part players with Strickland and arch-slimeball Stephen Fisher promoted to centre stage in what appears to be an old script left over from "Spooks". "New Tricks" it certainly isn't. Solving unsolved "civilian" crimes is pushed to one side to deal with the unravelling of a conspiracy involving sleeper agents and a plot to systematically wipe them out. Earlier delvings into the sinister world of security service dealings had been fairly well tackled; secret drug tests on serving soldiers in "Mad Dogs", illegal rendition in "The Truth is Out There", preventing the loss of potentially valuable scientific methods in "The Gentleman Vanishes", all these worked well within the show's remit as they were believable and could be related to everyday life. "Part of a Whole" on the other hand is so far removed from what most people would regard as normal it simply doesn't fit into what "New Tricks" was all about, i.e. retired police officers using their skills to solve seemingly insolvable crimes. If this episode was designed to teach Redman and Armstrong a lesson over their well-publicised criticisms of the direction the show was taking, it failed. If, instead, it was an example of the way the show was heading then maybe they did the right thing in leaving when they did.
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