New Tricks (TV Series) Into the Woods (2013) User Reviews

Was there a murder?

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 3 September 2013]

This episode sees the UCOS team called in to investigate the disappearance of a jogger last seen in Epping Forest. The case is being reopened because his works ID badge has turned up covered in blood. There are plenty of suspects and a similar array of motives… it appears that he was involved with his best friend's wife and he had discovered that his father in law had been involved in a massive tax fraud. Of course it is possible he wasn't killed at all; he had talked of returning to The Congo and there are indications that he had made preparations to vanish. While the investigation is going on the team also have a few personal issues; Sandra seems withdrawn and only new member Danny realises anything is wrong, Steve decides it is time to make contact with the sixteen year old son he hasn't seen in years and Gerry is forced to confront an old phobia… his fear of the woods!.

Brian's absence may not have been mentioned this week but it was still felt; it will take some time for Nicolas Lyndhurst's character Danny to fully replace him… that said he does seem to fit in with the somewhat motley group. The story was enjoyable with plenty of suspects to keep the viewer guessing… one even had to guess whether a crime had even been committed until the very end! Of the side stories involving the characters Gerry's provided a few laughs but the other two were rather sad; particularly Steve's; the scene where he spoke to his son's stepfather were heartbreaking. Overall a decent enough episode.

The vanishing jogger

[safenoe · 9/10 · 29 October 2017]

Here UCOS investigate a jogger who disappeared in a London forest.

Gerry seeks professional help over his phobia of forests, and through his therapy he learns his cousins abandoned him as a kid in the woods.

Steve wants to locate his teenage son (who plays for Battersea Bears rugby club) and stakes out the property. At a rugby match Steve and talks to the stepdad who doesn't have kind words for Steve not knowing he's Steve. This is heartbreaking.

Sandra remembers the anniversary of her father's death and Dan consoles her.

The case of the missing jogger

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 8 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.

'New Tricks' was past its best by now, with integral characters no longer with us, but like "Cry Me a River" (which introduced Danny as Brian's replacement) "Into the Woods" is an example that the period was not an unwatchable one and it did have good episodes.

Regarding Danny, he is not a bad character on his own, far from it (he's actually pretty likeable), and he is played very charmingly by Nicholas Lyndhurst in relatively subdued and playing it straight form. Other than his chemistry with Sandra, he has not quite settled yet and yet again he does suffer from that he just isn't Brian, whose intelligence was unique and who was a character that provided plenty of laughs but also emotion. Also he doesn't quite have the presence of Alun Armstrong whose absence is felt deeply.

Case-wise, "Into the Woods" is entertaining and intriguing with some nice, if at times familiar, twists and a denouement that satisfies enough.

Visually, "Into the Woods" 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, while also being very funny and high up in the entertainment value. This is all mixed adeptly with a seriousness without being overly so that it doesn't feel like 'New Tricks'.

A huge part of 'New Tricks' appeal is the chemistry, which is so entertaining and charming with some nice tension.

Denis Lawson, Dennis Waterman and Amanda Redman all give their reliably strong performances (especially Lawson, who gives the episode a lot of heart and poignancy), and Lyndhurst is charming. The supporting cast also fare well though no outstanding standouts.

Overall, another well done episode though didn't have me jumping out of my chair. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Quite average, but watchable enough.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 6/10 · 11 November 2022]

The blood stained clothes of Simon Belgrade are found in Epping Forest, five years after he disappeared.

Not the most interesting mystery for me, in fact I found this one a little hard to stick with, there are so many strands, so many sub stories, that the main one gets lost, unlike any other episode up until this point, it was a little on the boring side, not a bad watch overall though.

Danny is proving to be a little irritating, nothing wrong with the acting skills of Lyndhurst, but why does he have to be so smug, I'm half expecting him to say he knows all about 19th century taxidermy, the mating habits of the red squirrel and antique glassware through the ages, they should have toned him down a little.

The best element for me was Gerry, and his battle with trees forests, it's been an interesting thread for quite a while, it felt like it came to something of a head here. I did also quite enjoy Steve's efforts to see his son, although they could have made it a little more interesting though.

6/10.

Into the trees, not Gerry's forte

[scsaxe · 6/10 · 26 April 2022]

Gerry's fear of forests appears again...but he manages to overcome it enough to be useful, with the team's help.

The mystery itself wasn't the interesting to me, which is why I rated the episode lower. It's a family drama type story and I don't remember the details much, so wasn't all that memorable, though it does have a good twist at the end. Character/team interactions are similarly not that memorable. Danny has blended into the team pretty well.

Poor

[pingydoran · 3/10 · 23 August 2018]

Denis waterman was truly awful. Totally unbelievable as a copper