Best Drama Series Ever Made By British Television

[samkydd]

Originally posted by Fellwanderer@Sep 13 2005, 06:43 AM Agreed* Was it ever repeated? FELL

There are so many fans of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and other marvellous stuff starring Alec Guiness on here, perhaps we could have a picture of his head as a selectable icon, to show when you think something is really excellent! It could be called a George Smiley!

[nuance]

Yes, The Sweeney was fabulous, no question.

How about The Singing Detective, The Lives And Loves Of A She Devil, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy, Boys From The Blackstuff, Pennies From Heaven.

Other police series perhaps worth a mention: The Cops and Into The Blue.

Cheers,

Tim.

[Marky B]

(samkydd @ Sep 13 2005, 06:56 AM) There are so many fans of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and other marvellous stuff starring Alec Guiness on here, perhaps we could have a picture of his head as a selectable icon, to show when you think something is really excellent! It could be called a George Smiley!

Hear,hear
Ta Ta
Marky B

[mutty]

(A Pemberton @ Sep 7 2005, 07:06 PM) Get yer trousers on son,your nicked! Brilliant not quite my favourite, that lies with Tony Garnetts "Between The Lines" with Insp Tony Clark et al and if anyone remembers it "Cardiac Arrest" crackingly cynical and an painfully indicative of the political state of the country at the time ,Oh, and Helen Baxendale in a doctors white coat and tweed skirt

you have mentioned two out of three of the best dramas to hit british tv, the third being The Cops shown on BBC2 and starring, amongst many, John "early doors" Henshaw

[Broadsword]

(sanndevil @ Sep 7 2005, 09:17 PM) THE SWEENEY was indeed the top of the tree as far as policiers in this country were concerned. However, if you are talking about dramas, then there were many much more accomplished. For starters, lets go for THE SINGING DETECTIVE and BRIDESHEAD REVISITED

Well strictly speaking, it's an unfair comparison because those are drama serials with greater resources than were ever afforded to The Sweeney. But even allowing for that it's intereesting that The Sweeney is still way out in front. The show has a thoughtfulness, an energy, a sense of attack and a willingness to call a spade a spade that most other dramas - before or since - can't come anywhere near matching. I think that's why it's stayed so popular. People sense the show isn't trying to be elitist or patronising or politically correct. It's just calling it as it sees it and people respond to that. Plus of course apart from anything else it's downright entertaining with a class title sequence and great music!

(sanndevil @ Sep 7 2005, 09:17 PM) Both by an order of magnitude better than Carter and Regan.

'Fraid not, as others have said The Sweeney runs rings around both of 'em and some of the other suggestions on here I find quite baffling. Prime Suspect, for example? That's one of the worst written dramas of the last 20 years and somebody should point out to the critical admirers that Mirren's 'I'm a woman doing my job in a mans world' schtick exhausted its appeal approximately 20 mins into the very first episode. And how the hell is Inspector Morse a better drama than The Sweeney? Watching Morse is like watching paint dry. You can see plants grow by several inches during the course of an Inspector Morse scene. I mean it is slow.

(mysteriesofedgarwallace @ Sep 9 2005, 09:07 PM) But Euston did it on 'Special Branch' before 'The Sweeney' Yes, I know that, by ser4 of SB the show didn't have many fans within Euston or Thames; but I think ser4 of SB is a weaker series than ser3; despite Pat Mower being 'bolted on' as it were. In a way Euston didn't do the show justice

You could never do SB justice because it was a so-so tape show that Euston were ordered to turn into a film series. The format was unsuitable from the start. I don't think it's fair to blame Euston (and SB series 3/4 is pretty mediocre most of the time, IMO) they did what they could with it. But you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear ...

(mysteriesofedgarwallace @ Sep 9 2005, 09:07 PM) Mind you, the two 'extra eps.' of SB which appear on the boxed sets; ser1ep1 'Troika' and ser2ep1 'Inside' are two of the finest tv drama eps. I have ever seen.

They're okay. Nothing special.

(mysteriesofedgarwallace @ Sep 9 2005, 09:07 PM) [ Plus I find both 'Callan' and 'Public Eye' more engrossing than 'The Sweeney' and both of these shows have more traditional production values.

By 'traditional' you presumably mean studio bound, static, uncinematic and full of clumsy camera angles dictated by the multi-camera nature of the tape format .

It's true that The Sweeney wasn't the first film series shot on 16mm for television as it was preceeded by SB. But then SB was preceeded by Gerry Anderson's enjoyable The Protectors. There are other examples I'm sure.

[Hell_driver]

I'd like to give honourable mentions to Fox & Out 2 more Euston Films productions that In my opinion were tremendous series'

[piroflip2]

(Shadwell @ Sep 5 2005, 10:24 PM) I openly challenge any member of this community to name me a better drama series than "The Sweeney" I've just finished watching the the DVD box set of "The Sweeney" and I suppose at the moment I'm a little Sweeney obsessed but nonetheless I openly challenge you!!! C'mon then. Name me a series which tops "The Sweeney" Like many people I first caught the Sweeney in the 70's when I was a nipper. Most people think of the sweeney as being all about blaggers robbing banks. This is not the case as "The Sweeney" dealt with serious issues of the day which are still relevent today. C'mon then yer slags!!! If you know of a series which your think tops "The Sweeney" then let's not be shy. Let's have yer...get yer trousers on, yer nicked!!!

no,,,,,,i cant meet your challenge Shadwell.

but,,,when i was a youngster i absolutely loved "Callan"

for grim drama it was hard to beat.

full of nasty types who were on OUR side.

Mears, Cross, and the extremely sinister Schnell, etc.

but the sweeney was tops for sure.

regards piroflip

[arty-dave]

ITC = Quality British Drama

'nuff said...

[Shadwell]

Watched "Must see TV" last night on ITV1. They were profiling "The Sweeney." On the whole I thought it wasn't too bad but it could easily have done with an hour instead of a mere twenty minutes. The clip of John arriving where they roll out the red carpet, John laughs, gives the camera the finger while Dennis salutes him from behind made me laugh. However it just shows what a great show "The Sweeney" was and how much John Thaw is missed.....

[Steve Crook]

(Shadwell @ Nov 26 2005, 02:20 PM) Watched "Must see TV" last night on ITV1. They were profiling "The Sweeney." On the whole I thought it wasn't too bad but it could easily have done with an hour instead of a mere twenty minutes. The clip of John arriving where they roll out the red carpet, John laughs, gives the camera the finger while Dennis salutes him from behind made me laugh. However it just shows what a great show "The Sweeney" was and how much John Thaw is missed.....

I really liked it. Although, as you say, it could have done with a longer programme.
I was disappointed that they didn't do more about the great episode with Diana Dors where she gave Jack Regan a run for his money. But I suppose it was the limited time-slot that meant that they couldn't show everything.

The presenter was quite good as well, not too intrusive and having him in the car at the beginning was quite well done.

Steve

[Marky B]

Garfield Morgan was in The Bill the other week,playing a pensioner getting fleeced by some youngsters.
Ta Ta
Marky B

[Shadwell]

(Marky B @ Nov 26 2005, 05:43 PM) Garfield Morgan was in The Bill the other week,playing a pensioner getting fleeced by some youngsters. Ta Ta Marky B

They need nicking! Give 'em a good kicking then slam them into an iron fence - Sweeney style!!!!

[samkydd]

My wife bought me a Sweeney tee shirt today, all black with the words SHUT IT! on the front in white caps, with three pictures of their Granada. Excellent.

They had George Sewell on The Bill a few weeks ago as a retired policeman doing an after dinner at the Sunhill celebrations. He went out on patrol in the area car and got hold of some young spaf, Sweeney style, in an arm breaker hold which was frowned upon by the two young coppers he was with!

Of course this is only fiction but whenever I see those police documentaries the modern copper does talk to the scanker criminal very respectfully, which to me is quite wrong. If some drunk pukes up on your boots you make him lick it off! If they try and hit you, you hit him back only harder. If some gobby oik starts using obscene language you nick 'em not argue with him! If someone joy rides in a stolen car and threatens the life of everyone in his path as he speeds the wrong way down a dual carriageway, when you catch him you beat him to a pulp and break his arms, not give him a cup of tea and police bail so he can go out and do it again! Okay this may seem a trifle harsh, but it's very effective and increases the entertainment value of fly-on-the-wall documentaries no end!

Personally I can't abide drunkeness in public places, and with the binge drinking culture our society has cultivated over the past few hundred years there should be an effective cure for it by now. You lock 'em up for a week, no bail, just instant detention. Publish their names in the local 'paper and notify their employer or cancel their benefit! Or even better, bring back the public stocks. They'd only do it the once I can assure you!

As I get older all my old man's right wing attitudes have started taking me over, what next will his affect have on me in my advancing years? Nasal and ear lug hair longer than on my head? Coach trip holidays to the Home Counties? Sundays spent in wonder in garden centres buying water features and John Innes Number 28 for my tomatoes? I'll probably go out and buy beige slacks, a matching blouson and trilby and buy a Rover, pre-Chinese of course!

[penfold]

(samkydd @ Nov 26 2005, 07 As I get older all my old man's right wing attitudes have started taking me over, what next will his affect have on me in my advancing years? Nasal and ear lug hair longer than on my head? Coach trip holidays to the Home Counties? Sundays spent in wonder in garden centres buying water features and John Innes Number 28 for my tomatoes? I'll probably go out and buy beige slacks, a matching blouson and trilby and buy a Rover, pre-Chinese of course!

Ladies and gentlemen, Alf Garnett has left the building..

[samkydd]

(penfold @ Nov 27 2005, 01:15 PM) Ladies and gentlemen, Alf Garnett has left the building...

I think many people do turn into Alf as maturity and intolerance sets in! I don't even read the newspapers so it must be some natural "bring back hanging" gene that manifests itself when you hit your 40s! When I look back to what horrid little b*stards we all were as teenagers I cringe with embarassment!