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Reviews
Dr. Finlay's Casebook: The Burgess Ticket (1971)
Charming final episode
A charming final episode brings events up to 1931 (ie nearly 40 years before it was first transmitted). It is revealed that Dr Cameron will soon be 65 and is finally contemplating retirement. His wish is that Dr Finlay will take over the practice entirely, however the handover will not be smooth as he relinquishes his responsibilities. There are lovely character moments for Bill Simpson, Andrew Cruickshank and Barbara Mullen who have inhabited the main characters so warmly and convincingly over eight series and nearly 200 episodes. The conclusion is subtly handled, no shattering denouement, and give us a sense of the status quo at Arden House continuing into the foreseeable future, which is what devoted viewers must surely have wanted.
Dr. Finlay's Casebook: A Good Prospect (1970)
Well directed on film
After a run of drivel, good to see an extremely well directed episode by Ken Hannam, unusually shot entirely on colour film - even the familiar studios sets. With a script from David Hopkins, it almost works as a morality play on the perils of boxing, and to a lesser extent gambling. The three regulars take something of a backseat, especially Dr Cameron and Janet. Mark McManus is a strong but sensitive guest star as a wannabe boxer. We also see in smaller, early roles Jill Gascoigne and George Sewell. PM.
Dr. Finlay's Casebook: The Honeypot (1970)
Poor episode
Another surprisingly poor episode about an American discovering his roots and wanting to buy Arden House. Thin story with feeble scripting and an implausible premise.
Dr. Finlay's Casebook: Dorrity (1970)
Dreadful episode.
Twee, silly episode with a young woman (Dorrity) from a remote bothy whose father dies and who is then taken into Arden House, causing a flutter among the two bachelors. She is wise and educated beyond her years and means. Goes around barefoot. Apparently has healing hands. Buys a bright green dress. Lots of awkward edits, implausible situations, fast jerky plot and a wavering Scottish accent from the guest actress mar this edition. Maybe in 1970 it was trying to be a portrait of a progressive woman, perhaps with shades of Pygmalion, but it lands awkwardly throughout. The regular cast look like they've suddenly wandered into a Scottish episode of Crossroads.
Dr. Finlay's Casebook: Lack of Communication (1969)
Amusing
One of the few surviving episodes from the final b&w series, this is highly amusing and full of delicious character moments for the regulars, Finlay, Cameron and Janet as well as Snoddie and Mistress Niven. There's a noticeable change in the look of the programme too, higher-resolution pictures and more fluid camera movement in the TV studio. Such a shame more of these late 60s episodes haven't survived. PMo.
Dr. Finlay's Casebook: The Cheats (1968)
Tedious
Daft and tedious, ludicrously mechanical story about a whole family of cheats. One of the few truly poor surviving episodes of the series. A slog to watch. PM.
Dr. Finlay's Casebook: A Moral Problem (1968)
Moral dilemmas and laughs
A very amusing episode as a cranky wealthy old woman tries to poach a highly rated sister from the local hospital to serve as her personal assistant. The registrar (one of several with different names played by John Harvey in this series), Drs Finlay and Cameron, and eventually Janet try to thwart her plans. The sister is played by Mary Miller, the first wife of Bill Simpson, in her second role in the series.
Dr. Finlay's Casebook: Tell Me True (1967)
Amusing
Lighthearted episode in which a widowed Minister proposes marriage to Janet and Dr Finlay has to deal with a junior nurse who sees the world very differently and has only just regained the power of speech.
Dr. Finlay's Casebook: Buy Now - Pay Later (1967)
Structural changes
With so many episodes missing from the later series it's difficult to see the natural progression that the programme and characters went through. By this sixth series the decision had been taken to add a little more levity between the three lead characters but also to introduce a romance for Dr Finlay. This episode is the first existing in series six and is also the conclusion of that set up, with new and shortly lived running characters: Finlay's love interest, her difficult businessman father and pregnant stepmother, who is the patient. It's good to see David Kernan breezing in as a friend of the girlfriend.
Viewers at the time were a little unsettled by this development in the series and the three lead actors spoke of the changes in Radio Times in the autumn of 1967. PM.
Dr. Finlay's Casebook: Advertising Matter (1967)
Quaint
A quaint episode with some interesting quirky performances as Finlay is called to a health farm for ladies and gets embroiled in a charge of misconduct by an unpleasant newspaper proprietor. PM.
Dr. Finlay's Casebook: A Question of Conflict (1967)
Compassionate tale
What begins as a story about a patient in pain with severe appendicitis and a rare blood condition becomes more about a cantankerous cottage
hospital sister. She appears to be at the end of her tether after 30 years of dealing with slack nurses and difficult patients but is clearly suffering ill-health and refuses to be examined by Finlay. Well acted (a fine performance by Sonia Dresdel) and closely directed by Ian MacNaughton, this is a tale of determination and compassion. PM.
Dr. Finlay's Casebook: The Sons of the Hounds (1967)
Lighthearted episode
A retired Harley Street practitioner moves to Tannochbrae and antagonises Cameron and Finlay, especially when he starts poaching their patients. This is one of the more lighthearted episodes with good material for the three regulars. PM.
Maigret: A Taste of Power (1963)
A most entertaining episode
A most entertaining episode in which Neville Jason at last comes to the fore and excels as Sergeant Lapointe. Off duty and slightly tipsy, he hears a shot in the night and goes to investigate, not realising he will become embroiled in the murderous machinations of a wealthy family of grocers. There's amusing contrast between the upper-crust rich and hard-nosed vagabonds all as bad as each other - as well as a comedically staged fight in car-repair garage. Justice isn't quite served at the end but Maigret (always excellent Rupert Davies) knows the truth and that deserts will be just. PM.
Maigret: The Flemish Shop (1963)
Margaret Tyzack and Mike Leigh!
Margaret Tyzack was a bloody good actress, always, and her presence enlivens this tortuous episode about murder and family sins. The great Joyce Carey also dignifies this instalment while Emrys James and Robert Gillespie are strong as unsavoury characters; startlingly (director) Mike Leigh turns up briefly as a young bargee who cannot speak. PM.
Maigret: A Man Condemned (1963)
Rupert Davies at his finest.
After a man is condemned to execution for the murder of his wife, Maigret instinctively doubts that the man is guilty and continues to pursue his investigation. An unusually structured episode, partly told in flashback, narrated by Maigret. Rupert Davies is at his finest here as the dogged detective determined to save one man, and Philip Madoc is also notable as an edgy, low-life gigolo. PM.
Maigret: Poor Cecile (1963)
Overwrought
An episode without finesse and with some overwrought guest performances. Joan Sanderson appears briefly as a crabby old aunt and made up to look older than her 50 or so years.
Maigret: Seven Little Crosses (1962)
Curio Episode
A curio episode set around Christmas and shown in December 1962, with an unusual construction. Maigret barely appears (four short scenes receiving calls at home) because he is on leave for the festive season so it is left to Sgt Lucas to field an investigation into multiple murders. Ewan Solon rises to the challenge of carrying the episode as Lucas. Much of the policework is conducted from the communications room at HQ, with Alfred Burke's character in charge of the telephone lines. The location filming involves a boy pursuing the killer across Paris, especially around Montmartre. There's an amusing, very brief one-scene guest spot for Arthur Lowe, who at that time was fully engaged in ITV's Coronation Street. (PM)
Maigret: The Trap (1962)
A deeper psychological dimension the rest
Maigret takes a calculated risk in his plan to thwart a serial killer in Montmartre. An unconvincingly overdubbed opening film sequence gets this off to a shaky start. But there follows early on an extraordinary seven-minute montage filmed in and around Pigalle and Montmartre as undercover officers, including (unusually for the time) female agents, set out to lure the killer. This is one of the strongest adaptations, with a deeper psychological dimension and persuasive performances from Aubrey Woods and Jacqueline Hill (a few months before she joined Doctor Who) as the waspish married couple at the centre of the investigation. PM.
Maigret: Death in Mind (1962)
Rewardingly complicated
A rewardingly complicated murder mystery with Anton Rodgers as a slimeball who thinks he can get the better of Maigret and his men. Rupert Davies is at ease unpicking the trail and facing down an arrogant opponent.
Maigret: The Crooked Castle (1962)
Weak episode
Unusually awkward dialogue, several weak performances, too many obvious jumps between location and studio and lamentable backdrops let this episode down. PM.
Maigret: The Dirty House (1962)
Beatrix Lehmann guest-stars
Despite the presence of class actors such as Beatrix Lehmann (playing a forthright grandmother almost 20 years older than she was) and Rosalie Crutchley, this is an overwrought drama about family secrets and lies, less engaging than some other episodes of this run. Gorgeous filming, though, at a French weir and the house when the Maigrets are supposedly en vacances. PM.
Maigret: A Crime for Christmas (1961)
Boxing Day twee
A somewhat twee edition aired on Boxing Day 1961, with an interesting guest cast: Heather Chasen, Esma Cannon, Barry Foster and George Coulouris among them. A rare mention is again made of the Maigrets' dead daughter. PM.
Maigret: The Liars (1961)
Ramshackle
A ramshackle episode despite being directed by Rudolph Cartier, but with a sensitive performance from guest star Joseph Furst. Rita Webb appears briefly as the ghastly murder victim.
Maigret: Raise Your Right Hand (1961)
Patrick Troughton guest stars
An intriguing episode in which Maigret receives new evidence that may save a man accused of a double murder. The accused is played by Patrick Troughton, in a strong, brooding but for a long while wordless performance. PM.
Maigret: The Golden Fleece (1961)
Terrific episode directed by Rudolph Cartier
A terrific episode produced and directed by Rudolph Cartier (of Quatermass and 1984 fame). There is an extravagant amount of filming around the Ecluse de Janville, a canal lock at Longueil-Annel (north-east of Paris), and latterly on the Seine, and there's a strong central performance by guest star Francis de Wolfe as a womanising but charismatic lock "patron", whom Maigret can't help warming to. PM.