New Tricks (TV Series) The Chinese Job (2003) User Reviews

"It doesn't matter if you're old and grey"

[gray4 · 9/10 · 7 May 2004]

This is a wonderful new crime series, bringing together three old stalwarts of British television (Denis Waterman, James Bolam and Alun Armstrong) as retired detectives brought back to help clear up old cases, under the leadership of younger, career-focused Amanda Redman. The three quirky, irritable old cops make a brilliant team, applying twenty-year old detection methods in a police force which has moved a long way on since then - sometimes with effect, at other times to the horror of their senior officers. The three are portrayed sympathetically, warts and all. There are splendid comic scenes, and some very moving ones as each of the three has to come to terms with growing old and the legacy of their pasts.

At the end of the first six-part series (we are promised a further series next year) each of the characters had developed. Widower James Bolam cannot come to terms with his wife's untimely death. Lothario Denis Waterman is learning to accept his role as grandfather. And even obsessive Alun Armstrong is helped by his new friends to fight the demons of his past - and keep taking the medication! While Amanda Redman has to face the all-too-familiar conflict between having a life and a career. The story lines have been interesting, if rather heavily dependent on the wonders of DNA-testing. But it is the interplay of four of Britain's finest actors which has made the series unmissable.

Great show

[ladybug2535 · 9/10 · 30 October 2011]

Summary: Great show I've been watching this series for quite awhile now, though it can be hard to find on cable. It doesn't come on until 10 0r 11pm, so I don't always catch it. In fact, I thought there were only two or three seasons, so I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was still being made--6 seasons I think.

The pilot establishes the premise like this: An attractive female detective is fast-tracked into a position of authority. Unfortunately, a major operation goes badly due to a minor misjudgment and she's not only demoted but she becomes a laughing stock. As either part of her punishment or road to redemption, she's transferred to the basement and told to pull together a special task force using retired detectives to solve cold cases.

The detectives she selects are all as good as she is (and despite her misstep she is very, very good.), but all have scandals in their past careers and have their little "quirks": one has an almost eidetic (so-called photographic) memory but can be obsessive when on a case and is on psychiatric medications--as well as a recovering alcoholic. He is stabilized by a sweet and long-suffering wife who has reason to worry about her husband rejoining the workforce. The second member of the team is quite the lady's man, with 3 ex-wives, 3 daughters and a grand-baby on the way. He's certainly charming enough--all 6 of the ladies regularly have dinner together--except to his new boss. Evidently, he also likes to gamble, and there are hints that he has financial problems due to his family obligations. The third retiree seems straight enough, except he holds regular conversations with his late wife--who is (legally) buried in his back yard. The fourth member of the team is a young policeman who was assigned to basically act as their gopher and clerk, but he's proved himself invaluable in many ways. For one thing, he is good with the computer and frequently takes their cases ahead by leaps and bounds, as he diligently works quietly in the background.

Mainly the show focuses on the differences in attitude from 15 or 20 years ago--like working for a smart, attractive woman when that would have been unheard of at the height of their original careers; procedure (apparently cops could freely manhandle or abuse the public in the past--sometimes leading to false confessions or wild goose chases); and technology like DNA as well as computers and the internet and how this changes case resolution. But the differences don't just show in the office, they also show in the cases themselves--in dealing with issues such as homosexuality, mixed race relationships, protests, etc. The show offers a real window to the past. A recurring theme is successfully solving cases simply because the original officers didn't do the job right in the first place: they were lazy; or sometimes they were so convinced that they knew who did it they ignored any evidence to the contrary, or they altered the evidence to fit their conviction.

Most of the time the cases aren't solved by new methods or technology but the same shoe-leather determination that has them re-interviewing all the witnesses, reviewing all the evidence, and simply looking at the case with an open mind and fresh eyes.

It's a great show with intriguingly unique characters. It's a smart show with interesting cases.

An excellent start to the show.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 4 September 2021]

UCOS is formed, Sandra recruits her old boss Jack Halford as her deputy, Brian and Gerry complete the lineup.

Stupidly I have never watched the early years, I picked it up about series 5, if the rest of the early years are like this, I really did miss out, and will be revisiting.

Great to see how the original team is assembled, the early dynamics at play, we learn so much about each of them.

The format is so imaginative, wonderful seeing Sandra almost trying to herd cats, the three guys are all so.....set in their ways, it really does work.

The case is really interesting, but more so it's incredibly funny, there are so many wonderful elements, it's no wonder it ran for so many years.

There are some wonderful scenes, I love the part where the trio of men compare their medication, it's a hilarious scene.

Love it, 9/10.

Another gem from the UK....

[prose · 10 July 2004]

I'm a bit of a sucker for high-quality drama of any kind from the UK, and this series, although currently only 2 episodes old in Aust, appears to be no exception. Although it plays heavily on how detecting methods have advanced in 15-20 years, the true beauty of the writing and acting isn't buried beneath procedure, procedure and more procedure.

I've been a big fan of James Bolam's since 'When The Boat Comes In' in the late '70's. He is joined by Denis Waterman and Alun Armstrong, with Amanda Redman as their boss. The interplay between all 4 main characters is the true backbone of the series. The story so far isn't so much about old dogs having to learn new tricks as it is about the human interest behind the lives of each of the main characters, and this is beautifully drawn without too much explanation and hoo-ha. For me, it makes me consider the dreams and plans we all have in youth, and how it is we find ourselves in retirement, wondering 'What now?' Keep an eye out for Susan Jameson playing Alun Armstrong's wife, herself married to James Bolam in real life.

If you've ever wondered: Where are they now?, then they're probably in the series, 'New Tricks.'

Best Series Around

[sodgers-1 · 10/10 · 19 September 2004]

This is the best series of its type I've seen all year. I can't help thinking it's just my luck - a series I love gets 6 episodes (and more next year) and the constant stream of cookie-cutter cop shows get never ending episodes.

I think the reasons New Tricks succeeds are many. The scripts are good, and the mix of characters superb, The acting is top flight, and the blend of comedy and drama works a treat. The stories aren't all that memorable, but that's not the reason I watch shows like this one.

The theme song is a favourite, and we were disappointed to find it isn't available in any published edition. Great stuff, BBC- a triumph of sense over sex-appeal (aside from the young constable nobody's there as eye-lolly, and even if he IS, he can still act!).

An excellent UK series seen by us on Australian ABC Television.

[athomas-24 · 10/10 · 3 October 2005]

My wife, Kate and I absolutely loved the series and can't wait for the next one (hopefully there is a sequel!). I would love to know what the catchy song is called and who wrote it, maybe because I am "old and grey" and still interested in life:-). If anyone has the full lyrics please send them.

Of course one big reason why my wife and I liked this series so much was that we are 75 years old and retired but still very active intellectually. It's great to see a show that highlights the contribution to society that can still be made by older people with special skills and experience. The human interest aspect showing the interactions of the characters and the younger people around them is an important part of the show.

This series is highly entertaining and very sophisticated, on a par with some of our other favourites, "Spooks" and "Hustle".

Listen to What I Say

[spndapny · 10/10 · 23 October 2006]

This program is a lot of fun and the title song is so catchy I can't get it out of my head. I find as I get older I am drawn to the wrinklies who get things done, and these four are excellent in their endeavors. Some of what they do is outrageous but brilliant considering that now days with our PC world we'd never be able to do it in real life. I always learn something from the shows. But if you like mystery, drama, comedy, and a little forensic work you'll love this show. It reminds me of Quincy, ME in one way and Barney Miller in another the way they work and inter-react with each other. They screw up a lot but they get the job done, and that's what counts.

Recycling criminals

[ygwerin1 · 8/10 · 17 September 2021]

The TV detective show New Tricks seems to be recycled on the Drama Channel, the last episode is screened and next week the first ever episode is shown.

I am just rewatching it for possibly the umpteenth time, yet I can't remember the beginning of it.

A new police unit is formed UCOS to look afresh at unsolved murders, but the initial motivation centres around one specific case.

Detective Superintendent Sandra Pullman draws the short straw of being presented with this project, as a consequence of cocking up a police investigation.

Pullman has to set up a working Team and called on her ex boss Jack Halford, after fruitless interviews he recommended two more retired old bill.

Gerry Standing is an atypical ex copper who is as much if not more, at home with ex cons as with ex old bill. He is still at home dining with his harem of ex spouses and daughters, yet can't relate to working for a woman.

Brian Lane's principal motivation for getting reemployed being to get access, to police records to investigate what he considers a miscarriage of justice.

This first ever episode is of a project to herald a rethink of old police cases, by quite literally the old bill.

UCOS is being hustled by a top copper Deputy Assistant Commissioner Donald Bevan, consulting with an interior designer in office colour schemes.

The episode ended in a wonderful confrontation between, a plethora of criminals of the old bill and old cons.

Where it all started

[scsaxe · 10/10 · 19 December 2021]

Police unit raids underground cockfighting ring to rescue kidnap victim. Police gain control of patrons before searching the premises. In the process, head policeman shoots dog the charges her. Kidnap victim jumps through window onto car. Police operation gone sideways, head policeman is sidelined into basement dwelling side unit to reinvestigate old crimes. Well, one crime to start, figure out that a murderer found guilty from a questionable investigation really is guilty. Unit is considered so valuable by police that they don't send currently working officers to staff it, instead retired detectives are to be used instead.

The series lasted 12 seasons, so clearly this police unit was a lot more successful than expected, bringing down mob/organized crime bosses, corrupt police, and a whole spate of the regular criminals one investigates.

The first episode is double length and sets the tone well for the next several seasons to follow. Sandra Pullman, the leader of the unit, sets to work with the help of her mentor to hire some former detectives, sorting through a series of quirky and questionable personalities and choosing the right kind of quirky and questionable for the final two members. For the first season, one current officer is sent to help the unit as an IT person/general assistant. The case itself is reinvestigated, and we see the team member's personalities and skill in action as they find out what really happened.

Overall, it got the series started in an excellent way, and with the series long finished is among the best episodes to watch.

Very Good Opener

[Warin_West-El · 9/10 · 7 June 2023]

I discovered New Tricks while reading reviews for Waking The Dead. So far, this series is a very solid find. Many of the reviews for Waking the Dead criticize the character "Boyd" who is a self-absorbed narcissist and yet leader of the squad. He is everything obnoxious about alpha males.

Contrast that with New Tricks where the leader is a female. And as the final scene demonstrates, DS Sandra Pullman can hold her own in a battle of fisticuffs. Moreover, unlike Waking the Dead or Touching Evil, this series has a sense of humor, which is refreshing. And yet, there are scenes that are intense and serious.

IOW, (so far) New Tricks is more balanced than a lot of BBC crime dramas. Which proves you should always take the time to read several of the IMDb reviews because many of them contain good advice. As was the case for this series.

Teaching an old dog new tricks

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 6 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.

"The Chinese Job" is a very promising pilot episode, and a great one. Of course there is the feeling of it still finding its feet, this is understandable as this is the pilot episode after all. Plus a lot of shows are like this, shows being perfect straight away is not exactly common (though it has happened). It is a grittier, not as tightly paced and more serious episode to usual, with a darker, grittier visual style, one of the team's darkest cases and not as much humour (though not devoid of it). And sure, it is agreed that it is very easy to associate the actors with a certain role and find it hard at first to shake it off.

With that being said, "The Chinese Job" has a huge amount to recommend and a lot of what makes 'New Tricks' can be found here already. It does a fine job establishing who is who in the team, their ranks, what they did before, their already well-established personalities (that continued to grow throughout the show) and what their lives are like outside of the job.

Visually, the gritty look is done very well and matches the tone of the story to a tee. 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.

Story is very compelling and holds many surprises. The final solution is not an obvious one and is well executed. The dialogue has a little fun but it was necessary for it to take a serious tone here and it does that excellently with class, sophistication and intelligence.

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, without developing too quickly, a little awkwardness is portrayed that was perfect considering it's the first pairing.

Even at this very early stage, Alun Armstrong achieves a perfect balance of funny comic timing and touching pathos which was maintained all the way up to his final episode. James Bolam's Jack is the quietest, most sensible 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 may be my least favourite of the four, but his Gerry is still delightful and amusing with some seriousness without any tonal unbalances.

Regarding the supporting cast, they are all very good.

Overall, great and very promising pilot. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Promising start

[jolleymatt · 29 March 2003]

This series has the potential to do well with such a strong cast. There are many of these 'cold cases' series on British TV so it will have to keep the momentum going to compete with Waking the Dead etc.

As always with a new series, it is initially difficult to get used to the new characters without thinking of the actors' previous roles but Im sure with time this will happen.

Just a shame about the glaring error with the senior officer getting his rank mixed up (referred to twice as Dep. Asst. Commissioner, but wearing the rank of Asst. Commissioner. Doh!)

Text book pilot that establishes characters, premise and stakes.

[phlbrq58 · 8/10 · 28 April 2021]

I really like this series thru the original cast. As a quality, commodity entertainment this holds up to re-watching. Cast, characters, plots, and production are top hole. In many ways this top hole tv series reveals the inherent weakness. In order to go on to the next week from point zero it can't have real dramatic consequence. Still I've re-watched every episode cuz I really like it. More a friend than a lover?

Chiké Okonkwo, Logan Wong and Hi Ching feature in the New Tricks pilot

[safenoe · 8/10 · 14 July 2017]

I'm a huge fan of New Tricks, and I discovered it a year ago on cable. I pretty watched most of the episodes from season 6 onwards, so watching the New Tricks pilot for the first time was a trip back in time when Tony Blair was at his peak at Number 10.

Here in this pilot we see Pullman bringing the team together, after the curious incident of the dog she shot when she tried to rescue a millionaire. The production team had fun I guess making fun of the Chinese bit players (I guess you have to make a quid somehow as a minority actor) and their accents which aren't British I guess for the viewers.

Jon "Macbeth" Finch features in this, I think his final role before he passed away in 2012, according to Wikipedia, "Finch's lifeless body was discovered in his flat in Hastings, East Sussex on 28 December 2012, after friends and family had become concerned for his welfare. He was 70 years old."

The pilot also features Chiké Okonkwo, who is an IT person assigned to UCOS. Also I think this episode was the only one that featured the full-length rendition of "It's alright" which was played in the end credits.

The Chinese Job

[Prismark10 · 8/10 · 10 September 2017]

Three retired policemen brought back to solve old unsolved crimes does not sound like a promising long running serial. This feature length pilot is a cracking start to what is one of the great long running programs of British television.

The end title song sung by Dennis Waterman (End of the line by The Travelling Wilburys) confirms that the theme song for New Tricks was an homage.

DS Sandra Pullman's fast track career is derailed when a Chinese kidnap rescue goes wrong as a dog is shot dead and the victim jumps out of the window in all the commotion. Just watch when the police tells everyone to put their hands up, even the cockerel raises its feet.

Pullman has now been put in charge of a new unit to focus on unsolved cases. Her first recruit is her mentor and old boss, Jack Halford. After finding that many decent retired cops are dead they settle on Brian Lane, a former alcoholic with depression who retired after a prisoner in his custody died and Gerry Standing, who was always regarded as bent with so many ex-wives to maintain and known for cutting corners.

They investigate the wrongful imprisonment of Roddy Wringer, freshly released after 21 years in prison when one of the officers on his case is found to have been corrupt. Sandra is expected to prove that Wringer did kill the victim but their investigations turn out to be more murky.

What makes the pilot episode work is the chemistry and humour between the four main players and seeing old school policemen working inside the modern Metropolitan police with their crafty techniques.

The episode balances humour and drama. The mystery is complex enough with plenty of different leads uncovered and it is multi layered with story lines that would be explored in future episodes.