New Tricks (TV Series) 17 Years of Nothing (2005) User Reviews

A cracking episode.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 6 December 2021]

A well meaning, and influential Professor turns to the team for help, he wants to identity a body he performed a post mortem on many years back, referred to as Milicent.

Such a good end to what has been a tremendous second series, this was such an engaging mystery, w great story, and superbly acted.

What I liked most of all, was that each of the team got to shine here, quite often an episode will focus primarily on one of the team though, here they all bring something special.

I loved Timothy West here, his character was eccentric and zany, he was a fine match for Brien, the interactions between the two were great. Jane Asher was very good also.

You always learn something from this show, I had no idea what xylophobia was before this.

These simply don't date, excellent, 9/10.

Superb conclusion to Series 2

[ArtVandelayImporterExporter · 9/10 · 17 February 2024]

Pathologist needs to crack the mystery of one last case before he packs it in. Remains of a woman believed murdered 17 years prior. UCOS is on the case.

We get walks in the spooky winter woods. A lot of cool - but understandable - science of pathology. And Gerry Standing ogling a couple of find birds.

New Tricks Series 2 really worked for me because once we got past the convoluted debut episode of Series 2 they simplified the plots, brought in a lot of character development, and let the team do their thing. It was an eventful and memorable eight episodes.

Roy Sampson as the Scottish dad hoping for news of his long-lost daughter is the standout guest star of the episode. Timothy West as the aging pathologist is very endearing. Luke de Lacey as the young man who found the remains originally does a standout job of portraying someone who is struggling to shake the memory of his grisly discovery.

Straightforward case, but good watch

[scsaxe · 8/10 · 29 April 2022]

This episode mostly goes forward with the case, but it is a good one, with a good bit of thinking by Brian that breaks it open. An unusual forensic guy provides some fun in the beginning. Overall, not as involved as later episodes, but still a good watch.

Bone of a young woman found 17 year ago

[ctyankee1 · 15 August 2015]

UCOS is investigating the death and identity of a young female age 18-25. Her bones were kept in a freezer by a scientist who did some testing. The whole body was not there. It appears she was cut up and left in the woods where some pigs could finisher off. The test showed she had syphilis.

The scientist and his helper found she had red hair. They also used some testing that Yale University had done years since her death an applied that info to their own records.

It is discovered in the end who the female was, what country she came from, what she ate the last time she was a live and who killed her. The science in this episode was interesting. It showed the female had pollen from a certain rare tree that existed in the area were there was a pig farm. UCOS concluded the woman was killed in the area of the tree an moved.

Pretty good episode some humor. When Brian gets an idea watch out he is genius and nuts at the same time. All great actors.

Murder in the woods

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 13 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.

"17 Years of Nothing" is one of my favourite episodes of a good to great Season 2 ("Trust Me" is my favourite), with the weakest episode "Fluke of Luck" still having a lot of fine qualities despite being over-stuffed. Gerry's gambling withdrawal subplot threatens to distract from the case but doesn't, instead at times being the butt of some of the humour.

The ending is also one of the season's better ones, it was a real surprise and it feels rounded off though it was disappointing that one doesn't really get to know the culprit that much. Other than that some of the very intriguing science also at times rather bogus, especially with the stuff with the chemical composition of the bones, that is my only issue with it.

Visually, "17 Years of Nothing" looks lovely, with a brighter look but never garish and always slick and stylish. 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. The first and last scenes are for me two of the show's funniest ensemble scenes, the last one especially is proof at how 'New Tricks' delivered so well on the humour of their final scenes.

Story is compelling, with its fair share of surprising twists and skeletons in the closet conflict, and lively, but never rushed, pacing.

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 with a little tension.

One of the show's biggest delights is Alun Armstrong, achieves a perfect balance of funny comic timing and touching pathos which was maintained all the way up to his final episode. It is also lovely here to see his role in the team and skills appreciated more all the time. James Bolam's Jack is the quietest, most sensible (mostly) 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 brings some nice levity without unbalancing things.

Anthony Calf has fully settled in as Strickland and Susan Jameson and her chemistry with Armstrong are delightful. Timothy West is particularly excellent of the supporting cast.

Overall, great and my second favourite episode of the second season. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Gerry gets all politically correct freaking out over his hylophobia

[safenoe · 8/10 · 28 July 2017]

Gerry, ever the anti-PC warrior, freaks out his UCOS colleagues in the forest, by confessing he has hylophobia - a fear of the forest and the woods. Kind of a PC, wimpy thing by Gerry's standards! Also Gerry is suffering gambling withdrawal symptoms - very politically correct.

Anyway, there's a lot of forest scenes in this intriguing episode. Also there's a lovely dinner scene where Brian and Esther Lane host a dinner at their home (with Esther at the head of the table) for the UCOS team to discuss their investigation. The Great Storm of 1987 is referred to in this episode,which is set in the forest much of the time.

Also, Amelia Curtis features as a PhD students, and she is incredibly beautiful. I wish she was featured more in New Tricks. Also in this episode is Kay Stonham, who is also a prominent academic.