UCOS joins with Frank Patterson from season 6 to solve an old bank robbery. Patterson is a handful, creating some issues as UCOs investigates the case. The story starts from some thin clues, and some suspicion, but ends with a much more dramatic ending, plus some very good detective work from Sandra. Put it all together and its a cracking good ending to this series.
5 Reviews
An awesome series finale.
Sleepin_Dragon30 July 2021
DI Frank Patterson teams up with UCOS to try and put an old crime to bed. Trouble is, one of the main suspects is now a man upstairs, The DAC.
This is a belter, it's been a terrific series, I hoped there would be a big episode to round off the series, and here it is. For my money this is one of the show's best episodes.
It's a superbly written episode, there are times when it really does seem as if it's the end for UCOS.
We have it all here, it's a cold case with some real bite, there's nothing softly softly about this one, the team are having to deal with some real old fashion hard men, some real thugs.
The cast do a terrific job here, we still have the original lineup, and that lineup works, somehow each compliments the other, it was never quite the same once people started leaving.
Phil Daniels is really good here, he plays the part of the aggrieved, arrogant Patterson. John Shrapnel was terrific also.
This is an awesome watch, 10/10.
This is a belter, it's been a terrific series, I hoped there would be a big episode to round off the series, and here it is. For my money this is one of the show's best episodes.
It's a superbly written episode, there are times when it really does seem as if it's the end for UCOS.
We have it all here, it's a cold case with some real bite, there's nothing softly softly about this one, the team are having to deal with some real old fashion hard men, some real thugs.
The cast do a terrific job here, we still have the original lineup, and that lineup works, somehow each compliments the other, it was never quite the same once people started leaving.
Phil Daniels is really good here, he plays the part of the aggrieved, arrogant Patterson. John Shrapnel was terrific also.
This is an awesome watch, 10/10.
It's the season finale...which means the future of UCOS is at stake (again)
safenoe22 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This is the season 7 finale, and season 8 is the final season with the whole original UCOS gang together, with Jack tragically leaving in the season 9 opener. Here the UCOS gang are investigating whether DAC John Felsham was a police informant for a robbery gang. Felsham knows he's being investigated.
Genevieve O'Reilly shines as Miranda Armstrong as of course does Phil Daniels as Frankie Patterson, who achieves justice after 30 years.
Genevieve O'Reilly shines as Miranda Armstrong as of course does Phil Daniels as Frankie Patterson, who achieves justice after 30 years.
Season 7's high point
TheLittleSongbird14 February 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.
Season 7 has been a very solid season, with all the episodes ranging from very good to great. The outstanding episode is its season finale, this episode "The Fourth Man". What an episode to go out on. While the standard of the seventh season was very high indeed, "The Fourth Man" is its high point.
"The Fourth Man" benefits hugely from a very absorbing story, that isn't too simple or too complicated while having enough twists and turns to keep one guessing and give it complexity. The entertainment and intrigue factors are pitched perfectly.
Visually, "The Fourth Man" 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 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 is great as Strickland as always, and the supporting cast especially Genevieve O'Reilly and John Shrapnel are excellent. Am not a big fan really of Phil Daniels, but he comes off well here.
In conclusion, outstanding episode and Season 7's high point. 10/10 Bethany Cox
'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.
Season 7 has been a very solid season, with all the episodes ranging from very good to great. The outstanding episode is its season finale, this episode "The Fourth Man". What an episode to go out on. While the standard of the seventh season was very high indeed, "The Fourth Man" is its high point.
"The Fourth Man" benefits hugely from a very absorbing story, that isn't too simple or too complicated while having enough twists and turns to keep one guessing and give it complexity. The entertainment and intrigue factors are pitched perfectly.
Visually, "The Fourth Man" 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 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 is great as Strickland as always, and the supporting cast especially Genevieve O'Reilly and John Shrapnel are excellent. Am not a big fan really of Phil Daniels, but he comes off well here.
In conclusion, outstanding episode and Season 7's high point. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Gang of thieves and their connections
ctyankee111 May 2015
This is an excellent episode but very confusing and a violent description of 3 of the armed robbers that were killed and how there bodies were found.
UCOS tries to find out who the 4th man was and who was giving them information to help them rob. The police believe the fourth man is the killer of the 3 men who were friends at a young age and is the man that plotted the robberies. Some were in the military together.
They track down a very expensive car that is on the market and buy it for a lot of money so they can go through it. They believe this car was used by one of the armed robbers.
At some point DAC John Felsham is seen in one of the bars where some of the criminals go. He is a cop in a high position above Det. Supt. Sandra Pullman and her boss D.A.C. Strickland who is arrogant at times. D.A.C. Strickland tells Pullman to fire her staff of retired policemen that help her solve old cases. She argues with Strickland and when she goes to her office they are already gone.
The retired cops in UCOS don't give up easy. They go to Jacks house and are discussing the case. All this is funny because they tell her so what they are fired they are citizens investigating the case now. She leaves after giving them a tip.
What is nice about Det. Supt. Sandra Pullman is that she is very professional and clear. She trust the men that work for her and fights for them and their jobs. When they were fired in another episode she quit too.
There are lots of things in this series and this episode and in this one I don't think there was an swearing but there is in others but not using God's name. It was worth watching.
UCOS tries to find out who the 4th man was and who was giving them information to help them rob. The police believe the fourth man is the killer of the 3 men who were friends at a young age and is the man that plotted the robberies. Some were in the military together.
They track down a very expensive car that is on the market and buy it for a lot of money so they can go through it. They believe this car was used by one of the armed robbers.
At some point DAC John Felsham is seen in one of the bars where some of the criminals go. He is a cop in a high position above Det. Supt. Sandra Pullman and her boss D.A.C. Strickland who is arrogant at times. D.A.C. Strickland tells Pullman to fire her staff of retired policemen that help her solve old cases. She argues with Strickland and when she goes to her office they are already gone.
The retired cops in UCOS don't give up easy. They go to Jacks house and are discussing the case. All this is funny because they tell her so what they are fired they are citizens investigating the case now. She leaves after giving them a tip.
What is nice about Det. Supt. Sandra Pullman is that she is very professional and clear. She trust the men that work for her and fights for them and their jobs. When they were fired in another episode she quit too.
There are lots of things in this series and this episode and in this one I don't think there was an swearing but there is in others but not using God's name. It was worth watching.
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