New Tricks (TV Series) The Wolf of Wallbrook (2015) User Reviews

For some the '80s never ended

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 25 August 2015]

This installment sees the team investigating the death of a city trader who died in the late eighties. At the time it was assumed that he had committed suicide after large losses but a photograph emerges that shows the man falling and what appears to be somebody who could have pushed him. As the team look into the case they talk to the dead man's colleagues; a group of Essex wide-boys, known as 'The Wolf Pack', who dominated the futures market in the eighties before computers took over the markets. None of them appear to be very nice and any one of them could have committed murder. Meanwhile Sasha returns, in a wheelchair after the events in the first story of the series; this has an immediate effect on Ted who had taken over her office and assumed she wouldn't be returning. Steve is also having financial problems and, thanks to the case, thinks futures trading could be a solution.

This was an enjoyable episode with plenty of suspects and motives. The writers clearly felt no urge to hide their politics as we see one of the suspects has a painting of Mrs Thatcher on his wall and when the group get together they bring a bust of the former Prime Minister and chant her name and almost cry when it is broken… while this does feel a bit overly laid on it doesn't spoil the episode; it might even add to it if you aren't a fan of hers. The Wolf Pack are an unpleasant bunch; as the investigation progresses further crimes are exposed; as well as a murder there is a rape and the inevitable financial irregularities. As one would expect this episode also features some amusing moments; notably the strange green statuette that Ted describes as the 'spirit of his father' which creeps the others out somewhat until they learn what it really is. Overall a decent episode.

An average episode.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 6/10 · 12 June 2023]

The team look into the death of Charlie Hayes, a stockbroker who fell to his death back in 1989, or so everyone thought, an examination of a fashion shoot photograph gives a new insight into his death.

It's great to see Sasha back, and I enjoyed her scenes with Ted, they bounced off one another well, but for me Wolf of Wallbrook is a very average episode.

I really like the idea of a fashion shoot photograph capturing an actual murder, a cracking idea, the realisation however, I thought was poor, the whole scenario is just impossible to picture, it just wouldn't happen, and the idea that a picture would pick out any details in the background like that, I don't see it.

There are some good performances here, David Schofield and Clive Wood are both pretty good, but best on show for me here was Larry Lamb, Ted is great, he's funny, he's quirky.

Danny was back to being a little irritating again, that scene with the football, that wasn't great.

Not bad, the previous episodes in series twelve have been much better.

6/10.

Solid show in season 12

[scsaxe · 8/10 · 23 April 2022]

The better season 12 episodes a feel of "Good, Solid show, but just missing something" compared to the better shows with the original team. This episode more than any other feels like a well done standard police procedural, where detectives ask questions, look at evidence, and do their detective thing to solve a crime.

We see some outside of work action for various characters, which is fine as far as it goes, but not in as much detail as some other episodes this season.

The Wolf of Wallbrook

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 24 March 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 Wolf of Wallbrook" is not a bad episode. It is another example, like the previous episode "The Curate's Egg", of not feeling the same, stale sums it up quite well, and that something is missing.

It doesn't feel the same without the original team. The new dynamic is charming and there are some fun and likeable moments, but it doesn't sparkle and lacks freshness. Things don't feel fully settled either, Ted is not a bad addition and fits better than he did in the previous episode but he is not very interesting yet and feels more comedy relief than anything else, certainly not as much as the other replacements and anybody on the original team.

Regarding the case, it is an interesting one with some nice twists and a good number of suspects (some suitably unpleasant) and things are not too obvious too early. It is a pretty slight one though and the episode does feel agreed padded with the rape angle, which is not as interesting as it looks reading the plot summary and doesn't gel with the rest of the episode, pretty pointless actually.

Not saying that this is a bad episode. It isn't. Liked the chemistry between Steve and Reid and there are some very funny moments and lines. The ending in particular is a riot, the funniest one of Season 12 and one of the funniest of the show in a while. Nice to see Sasha back, though the team's concern about it being too soon is very understandable.

Visually, "The Wolf of Wallbrook" 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.

Can't fault the performances with Larry Lamb showing some great comic timing at the end.

Overall, decent above average episode but could have been much better. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Yeah, I can see it now.

[Robinson2511 · 5/10 · 27 August 2015]

Everyone keeps calling New Tricks 'stale' and 'dull', but personally I've never seen it, I always found it very enjoyable, even with the new cast who are admittedly not as good as the original team, but while watching this episode, I felt the staleness, the dull center of the episode really got to me, and even in the intense moments, I was just waiting for the episode to end, I've never felt like that with an episode of New Tricks before. Despite this the plot is rather padded, all the controversy about the rape story is honestly justified, they are stories for deep moments that touch the emotions as well as throwing the story in a different direction, in this episode it's completely unnecessary, it adds nothing to the story, just to pad out the episode, because the actual murder story could've been solved in about 20 minutes, leaving over half of the episode to a completely unnecessary plot line. The episode is at least, quite humorous, the final joke at the end of the episode had me laughing, and there were lots of little funny moments scattered around the episode, most of which are extremely subtle. Overall, solid, but dull, a disappointment after the thrilling two part opening, and last week's, pretty average episode, but still solid.

just another cop show now sadly

[eamonnh-89469 · 4/10 · 28 July 2022]

Episodes like this are why Alun Armstrong and the rest of the original cast left, as from late season 06 it stated to become less funny and just another weekly cop show for some episodes and had none of the light, funny comic relief of earlier seasons and by season 10s last few episodes the transformation was complete, and Nicholas Lyndhurst was all wrong in their choice for Armstrong's replacement, as he just comes across as annoying rather than quirky like Armstrong.