Having just watch the TV series back-to-back, this was a bit of a disappointment.
The relationships which formed much of the humour was not there, not even the wise cracks of DI Wise.
In reality, the police wouldn't have allowed a foreign civilian to have such s role in the search for the murderer.
The views of Hong Kong were nice and probably helped the tourist board (I have flown Cathay Pacific myself so gave seen the lovely scenery on landing) as well as British TV having one last hurrah before handing ownership back to China.
The culture, intensity and Catholicism of the TV series was missing and being written by and for Brits, Hong Kong culture wasn't really looked into.
There really was no need to film there and, as with other TV specials, money was thrown at this but rarely pulls it off.
A good watch but lacks depth.
4 Reviews
Fitz in Hong Kong.
Mozjoukine17 June 2020
Taking our burly police profiler overseas doesn't really help. On a lecture tour (opening has him singing to his audience) Coltraine is recruited into a murder inquiry which they manage to turn into an anti colonialist exhortation - giving the piece some resonance. The usual darker side plotting.
Conventional TV production values enlivened by glimpses of Hong Kong, the appearance of Ricky Tomlinson and a few familiar faces from the colony's movies.
Conventional TV production values enlivened by glimpses of Hong Kong, the appearance of Ricky Tomlinson and a few familiar faces from the colony's movies.
Pale Imitation
frukuk9 April 2023
"They killed Cracker!" No, not the character, but the TV series.
This is such a terrible way to (almost) bring the series to a close. The villain is poorly written and/or miscast -- I simply couldn't believe in him. It feels like the writers were just going through the motions and that has bled through to the actors who seem to be just going through the motions too.
Fitz has all his usual self-indulgent flaws, but there seems to be none of the charm and compelling insight that used to offered in compensation.
Please give this episode a miss. It really does leave a bitter taste in the mouth. Just pretend that Cracker ended with the far, far, superior True Romance story.
This is such a terrible way to (almost) bring the series to a close. The villain is poorly written and/or miscast -- I simply couldn't believe in him. It feels like the writers were just going through the motions and that has bled through to the actors who seem to be just going through the motions too.
Fitz has all his usual self-indulgent flaws, but there seems to be none of the charm and compelling insight that used to offered in compensation.
Please give this episode a miss. It really does leave a bitter taste in the mouth. Just pretend that Cracker ended with the far, far, superior True Romance story.
White Ghost
Prismark1019 October 2023
This was meant to be the final story and intended as a possible festive special. Robbie Coltrane joked whether it would be called Christmas Cracker or Chinese Cracker!
Fitz is in Hong Kong on a lecture tour. It is lucrative but gambling is never far away for Fitz.
When a prominent Hong Kong businessman is murdered. The Hong Kong police call in Fitz although it cost them a suite in the Ritz Carlton. A step up from the crummy hotel Fitz had been staying in DCI Wise also shows up to help out.
Ex Pat Dennis Philby is the businessman who is pushed over the edge. Triggered by financial difficulties and when his Hong Kong girlfriend Su Lin announces that she wants to have an abortion.
Fitz and the police are in a race against time to save Su Lin who Philby has imprisoned.
The story is set in the final days of British rule of Hong Kong. It also seemed to be a thank you from Granada to Robbie Coltrane in delivering a hit television show.
The story is weak, this is leftovers that got reheated. Nothing much worked like the police needing Fitz for the case or to whatever that happened in the past that tipped Philby to go on a murder spree. Even Wise was very much a comic foil, you would think he had never gone on holiday abroad.
Fitz is in Hong Kong on a lecture tour. It is lucrative but gambling is never far away for Fitz.
When a prominent Hong Kong businessman is murdered. The Hong Kong police call in Fitz although it cost them a suite in the Ritz Carlton. A step up from the crummy hotel Fitz had been staying in DCI Wise also shows up to help out.
Ex Pat Dennis Philby is the businessman who is pushed over the edge. Triggered by financial difficulties and when his Hong Kong girlfriend Su Lin announces that she wants to have an abortion.
Fitz and the police are in a race against time to save Su Lin who Philby has imprisoned.
The story is set in the final days of British rule of Hong Kong. It also seemed to be a thank you from Granada to Robbie Coltrane in delivering a hit television show.
The story is weak, this is leftovers that got reheated. Nothing much worked like the police needing Fitz for the case or to whatever that happened in the past that tipped Philby to go on a murder spree. Even Wise was very much a comic foil, you would think he had never gone on holiday abroad.
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