Minder (TV Series) Whatever Happened to Her Indoors (1991) User Reviews

Top notch comedic writing

[ArtVandelayImporterExporter · 9/10 · 8 December 2023]

Growing up in Canada a huge fan of Minder Series 1-7, I didn't even know there was a version of the show without Dennis Waterman. Heck, when I visited London in 1993, Waterman was appearing in a serious drama in the West End. I was with family who'd never heard of Minder so we all went to Cats. But I did buy a coffee table book called, IIRC, ''Waterman's East End" or something like that.

Back in the "colonies," I had an English roommate who also loved Minder and he'd teach me rhyming slang. And I don't remember him mentioning anything about a non-Waterman version of Minder, either.

So here I am, decades later, discovering the Gary Webster era on my Amazon Firestick.

What fun I'm having.

They revamped The Winchester. Dave is sporting a stylish haircut. Arthur Daley's got a sweet ride. There is a new set of coppers and villains. And the writers (were they a fresh crew?) brought fresh material.

This time around, Daley is erecting a flagpole on the car lot and running up the Union Flag, which brings the attention of the local council inspector. While Arthur's fighting city hall, the coppers are wondering why nobody's heard of 'Er Indoors for nearly a fortnight. That kicks off a missing persons investigation that involves half the local estate.

Maybe I'm dense but it took me until the 30-minute mark until I could see the two plots coming together. What a beauty.

George Cole gets so many funny lines to deliver it's almost unfair. I think the reason they land so well is that Cole is playing Daley straight up again, much like in the earlier days, and before the character kind of devolved into self-caricature in the late 80s. Also, Nicolas Day and Stephen Tompkinson as Daley's new adversaries on the police force play it straight, which keeps the show from tipping over into farce like it did occasionally in Series 4-7.

This week's ''villain" is low key so there's no danger of Webster's Ray Daley needing to throw a punch. Rather, Ray uses his brain to help get Arthur out of a jam. Arthur fights city hall but ultimately faces aggro from 'Er Indoors. From start to finish, a very funny episode with several laugh-out-loud moments.

Whatever Happened to Her Indoors (Sep 19, 1991)

[dovestones · 12 July 2021]

Series 8 Episode 3

At the car lot, Arthur has a new flagpole. He and Ray raise a Union Flag with "British is Best" written across it. Soon after, Arthur receives a visit from John Richards, a Planning Enforcement Officer from the local council, telling him to take it down, as you can't fly the Union Flag with "British is Best" written on it. Arthur refuses.

A woman knocks on a front door inside an apartment block. There is no answer. She knocks on the neighbour's door, an elderly man answers.

Arthur has a meeting with Mr Shanks about his overdraft facility, wanting to increase it by £20,000, but is told he is already £5,000 over the current agreed overdraft limit. His application is rejected.

Arthur returns to the lock-up. The lights are off and Ray is waiting in the dark to tell Arthur the electricity has been turned off due to unpaid bills. Arthur blames Ray, who yells at Arthur in return.

D. C. Park takes a phone call from the elderly neighbour regarding a possible missing person. Park informs D. S. Morley about the phone call. They assume it is a crank, but Morley wants to investigate. A woman comes to see Morley and Park, the same woman who knocked on the flat door and got no answer. She is a hairdresser and reports one of her regular clients is missing.

At the Winchester, Arthur tells Dave he is going to court over his flagpole. A reporter is in the Winchester and overhears. He tells Arthur he'd like to interview him. The reporter has some pictures of Arthur and Ray posing with the flag taken for the newspaper. Park arrives to inform Arthur his wife may have had her credit cards stolen but they can't get in touch with her. Arthur tells Park she is staying with her sister in Norfolk.

At the lock up, Arthur is with a colleague, Billy from Bradford, when Park arrives to take Arthur to the police station. At the station Morley informs Arthur his wife isn't in Norfolk and isn't expected. He also informs Arthur a member of the public thinks something has happened to her and he wonders why Arthur seems so unconcerned. Arthur says his wife is fine and wants Morley to stop looking for her. Morley asks Arthur to check her clothes to see if anything is missing. Park doesn't believe Arthur has done anything but Morley isn't so convinced.

Arthur's article appears in the newspaper. Ray tells him he has been summoned to court. Arthur and Ray go see a solicitor, George Drummond, and there is a miscommunication. Arthur thinks they are discussing his flagpole. George thinks they are discussing Arthur's missing wife. Ray shows George the article and the summons. George says Arthur is obviously guilty based on the article. He will be fined and ordered to take the flag down.

Park tells Morley about Arthur's money problems, which further intrigues Morley. They go to speak with Dave about Arthur, then interview Ray's parents, Bert and Doreen and talk to Mr Shanks, who tells them about Arthur's flagpole and his desire to raise more money. Morley then speaks with Arthur's wife's hairdresser.

In court, Arthur defends himself and calls Ray as a witness. On the stand, Ray accuses Richards of possibly being drunk the day he spoke with Arthur about the flagpole. Later, Ray tells Arthur he mentioned suspecting Richards of being drunk as he heard the magistrate is teetotal. In court, the magistrate says she wants the suspected drinking of alcohol in the council investigated and tells Arthur he is free to go, but if he raises the flag again he may end up being fined.

Morley and Park walk around Arthur's car lot. Morley looks at the base of Arthur's new flagpole.

Leaving court, Arthur agrees to do a new interview for the newspaper. Arthur and Ray arrive at the car lot in time to see the flagpole being torn down, supervised by Morley, who tells Arthur he wants to establish if his wife is buried beneath it.

Ray asks Arthur where his wife is. Arthur says he wishes he knew, then worries the police will want to search the lock-up. Arthur tells Ray they must move some of the stock. Park arrives to take Arthur to the police station.

At the police station, Morley states Arthur failed to report his wife missing. Arthur protests that he didn't know she was, then he demands Morley put his flagpole back up. Morley states Arthur seems more concerned with his flagpole that his missing wife. Arthur repeats he doesn't know where she is. Morley and Park tell Arthur they know he is having money trouble and his solicitor, George, told them that some years ago he took an insurance policy out on his wife. Arthur doesn't remember. If she dies, Arthur gets a lot of money. Morley tells Arthur they are going to search his home. Arthur gives him a spare key. Morley wants Arthur to make a full statement about his wife.

Ray stores some of the stock in the Winchester and at his parents. After being released, Arthur goes to the lock-up, which is completely empty. He arrives home. The police are present. His neighbour, who tipped off the police, tells Arthur to confess. Arthur arrives at the Winchester and tells Ray he needs to stay with him as the police have taken over his home. The phone rings and Dave says it will be Arthur's wife, who has been repeatedly calling, looking for him. Arthur doesn't want to answer but Ray and Dave force him to. Dave tells Ray she sounded annoyed, and knows people are wondering where she is. After speaking on the phone Arthur is agitated. His wife went to a health farm on the spur of the moment. She had left him a letter for her hairdresser and a cheque to pay for his electricity, all of which he lost.

At the police station an angry Morley yells at Arthur after the revelation his wife is perfectly fine. He tells Arthur his flagpole has been re-erected.

At the car lot, Arthur switches the floodlights on, revealing the flagpole has been stolen.