Poppy

[5thFloor]

I make it out as: 'You'll get a petal for your courtesy daisy if you don't lose him.'

An allusion to scouts/guides achievement badges I think.

Carry on!

[Charlie Pierce]

I make it out as: 'You'll get a petal for your courtesy daisy if you don't lose him.'

An allusion to scouts/guides achievement badges I think.

Carry on!

Yeah, could be, cheers!
Merry Christmas!

[Stan Morris]

Have just rewatched this, got lots of thoughts! Apologies in advance for probably having to split this into several posts. Firstly, preston is my favourite writer, just above marshall, because of his distinctive opinions. Ie middle class decadence, corrupting females turned on by the rewards of crime, parental angst. But

[Stan Morris]

But he's weaker on plot. Eg in ringer when dot arrives having overheard the whole scheme that george suddenly recalls the final piece of. In poppy can anyone explain the sterndale stuff? Was he in on it originally? Did jack suspect this? Why's he needed? I think it's got an odd feel partly as it follows vic's progress more

[Stan Morris]

Than the squad's, george doesn't have any role in it, and its filmed in a different area of town. Also the climax feels like it comes two thirds in at the shoot out. Still great tv of course, booth is great, and i think veronica lang is typically superb. I read a comment about her being over the top and also her character

[Stan Morris]

Shopping vic too suddenly. I think the thing is she's neurotic after years without vic and her moods swing violently. One final observation. I think poppy suffers by being a sequel to an unseen story, and for a long time we have only regan's words to make us see vic as anything but another blagger.

[Stan Morris]

Bait is the same, whereas sweet smell of succession at the off shows us what we're up against. even in sequels to actual episodes as in on the run and trojan bus we are reminded of the nature of the villains through action, not dialogue. Somehow queens pawn gets away with not doing this, in from the cold very wisely does doit

[Mk II Jag]

I like the comedy early in the episode;

Regan goes to see Sterndale.
Sterndale "It is still Inspector?"
Regan "I don’t play golf."

and

"Sherry Inspector Regan?"
"No thanks, I'm on duty"
"I seem to remember you were a whisky drinker"
"A little water, no ice. Thank you"

I also like how he really savours the whisky, "I think that the best malt Ive ever tasted". It must have been good - he certainly drank some.

Plus Veronica is a bonus in this episode.

Also agree with the earlier post - no need to show the crash at the end from 3 different angles.

[Sweeps]

Nice little episode! James Booth gives a fantastic performace and the episode also has a few good action sequences to boot.


"What have you got under your arm?"

"Hair's guv'nor. What you got under yours?"

"COMEDIAN!!"

[CarterRules]

Nice little episode! James Booth gives a fantastic performace and the episode also has a few good action sequences to boot.


"What have you got under your arm?"

"Hair's guv'nor. What you got under yours?"

"COMEDIAN!!"

Tom Daniels (John Alkin) was a top addition to the Squad. A very reliable detective with a fine line in wit and charm. Could be quite handy in a punch-up, too (Sweeney!) or a shootout (Pay Off). The Pros' Murphy was a bit like him, but not quite as smug.

[Red Squirrel]

OK, so the Triumph was a crap car, but it was a Coventry-built crap car and nice to see it in The Sweeney.

One point no-one has made is where the copper got shot, Regan's comment to the effect of 'what are you all hanging around for, he's not dying?' so all of them leave their injured colleague and go back in pursuit of Vic the villain.

[CarterRules]

OK, so the Triumph was a crap car, but it was a Coventry-built crap car and nice to see it in The Sweeney.

One point no-one has made is where the copper got shot, Regan's comment to the effect of 'what are you all hanging around for, he's not dying?' so all of them leave their injured colleague and go back in pursuit of Vic the villain.

However brash, that's Regan for you - the ultimate thief taker.

[tupperware harty]

James Booth was an alcoholic ( he stated that his drink problem was one of the reasons why his career never took off after his initial success ) & I think it shows in the scene where he is pointing the gun at Rhys-Davies' character...he can't keep his hand still ( I read that DonSiegel had the same problem with alcoholic Patrick MGoohan in Escape From Alcatraz ) & his pasty facial appearance & not quite sober delivery of lines is not unlike Ian Hendry's in "Ringer". When he says "I love you" to his young girlfriend it sounds very off key. I think having the two women involved & the Rhys-Davies role left little room for Labbett's character development. Trevor Preston's characterisation is often one dimensional, he puts too much emphasis on dialogue & his dialogue can be cliched at times.

Labbett's relationship with the young girl is quite unconvincing & I don't think the actress who plays her, Helen Gill, was well cast...I can't imagine her waiting & pining for Labbett to return to England.

[CarterRules]

James Booth was an alcoholic ( he stated that his drink problem was one of the reasons why his career never took off after his initial success ) & I think it shows in the scene where he is pointing the gun at Rhys-Davies' character...he can't keep his hand still ( I read that DonSiegel had the same problem with alcoholic Patrick MGoohan in Escape From Alcatraz ) & his pasty facial appearance & not quite sober delivery of lines is not unlike Ian Hendry's in "Ringer". When he says "I love you" to his young girlfriend it sounds very off key. I think having the two women involved & the Rhys-Davies role left little room for Labbett's character development. Trevor Preston's characterisation is often one dimensional, he puts too much emphasis on dialogue & his dialogue can be cliched at times.

Labbett's relationship with the young girl is quite unconvincing & I don't think the actress who plays her, Helen Gill, was well cast...I can't imagine her waiting & pining for Labbett to return to England.

True, she would have gone for other, younger guys, but maybe she saw him as catch of the day-type material. She must have perceived him as a "real man."

[Flying Squad DI]

Interesting fact is that David Essex had two Sweeney villains as his dad in films. James Booth in That'll Be The Day and Lee Montague (Regan/Selected Target) in Silver Dream Racer.