I can remember sitting in the lounge room with mum and dad watching "Gideon's Way" with it's familiar whistling theme and painting a picture of the bobby on the beat - you know, back in the days when parents always said "if you get lost, find a policeman"!! Watching the episodes over 45 years later the shows have not let me down and my husband thinks the series is fantastic. I also wonder whether Ruth Rendell got her idea for the Wexford and Burden books from these shows, her first book, "From Doon With Death" came out around 1964 I think. John Gregson is terrific as Commander Gideon, a down to earth copper who never takes things at face value and Alexander Davion is the younger Det. Chief Insp. Keene, full of ideas but often quick to judge. "The Rhyme and the Reason" was particularly good. It dealt with the new phenomena (for 1964) of the Mods and the Rockers. Keene is very dismissive, even the young murder suspect is convinced he won't be treated fairly due to his "Mod" outlook but Gideon believes in him and along with his sister helping, finds the real culprit.
They weren't just "by the numbers" police shows but attempted to deal with psychological issues ie "The Tin God" was about a child who refused to believe his father, a desperate escapee, was anything but a hero. Another one "Big Fish, Little Fish" attempted to show what life was like for a little kid growing up in a family of hardened criminals - believe me it wasn't warm and cosy.
I know it sounds simplistic but I just love all the episodes - a couple that stand out (apart from the ones I mentioned) are "The Lady Killer" - Keene always seemed to date models and this one took place among the beautiful people of the swinging sixties. "The Nightlifers" was about young people who live for kicks and Keene's girlfriend in this one is Jean Marsh (way before Rose in "Upstairs, Downstairs"). "Subway to Revenge" is about a girl who is very keen on her boss but she can tell he is in danger even if he can't and "The Wall", about a young couple who are very keen to move away from their pokey bedsit and their very creepy neighbour - a really super episode.
As well, there were many parts played by actors just starting out who became huge stars - John Hurt, George Cole, Ray Barratt (in Australia), Donald Sutherland and a luminous Carol White who shot to fame the next year as the star of Ken Loach's "Cathy Come Home".
Highly Recommended.
They weren't just "by the numbers" police shows but attempted to deal with psychological issues ie "The Tin God" was about a child who refused to believe his father, a desperate escapee, was anything but a hero. Another one "Big Fish, Little Fish" attempted to show what life was like for a little kid growing up in a family of hardened criminals - believe me it wasn't warm and cosy.
I know it sounds simplistic but I just love all the episodes - a couple that stand out (apart from the ones I mentioned) are "The Lady Killer" - Keene always seemed to date models and this one took place among the beautiful people of the swinging sixties. "The Nightlifers" was about young people who live for kicks and Keene's girlfriend in this one is Jean Marsh (way before Rose in "Upstairs, Downstairs"). "Subway to Revenge" is about a girl who is very keen on her boss but she can tell he is in danger even if he can't and "The Wall", about a young couple who are very keen to move away from their pokey bedsit and their very creepy neighbour - a really super episode.
As well, there were many parts played by actors just starting out who became huge stars - John Hurt, George Cole, Ray Barratt (in Australia), Donald Sutherland and a luminous Carol White who shot to fame the next year as the star of Ken Loach's "Cathy Come Home".
Highly Recommended.