Eleanor Samson returns to her home town of Glasgow to sing with the opera. She also hopes to be reunited with her estranged husband, John, but finds he has taken up with blonde bombshell, Kirsty King. When "the other woman" is found murdered in John's burnt out boat Eleanor Sampson immediately becomes the prime suspect.
This episode develops the relationship between Taggart and Livingstone and the simmering tension we have seen beneath the surface comes to the boil. There have been some interesting partnerships over the years. Sherlock Holmes and Watson; Morse and Lewis; Starsky and Hutch come to mind. This one is enjoyable, however it is not until Jardine comes on the scene in later episodes that we see the father son relationship that we have become comfortable with.
Isla Blair shines in this episode and we can see why she is so popular in British television. She would later return in 1994 to appear in Taggart again in a different role.
Taggart is now available on DVD and its popularity continues to increase. Much is made of Mark McManus' wooden acting. However, there is something realistic about his tough exterior and blunt humour.
This is a good episode and typical of the series.