'Taggart' had declined quite a bit by this point. There was a feel of it having run out of ideas and had completely lost its spark. Especially in the later Burke period episodes, that suffered further from the shorter lengths. "Knife Trick" was one of the Burke period episodes that somehow was seen later on after the show had ended, shortly before getting into the Taggart and Jardine eras (and much preferring them on the whole in all honesty).
"Knife Trick" however was proof that 'Taggart' did still have some mileage in it and worth sticking with. Will admit to not remembering that much about it on first watch, but rewatching it recently "Knife Trick" has grown on me quite a lot. While there are a couple of the things that brought the latter Burke episodes down that were common throughout his period, it is still very good. Not quite on great level like "Compensation", "Judgement Day", "A Death Foretold" and "Pinnacle" but much better than "Genesis" and "Law" at any rate.
It is too short in length, the latter Burke episodes really did suffer from the lengths being significantly shorter (over half as long) which was a hindrance when having stories that leant themselves much better to two hours.
Like all the later episodes of 'Taggart', what does distract is now rather out of date and not very well fitting music. It was fine in the 80s and 90s and fitted then, at this point it was at odds with the action and like 10 plus years too late.
Other than that, "Knife Trick" has a huge amount to like and even love. The photography is both gritty yet moody, very well suited to the story's style, and the location is striking yet suitably unforgiving. The theme tune is hard to forget and still works, it's the background music that doesn't work and there has been nothing held against the theme tune.
From a writing point of view, "Knife Trick" has the right amount of entertainment value (the banter) and grit (in the crime solving it doesn't shy away). The story is never too simple, with it being very twisty, or too complicated, neither does it come over as too rushed too much (considering the length that's amazing). The truth wasn't a shock but it wasn't too obvious either.
The team work really well together and the acting is very good all round.
All in all, very good. 8/10.