I preferred the first 2 series (1995/96) featuring Robert Reynolds as DI Mickey Dawes in the pilot, Reece Dinsdale as his replacement DI Charlie Scott, Brendan Coyle as maverick hard man DS Bob "Bingo" Tate and Pooky Quesnel as the gorgeous DC Harris. Ted Childs was the executive producer, having worked on The Sweeney two decades earlier. The villains were very dark and nasty in places. There was a paedophile, two sadistic women who had a black man's corpse in the boot of their car, robbers who poured petrol on security guards and Hong Kong Triads. It felt like you were watching the real Flying Squad in action because it was well researched, authentic and their office wasn't some studio set.
Reece Dinsdale started off acting like he was Jack Regan, speaking to his team in an OTT manner and threatening a suspect while questioning him, but gradually, he ironed out those wrinkles, began to show a more sympathetic side, wore sleekly tailored suits, cut his hair and showed wit. Charlie Scott was an excellent investigator, tackling every single blag that came his way and if this show had been made in 1978/79 after The Sweeney finished, perhaps it might have been a bigger hit. Alas, after Target, that genre of macho all-action police drama died out, although there were some moments in shows like Strangers and The Chinese Detective involving car chases, fights and the occasional gunplay.
Which takes me to the thrilling action set-pieces in TT. Spectacular car smashes, fast chases, shootouts involving sawn-off shotguns, machine guns and pistols and helicopters. You could tell they had a serious budget. At times, the show looked like a British version of HEAT with its aerial cinematography, dark blue skylines and tall glass buildings.
The final series wasn't as good. Most of the original cast was gone (they must have signed a 2 series contract so that they can move on to other projects), Ted Childs left, some of the stories felt more soapier and corny and not as raw and gritty. The saving graces were Grant Masters as the new DI, a forthright and personable leader who wasn't as volatile as Scott, and Nicholas Ball as the likeable new DCI with a shady past. The final 2 part episode was entertaining with a compelling plot.
Nothing against Masters who ironically played a villain in series 1, but I think Russell Boulter (DS John Boulton in The Bill) would have made a more convincing DI. He had that rough, uncompromising edge, not caring whether he's liked or loathed and he would have been handy too with a gun in his hand, not taking any prisoners like DI Scott who racked up a fair kill count in his stories.
