Minder

While the 21st Century version of the classic 80s comedy-drama 'Minder' was always going to have a lot to live up to, the first episodes gives cause for optimism.

There was outcry amongst fans when TV personality and sometime TV presenter Shane Ritchie was cast as Archie Daley, nephew of the infamous Arthur, but while Ritchie is not much of an actor, he gets an 'A' for effort here. If anything, he should tone down his 'cheekie-chappie' enthusiasm, in favour of portraying a veneer of reputability, but, as the series will take time to hit its stride so will Ritchie.

The plot exists to be disregarded - an entirely nebulous storyline fulfilled its purposes of introducing us to the principals, via a series of non-descript villains. While Petra (who I take to be a relative of the gravel-voiced Dave, proprietor of the Winchester Club in the George Cole original) is a spirited character and looks set to be a series regular, it was Lex Shrapnel who gave the standout performance. Carrying the show with an understated hard edge and an air of seen-it-all-before weariness, he already seems as able a Minder as either Dennis Waterman or Gary Webster.

It was during the commercials that I stumbled across Waterman on the other side, and while I thought I would be pining for his gravelly tones and acknowledge considerable presence, I feel that the show, in its infancy, will survive without him.

This series is not drivel or awful as another poster has claimed (which are frankly lazy and rather predictable comments). Minder 2009 is a credible update of the original with some nice touches and some truly funny moments. Admittedly not all of the plots held my attention and some details didn't add up but it was better than most remakes of past classics (remember Ralph Fiennes in The Avengers, Reeves and Mortimer in Randall and Hopkirk, etc).

To be fair the second incarnation of Minder in the 1990s (with George Cole and Gary Webster) was not that good but it was liked because it had most of the elements of the original. Roll forward 15 years and it would be wrong to expect more of the same, especially without Cole and Waterman or indeed Webster. But Richie doing his Alfie Moon act and the likable Shrapnel have given life to new characters who are nod back to the past but with their feet planted firmly in the twenty-first century. With better plots and sharper dialog there is no reason why this shouldn't become a classic.

As far from the charm and wit of the original as you could possibly get.

Embarrassing to watch, from the church hall acting to the bizarre over use of often completely unsuitable music - make it to the first ad break and you can feel a sense of achievement.

It seems as the show was created not as an extension of the Minder shows but as a tribute to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels mixed with a swig of TFI Friday but without the fun of either.

The truly shocking 'acting' within a paper thin script and feeble plot (often it seems with actors who have at least some credible work to their name) seems to be frequently highlighted by visible pauses in their dialogue as if they were told to slow it down or have simply forgotten their lines.

Simply drivel.

I loved the original minder. I was expecting an upset but was pleasantly surprised. Shane Richie is ace He's probably the best Arthur possible (sorry Archie) he's got all his mannerism down to A tea. really plays the lovable rogue well.

Lex shrapnel is a little on the small size for a minder but so was Terrence if I recall but like terry his character should grow as the Show runs.

Excellent!

The fight choreography was iffy but I'll allow it !. Just improve that and I'm sold.

Only thing that could make it any better is a few cameo appearances' from the original show to show some continuality.

Welcome back to my heart MINDER my long lost friend.

I've never liked Shane Ritchie so I wasn't expecting to like this Minder re-make. But, actually, he's quite good in the role. It may not be as good as the original but they've done well by not making it too similar.

The plots aren't brilliant but this is light entertainment, and doesn't need to be too closely scrutinised. The main characters are likable and sufficiently different from 'Tel' and 'Arthur' that comparisons aren't a big problem. And the 'Minder' in this series isn't quite such a pushover for Archie Daley as Terry was for Arthur. The episodes also got stronger as the characters developed.

All in all, a reasonable hours entertainment that doesn't require too much concentration. You need to give it a chance and watch a few episodes.