The Beiderbecke Tapes

The middle of a trilogy, unusual for a variety of reasons, none of which can really be explained. You have to see this for yourself. It helps if you like the music of Bix Beiderbecke, but anyone with a taste for quality television (two words that rarely go together) along the lines of 'Inspector Morse' will enjoy every minute of all three series, which most likely will be released as 'movies', rather than multi-part stories. Great scripts, wonderful casting and fine production values.

Oh dear. After "Affair" I was hoping for more from "Tapes". When you get a winning formula don't tinker with it.

"The Beiderbecke Affair" delivered school teachers Trevor Chaplin (James Bolam) and Jill Swinburne (Barbara Flynn) and an ensemble of slightly offbeat characters telling a story of corruption in high places. Everything was right – the acting, the delivery, the music..

Now the offbeat nature is a bit more exaggerated. Previously 6 one hour episodes allowed the viewer to soak up the show without being bombarded. Now 2 90 minute episodes is guilty of forcing the issue. Of the characters from "Affair" we are left with only the teachers and they were never in the top rank first time around. And Chaplin & Swinburne are now automatically deemed to be cool so a bit of mystique disappears.

This is still worth watching. Good stuff, witty and charming but you get the feeling that it was rushed to screen!

This, the 2nd in the 'Beiderbecke' trilogy, frequently seems to get squeezed out between the 'Affair' and the 'Connection' (Even the 'TV shows on DVD' site doesn't seem to know it exists), which is odd because this is in every way as good as its predecessor and its successor.

The plot is so simple that it's almost non-existent. Trev comes into possession of some tapes that don't contain jazz, and the secret service become interested. If you've seen either of the other two in the series you'll know just where this is going. Laughs and bewilderment abound, and I actually didn't work out what was going on until almost the end, by which time I had a slight inkling, but no more.

Unfortunately, for reasons unknown, Big Al and Little Norm had to be replaced by other characters, but even so, the show is worth watching just for the scene at the end of part one where the secret service man is checking Trev's tapes...

I normally steer clear of words like 'Sublime', but in this case, if you accept the definition 'inspiring awe; "well-meaning ineptitude that rises to empyreal absurdity" (M.S.Dworkin)' then, just this once, I'm going to use it.

It qualifies, dammit.

I love the Beiderbecke Trilogy but before stumbling upon it on the box, I had never even heard of Bix Beiderbecke.

I quickly got into the Affair, and Trev's jazz was merely the soundtrack.

I now have the complete box and its great being able to rewatch it, whenever I feel in the mood but my feelings of jazz haven't altered.

It's a while since I have seen any of it and I am just catching up with it, and my memory had played tricks on me about Trev's place.

And I had completely forgotten that Jill had moved house, I even felt impelled to check the locations.

Its great as always to see Beryl Reed in absolutely anything and everything, that she ever appears in she is as always a sheer delight.

Nuclear waste is a particular bete noire of mine, so I find this story line especially interesting.

Coupled with Government bureaucracy and I am in, perhaps anyone who quibbles about this is rather more blasé about the environment than I am.

Or indeed like the Family McAllister from the Affair, who feel that they can afford complacency along with their luxury.

After all our System is built around and for them and their ilk, to protect their precious equilibrium from the likes of me.

Oh dear all this and tea and bickies that I realise a lot of people, simply want out of their tv progs.

Certainly not to worry about either the life universe or indeed anything at all, definitely not what might make it tick.

It is interesting that Barbara Flynn starred in two of the best pieces of British TV drama in the 1980's and 1990's. She played a critical role in both Biederbeck series and in Cracker, two seminal pieces that will remain powerful for as long as there are machines in your living room capable of reproducing them. Yes Robbie Coltrane and James Bolam drove both pieces, and Jimmy McGovern and Alan Plater's writing deserve all the credit due them, but Barbara Flynn was in both and each time produced performances that would not be outshone. In Biederbeck, Flynn had more input and so is the better representation of her talents, but in Cracker, despite the smaller role, she is still able to hold her own in superb company. I recommend both to you reader and watch her in everything she does, she is so good.