A Mind to Kill

A MIND TO KILL is a simultaneously-made English language version of HELIWR, originally aired in Welsh on S4C. In common with a great deal of Welsh-language drama series (PRIS Y FARCHNAD is another shining example) it is brilliantly filmed and excellently directed, with fine casting and characterisation, all built around extraordinary and sometimes genuinely frightening plotlines.

AMTK - even in the English version, the original Welsh is much more atmospheric - is by far the best of the detective-procedurals of the last decade or so; it's genuinely gritty and down-to-earth without a trace of the cosy comfort of such as MORSE or FROST, and infinitely better in every sense than almost all much-trumpeted BBC product like SILENT WITNESS.

It is of course unfortunate it shows on C5 - but this is more a reflection on the sheeplike viewing habits of the British audience, as incapable now of changing channels to C5 as they were when Channel Four began, or BBC2 before it.

This Welsh series stars Philip Madoc as DCI Noel Bain, a widower with a young, rebellious daughter (Ffion Wilkins). The show deals with his cases, his relationships with the people he works with (Sharon Morgan and Gillian Elisa) and his problems with his daughter.

The stories are dark, gritty, realistic, and atmospheric. There always seems to be a background, however, of youth violence, which doesn't make Wales seems like an attractive place to visit.

The late Philip Madoc was a wonderful actor, and he creates an interesting character in Noel Bain. Not one to show emotion, the actor manages to give us a character who is a compassionate, perhaps disillusioned man, still mourning his wife and in pain over some of his daughter's behavior. It's quite a masterful performance.

I can't say I love this series as it always leaves me a little sad. Even if there is closure of the case, one is left with a hopeless feeling. That's realistic, of course. It's just not very entertaining.

Philip Madoc is a very dependable actor and he plays his character, DCI Noel Bain, very well with a touch of humour. The sub-plot has him a widower with a late-teenage daughter and there is also a consistent thread of other sub-plots in and around the police station.

The story-lines were good, up to the standard of such major series as 'Frost', and the direction firm.

The pity is that this series (I don't know how many episodes were made, but it must have been 13 or so, having been made by Pearson, was aired on Channel 5 and therefore went largely ignored.

This is the most underrated piece of TV ever! Starring Philip Madoc, it is a detective drama, originally filmed in Welsh. It is far superior to Morse, Frost etc and is genuinely gritty and atmospheric with realistic plots and solid acting. Sadly, it is rarely seen on TV (at one point it was shown at 2am on Sky One!) and I believe production ceased about five or six years ago. It is almost impossible to buy on VHS and I'm not sure how many episodes were ever transmitted on TV in the English format. (I was told you can buy them for educational purposes if you are learning to speak Welsh so I'm seriously considering that) It's a real crime that such a wonderful programme is relatively unknown and I can't understand why it is being shown in Australia and not here- somebody should snap up the transmission rights and persuade Philip Madoc to come out of retirement! Anyone interested in starting a campaign to bring it back?

This series is now showing in Australia for what I believe is the first time.

Trouble is it's on after midnight and hardly anyone's watching it.

Wonderfully atmospheric cop series.

It has a darkness about it that stays with you after you go to bed.

Utterly credible .. acted with restraint and so refreshingly the antithesis of the diet of police forensic porn mostly served up to us these days.

There's something genuinely likable about Bain .. but also a real world grittiness about him .. that doesn't always render him predictable.

Enjoying a love affair with this show at the moment .. would advise any Aussies not watching it who are reading this in Sep 05 to check it out on Channel 7 Tuesdays at midnight.

Set the VCR if you have to and let it get into your head .. it might take an episode or two .. but you'll be rewarded..