Sharpe's Justice

An excellent chapter in the world of Dick Sharpe - An indication of what the workers in the early eighteenth century had to endure - Sharpe once more triumphs against all odds and brings yet another delightful and believable story to the screen - it is a pity Sean Bean grew out of the Sharpe role as this kind of entertainment is much missed and cannot be done half as well today.

Napoleon has been exiled to Elba, Sharpe and company are sent home to England from the wars but find themselves living in a type of exile themselves. Sharpe and men are tasked with the duty of protecting mill owners from the angry workers who are threatening to strike or riot. Will Sharpe take the side of the overworked-under paid employees or the mill owners?

Meanwhile, Jane and her lover draws the ire of her husband Richard Sharpe. What's a man to do?

8/10.

This episode although perhaps not the usual swashbuckle,has an added interest for me,as much of the filming took place in my home village of Helmshore.The riot scene was filmed in and around the Helmshore Textile Museum,with the crew setting up on the adjacent carpark,much to the interest of the staff of the nearby Airtours Travel offices.Filming took place for about a week in the month of November. Anyone wishing to see the location can find it on the following website.http://members.xoom.com/zoomer101/HELMSHORE_BULL

The war is over and Sharpe, accompanied by Harper, is back in England, looking to find the man who stole his wife and to get his money back. However, he is immediately posted to Yorkshire where he walks into simmering tensions between the working class and factory owners. This is also where he grew up and he runs into some old acquaintances, some of whom are not as friendly as they used to be.

Sharpe's Revenge wasn't great - the story had very little to do with the war and the plot didn't make much sense and- but was entertaining enough. This follows much in the same vein. No war at all this time but there's still action aplenty. Plot is a bit more solid than the previous episode but still leans towards empty melodrama and twists at the expense of plausibility.

It is nice to see Sharpe back where he grew up, even if he doesn't want to be there. This and the discoveries he makes about his family make for some reasonably engaging moments.

A nonsensical plot about evil Mill Owners in Yorkshire made worse by some contrived rubbish about a long-lost brother. The series had already gone into a huge decline after the excellent first and second seasons but hits rock bottom here.

Avoid - at all costs.