Cheap but well crafted

They don't make em like this any more. I rented this out of curiosity. Its the last work of John Gregson - made (I think) during the Summer of 74. And it is actually a great piece if you enjoy his work as he is the star and gets lots of screen time. This show is cheap. No high production values for the old 'southern TV' production company. Like all cheap productions it only works because the actors are experienced stage performers who know how to create tension and drama in a TV studio with dull sets. The location film work has that gloriously shabby 70's feel - and its great for spotting old cars...is that an allegro...i think it is? The plot is rattled off by tv script factory NJ Crisp. What can i compare it too? Well - I think its got shades of Callan. and the production feel of The Sweeney. But not the hard edged violence. Oddly it is shot as 6 half hour episodes. Which in some ways is good - it moves along quickly in the first few shows but gets a bit bogged down by ep 5. Overall - worth the watch on a Sunday afternoon. Almost every leading actor in this show is now sadly no longer with us. Gregson would have been making great shows for tv well into the 1990's if he hadn't pegged it at 55. Perhaps 2 generations have grown up now unaware of how good he was in things like Gideons Way. A massive talent that could have been so much more. Oh well - this was a good way to go out. A fine leading performance.