Taggart (TV Series) Skin Deep (2000) User Reviews

Was it a murder?

[bethwilliam · 7/10 · 15 February 2008]

This is a clever episode of the long running series Taggart.

David Grant is found lying in a pool of blood at the local health club. Nikki Jones, with whom the victim has been having an affair accuses another member of attempted murder. The investigation leads Jardine to Glena Bennett, who appears to be dealing in illegal diet tablets. When she is found dead in her own home Dr. Stephen Andrews concludes from the marks on her hands and feet that the victim was murdered.

Meanwhile DI Robbie Ross is having problems of his own. DCS Brian Holmes, from Internal Affairs has been tipped off that 5,000 pounds has been paid into Ross's personal account as a corrupt pay off. After leaving Dougie Todd's house, a noted criminal that Ross put away, the suspect is found dead.

We also learn that Jardine now has a major health problem.

This is a satisfying episode with an unusual twist. No one actually gets murdered!

The darkness of health

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 23 May 2019]

Love detective mystery dramas/series of all types. Won't say that all are great, or even good, there are misfires, but there are numerous classics too. 'Taggart' is overall not quite one of the classics, like to love a vast majority of the episodes from the Taggart and Jardine periods while not being as enthused with the Burke era. Especially when the episodes became too short and rushed and when the cases became bland and tired.

While not quite one of the best overall episodes of 'Taggart', "Skin Deep" is among the stronger episodes of the Jardine era to me. It also stands out among the rest of the episodes from this period, for reasons that won't be spoiled, being a different episode. Mostly due to having a contender for the most unusual, most interesting and most shocking twist of the show up to this point, the final solution certainly left me floored.

There is not an awful lot wrong here. Maybe the pace could have been tightened.

Did feel too that Ross's subplot, while interesting enough and continues to give development to Ross, takes up too much of the episode.

Good things are a great many though. As always for 'Taggart', "Skin Deep" looks great visually. have always loved the gritty, like-a-character-of-its-own Scottish setting, the moody colour pallette that adds to the grit and the slick photography. The music fits well and doesn't intrude or feel dull, while the theme song is not one to forget. As to be expected, the episode is solidly directed. The acting is fine, with MacPherson and Blythe Duff in particular being very strong as expected, as is their chemistry which was always part of the charm of the Jardine-era episodes, while Robert Robertson steals his scenes. John Michie is settling well. The supporting cast are all strong.

Always intriguing is the writing, it provokes thought too and while a serious episode it doesn't take itself overly seriously too much or become too dark. The story is compelling with mostly good pacing, while the twists and turns keep coming, very few of them predictable (even if the idea of intimate relationships with the victims has been done before). Do like how the team work, their rapport and how they go about solving the case, that has always been one of the key reasons as to why prime-'Taggart' works so well.

Summarising, very well done. 8/10