New Tricks (TV Series) Left Field (2010) User Reviews

It's a sad mystery.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 16 March 2020]

John Davies, a known paedophile has admitted to a crime, Sandra doesn't believe he's guilty, but Davies is adamant. An easy arrest is on the table.

It's quite a sad story, but a good mystery. The team are on fine form, and despite the grim source material, the team manage a few laughs, Brian as always is the standout.

Samantha Bond is excellent as the somewhat vague mother, the standout performer here.

Engaging, 8/10.

Parental responsibility...

[safenoe · 8/10 · 15 September 2017]

It's good to see DAC Strickland back after an absence for a few episodes, and I really think he should have got his own spin-off series. This episode features sunny skies contrary to the stereotype of London perpetuated on our screens.

Samantha Bond (who played Miss Moneypenny in some Bond movies) appears as the mother of a missing child, and MI-5 are in the episode with a reference to Miss Moneypenny. Inspired casting definitely! Now if Timothy Dalton had appeared that would also have been impressive.

Also I loved it when Sandra caught up with two chavs on bikes who egged a house. Swift justice:) Love it:)

Left Field

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 5 February 2018]

Have always been a big fan of detective/mystery shows from a fairly young age, well since starting secondary school.

'Inspector Morse', 'A Touch of Frost', 'Midsomer Murders' (in its prime), 'Law and Order', 'Inspector George Gently', 'Criminal Minds', 'Murder She Wrote', you name them to name a few. 'New Tricks' has also been a favourite from the start (despite not being the same without the original cast in recent years). Although it can be corny at times (in an endearing sort of way) it has always been perfect for helping me relax in the evenings. Something that was needed during all the hard times endured in school.

"Left Field" is not as good as the first two episodes, which were both of a high standard (especially "It Smells of Books") that was difficult to follow on from. It is still a very good episode, suffering only from a little too much going on and a slightly under-cooked denouement.

The case however is a compelling one, with its fair share of intrigue and surprises.

Visually, "Left Field" is slick and stylish as ever. The music is a good fit and the theme song (sung with gusto by none other by Dennis Waterman himself) is one of the catchiest for any detective/mystery show and of any show in the past fifteen years or so.

Writing is intelligent, thought-provoking and classy, while also being very funny and high up in the entertainment value. This is all mixed adeptly with a seriousness without being overly so that it doesn't feel like 'New Tricks'.

A huge part of 'New Tricks' appeal is the chemistry between the four leads and their performances. The chemistry is so easy going and charming with a little tension.

One of the show's biggest delights is Alun Armstrong, achieves a perfect balance of funny comic timing and touching pathos which was maintained all the way up to his final episode. It is also lovely here to see his role in the team and skills appreciated more all the time. James Bolam's Jack is the quietest, most sensible (mostly) and most composed of the team, with a tragic personal life that Bolam portrays very touchingly without any overwrought-ness.

The only woman on the team, Amanda Redman more than holds her own in what is essentially the boss role of the four. Dennis Waterman brings some nice levity without unbalancing things.

Susan Jameson is always splendid in her 'New Tricks' appearances, and Kevin McNally and Samantha Bond are especially good of the competent supporting cast.

All in all, very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Feminism, kidnapping, political demonstrations & more

[ctyankee1 · 16 September 2015]

There is a lot going on in this episode.

At a Free Palestine Demonstration 5-year old Yasser Gorton-Blackledge disappears from the demonstration and neither parent knows he is gone one thinks the other has him.

Yasser's disappearance breaks up the marriage. The boys father is a professor named Fred Blackledge and teaches about female domination and how the feminist blame everything on men including global warming saying as if they don't drive a car or take a plane. He calls them feminazis. It comes out later that Yasser's mother was having affairs with the students that stayed at her house when her husband was in another country and he found out about it and he knew that Yasser is not his son.

It talks about demonstrators against Israel, MI6, MI5, infiltrators and more. No one seems to know what happened to Yasser even with all the cameras.

Professor Blackledge puts info in a his book about "Ernst Gräfenberg was a German-born physician and scientist. He is known for developing the intrauterine device, and for his studies of the role of the woman's urethra in orgasm. The G-Spot is named after him an erogenous zone." He is bitter about why his wife lost sexual desire for him.

The video reminds me that as parents they were more concerned with the political beliefs than the life of their son.

The missing child makes an o.k episode

[scsaxe · 7/10 · 2 May 2022]

Someone kidnapped a child, a few decades later another man confesses and UCOS is on the case. But Sandra doubts this really happened and investigates. The investigation has a number of interesting threads, but ends up as a bit of a letdown as none of them pay off particularly well. Apparently Esther did some protesting years ago but went to a more normal life over time, which she talks about with Brian in the episode. This does fit the character pretty well. Overall, I liked it about average.