New Tricks (TV Series) The Girl Who Lived (2012) User Reviews

New Blood

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 18 September 2012]

After a robbery at a local petrol station blood is found; this wouldn't usually be anything for UCOS to interest themselves with but it matched that of Georgia Wright, a girl who went missing and was assumed to have been murdered in Scotland nine years previously. Former Strathclyde detective Steve McAndrew comes down to assist the team with the investigation as it was originally his case and he never believed that she was really dead. One might think that if she is alive then it is just another runaway and as she is an adult now there is no case to investigate but McAndrew believes there is more to it than that… and he is right; she was last seen with 'Dave the Roadie' and when he is investigated they find a trail of false identities tied to a number of women; all of whom he told lies to get them to believe he was actually working for MI6 and they were in danger. He is very persuasive and unless they can find Georgia they won't be able to prove anything.

After losing Jack in the first episode of the series it looks as if they may have found a replacement in McAndrew; I think he'd make a decent addition to the team as he is quite different to the others and most importantly he is nothing like Jack so won't just be Jack Mk II. Denis Lawson does a good job as McAndrew. While this case might not involve a murder case the villain of the story is particularly unpleasant; Daniel Ryan does a great job as Barry Flint; a truly despicable character who lies to women to get what he wants and can't see that there is anything wrong with it.

Welcome Steve McAndrew

[safenoe · 9/10 · 17 October 2017]

We now welcome Steve McAndrew, played by Denis Lawson who played Wedge in Star Wars 4, 5 an 6 (or IV, V and VI). He's from Scotland and he joins the UCOS team to help find Georgia, who's been missing for several years, and her father is convinced she's still alive.

Gerry and Brian are a bit standoffish towards Steve, but Gerry an Steve bond over a few pints.

Radhika Aggarwal stars as Ms Patel, the owner of a service station.

Anthony Calf also makes a welcome appearance as always. He's fantastic as DAC Strickland.

The interrogation of Barry Flint (a chilling performance by Daniel Ryan) was tense. Kind of like Pillowman.

Hello Steve, Welcome to UCOS

[scsaxe · 9/10 · 19 December 2021]

Steve McAndrew joins UCOS, to help investigate a longtime missing person who is spotted and DNA found after a robbery. Steve was an original investigating officer, who helps UCOS investigate the case.

This is a standard episode as far as the investigation goes, and is a good watch. Steve's character is the new thing, and watching the season backwards from 11 and 12 to 1, Steve's character in 9 is quite surprising, and one I wish they'd continued more into future seasons. Steve is willing to improvise, bending rules and aggressively finding tricks to get what he needs (You see another couple of examples in the Tennis and Glasgow UCOS episodes.) Steve is fine in later seasons, but a part of me wishes this side of the character had continued, in a more rule following but still improvising way. Overall, he makes a good addition to the team, a different sort of character than Jack but someone who fits nicely anyway,

New case, new faces same quality.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 29 July 2022]

UCOS are joined by a new team member, Steve McAndrew, the case, the disappearance of Scottish girl Georgia, who vanished some seventeen years before.

It's a very good episode, a cracking episode in its own right, but very much a vehicle for the new boy. There's definitely been a gap since Jack's departure, and I think that Lawson will do very nicely, Steve is smart, feisty, daring, he fitted in well, I liked how he clicked with Gerry so quickly.

It's a really clever story, it's all about controlled abuse, there's something so sinister about it, the storyline I have seen elsewhere, I'm thinking possibly a Silent Witness two parter, which had the exact same plot, I must do some research.

Daniel Ryan played the part of the villain well, but it was all about Lawson's introduction.

We're in safe hands here, 8/10.

Debuting Steve

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 23 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.

"The Girl Who Lived" continues the promising standard set for Season 9, if not one of the best 'New Tricks' episodes. Jack will always be missed, but luckily his absence is not too deeply felt, with the unsettled dynamic feeling more understandable within the story considering that they have a new team member not known to them before. A role filled in a more than worthy way by newcomer character Steve McAndrew with very nice work from Denis Lawson.

The case is very intriguing and fun, even with not much innovative despite being a fairly atypical case, with a few nice and clever surprises well executed.

Visually, "The Girl Who Lived" 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, which is so entertaining and charming with some nice 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. Amanda Redman more than holds her own and is very authoritative and Dennis Waterman brings humour and grit.

Anthony Calf is always great as Strickland, Lawson while not fully settled in yet (understandably) being very nice value and Daniel Ryan is chilling support.

In conclusion, very, very well done. 9/10 Bethany Cox

The cracks begin to show.

[canireallywin · 7/10 · 1 March 2021]

This series kicked off with the absolutely fantastic Victorian episode, one of the best of the entire show, before being followed by a decent episode. Then, came this. Whilst the last episode could carry off from the atmosphere of the episode prior, the introduction of Steve in this instalment really brings home that something has gone, or rather someone. The dynamic that drives the energy has a missing link, so it doesn't work.

The mystery element as per usual, is handled well, which is why I gave this a seven rather than a six, but this truly is the first episode that signals the start of a general downward trend. There were about a handful of episodes following this that rose above the level of this one, but otherwise it's a melancholic decline that follows.