Review of Minder: Series 8 Part 1 Of 4

Introduction

The 12 episodes that make up Minder Season 8 (first broadcast in Autumn 1991) have been released over 4 DVDs available separately or as a box set. I`m reviewing all the discs as separate discs, but the 4 reviews won`t differ very much since the technical details of the discs are very similar. I`m sure that most people will have heard of Minder, and the lovable east end spiv Arthur Daley. The show ran for 14 years and was very popular during its time.

Here goes then with what`s on disc 1.

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Entrepeneur

Arthur Daley is back, with one or two changes to the show. His nephew Ray Daley takes over duties from Terry McCann, who has done a bunk to Australia. Ray`s first task is to work on Arthur`s new car import business.

A Bouquet of Barbed Wire

Arthur ventures into the wine trade but when his supplier is helping the police with their enquiries the wine gets confiscated and needs to be "released" from the police.

Whatever Happened to Her Indoors?

Her Indoors has gone missing, and Arthur is prime suspect due to his cash flow problem. The council are also on his back about his new patriotic advertising.

Video

A full frame transfer which was as the show was filmed and transmitted. It was all recorded on film (unusual for a TV show, but not unusual for one produced by Euston Films). The transfer therefore reflects this, and at times it`s in a bit of a state, looking rather like messy film stock from nearly 15 years ago might be expected to look like. There`s a hell of a lot of grain on the screen at times and it can look awful.

The image is not always sharp and the lack of quality makes the show look older than it actually is. It`s a shame that the image didn`t get cleaned up for release.

As for the show itself, Ray`s choice of clothing places it smack bang in the early 1990s. The end credits are fun for anyone who`s ever walked down Southend Pier.

Audio

A DD2.0 stereo soundtrack, which would have been how it was recorded, but it doesn`t sound very stereo at all. At least it is clean and crisp and audible and it certainly sounds better than it looks. The theme tune has had a bit of a cheesey remix to bring it into the early 1990s but it`s still quite recognisable, even with the rubbish electric drum sounds.

Features

The only extras for the series are on this disc - an interesting interview with George Cole about his time playing Arthur Daley. There`s also a series and episode guide.

Conclusion

Minder without Terry McCann? Well it was a gamble to bring it back, but it still retains the essence of the original series. The episodes have shifted focus from the older "Terry the heavy" style to a slightly more subtle, character based approach. The arrival of Gary Webster helped to attract a different audience. The music and the clothes definitely help to date the series to the beginning of the 1990s, but it still has some of the aura of the earlier shows about it.

The writing is still consistent and it`s still enjoyable to watch. Some of the ideas are a bit old hat and there`s some recycling of work from earlier seasons. The inevitable comparisons are always drawn with Only Fools and Horses, with dodgy deals and cockney spivs mangling the English language. But the series were always different - Fools and Horses went straight for the laughs, Minder played more for drama, but with the laughs are still mixed in.

Series 8 is a reasonable release and fans of the show will want to pick it up regardless of some of the qualms about image quality. It`s unlikely anyone will be spending money on cleaning it up, so it`s the best that you`re likely to see it.