Dreamhouse

A lot of Minder fans are quite down on "Dreamhouse" due to its rambling, incoherent plot, but i've always had a soft spot for it and think that the programme makers should be commended for trying something different - Minder can't always be about pubs, punch ups and dodgy motors.

Terry McCann is hired to mind a washed up old rocker's house in the country for a few days, but what Tel thinks will be a nice, cushy holiday turns out to be anything but. The best bits are the scenes where Terry and Derek Farrow (Richard Griffiths) are having their frequent differences of opinion; these usually involve broken glass, flying or floating furniture, some very colourful dialogue and a wonderfully impromptu moment with a cork. In a separate plot Arthur is on the wrong end of a con for a change, and the sight of Benedict Cumberbatch's mum swallowing asparagus shoots whole makes him quite perturbed.

Dreamhouse should be enjoyed for what it is; a more experimental, letting the cameras roll and see what happens kind of vibe, and for the most part i think it comes off pretty well.

I watched Minder obsessively from the very first episode, only giving up when Dennis Waterman left. And this has always been my favourite episode. I remember first watching it when it was shown on ITV in February 1982 - 40 years ago almost to the day - and it has always stuck with me. The plot is ludicrous - but somehow almost believable, given what we know about the lifestyles of rock and pop stars.

On top of that, it was one of my first experiences of the phenomenal acting talent of Richard Griffiths, who later went on to create the memorable role of Uncle Monty in 1987's 'Withnail and I' - a cult film to end them all.

This is 1980s TV at its funniest and best. And George Cole, of course - as ever - is on absolutely top form.

Happy memories.

Terry gets to look after the flash home of a ageing singer and finds his drunken brother squatting on the premises.

There is bit of a spat to begin with but gradually Terry starts to bond with the large squatter who essentially steals the whole episode.

There is a lot of laughs in this episode especially around the dream house story but we also have a sideline story involving Arthur and a amusement ride scam in which Arthur gets a loan off a wealthy window with designs on him.

The story is light hearted and played for laughs and offered a nice respite from the many gritty storylines throughout series 3.

Great supporting performance from the actor playing the rotund brother in fact so good he's another character that could and should have appeared again in some way like Scotch Harry , Des or Maurice Michaelson.

I've watched every episode of Minder many times, but this episode has always been a favorite. It won't mean as much to anyone who hasn't had the Arthur/Terry relationship intricacies cemented by watching the previous episodes, but what is especially endearing to this episode is the guest appearances and side plots.

Roger Sloman, Richard Griffiths, and Wanda Ventham are all wonderful and convincing, while the sub-plots of Arthur's love life and his hopelessly-incompetent business dealings are true-to-form and entertaining. The interaction between Waterman and Griffiths is something special and enjoyable. The series is renown for portraying Terry's suffering at the hands of Arthur's business dealings, but this episode excels because it allows Terry a brief moment of enjoyment and escape ... before a return to his usual tightrope walk between victim and hero.

Yes, the ending is a little muddled, but as for many Minder episodes, the journey is greater than the destination. This episode's journey shows a cast entirely comfortable in their roles, and is a destination in itself.

This isn't a Minder episode. This is third-rate Harold Pinter being workshopped in the sticks.

The setup is McCann is hired to babysit a faded singing star's mansion. He's barely checked in when he discovers the phone is disconnected, the milk is sour, and there's no food in the fridge.

Then he finds the star's fat, drunken brother in the house.

What ensues is a bunch of blabbering in the drawing room. So, so boring. They just talk about things happening, but nothing actually happens.

The star's agent is so broadly over-played I consider him the worst character in the history of Minder.

The better part of the episode is Arthur Daley's interactions with a super-hot blonde widow and some fat, sloppy con man. But it wasn't enough to hold my interest.

It was hard to continue watching, to be honest.