Good Work Rewarded

We got some more details on the characters and watch them interact, as with all easily season episodes. The case itself isn't particularly interesting, just some pretty standard detective stuff as some stories and hypotheses are put together. Golf club is a different setting, but the characters don't particularly stand out.

The team reopen the case of a young boy, Spencer who was killed on a golf course, the man convicted subsequently took his own life in prison.

This is an absolutely first class early episode, one that shows the heights this show had the ability to reach.

It's the perfect blend of drama and humour, they absolutely nailed it, it's hilarious, but dramatic and intriguing in equal measure.

The laughs are thick and fast, I found myself chuckling through it, but equally captivated by the story.

What's the attraction to golf Sandra asks, personally I'll never know the answer, not a game I have ever enjoyed, some of the pomposity that comes along with it, the people at the club are abhorrent.

The acting is superb, the regulars are impeccable, as is Cherie Lunghi, her character is brilliant, that's the first time I've seen anyone put Sandra in her place.

This was superb, 10/10.

The most popular past-time for both American and English show biz folk is the same sport whose members are always shown as evil SOBs, and it's hilariously cliche. Not a bad episode, but kind of strange in a farfetched kind of way, almost confusing, wayward, off-putting but not a bad mystery and this IS a mystery show despite that not being mentioned on IMDb. A better episode than the last one about the "Peace Protester" which sounds like someone protesting peace. Hopefully this show, which having just turned onto is very into and happy about, doesn't veer too far to the left like all shows do, here and abroad, there and back again.

Sandra somewhere in between a stab at speed dating opens a cold case on the murder of a 10 year old boy whose body was found on a golf course.

A teenager called Ken Rodger was suspected of the killing and he hung himself in the police cells after being charged.

A female police officer from the original investigation is not convinced that Ken was the culprit, the UCOS team want to get answers before Ken's seriously ill father dies.

The team go back to the golf club to investigate but the snooty members of the committee do not give them a warm welcome, one of the suspects is a dead war hero killed in the Falklands war.

An interesting episode which kept me guessing especially as past skeletons kept popping out and some crafty work done by Gerry Standing. Sunglasses all around.

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.

"Good Work Rewarded" is one of my favourite Season 1 episodes. By this point, 'New Tricks' had fully hit its stride, now fully settled with the familiar mix of humour and serious mystery fully established. For me, while all the episodes from the pilot to this episode are good to great, "Good Work" is the first truly outstanding episode where no real problems could be found and the first episode to have a denouement that wasn't easy to figure out and was actually a shock.

Visually, "Good Work Rewarded" looks lovely, with a brighter look but never garish and always slick and stylish. 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. Brian's response to Jack's comment about the tattoo was classic 'New Tricks' humour.

Story is compelling, with its fair share of surprising twists and skeletons in the closet conflict, and lively, but never rushed, pacing.

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, here with much better material that actually serves a point and is fun, has very good comic timing while being serious when needed.

Cherie Lunghi radiates class and is particularly good of the strong support.

Overall, more than good work and very rewarding, outstanding episode. 10/10 Bethany Cox