Ice Cream Wars

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.

While not quite among the best 'New Tricks' episodes "Ice Cream Wars" is hugely entertaining still, such as Brian's Italian impersonation and the whole jellied eel scene (classic rapport between the team and very funny), and has a very well-constructed and intriguing case and team-work. The conflict is suitably tense.

My only complaint really is that Gerry's personal life distracts from the case a little and is not as interesting as other personal life subplots of the other three before and since.

Visually, "Ice Cream Wars" 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. The story is fun, diverting and twisty.

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 and Anthony Calf are strong and the supporting cast fare well if not outstandingly.

In conclusion, fine and hugely entertaining episode. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Jack is tasked with bringing peace between two families, feuding over their mutual ice cream businesses.

It's a great episode, it's quite literally the perfect mix of drama and humour, a serious story lays underneath some comical window dressing. It's another quality episode from what's been an excellent third series.

The writer definitely had some fun throughout, the ice cream bandit had me in stitches.

I loved the laughs throughout this, the scene with Brian in the kitchen was fun, the scene where Sandra took Gerry and Brian to task was side splitting.

A really nice cast here, I thought Joe Duttine was particularly good, but once again it feels like The Brian show.

9/10.

UCOS attempts to solve some old robberies of ice cream vans after getting mixed up in a feud between two sellers. The case itself is simple to solve once the team knows what to look for, but the path do doing so has some great moments. The feuding families make great characters, the individual team members all have entertaining moments in the episode, and the team uncovers some history of the feud and the different ice cream companies in the process.

UCOS is caught in the middle of an ice cream feud.

On one hand there's the Montagues, or whatever, who came to England from Italy after WWII to peddle ice cream out of mobile vans at all the hot tourist spots.

On the other hand there's the Capulets, the aggressive local startups who've taken all the best selling spots.

There was a murder long ago, of course. That's why the UCOS team is on it. The connection is weak, frankly.

There is the current feud, which includes some rough stuff.

And then there is the twist in Act 3, which is st-pid enough on the face, but the longer is drags out after the reveal that lamer it gets. I nearly pulled the pin on the entire episode but I could see there were only mere minutes left to endure.

The B plot has Brian cooking a souffle for Esther. Then cooking meth.

Gerry recruits his daughter to be a drug buyer.

And pinch-face gets mad at everyone, as usual.

For good measure, Insp Stickuphisarze drops in to lecture somebody about something. That Strickland character was a major, major mistake. They should have thrown all the money at Nicholas Day to return as Bevan. Or replace Strickland with an Inanimate Carbon Rod, if necessary. He wrecks every episode he's in.