Last Man Standing: Part One

The body of Gerry's former boss DCI Martin Ackroyd is discovered thirty five years after he failed to report for duty, Ackroyd ran a team full of corrupt coppers.

A classic episode, this was an excellent start to the new series. Series eleven was sometimes criticised for being a bit dark, lacking any humour, this episode certainly had a few laughs, courtesy of the baby. Quite a serious storyline, one that brings Gerry's integrity into question.

Lots of bits for long term fans to enjoy, we get the mention of Sandra's dad, and a few other nods to the past.

Very much a Gerry Standing episode, as it progresses it begins to feel like the beginning of the end for him, the opening sequences felt very Sweeney like, almost like an homage to him.

Terrific acting here throughout, Samuel Oatley was fantastic as a young Gerry, Bernard Cribbins was equally good, much missed.

Loved it, 9/10.

This is the first episode I saw of the show, watching it at a relative's house on britbox, and it drew my in like nothing else, I had to figure out what this show was so I could see more of it. After watching all series, last Man Standing doesn't stand out as much, but it is still a very good pair of episodes.

The murder victim was Gerry's boss for a month or so, theorized to have been killed before exposing police corruption. Of course, nothing is as it seems, and Gerry turns out to have much more knowledge of the situation than he first let on. The series flash backs regularly to events around the murder, and the episodes do a good job of plausibly only revealing twists when appropriate while still telling two coherent stories. The ending and final reveal of what happened makes good sense and wraps up the stories quite well.

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.

Season 12 starts off with the best 'New Tricks' episode since perhaps Season 10's "The Rock". It is sad watching "Last Man Standing: Part One" knowing that the next episode would be Gerry's, the last original team member (the meaning of the episode's title), last, but it is great also that both parts of "Last Man Standing" do him justice.

The case is a very intriguing and compelling one, not too simplistic, not too convoluted as well as not too familiar even when not novel. It has enough twists and surprises to keep one guessing and Gerry's past and how it's explored is the most interesting his personal life has been in a long time.

While not near as sparkling or as fresh as the original team dynamic, the present team do have a nice connection and seem well settled, the charm, likeability and confidence are there.

Confidently and smartly written, "Last Man Standing: Part One" has a seriousness without being too serious and has a few comic touches without jarring tonally. All the replacements of the original characters are now well settled if not the same.

Visually, "Last Man Standing: Part One" 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.

All four leads are great and the episode is solidly acted in support too.

Overall, terrific. 10/10 Bethany Cox