The sixtieth TV show: #290 Minder
Some shows don't ever quite connect with you. Maybe it's because this is a working class show and I'm just too middle class for it (I've changed man, I've changed). Perhaps it's the difference of three decades between when this show was shot and when we watched it, casual racism included. Perhaps, even, it's that supposedly likeable characters weren't to me.
I think part of it is a selection of episodes - Arthur, one of the leads - doesn't always come along as well and is too much trying to be a grifter or dubious dealer rather that someone I root for. On a show like Hustle, these characters work by picking the right targets, but here the targets don't feel as sympathetic.
Dennis Waterman's character, Terry, is more of a mixed bag. Working with the right people, he's got decent comic timing and comes across well. He comes across as a decently convincing lead, but there are times when the action is a bit forced and there are times when he misses some of the charisma to keep the show watchable. He's good, but not as the main lead.
So with all of that taken together, the show didn't work for us. It was a chore to watch and, to be honest, we're glad to drop it. There's enough of a feel we've gotten for it, so this is probably the place to leave it.