New Tricks The Crazy Gang: One more series, one more swan song for New Tricks: The Crazy Gang in its final episode. Sasha Miller, Steve McAndrew, Dan Griffin, Ted Case, and Robert Strickland made their farewell appearances in this episode. Danny and Fiona’s relationship is in jeopardy, and Sasha realizes that UCOS are just puppets in Cynthia’s game.
Synopsis: The final episode threatens UCOS with closure due to perceived mishandling of the Henway case The murder of a political activist at the Madhouse, a center for people with mental health concerns, is the focus of their final investigation. Ted, Danny, and Steve are just about to finish their inquiry when an order is issued from above ordering them to stop. In true UCOS fashion, the boys throw out the rulebook and unearth something even more sinister, involving high-ranking authorities, a major pharmaceutical corporation, and indications of a large cover-up. They throw out the rulebook! As Fiona must decide whether or not to accept the job offer in Aberdeen,
Cast
- Tamzin Outhwaite – DCI Sasha Miller.
- Denis Lawson and Steve McAndrew are playing opposite one another.
- Nicholas Lyndhurst as played by Dan Griffin
- Larry Lamb – Ted Case
- DAC Anthony Calf – Robert Strickland
- Professor Tracy-Ann Oberman and Dr. Fiona Kennedy
- It’s Geraldine Somerville, AC Cynthia Kline!
- Sarah-Jane Potts – Antoinette Pembury
- The Baroness of Steiner – Meera Syal
- Lorraine Ashbourne – Vicky Collins.
- Peter Bramhill – Creg Collins.
Crew
This information was taken directly from the closing credits of the show.
Writing
- Chris Murray penned the piece.
- Roy Mitchell was the brains behind this design.
- A Nigel McCrery creation.
Directing
- Designed by David Innes Edwards.
- A.D. Henry Tomlinson is the first assistant director.
- Jodie Cowman, 2nd Assistant Director
- Toby Evans is the 3rd Assistant Director.
- Runner by Molly Jean Crowther on the floor
- In charge of casting: Julia Duff, CDG
- Sacha Green is a casting assistant.
- Andy McDonnell was the director of photography.
Department of Production
- By Myar Craig-Jones – Executive Producer
- John Griffin is the Headstrong Studios’ Executive Producer.
- Johann Knobel is the Headstrong Studios’ Executive Producer.
- Polly Hill is the BBC’s Executive Producer.
- Ian Scaife is the Line Producer.
- Roy Mitchell, Associate Producer
- Maree Gecks, Production Manager
- Secretariat for Production, Elena Rubio-Hall
- “Jonah Mayfield,” Production Runner
- Josie Kelly, Production Accountant
- John Collins – Production Designer
- Elaine Stephenson is an assistant production accountant.
- Charlie Moore, Police Advisor
- Yasmina Haddad is the department head for legal and business affairs.
- Wire Media – Publicity
Locations
- A staff member in charge of location scouting: Susannah Booker
- Rachel Hyde, Assistant to the Location Manager
- Harriet Wharton is the unit manager.
- Department of Cameras and Electrical Engineering
Camera
- tom McFarland’s ‘focus puller’
- Assembling the Clapper Loader, Gabriel Albuquerque
- Mathieu Treacy is a camera trainee.
- Jim Neale, Grip for the Camera
Electrical
- Jon Best – The Gaffer
- Dave Bourke, the Best Boy
- Adam Walker is an electrician.
- Steve Ring, an electrician, is in charge.
Department of Audio
- Simon Bishop – Sound Mixer
- Maintaining the sound quality of Jason Bennett
- Andy Thomas, Sound Assistant
- The creative team
- Jonnie Mead, Art Director
- In the event of an emergency, Rebecca Salter serves as a backup artist
- Orlaith Kelly – Art Department Assistant
- Sourcing of Props by Amanda George
- Keely Lanigan-Atkins, Graphic Designer
- Colin Badbury, Props Master
- Jodie Cripps – Standby Props
- Simon Bradbury-Philip is the first props handler.
- 2 -James Mannell, Props Man
- Andy Harris is the third Props Handler on the team.
- Carpenter Andrew Smith is a standby.
Department of Costumes
- Eleanor Baker is the costume designer.
- In charge of costume design: Billy Haynes
- Jen Groundwater is the costume standby.
- Ms. Eden Calder, Assistant to the Wardrobe
- Makeup Artist and Hairstylist: Pat Hay
- David Watkin – Makeup and Hair Artist #1
- No. 2 – Lizzie Judd, Make-Up and Hair Artist
- Emma Trachtenberg is a trainee in the field of make-up.
Department of Editing
- Suzi McIntosh is the script editor.
- Caroline Elliston is the Script Supervisor on this project.
- Colin Fair serves as the editor of this publication.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based Post Production Manager Phil, Brown
- Anna Broke, Post Production Co-ordinator
- Conor Mackey – Assistant Editor
- Billy Mahoney is the dubbing mixer.
- Roger Dobson is the film’s dialogue editor.
- By Arran Mahoney – Effects Editor
- Asa Shoul, Colorist
- Nick Anderson is the site’s online editor.
Music
- Warren Bennett wrote this piece.
- There is no need to worry about it.
- Mike Moran penned the piece.
- Dennis Waterman sings the song.
The Views of Others
The Crazy Gang garnered a mixed reception from critics and spectators alike, ranging from positive to negative. Terry Ramsey of The Telegraph called the episode “wholly predictable”, saying “nothing about this finale came as a surprise”, and stated that the villain of the episode “couldn’t have been more obviously the villain if she had had a glowing neon arrow over her head saying “baddie”. The third case, according to The Mail’s Christopher Steven, “tried to create excitement, […] but the touchpaper kept fizzling.” Despite this, IMDB gives the episode an unimpressive 8.1/10.
Trivia
New Tricks came to an end with this episode.
Continuity: DCI Sasha Miller mentions DSI Sandra Pullman, Gerry Standing, Jack Halford, and Brian Lane for their work with UCOS. So everything came to an end, quietly, without fanfare or lamentation. When Amanda Redman and Alun Armstrong left the show, the BBC blamed a drop in ratings, which was perhaps premature considering that New Tricks has already clawed back a couple of million viewers and was the most-watched show on Tuesday night.
In the Guardian this morning, Stuart Heritage wrote a piece about the series’ end, but it was full of arrogance, urban superiority, and the kind of spidery that Heritage thinks gets chuckles. Despite this, the piece was well-received. Some people seem to have a problem with the popularity of particular shows. In the end, there were two stories to tell. After his daughter uncovered alarming statements on the final page of the Journal that hinted at a forthcoming encounter with a person with whom he had been disagreeing, Greg Collins’s case was brought to UCOS.
Projected Consequence
As a result of the death’s nature, attention naturally shifted to Vicky, Greg’s adulterous wife, who had been sectioned for many years, as well as Toni, a lady with her own mental troubles. However, the team was correct in their conclusion that Toni, not Vicky, was Rose’s mother, but Greg wasn’t the father, but the grandfather: Toni was his daughter from a previous relationship. However, the projected consequence that Toni had killed Greg, in her illness, did not come to fruition.
After keeping Rose from Toni in the notion that she was not safe, Vicky recognized that she had mastered herself and healed herself from Toni. Vicky sobbed as she realized the error she’d made and the love she should never have tried to avoid after fifteen years of hatred and withholding. The episode didn’t focus on how things would turn out now that everyone has discovered the truth; instead, it let the audience ruminate on the raw and complicated emotions that were there.
Meera Syal as Baroness Shamira, the campaigner who reneged on her oath of allegiance to Greg’s cause and founded a foundation funded by the drug’s manufacturers, was the murderer. Despite her Lancashire accent, the Baroness was expected to sidestep all difficulties while talking about ‘the greater good in her immaculate clothes and Westminster elegance. In the end, Sasha forced her into a confession that not only gave closure to Rose and her two mothers but also elegantly upended the headlong rush to disaster UCOS was enduring. Assistant Commissioner Kline was even called in to help smooth the path.
For instance, twenty minutes into the show, Kline makes an appearance, announcing an investigation into last week’s blunder in the Hemway case and the immediate suspension of Steve, Danny, and Ted in question. Except that the boys aren’t willing to give up on their inquiry. Although they know their employees are at risk, the Crazy Gang vows to go out with a bang, clinging to their beliefs till the end. Tacit approval even comes from Sasha.
