Minder - Season Five

There are so many good episodes and seasons of Minder, and season five is right up there with some of the best episodes in the show's history. The opening episode, Goodbye Sailor is arguably the best in Minder's long history. It features the recurring character of Arnie, brilliantly played by Ray Winstone, and features some great scenes where he and Terry vie for the same girl. Arthur also ends up having too much to drink in this a raucous Minder story. Three episodes from this season hit number one in the UK for their tv viewing ratings when originally aired.The writing is razor sharp in this series and the Mockney rhyming slang spits out at fast and furious pace. Nearly every episode has a classic quote from either Arthur or one of the other regulars. You also get both of Arthur and Terry's police adversaries, Chisolm and Rycott.Picture quality does seem to differ from episode to episode, with the worst one looking sadly like VHS quality, but most look decent. I always change my TV screen size to 4:3 when watching vintage television, as it doesn't stretch everyone out, and enhances picture quality a bit.As for special features you get the Christmas Bonus episode, which features Dave, Arthur, and Terry celebrating Christmas at the Winchester Club, with new scenes interlaced with clips of past shows. You also get the Minder feature length film, Minder on The Orient Express, which is a great side storyline to the series and a must see, particularly for George Cole's stellar performance. Both of these were not included in the UK seris 5 DVD sets, so it's great to have them included here. The only problem is, this dvd company stopped putting out Minder sets with this series 5, even though the show lasted 5 more seasons. You'll have to get season 6-10 DVD sets from the UK or Australia to complete your collection.

Well as there are no other reviews here I'm probably talking to myself -still what's new? I found this series on Amazon under Used and New for a tenner, and as far as picture and sound quality go have no complaints.As far as content goes, however, I would have to say this was not the highlight of the Minder years. The first three episodes on Disc one were well up to scratch, and once or twice nearly had me wetting my Jeckylls, as they say in Arthur's neck of the woods. Good stories, great humour and cheerful Charlie Chisholm to boot!Most of the other episodes range from "alright" to "what happened there?". Some end rather strangely without a very satisfying ending, and by the last one, which sees Arthur standing for the local council, you can feel the inspiration draining away. There are one or two highlights along the way, like Arthur being stuck with a large quantity of paint (brilliant tangerine) and being hypnotised out of smoking - all his cigars smell of burnt rubber.But in the end I am glad there are so many other series, earlier and later, to pick from, as this is not how I would like to remember Minder.Would I recommend it? Well, personally I feel three good episodes are worth a tenner on their own, so I'd say yes, but with reservations.

This series is worth buying if only for the episode ‘Goodbye Sailor’, which I have watched at least twenty times and still find hilarious.

This DVD was bought at the request of my handicapped son and he dotes on Minder. He will will later ask me to search for copies of the later series so he is very happy with it.

great little model