Television: 1990s

Jump to: 1990 * 1991 * 1992 * 1993 * 1994 * 1995 * 1996 * 1997 * 1998 * 1999

Note: Plot summaries focus on Alun Armstrong's character and may contain spoilers.

 

1990:

Looking after Number One
Series	Part of the BBC Screenplay Firsts series
Airdate	6 February 1990
Role	Dick
Also Starring	Susan Jane Tanner as Jean
Jean fancies Dick, a pigeon fancier, and when a stray bird brings them together, Jean's admiration increases and she discovers his true feelings towards his birds.
Notes	Alun Armstrong and Susan Jane Tanner previously appeared together as the Thénardiers in Les Misérables.
Availability	Not released on DVD.

 

Sticky Wickets
Series	Part of the BBC Screen One series
Airdate	14 October 1990
Role	Evans
Also Starring	James Bolam as Cyril; William Thomas as Glyn; George Sewell as Friedrich; Gillian Elisa as Phoebe
The local cricket club throws a fancy-dress party with the theme of World War II, while at the same time the local council hosts a group of German businessmen looking to build factories in the area. The desperate attempts to keep the two groups apart in different rooms descends into chaos as the Nazi-uniformed cricket club members get drunker and drunker.
Availability	Not released on DVD.

 

The Widowmaker
Airdate	29 December 1990
Role	Dad Supporting role; 4 scenes
Also Starring	Annabelle Apsion as Kathy; David Morrissey as Rob; Eileen Nicholas as Mum
After her husband murders ten people in a killing spree, a woman struggles to come to terms with his crime as she faces ostracism from the community. Alun Armstrong plays her unsympathetic, alcoholic father.
My rating	3 out of 5 stars. Interesting premise, manages to avoid melodrama.
Availability	Region 2 (UK) DVD available on Amazon UK.
**click images to enlarge**

 

1991:

Murder in Eden
Airdates	19 July 1991; 26 July 1991; 2 August 1991
Role	Sergeant McGing Supporting role throughout all 3 episodes.
Also Starring	Tony Doyle as Tim Roarty; Peter Firth as Kenneth Potter; Ian Bannen as Canon Loftus
In a small fishing village in County Donegal, pub landlord Tim Roarty murders Eamonn, the barman who's been sleeping with Roarty's daughter. The local policeman Sergeant McGing walks into the pub while the dead body is behind the bar and remarks that it's another quiet night. McGing wishes he were solving murders at Scotland Yard or that an Irish Moriarty would appear to challenge him. He gets his wish when someone hangs Eamonn's foot on his door, helpfully labeled with a luggage tag. More body parts follow, and Roarty receives letters demanding money from someone called the "Bogmailer" who witnessed his crime. In addition to a variety of suspicious locals, there's an Englishman in town seeking mineral deposits on land used by farmers. The Englishman tangles with the parish priest over the replacement of a historic altar and his relationship with the priest's housekeeper. Carrying out his investigation, McGing digs up back gardens and bursts into people's homes unannounced to check their refrigerators for body parts. He is sidetracked by the theft of 94p from the church poor box and a break-in at the priest's house, and he wonders if the whole population has turned criminal. Reminded of the murder investigation, McGing cries, "I have no time for that! Man alive, I can't do everything!" He bemoans the fact that he doesn't have access to the latest crime scene technology, and he painstakingly traces a bullet's trajectory when someone takes a potshot at the Englishman. Meanwhile, Roarty tracks down his blackmailer. They have a tussle resulting in the blackmailer's death, and Roarty poses the body as if it were a suicide. McGing fortuitously decides that the same person is the murderer and goes off to make an arrest. But Roarty's problems are not all resolved.
My Rating	3 out of 5 stars. The bumbling McGing was a hoot but the rest of the story left something to be desired, and the motive (or lack thereof) for the murder was ridiculous.
Availability	Not released on DVD. DVD-R copies may be found for sale at various sites.
*click images to enlarge*
Quiet night	Something afoot	Toe tag
Sherlock McGing	Appearing stupid is a policeman's secret weapon	Under surveillance
Suspicious package	Eamonn's ear	Refrigerator inspection

 

Stanley and the Women
Airdates	28 November 1991; 5 December 1991; 12 December 1991; 19 December 1991
Role	Rufus Hilton A few scenes in each of the four episodes.
Also Starring	John Thaw as Stanley
Newspaper advertising manager Stanley Duke finds his life thrown into upheaval when his son Steve becomes mentally ill. His first wife puts on an act of being a caring mother but wants nothing to do with her son's problem. His current wife fakes an attack on herself to get Steve put back in hospital. And the psychiatrist in charge of Steve's case has her own agenda to portray Stanley as the root of Steve's illness. Alun Armstrong plays Rufus Hilton, the motoring correspondent at the newspaper, who has an antagonistic relationship with Stanley. He refuses to publish an article Stanley wrote about his classic car, claiming his readers wouldn't be interested. After their boss encounters his regular prostitute at an event Rufus invited him to, Rufus accuses Stanley of conspiring against him. When Rufus loses his driving licence after a drink driving offence, he is fired and Stanley is given his job. He promises revenges and runs Stanley off the road, destroying his classic car.
My Rating	3 out of 5 stars. Pretty good until the resolution with the psychiatrist, which was a cop-out.
Availability	Region 2 (UK) DVD is out of print. New and used copies can sometimes be found on Amazon UK.
*click images to enlarge*
Alun Armstrong as Rufus Hilton	It's a classic car	You're a bastard's bastard
Unfortunate encounter	Fired	Manic driver

 

1992:

Goodbye Cruel World
Airdates	6 January 1992; 13 January 1992; 20 January 1992	Alun Armstrong & Sue Johnston
Role	Roy Grade Co-starring role
Also Starring	Sue Johnston as Barbara Grade
When Barbara Grade is diagnosed with a motor neurone disease, she must tell her husband Roy and come to terms with her illness.
Notes	This is the first of three times that Alun Armstrong and Sue Johnston have played husband and wife; see also Little Dorrit (2008) and A Passionate Woman (2010).
Availability	Not released on DVD.

 

Inspector Morse
Episode	Series 6, Episode 2: "Happy Families"
Airdate	11 March 1992
Role	Superintendent Holdsby Supporting role
Also Starring	John Thaw as Morse; Kevin Whately as DS Lewis
Morse and Lewis are called to scene of the murder of Sir John Balcombe, who was bludgeoned in the kitchen of his stately home after his wife's birthday party. Balcombe ran Curzon Engineering, but the company was owned by his unhappy wife. Their two sons, Harry and James, are involved in company operations. Party guest Margaret Cliff informs Morse that Lady Balcombe was devastated by the loss of another child years ago. Superintendent Holdsby is in charge while Chief Superintendent Strange is away. Holdsby is ambitious and he tells Morse that this case could make his career. He warns Morse to be careful in dealing with the victim's family and the press. He calls a press conference and is annoyed by Morse's unhelpful responses. One of the reporters becomes fixated on Morse and sets out to make him look incompetent. When another murder occurs, Holdsby bans Morse from the press conference, which makes things worse for Morse. After yet another murder and the discovery of skeletal remains on the Balcombe estate, Holdsby takes Morse off the case. Holdsby says the failure to make an arrest is ruining him and he needs a winner to advance his career. At the annual police fete, Morse discovers a key piece of information and goes off to confront the killer. Afterwards, Holdsby tells the press that he always had faith in Morse.
My Rating	4 out of 5 stars. The usual enjoyable mystery, with Morse thrown for a loop by the annoying antagonist Holdsby.
Availability	Region 1 (US) DVD available as part of the Dead on Time collection on Amazon. Region 2 (UK) DVD of series 6 available on Amazon UK.
*click images to enlarge*
I'm in charge	Not amused	More than just Guardian readers
Roped into the annual fete	Allowing wholesale slaughter on our patch	This case is ruining me

 

Married ... with Children
Episodes	Season 6, Episodes 24–26: "England Show" parts I, II and III
Airdates	3 May 1992; 10 May 1992; 17 May 1992
Role	Trevor Supporting role; appears briefly at the end of part 1 and then throughout parts II and III.
Also Starring	Ed O'Neill as Al Bundy; Katey Sagal as Peg Bundy; David Faustino as Bud Bundy; Christina Applegate as Kelly Bundy; Bill Oddie as Winston
In 1653 England, Shamus McBundy insulted a witch who cursed the town of Lower Uncton to remain in darkness as long as a male Bundy is alive. In the present day, the townspeople have killed all male Bundys except two. They lure Al and Bud Bundy to England with a free trip, but they must be killed in Lower Uncton to lift the curse. Meanwhile, an assassin named Trevor sets out to kill Al and Bud before they reach Lower Uncton so that the town of Upper Uncton can continue to profit from tourist revenue. Trevor, whose father owns the t-shirt concession in Upper Uncton, vows that the Bundys won't leave London alive. Trevor makes several unsuccessful attempts to assassinate the Bundys. He brings them a bomb under a room service cart but they eat too fast for it to detonate. He hides in the Serpentine with a harpoon but Al puts his feet in the water, killing the fish and knocking Trevor unconscious. At the London Dungeon, Trevor disguises himself as Jack the Ripper but Kelly sees him moving and Al twists his head to prove he's not real. Al, Peg and Bud finally go to Lower Uncton, and Trevor warns Kelly, who stayed behind in London, that she must find them and bring them to Upper Uncton to save their lives. Kelly manages to warn her family and they flee to the border between Lower and Upper Uncton where they are trapped between the people of both towns. Trevor tries threatening to kill Peg and Kelly to no avail. Trevor and his counterpart Winston from Lower Uncton decide to kill Al and Bud where they stand and make a tourist attraction of their tomb, but then Trevor suggests a joust would have even more profitable promotional possibilities. Al fights Igor - a descendant of the witch - and he manages to win by playing dirty. The curse is lifted and light returns to Lower Uncton. The townspeople decide to kill the Bundys anyway, but they escape, though Al is imprisoned in a dungeon for stealing a hotel towel.
My Rating	3 out of 5 stars. Surprisingly funny, considering I don't like this show. Loved Alun as the "French" waiter.
Availability	Region 1 (US) DVD of season six available on Amazon. Also available to watch on Amazon Instant Video. Region 2 (UK) DVD is out of print. New and used copies can sometimes be found on Amazon UK.
*click images to enlarge*
The Bundys won't leave London alive	Room service!	Zut alors!
Stealthy assassin	I think he's moving	Threatening the womenfolk
Partners	Let the joust begin	Ruined

 

The Life and Times of Henry Pratt
Airdates	9 November 1992; 16 November 1992; 23 November 1992; (30 November 1992)
Role	Uncle Teddy Appears in the first three episodes.
Also Starring	Maggie O'Neill as Aunt Doris; Jack Deam as Henry Pratt; Andrew Nicholson as Little Henry; Robert Nicholson as Schoolboy Henry; Bryan Dick as Young Henry
Henry Pratt is born in the North of England in the 1930s. When his parents die, he is entrusted to his social climbing Uncle Teddy and Aunt Doris who send him to boarding school. But his circumstances change again, and he returns to the North to live with another aunt.
Notes	From the press release: The character of Uncle Teddy is described as "a business man with fingers in many pies, most of which have passed their sell-by date." He is a flashy character who feels distinctly uncomfortable among Henry's other relatives who believe that he managed to wangle his way out of military service - an accusation that he strenuously denies. He is the proud owner of a house in Sheffield which he has named 'Cap Ferrat' after his favourite holiday destination. Alun Armstrong was suggested for the role by director Adrian Shergold, who also directed Goodbye Cruel World. Alun recalls, "I found the whole script very funny, and I liked the idea of covering such a wide age-span. In the first episode Uncle Teddy is in his mid-30s and I play him through to the end of the series by which time he is in his 50s. The thing I like about Uncle Teddy is that he has a sad centre, there is something very pained about him and the comedy in his character is based upon this. Despite the sadness, he has an irrepressible quality and always keeps going."
Availability	Not released on DVD.

 

Shakespeare: The Animated Tales
Episode	Series 1, Episode 2: "The Tempest"	Caliban in The Tempest
Airdate	16 November 1992
Role	Caliban (voice)
Also Starring	Timothy West as Prospero; Katy Behean as Miranda (voices)
The magician Prospero and his daughter Miranda are trapped on an island with Caliban, the son of a witch. Caliban resents Prospero, who enslaved him after he tried to rape Miranda. When Prospero learns that his brother - who deposed him and set him adrift at sea - is sailing near the island, he raises a tempest to bring the ship ashore.
Notes	Alun Armstrong played Trinculo in a stage production of The Tempest in 1982–83.
Availability	Available to watch on Youtube: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 Region 1 (US) DVD available on Amazon. Region 2 (UK) DVD available on Amazon UK.

 

1993:

Goggle-Eyes
Series Overview	Adaptation of the novel by Anne Fine. A comedy about a one-parent family told from the point of view of a 12-year old girl, whose idyllic all-female family life is interrupted when her mother, a divorcée, falls for an older, utterly conventional man.
Role	Gerald Faulkner
Also Starring	Honeysuckle Weeks as Kitty; Lesley Manville as Rosie Killin
Availability	Not released on DVD.
Episode 1
Airdate	24 March 1993	Honeysuckle Weeks & Alun Armstrong in Goggle-Eyes
When Rosie Killin falls for Gerald Faulkner, her elder daughter Kitty decides to wage an all-out war on him before she has even met him.
Episode 2
Airdate	31 March 1993
Gerald becomes a regular visitor. Kitty is determined to make trouble. She begins with a vicious sabotage campaign. When Gerald saves her, she almost relents.
Episode 3
Airdate	7 April 1993
Gerald offends Kitty just when she is beginning to trust him. Rosie is arrested at an animal rights campaign and Kitty and her younger sister Jude are left in Gerald's care until she is released. The sisters begin to appreciate his dependability. But when Rosie returns, the atmosphere changes.
Episode 4
Airdate	14 April 1993
Life in the Killin household after Gerald is unhappy. They all miss him. Rosie is let off in her court case with a fine. Gerald is welcomed back with open arms.

 

1994:

Doggin' Around
Airdate	16 October 1994
Role	Charlie Foster
Also Starring	Elliott Gould as Joe Warren; Geraldine James as Sarah Williams
Drama about ageing American jazz musician Joe Warren who comes to the North of England for a series of gigs.
Availability	Not released on DVD.

 

MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday
Airdate	24 November 1994
Role	Chief Superintendent Capshaw Supporting role; about 7 scenes.
Also Starring	Richard Dean Anderson as MacGyver
MacGyver comes to England for the birthday party of his old friend, Paul Moran. Armed men disguised as waiters attack the party, killing Paul and wounding his wealthy brother Frederick. Paul's daughter Elise is kidnapped. The police investigation is headed by Chief Superintendent Capshaw, who has a hostile relationship with Frederick's friend Anthony Graves, a former American intelligence operative. A body is found nearby and is identified as Elise. MacGyver decides to investigate on his own, assisted by another party guest, Natalia, who admits she was in the KGB but claims she is no longer. After tracking down the gang hired for the job, MacGyver realises that Paul was the intended target, not Frederick. There is a break-in at Paul's lab where he was working on a portable mass spectrometer capable of detecting traces of nuclear materials. Air samples taken from around England are also missing. Capshaw appears and orders everyone out of his crime scene. He finds MacGyver going through Paul's things tells him to stay out of his investigation. Natalia gets the samples while Capshaw confronts MacGyver. The samples show that uranium isotopes for making nuclear bombs are being used somewhere in England, and from the label MacGyver tracks the source to Carcroft Castle. MacGyver narrowly escapes a car bomb, and Capshaw turns up at the hospital to scold MacGyver again for his bad manners in conducting his own investigation. MacGyver discovers Graves' body, surrounded by evidence framing MacGyver for murder. Capshaw bursts in and tries to arrest him, but MacGyver escapes into the Tube. Natalia suggests that Capshaw might be the one behind it all. MacGyver is attacked by gunmen and Natalia is shot. Evading a road block, MacGyver sneaks into Carcroft Castle and finds Elise still alive. She is being held captive under the influence of truth serum in an attempt to get the secrets of her father's spectrometer out of her. MacGyver is shocked to learn that Frederick is the one behind the operation, selling nuclear weapons for profit. Natalia also turns up still alive and professes loyalty to the former Soviet Union. MacGyver uses a tennis racket to avert a nuclear detonation and saves the day. Capshaw acknowledges that they've been on the same side all along.
My Rating	2 out of 5 stars. I'm a fan of MacGyver but this is just not very good. Alun spends most of his time ordering people out of his crime scenes.
Availability	Region 1 (US) DVD available as part of the MacGyver: The TV Movies set on Amazon.
Bad blood	No business at my crime scene	Bad manners
Framed	In pursuit	The same side after all

 

1995:

Sorry about Last Night
Airdate	27 December 1995
Role	Mickey
Also Starring	Steve Wright as himself; Siobhan Redmond as Julie Cordova
Comedy about two people on a first date trying to get a drink in London after closing time.
Availability	Not released on DVD.

 

1996:

Our Friends in the North
Series Overview	The story of four friends from Newcastle and how their lives change over a period of 30 years from the 1960s to the 1990s. Note that the following summaries focus only on the parts involving Alun Armstrong's character.
Role	Austin Donohue Supporting role in episodes 1-5; does not appear in episodes 6-9.
Also Starring	Christopher Eccleston as Nicky; Mark Strong as Tosker; Gina McKee as Mary; Daniel Craig as Geordie
My Rating	4 out of 5 stars. Great role for Alun, though I found the Soho storyline interminable.
Notes	The character of Austin Donohue is based on Newcastle politician T. Dan Smith.
Availability	Region 2 (UK) DVD available on Amazon UK.
Episode 1	"1964"
Airdate	15 January 1996
Nicky returns to Newcastle after working with the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. He wants to make a difference at home and starts campaigning for the Labour party for the upcoming election. He is inspired by a speech by Austin Donohue, the head of the city council, who talks of replacing the brick tenement slums with prefab highrises. Donohue later tells a colleague that's all they can afford to build. Donohue resigns as leader of the council to focus on the rebuilding project. Nicky drops out of university to take a job as Donohue's assistant despite his father's objections.
*click images to enlarge*
Our day is at hand	I've got a master plan	Vote Labour!
Episode 2	"1966"
Airdate	22 January 1996
Nicky becomes disillusioned with Donohue, particularly his dealings with John Edwards whose construction company has the contract to build the new housing. Edwards woos reluctant officials, with Donohue's help, by offering them free trips to visit foreign building sites and other bribes. Nicky visits his former girlfriend Mary who lives in one of the buildings and realises how musty, damp and poorly built they are. Donohue briefly wins Nicky over again by making him his right-hand man during the 1966 campaign, but Nicky resigns after Donohue asks him to write a speech for Edwards, and he takes the file on Edwards with him.
*click images to enlarge*
Did I ever tell you the one...?	Party line	Nicky resigns
Episode 3	"1967"
Airdate	29 January 1996
Donohue leads a bid for a television franchise in the North. His former colleague Eddie Wells insists that he repair the faulty buildings. Donohue realises the file is missing. When Edwards refuses to pay a share of the repair costs, Donohue threatens to end their relationship, but when the television franchise bid fails he tries to get back in with Edwards. Nicky returns the file. Donohue reveals that he took £10,000 from Edwards in exchange for the building contract, but he tells Nicky that if he is implicated in any wrongdoing, then many other people will go down as well.
*click images to enlarge*
A toast to the future	Missing file	All he surveys
Episode 4	"1970"
Airdate	5 February 1996	*click for image for larger version*
Inspector Conrad from Scotland Yard's Fraud Squad questions Donohue during an investigation of charges of corruption and bribery in the Newcastle city government. Donohue claims he's no longer working with Edwards, who has expanded his operation overseas. He points out that Claud Seabrook - the Home Secretary, and therefore the overall head of the police - is on the board of Edwards Overseas.		Can't quite recall
Episode 5	"1974"
Airdate	5 February 1996	*click for image for larger version*
Donohue is again questioned by Conrad but insists he was only trying to build proper housing to replace slums. Edwards is now bankrupt and starts cooperating with Conrad. Nicky's father asks Donohue to have a word with his son, who is wasting his life. Donohue tells Nicky to join the party and try to change things if he's unhappy. In the end, Conrad arrests Donohue in public despite Donohue's pleas for discretion.		Not in the middle of the street!

 

Brazen Hussies
Airdate	12 February 1996
Role	Jimmy Hardcastle Co-starring role
Also Starring	Julie Walters as Maureen
Maureen Hardcastle's husband Jimmy - a boorish and stingy pub landlord - decides to add strippers to their pub. Maureen is surprised to find that one of the strippers is her old school friend, Sandra. She and Sandra come up with the idea of having a ladies' night at the pub with male strippers. Jimmy objects, but Maureen forges on with her plan, helped by an inheritance left to her by her Uncle Albert. Sandra's long-time fiancé Billy manages Jimmy's strippers, and he convinces Maureen to let him take over as her partner. Having thus alienated Sandra, Maureen then has an affair with Billy and gets pregnant. Sandra finds out and disrupts the opening night of the male stripper show. Maureen learns that Billy is a cad and that he revealed her secret inheritance to Jimmy. She realises that although she once loved Jimmy, he never loved her in return. She reconciles with Sandra, and they take their male stripper show elsewhere and move into Uncle Albert's flat with Maureen's new baby.
My Rating	0 stars. Absolutely dreadful. (Through no fault of Alun's, of course.)
Notes	Alun Armstrong and Julie Walters also played husband and wife in Filth (2008) - the story of Mary Whitehouse's campaign against obscenity on television.
Availability	Not released on DVD. DVD-R copies can sometimes be found on iOffer (though I wouldn't bother).
*click images to enlarge*
Showbiz	Pub landlord	The late Uncle Albert
Maureen's secret inheritance	Pub fight	What have you been up to?

 

Witness against Hitler
Airdate	10 March 1996
Role	Harald Poelchau Supporting role
Also Starring	James Wilby as Helmuth von Moltke; Helen McCrory as Freya von Moltke; Brian Cox as Judge Freisler; Anna Calder-Marshall as Dorothy Poelchau
The story of Helmuth von Moltke, a German aristocrat and lawyer who opposed Hitler and was executed for treason. During the war, Moltke was drafted into the Abwehr, a military intelligence organisation. He used his position to try to prevent human rights abuses and save the lives of Jews through legal means and by calling for the enforcement of the Geneva Convention. Moltke founded a dissident group called the Kreisau Circle which discussed plans for the future of Germany after Hitler's downfall. Their goal was a society based on Christian values, but also freedom of conscience for all including the Jews. One of the members of the group was Harald Poelchau, a pastor who was the chaplain at Tegel Prison. In this capacity, Poelchau ministered to many political prisoners and gave last rites to those who were executed. With the help of his wife Dorothy, he smuggled food into the prison, and he also passed messages for the prisoners. Some members of the Kreisau Circle were a part of the plot to assassinate Hitler, though Moltke was opposed. Moltke was arrested by the Gestapo in 1944. After the plot was exposed, Moltke was transferred to Tegel Prison to await trial for treason. Although Moltke was a Category 1 prisoner and therefore denied visits, Poelchau convinced the warden to let him minister to Moltke since no written rule to that effect had been received. Moltke was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. He wrote to his wife Freya that he stood before the Judge "...not as a Protestant, not as a great landowner, not as an aristocrat, not as a Prussian, not as a German ... but as a Christian and nothing else." Poelchau gave communion to Moltke and Freya, and he prayed with Moltke in his cell until he was taken away to be hanged. Harald Poelchau survived the war and died in 1972.
My Rating	4 out of 5 stars. A powerful and moving story.
Availability	Out of print. New and used VHS tapes can sometimes be found on Amazon.

 

Tales from the Crypt
Episode	Season 7, Episode 11: "Confession"
Airdate	5 July 1996
Role	Inspector Herbert Supporting role
Also Starring	Eddie Izzard as Evans; Ciaran Hinds as Jack Lynch; John Benfield as Inspector Minty
Police Inspectors Herbert and Minty are called to a strip club where they find a headless woman - the third such victim found in recent weeks. A screenwriter is caught washing what appears to be blood off his hands near the murder scene. Herbert and Minty call in Jack Lynch - whom they call a master psychological profiler, though he's been passed over for promotion. Jack is annoyed to be interrupted on his bowling night. After a lengthy interrogation which includes a reference to Tales from the Crypt being cancelled, Jack goes home and opens his bowling bag to reveal ... the head!!
My rating	1 out of 5 stars. Seriously, was that supposed to be a clever twist? Alun gets to say "Headless woman in topless bar."
Availability	Region 1 (US) DVD of season seven available on Amazon.
Inspector Herbert	3 women, 3 missing heads	Tell me something I don't know

 

Breaking the Code
Airdate	17 September 1996 (Canada); 2 February 1997 (US); 5 February 1997 (UK)
Role	Detective Sergeant Mick Ross Supporting role, 5 scenes throughout.
Also Starring	Derek Jacobi as Alan Turing; Prunella Scales as Sara Turing; Amanda Root as Patricia Green; Harold Pinter as John Smith
The story of Alan Turing, the mathematical genius who worked on cracking the German Enigma code during the Second World War and helped develop the modern computer. After the war, Turing was charged with gross indecency after admitting to having a sexual relationship with another man - a criminal offence at the time. He submitted to chemical castration but later killed himself. In 1952, Turing invites a man - called Ron Miller in the film - to his home. After spending the night together, Turing discovers that money is missing from his wallet and challenges Ron about it, but then backs down and gives him more money. Some time later, Turing's house is broken into and an odd assortment of items are stolen. Turing reports the burglary to the police. At first he tells Detective Sergeant Mick Ross that a young man selling brushes had warned him that he'd overheard a man named George planning a burglary. DS Ross tells his superior that Turing's story doesn't add up. Upon further questioning, Turing says that he lied to avoid getting his friend Ron into trouble for giving his address to George - a petty thief. When DS Ross presses him about why he's protecting Ron, Turing admits to having an affair with him. Ross insists that Turing tell him the precise nature of their sexual relationship and informs him that he has committed an act of gross indecency under the law, even though the relationship was private and consensual. Turing asks if Ross can't just forget about it, but he is charged with the crime. Ron signs a statement claiming that he only did it hoping to get money and won't do it again, and he is let off. Turing undergoes estrogen treatment as a requirement of his probation, which causes him to develop breasts. He is told that he is now considered a security risk because of his liaisons. In 1954, Turing is found dead from cyanide poisoning. His mother collects his personal effects from Ross, including his OBE.
My Rating	4 out of 5 stars. Interesting and sad story. Great work by Derek Jacobi, nice support from Alun.
Availability	Not released on DVD. DVD-R copies may be found for sale at various sites.
Mick Ross, Detective Sergeant	Doesn't add up	Clear up this story of yours
What sort of sexual relationship?	A criminal offence	Can't you forget about it?
Ron's statement	Sign here	Personal effects

 

1997:

Underworld
Airdates	4 November 1997; 11 November 1997; 18 November 1997; 25 November 1997; 2 December 1997; 9 December 1997
Role	Teddy Middlemass Co-starring role
Also Starring	James Fleet as William Smith; Susan Wooldridge as Susan Smith; Kevin McNally as Jezzard; Trevor Peacock as Dad Middlemass; David Troughton as Martin; Camilla Power as Gilda
Schoolteacher William Smith comes home on a term break to find that his young wife Gilda has left him and has taken all his possessions. William calls on his sister Susan for help. They learn that Gilda has been having an affair with a man named Niko. William and Susan are kidnapped by Teddy Middlemass, who wants a video that Niko stole from his safe. Middlemass is a gangster with a body buried in his garden, but he has since eschewed violence and makes his henchmen apologise for manhandling them. He is also a philanthropist who has built a hospital wing and is planning a college for remedial students. Middlemass's father scorns and belittles him for being weak. Convinced that William and Susan have no knowledge of Niko's whereabouts, Middlemass releases them. A message from a travel agent leads William and Susan to an airport hotel where they find Gilda alone. Unbeknownst to her, Niko was murdered by a cabbie who is a hitman for Middlemass's rival Jezzard - a sadistic weapons dealer. Susan unwittingly gets in his cab and is interrogated about the missing contents of Middlemass's safe - since Jezzard had Niko killed in a fit of pique before learning where he'd stashed the goods. Jezzard used to work for Middlemass - introduced to the gang by Middlemass's father - but he betrayed them. William asks Middlemass for help and they go to Susan's rescue. Middlemass does not kill Jezzard despite his father's goading. Looking to get away, William and Susan head to Margate, where they spent childhood holidays and where their father died. They are followed there by Gilda. She in turn is followed by one of Jezzard's henchmen and by Middlemass's lawyer Martin, who is sweet on Susan. Jezzard corners the siblings and Gilda at a fair but they are rescued when Martin knocks out Jezzard's man with a coconut. Middlemass gives refuge to William and Susan but intends to throw Gilda out until she mentions that Niko had a lock-up where the video might be. However, the lock-up proves to be empty. William meanwhile has to re-interview for his job, and Middlemass convinces the headmaster to retain him by donating £400,000 to the school. But William's gratitude is short-lived when he finds Middlemass pressing Gilda for further information by dunking her head into water. William intervenes and Middlemass demands that all three of them leave. Middlemass's father reveals to Teddy that Jezzard is his other son by the woman he really loved. Jezzard calls Middlemass to inform him that he burned down the Middlemass wing of the hospital and halted planning permission for Middlemass College. Despite his father's warnings that it's a trap, Middlemass goes after Jezzard, but is delayed by a TV crew making an episode of Rapid Response. He objects to their unrealistic depiction of an armed hostage situation and he shows the director what it's really like to be held at gunpoint, causing the man to wet himself and faint. Middlemass continues onward, and Jezzard tries to destroy his car with a rocket launcher but it fails to fire. Middlemass's father finds semtex in Jezzard's basement and rigs the house to explode, seriously injuring Jezzard. Middlemass tells William that Jezzard will be out of commission for some time. He offers William £10,000 as compensation for his troubles and advises him not to take back Gilda, like Menelaus took back Helen of Troy. Jezzard proves more resilient than Middlemass thought. He tracks William and Susan to the hospice where their Aunt Doreen is dying. Middlemass tells him that they're half-brothers having "one big family row, only with guns." Jezzard responds by shooting and killing Middlemass. Jezzard is thrown into the lake by his father, but again he survives to come after William and Susan. He finally meets his end falling from a roof that was shoddily tiled by Susan's lazy builders. The missing video turns up in another lock-up and proves to be Middlemass's will. He leaves most of his estate to the families of his victims, whom he names one by one.
My Rating	3 out of 5 stars. The tone was uneven, but I liked the concept of a gangster trying to avoid violence and atone for his past.
Availability	Available to watch on 4 on Demand for UK viewers. Not released on DVD. DVD-R copies may be found for sale at various sites.
*click images to enlarge*
Hello there, William	Fertilised by Frank the Fat Man McKenzie	Teddy Middlemass, philanthropist
Too weak, too slow	Give us Susan	The importance of caring teachers
Surprise!	Dad ...	Final confession

 

1998:

In the Red
Airdates	26 May 1998; 2 June 1998; 9 June 1998
Role	Detective Chief Inspector Frank Jefferson Supporting role throughout all three episodes.
Also Starring	Warren Clarke as George Cragge; Victoria Carling as DS Marten; Rik Mayall as Dominic De'Ath; David Mallinson as Sir Carstairs De'Ath; Richard Griffiths as Geoffrey Crichton-Potter; Patrick O'Kane as Andrew James
Someone is murdering bankers in London. Cryptic notes are found at each scene and pound coins are put on the victims' eyes and around the bodies. DCI Frank Jefferson is in charge of the investigation. George Cragge - a BBC radio crime reporter whose job is in jeopardy because of his drinking - receives phone calls from the killer and exchanges information with his friend Frank. The murders have captured the public interest. A pop song about the killings called "In the Red" is climbing the charts. The Reform Party has used the issue to raise their political profile and to call Home Secretary's competence into question during a debate on law and order. When a minister dies of poisoning on the floor of the House of Commons, pressure from above to solve the case increases. Frank interviews Dominic De'Ath, one of the last people to see the minister alive, who reports seeing a man with odd shoes carrying a bottle of champagne. Dominic's brother Carstairs is governor of the Bank of England and there is no love lost between them. Clues lead to a building shared by the Reform Party, a dominatrix, and Andrew James - a man whose name has cropped up several times during the investigation. A search of Andrew's flat reveals 74 rejection letters from banks - including two with dead managers. Frank and George track Andrew to where he is canvassing for the Reform Party. A bomb goes off at a nearby bank, and Andrew's van nearly plows into Frank, George, and a group of bank managers. Andrew's trial is fast-tracked to the Old Bailey. George receives another phone call while Andrew is in custody and begins to have doubts about his guilt. Andrew makes a startling revelation on the witness stand that causes the case against him to collapse. Frank is determined to at least get him on the incident with the van, but his primary witness George is too drunk to testify. George redeems himself by preventing a bombing and unmasking the real killer at the Bank of England dinner. The new suspect taunts Frank about his friends in high places, while George gets promoted to Director-General of the BBC.
My Rating	4 out of 5 stars.
Availability	Not released on DVD. DVD-R copies may be found on iOffer.
*click images to enlarge*
Another dead banker	Meet the press	No one dies in Westminster
No comment	That's him!	Wayward witness
Duped	Crisis averted	Slippery suspect

 

1999:

Aristocrats
Airdates	20 June 1999; 27 June 1999; 4 July 1999; 11 July 1999; 18 July 1999; (25 July 1999)
Role	Henry Fox Large supporting role in an ensemble piece; does not appear in episode 6.
Also Starring	Serena Gordon as Lady Caroline; Julian Fellowes as the Duke of Richmond; Diane Fletcher as the Duchess of Richmond; Geraldine Somerville as Lady Emily; Clive Swift as King George II
In the 18th century, the aristocratic Lennox sisters are expected to make good matches, though their doting father, the Duke of Richmond, allows them some choice in the matter. Lady Caroline, the eldest, is on her third season and has not yet found a man she wishes to marry until she meets the rising politician Henry Fox. Mr Fox is nearly twice Caroline's age and is not particularly handsome, but she finds him intelligent, diverting and unlike any man she has met before. She is dismayed when she learns of his various paramours, but he convinces her they are all in the past. Her father, however, refuses to countenance the match, calling Fox a godless libertine who is unworthy of his daughter. Caroline elopes with Fox in defiance of her father, who banishes her and forbids the rest of the family to speak to her. Having secured a position at the Treasury, Fox's political career continues to rise. He proposes that the Cabinet resign in opposition to Britain's involvement in the War of the Austrian Succession. The King concedes and makes Fox the Secretary at War. Fox says he hopes to bring the war to a speedy end, but it continues and he and others profit from it. His wife complains that he finds the war useful for his own advancement. She also accuses him of having an affair, but he replies that she is the centre of his life and her only rival is the war which keeps him preoccupied. Fox asks Caroline's sister Emily to intercede with their father. At first the Duke of Richmond refuses to see Caroline, but finally they are reconciled. The Duke dies soon afterwards, followed by his wife. Their wills stipulate that their three youngest daughters be left in the care of Emily rather than Caroline so as to avoid corrupting their morals, which Caroline takes as a slight against her husband. Lady Caroline and Henry Fox have two sons of their own, Stephen and Charles James. Fox spoils them, particularly Charles James whose every whim he indulges. They grow up to be dissipated gamblers who incur huge debts that their father pays off. When her sister Sarah is grown, Caroline insists on being the one to launch her into Society. Sarah attracts the attention of the Prince of Wales. Fox encourages the possibility of a royal alliance because his political career is now in decline. He is suspected of embezzlement, bribery, and fraud in his position as Paymaster of the Forces during the Seven Years War. He has amassed great wealth but he desires an earldom. The Prince of Wales becomes King George III and instead marries Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who is considered more suitable. Fox leaves politics under a cloud, having failed to reach his early potential. His son Charles James follows in his father's footsteps, and Fox's hopes rest with him. On his deathbed, Fox says that Caroline gave him love, Stephen gave him grandchildren, and Charles James gives him success.
My Rating	3½ out of 5 stars. Very good role for Alun but overall I found this a bit dull. Nicely done period details.
Availability	Region 1 (US) DVD available on Amazon. Region 2 (UK) DVD available on Amazon UK.
*click images to enlarge*
A prize all men would desire	Are you never serious, Mr Fox?	Nothing to do with me
Who does he think he is?	Secret assignation	The centre of my life
Reconciliation	Indulgent papa	I will not be judged
Fit for a king?	Hopes dashed	He will be remembered, not I

 

Oliver Twist
Airdates	28 November 1999; 5 December 1999; (12 December 1999); (19 December 1999)
Role	Mr Fleming Supporting role in first part(s); does not appear in later parts*.
Also Starring	Sam Smith as Oliver; Robert Lindsay as Fagin; Michael Kitchen as Mr Brownlow; Sophia Myles as Agnes Fleming; Tim Dutton as Edwin Leeford; Lindsay Duncan as Elizabeth Leeford; Marc Warren as Edward Leeford
Agnes Fleming falls in love with Edwin Leeford, who is a friend of her father Mr Fleming. Fleming is a former sea captain who plays at being gruff with his daughters but is really soft hearted - though he did once strangle a man in Cadiz. Fleming is a widower and he encourages Edwin to find a wife. Edwin mentions an unfortunate early marriage, but he does not tell them that he is still married and has a disturbed son, Edward. Edwin goes to Dublin for several months and Agnes discovers she is pregnant. Upon his return, Agnes asks him to speak to her father, but he finds himself unable to do so. Instead he tells Mr Fleming that he's going to Rome to visit his dying uncle who is leaving his fortune to him. His wife Elizabeth and son Edward follow him there. Edwin hopes to pay off Elizabeth so he can marry Agnes, but she murders him. Realising that Edwin left a will benefiting Agnes and her child, Elizabeth decides to kill her too. Mr Fleming has been unable to persuade Agnes to tell him the name of her unborn child's father. He doesn't have the heart to send her away, after losing his wife as well as a son and another daughter, so he takes her to the country where she will not be seen. One day he brings news of Edwin's death. Agnes is devastated and decides to run away, leaving her father a note. That same night, Elizabeth sends her son Edward to kill Agnes. After a struggle, Agnes flees and Edward is scared away by her younger sister Rose. Mr Fleming finds Agnes's note and takes Rose to search for her. Rose tells her father about Agnes and Edwin Leeford, and Mr Fleming is shocked by the betrayal of a man he considered a son and turns back. Their conversation is overheard by Agnes who is hiding beside the road. Mr Fleming intends to return home to Wales but circles back to the cottage where he collapses and dies. Agnes considers throwing herself off a cliff but struggles onward to town. She gives birth in a workhouse and dies with a smile on her face. Her son is named Oliver Twist...
Notes	The scenes with Agnes, Edwin and Mr Fleming were invented for this adaptation by the screenwriter Alan Bleasdale. Oliver's background is only briefly described in the novel. Alun Armstrong also appeared in a 2005 film version of Oliver Twist as Magistrate Fang.
Availability	Region 1 (US) DVD available on Amazon. Region 2 (UK) DVD available on Amazon UK. *The original version was 8 hours with 4 episodes; Alun is credited as being in the first 2. The US DVD is condensed to 6 hours and divided into 3 episodes; Alun's scenes are in episode 1. The UK DVD is longer but not the full 8 hours.
*click images to enlarge*
Mr Fleming and Agnes	This doesn't sound like good news	How could I send you away?
Not like losing a son yet it is	Goodbye	The note

 

David Copperfield
Airdates	25 December 1999; 26 December 1999
Role	Daniel Peggotty Large supporting role in an ensemble piece.
Also Starring	Daniel Radcliffe as Young David; Ciaran McMenamin as David; Pauline Quirke as Peggotty; James Thornton as Ham; Laura Harling as Little Emily; Aislin McGuckin as Emily; Oliver Milburn as Steerforth
While David Copperfield's mother marries the cruel Mr Murdstone, their housekeeper Peggotty takes the boy to visit her brother Dan Peggotty. Dan lives in a boat on the beach near Yarmouth with his nephew Ham and niece Little Em'ly - whose fathers drowned - and the widow Mrs Gummidge - whose husband drowned. Em'ly tells David that she worries about Dan and Ham at sea and that she hopes to become a lady so she can keep them safe on land. Dan treats David like one of the family during his two-week stay. After David returns home, Mr Murdstone sends him away to boarding school. Dan and Ham visit him there and meet his new friend Steerforth. When David is grown, he and Steerforth visit the Peggottys and learn of Em'ly's engagement to Ham. Steerforth is taken with Em'ly and she with him. She tells David that she's not worthy of Ham's love. Steerforth announces that he's taken a fancy to the place and buys a boat which he names the Little Em'ly. David returns to Yarmouth when Peggotty's husband dies, leaving a chest containing £3,000 to Peggotty and Dan. Ham receives a letter from Em'ly telling him she's gone off with Steerforth. Dan chops up Steerforth's boat with an axe and leaves home to search for Em'ly. Steerforth's mother tells Dan there's no chance her son would ruin his prospects by marrying Em'ly. Dan is angry when she offers him compensation for his niece's ruin and disgrace. He tells David to remember that the last words he left for his darling child were love and forgiveness, and he embarks on a journey across Europe to find her. Eventually returning to London, Dan looks for Em'ly on the streets. David learns that Steerforth grew tired of her and suggested that she marry his servant Littimer, but she refused. David follows Mrs Steerforth's companion Rosa - who loves Steerforth - to a brothel where he finds Em'ly. Finally reunited with Em'ly, Dan decides to take her away to Australia where nobody knows them. Em'ly sends David with a note for Ham, but Ham drowns trying to save Steerforth from a shipwreck. In Australia, Dan works hard at sheep farming and becomes prosperous. Em'ly remains with him and never marries. Years later, Dan returns to England to see David one last time.
Notes	"We did David Copperfield in school. We read it around the class, everyone taking a paragraph. Whenever I think of Dickens, the thing I remember most is the boat on the beach. I wanted to do this part and I did in fact turn down Clint [Eastwood] to do it. I said to him, 'The thing is, I've got the opportunity of doing a Dickens.' And he said, 'Oh, you must do it.'" - Interview with Alun Armstrong at PBS
My Rating	5 out of 5 stars. Great character, great performance.
Availability	Region 1 (US) DVD is out of print. New and used copies may be found on Amazon. Available to watch on Amazon Instant Video. Region 2 (UK) DVD available on Amazon UK.
*click images to enlarge*
Rough but ready	Drowndead	Tonight of all nights in my life
She's a-goin' to be married	The Little Em'ly	The letter
My duty now	I come here with no hope	To bring forgiveness and take you home
My darling child	To the ends of the earth	As well-to-do as well could be