Redcap [DVD]

this is the kind of entertainment that is sorely lacking in this day and age. what we have in this series "redcap," is the ability to provide tightly-scripted plots with some brilliant acting.
in his first regular starring t.v role, john thaw plays a military police officer who is sent to different parts of the world and investigates cases of assault, soldiers who are absent without leave, armed robberies, allegations of systematic beatings, murder and almost any other reported crime that occurs at an army barracks.
the thing that struck me when i watch this series, is how most of the characters in any given episode, prove to be thoroughly unhelpful and obstructive. it is mainly down to officer types who would rather brush the current investigation under the carpet and forget about it all. of course, john thaw as sergeant mann, will not let the matter drop until he has solved each and every one of his cases to the best of his ability.
john thaw has been superbly cast and given his very young age at the time(22 when "redcap" was first broadcast), he injects plenty of authority and maturity into his character. his take on sergeant mann, although tough and harsh at times, is also possessed of a compassionate streak as he hates injustice but also loathes the idea of criminals escaping their crimes unpunished.
considering that the british t.v archives are in somewhat of a mess with a good deal of programmes missing or destroyed, happily "redcap" is hardly affected. 26 episodes of this series were made and 23 currently exist. as a special feature, approximately 12 minutes that was recovered from a missing episode has been added in this dvd set.
the footage is a bit grainy and the sound isn't always clear but that should not put people off from watching this programme as it is well-written and features some fine actors apart from john thaw. you see notice guest stars such as: mike pratt, michael robbins, leonard rossister, ian macshane, peter copley and many others.
the lack of location shooting doesn't much matter, there is a bit of that here and there but it's the dialogue and acting that counts above everything else.

More than a decade before he was hard-nosed DI Jack Regan on THE SWEENEY, more than two decades before he was cultured DCI E. Morse on INSPECTOR MORSE, John Thaw, still in his early 20's, starred as a cop in his first TV series, REDCAP. As Sgt. John Mann of the Special Investigation Branch of the Royal Military Police, Thaw's character was both soldier and police detective, investigating crimes both major and minor in every part of the world that the British Army had a presence.

Studio-shot, and apparently broadcast live, REDCAP (not to be confused with RED CAP, the 2003-04 series in which Tamzin Outhwaite also played a sergeant in the SIB) doesn't have the visual clarity of a filmed series, but it more than makes up for it with excellent scripts, and fine performances. It's startling how authoritative Thaw is, easily projecting leadership, decisiveness, and toughness though only a few years out of his teens.

The military background of the show is unusual for a police series, and makes it possible for Sgt. Mann to solve cases in locales as diverse East Berlin, Cyprus, and the Far East (though, as I mentioned, it was mostly studio-shot).

Highly recommended, for the gritty, pacy scripts, and for Thaw's electrifying performance.

I was very pleased to locate this product on Amazon. It was despatched and received quickly and I was soon able to enjoy it in the comfort of my own home.

Considering how old the original was made the quality of the picture was very good.

I would be happy to recommend this pack to anyone who likes pplice drama, from a bygone age, starring a young John Thaw.