It isn't often I find myself watching something that is near to my idea of perfect TV, but, in my opinion, this is about as good as it gets. It came with a good recommendation as well - it was something my Dad remembered, and considering he has never been one for TV, it says something when he likes it and remembers it.
The premise is simple, two small time crooks, Turtle, the brains, and Razor Eddie, the muscle, first seen in the TV series The Hanged Man, are on their uppers are reduced to nicking vans for a few quid. The van they grab happens to have been loaded with bank deposit boxes and the series follows them opening a box at a time.
Support is in the form of Aunt Ethel and her boy, George, and hinderance is provided by superintedent Rafferty who sums up the situation: "Whoever's got them thinks it's the gold-mine season. It is wrapped up with skeletons from cupboards, dynamite, and the dirt from under a lot of carpets. Dangerous".
Turtle is played by John Landry, Razor Eddie by Michael Attwell, Aunt Ethel by Ruby Head, George, by Tony Landon and Rafferty by James Grout in the first series, and David Swift in the second.
Everyone involved plays their part to perfection, and for me, with the right amount of humour to make you side with Turtle and Eddie. The scripts never leave you thinking that you got to the answer first, and in all, I am surprised that this never appears to have been repeated or released before.
It is testament to the quality that when I just went back to check the quote and credits, I found myself watching the first episode again - less than a week after first watching it! It even has a catchy theme that you can sing along to from Alan Price - this is definitely a series NOT to be missed.