Taggart (TV Series) Double Exposure Part One (1992) User Reviews

Taggart and the murdered lawyer.

[bethwilliam · 8/10 · 27 April 2006]

A workman has died at a building site owned by boss, Joe Malcolmson. A strike is narrowly averted through the auspices of union full timer, Bryan Beattie. Lawyer Eric Barr has returned from a walking holiday and announces to his partner, Phillip McLean, that he has found a way to solve their financial problems. McLean thanks him and makes his way to the Southside Community Centre where he works as a volunteer giving legal advice.

Meanwhile the tenement flats of Danny Lal and Lisanne Archer are subjected to racist graffiti attacks and then fire bombs. Demanding retribution Danny Lal goes to the Community Centre and argues with McLean who has actively campaigned against racism. That afternoon, while Eric Barr enjoys a soccer match, McLean is found dead in his car. A hose is connected to his exhaust pipe. As a result of McLean's death press photographer Diane Johnstone renews her friendship with Eric Barr.

Initially McLean's death looks like suicide. However, when Dr. Andrews performs an autopsy it is obvious the lawyer was murdered. Suspician immediately falls on the dead man's wife, Margaret, and his lover Sharon Lal. Both claim to be shocked by his death, but Taggart is not convinced. However, when a witness states that she saw McLean arguing with a young Asian man shortly before his death the hunt widens to find him.

Meanwhile the attacks continue at the tenement building.

This is Taggart at its best. Sandy McDade who plays Lisanne Archer puts in a brilliant performance. Mark McManus is Taggart and I found myself starting to like his gruff character.

Not The Best Taggart

[MillenniumFilmBuff · 6/10 · 28 May 2007]

I think I might be a bit kind for giving this episode a 6 but there are some good elements to this episode. Having followed on from such a strong Taggart and the best one by far, this does not live up to expectations. The plot is fairly tepid at best. The action sequences are rare and the tension is not kept up at a healthy pace. There's enough mystery but its not the strongest episode I have seen. Still, without giving too much away, there is one character in this episode who really is pure evil and the person who plays this character does so extremely well which makes up for an otherwise tepid episode of Taggart, unfortunately. Thankfully, though, the tepid episodes are rare.

A good mystery, but that solution....that tut

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 26 September 2017]

I enjoyed this one, it's definitely a complex mystery, it asks the question when someone has a seemingly unbreakable alibi how can they possibly have committed a crime it seems so obvious they committed.

Some great casting, Meera Syall and Deepak Verma are both very good, finally adding a more multi cultural element to the show. Taggart was pretty good at spotting young talent, Jason Isaacs of all people, he was very good, but star of the show had to be Sandy McDade, excellent as stressed mother Lisanne Archer.

Some good aspects, the plot shows a level of imagination, I liked the aspect of the Pirate radio, which was crazy in the nineties, and I loved the Old Firm scenes, possibly the best part. I found the ending somewhat disappointing, a bit of an easy get out using the solution they did.

Good, if somewhat flawed. 7/10

Racism and murder

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 10 September 2018]

Have always adored detective dramas/mystery series. This has been apparent from an early age, half my life even, when getting into Agatha Christie through Joan Hickson's Miss Marple and David Suchet's Poirot and into 'Inspector Morse'.

Whether it's the more complex ones like 'Inspector Morse' (and its prequel series 'Endeavour') and anything Agatha Christie. Whether it's the grittier ones like 'A Touch of Frost' (though that is balanced brilliantly with comedy too). And whether it's the light-hearted ones like 'Murder She Wrote'. 'Taggart' is one of the biggest examples of the grittier ones, especially the Mark McManus years and the earlier James MaPherson episodes.

"Double Exposure" is good. Maybe the pace could have been tightened in spots and occasionally it's slightly bland.

Its weak link is the ending, which felt rushed, too conveniently wrapped up with not enough time to go and is not that much of a surprise.

However, what made 'Taggart' such a good show when it was in its prime is evident here. The characterisation here is meatier than seen pre-Jardine era, therefore more interesting with more development to Taggart.

Really like the slick, gritty look and Glasgow is like an ominous character on its own. The music matches the show's tone and has a good amount of atmosphere while the theme song/tune is one that stays in the memory for a long time. Really like Taggart and Jardine's chemistry here, which sees some priceless exchanges with them, and have always found it more interesting and settled than with Taggart and Livingstone. The relationship between Jardine and Reid is also blossoming nicely, showing promising signs as to why it was one of the best things about the era when Jardine was in charge.

As to be expected, "Double Exposure" is thoughtfully scripted with nothing ridiculous happening and things being taken seriously without being too morose. The racial angle is handled surprisingly sensitively and tactfully, there is always the danger of such a heavy subject being preachy but that's thankfully avoided, even with a quite overt "evil incarnate" character. The story is involving in its complexity and intricacy with nothing being what it seems, making the most of the long length (have generally found the 2000s episodes too short and rushed) without padding anything out. Some parts are not for the faint hearted but nothing feels gratuitous and the investigations are compelling and with enough twists to stop it from being obvious on the most part

Good acting helps, with Mark McManus being a suitably tough and blunt presence throughout and James MacPherson being every bit his equal. Blythe Duff continues to impress and a Iain Anders comes into his own once again. Robert Robertson as ever steals scenes. The supporting cast is dead on too.

Concluding, good episode albeit not a great one. 7/10 Bethany Cox