Taggart
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Taggart | |
|---|---|
 Current Cast |
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| Genre | Drama |
| Created by | Glenn Chandler |
| Starring | Blythe Duff, John Michie, Alex Norton, Colin McCredie |
| Country of origin | Scotland |
| No. of series | 24 |
| No. of episodes | 93 made (2 unaired) |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | SMG Productions |
| Running time | 60 - 120 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | ITV |
| Original run | 6 September 1983 – present |
Taggart is a long-running Scottish detective television programme, created by Glenn Chandler (who has written many of the episodes), and made by SMG Productions (STV) for the ITV network. Taggart is a Glaswegian detective television programme, originally set and filmed in the area of Maryhill police station in Glasgow, Scotland, but is internationally famous and is now translated into many languages including Dutch, French and Japanese. The series revolves around a group of detectives in the Maryhill CID of Strathclyde Police. It is the world's longest continually running police drama,[1] although "Woodentop", the one-off drama that later served as a the pilot for another ITV police drama, The Bill, aired one month before the first episode of Taggart.
The Scottish English and Glasgow Patter used by the characters in the show has been the subject of a number of skits. The 1980's BBC Scotland comedy series Naked Video regularly featured a series of 'Taggart' sketches in which Tony Roper portrayed Mark McManus/Jim Taggart complete with his "There's been a murder!" catchphrase pronounced with an extremely thick Glaswegian accent rolling the 'r' in murder. There is also a Tennents lager advert where CG-animated pints of Tennents play Taggart characters. "There's been a murder!" was commonly used to stereotype the show - especially in the Mark McManus era.
The programme is considered in France as part of the 'film noir' genre due to its dark and grim storylines.
Contents |
[edit] History
The pilot episode, "Killer", broadcast in 1983, introduced the character of Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Jim Taggart (played by Mark McManus until his death in 1994), a tough and experienced detective who had worked his way up through the ranks. His original sidekick was Detective Sergeant (DS) Peter Livingstone (Neil Duncan). Livingstone represented the new breed of young graduates entering the police force, and frequently had a difficult relationship with Taggart as a result. Taggart's boss in the pilot was Supertintendent Robert Murray (Tom Watson), known as The Mint after the well known sweet. This humour was continued in the subsequent series with Taggart's boss replaced after the second episode ("Dead Ringer") by Superintendent Jack McVitie (Iain Anders), nicknamed The Biscuit after the popular brand of biscuits. Another important character was Taggart's long-suffering, crippled, wheelchair-bound wife Jean (Harriet Buchan) whose disability did not prevent her from pursuing a number of interests in life, while her cynical husband stuck mainly to his job.
In 1987 the character of Mike Jardine (James MacPherson) was introduced, and when Neil Duncan left the series in 1989, a new female sidekick, Jackie Reid (Blythe Duff) was introduced.
McManus died in 1994 in the middle of filming an episode. His absence was explained by the claim that Taggart was in constant meetings with the Chief Constable. After his death the character was also killed off and the show renamed 'Taggart: The Legend Lives On', which was later shortened to 'Taggart: Legends', before eventually reverting to the original title. After Jim Taggart died, Jardine was promoted to Detective Inspector and DC Stuart Fraser (Colin McCredie) was introduced, becoming the long-suffering sidekick to Jardine, former long-suffering sidekick to Taggart. DI Robbie Ross (John Michie) joined the team in 1998. Fraser was later revealed to be gay.
When MacPherson left the series in 2002, his character was killed off, and replaced with DCI Matt Burke, formerly of Special Branch (played by Alex Norton who had previously appeared in the series playing a murder suspect in the 1986 episode, "Knife Edge"). Alex Norton's Matt Burke character has gained widespread critical acclaim, many believing him to be the first credible successor to McManus's original Taggart character.
Much was made of the platonic relationship between Jardine and Reid, with the two being shown to share a brother/sister-like bond. Both pursued a number of relationships with other characters over the years. Reid even got married, but later separated from her husband. The personal relationships of the police officers in this series are shown as nothing to be envious of; Reid once describing herself, Burke, Ross and Fraser as three divorcees and a celibate homosexual.
[edit] Episodes (by season)
(including original broadcast date in UK)
Pilot
1. 6 Sep 83 Killer
Season 1
2. 2 Jul 85 Dead Ringer 3. 23 Jul 85 Murder In Season
Season 2
4. 2 Sep 86 Death Call 5. 24 Feb 86 Knife Edge
Season 3
6. 15 Apr 87 The Killing Philosophy 7. 9 Sep 87 Funeral Rites 8. 31 Dec 87 Cold Blood
Season 4
9. 7 Sep 88 Dead Giveaway 10. 28 Sep 88 Root Of Evil 11. 30 Dec 88 Double Jeopardy
Season 5
12. 5 Sep 89 Flesh And Blood 13. 1 Jan 90 Love Knot 14. 1 Mar 90 Hostile Witness
Season 6
15. 4 Sep 90 Evil Eye 16. 3 Dec 90 Death Comes Softly 17. 31 Dec 90 Rogues Gallery
Season 7
18. 1 Jan 92 Violent Delights 19. 9 Jan 92 Nest Of Vipers 20. 30 Jan 92 Double Exposure
Season 8
21. 17 Sep 92 The Hit Man 22. 8 Oct 92 Ring Of Deceit 23. 1 Jan 93 Fatal Inheritance
Season 9
24. 16 Feb 93 Death Benefits 25. 20 Apr 93 Gingerbread 26. 11 May 93 Death Without Dishonour
Season 10
27. 30 Sep 93 Instrument Of Justice 28. 1 Jan 94 Forbidden Fruit 29. 6 Oct 94 Secrets
Season 11
30. 27 Oct 94 Hellfire 31. 11 Jan 95 Prayer For The Dead 32. 25 Feb 95 Black Orchid
Season 12
33. 2 Nov 95 Legends 34. 4 Jan 96 Devil's Advocate 35. 21 Mar 96 Angel Eyes
Season 13
36. 19 Sep 96 Dead Man's Chest 37. 16 Jan 97 Apocalypse
Season 14
38. 4 Sep 97 Babushka 39. 1 Jan 98 Berserker 40. 1 Mar 98 Out Of Bounds 41. 15 Jul 98 Dead Reckoning
Season 15
42. 8 Oct 98 A Few Bad Men 43. 1 Nov 98 Long Time Dead
Season 16
44. 16 Jan 99 Bloodlines 45. 7 Sep 99 A Fistful Of Chips 45. 21 Oct 99 Fearful Lightning 47. 21 Nov 99 For Their Sins
Season 17
48. 16 Feb 00 Ghost Rider 49. 14 Sep 00 Skin Deep 50. 21 Sep 00 Wavelength 51. 1 Dec 00 Football Crazy 52. 10 Jan 01 Falling In Love
Season 18
53. 14 Jan 02 Death Trap 54. 21 Jan 02 Fire, Burn 55. 8 Jul 02 Water Tight 56. 15 Jul 02 The Friday Event
Season 19
57. 4 Dec 02 Hardman 58. 11 Dec 02 Fade to Black 59. 18 Dec 02 Blood Money 60. 4 Jan 03 New Life 61. 11 Jan 03 Bad Blood 62. 18 Jan 03 Halfway House 63. 25 Jan 03 An Eye For An Eye
Season 20
64. 7 Oct 03 Penthouse And Pavement 65. 3 Dec 03 Atonement 66. 30 Apr 04 Compensation 67. 30 Dec 04 Saints And Sinners 68. 6 Jan 05 Puppet On A String 69. 13 Jan 05 The Wages Of Sin
Season 21
70. 20 Jan 05 The Ties That Bind 71. 27 Jan 05 In Camera 72. 3 Feb 05 Mind Over Matter 73. 16 Sep 05 Cause And Effect 74. 23 Sep 05 A Taste Of Money 75. 30 Sep 05 A Death Foretold
Season 22
76. 4 Nov 05 Running Out Of Time 77. 11 Nov 05 Cause To Kill 78. 9 Dec 05 Do Or Die 79. 16 Dec 05 Dead Man Walking 80. 22 Mar 06 Law 81. 29 Mar 06 The Best And The Brightest
Season 23
82. 3 Jan 07 Users And Losers 83. 17 Jan 07 The Thirteenth Step 84. 30 Apr 07 Tenement 85. 4 Jul 07 Pinnacle 86. 8 Jan 08 Genesis 87. The Caring Game 88. Lifeline
Season 24
89. 15 Jan 08 Judgement Day 90. 27 Feb 08 Island 91. 21 Apr 08 Trust 92. 1 May 08 A Study in Murder 93. 5 Jun 08 Point of Light
[edit] Guest appearances
Actors appearing on Taggart episodes over the years include Dave Anderson, Isla Blair, Billy Boyd, Ewen Bremner, Robert Carlyle, Ian Colquhoun, Annette Crosbie, Alan Cumming, Henry Ian Cusick, Barbara Dickson, Fish, Jill Gascoine, Hannah Gordon, Clare Grogan, John Hannah, Celia Imrie, Jason Isaacs, Ashley Jensen, Diane Keen, John McGlynn (in 5 episodes, each as a different character), Ann Mitchell, Peter Mullan, Amanda Redman, Dougray Scott, Ken Stott and Katrina Bryan.
[edit] Quotes
- From the episode "Cold Blood" (1987):
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- Taggart: "Yer brains'll be oan the pavement unless ye help us!!!" (Taggart dealing with jovial remarks made by a hot dog seller who is reluctant to co-operate)
- From the episode "Violent Delights" (1990):
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- Taggart: "Oh my goad (God)........wimmen polis!!!" (shortly after DC Reid has mistakenly boarded a London-bound train and ended up in the middle of nowhere [it turned out to be Carstairs Junction])
- From the episode "Funeral Rites" (1987)
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- Taggart: "You trying to make his day?" (looks down into the quarry) "Well, that's the easy part of it."
- Jardine: "Easy?"
- Taggart: (smiles) Now I have to go home and tell Jean she needs a new hairdresser."
- From the episode "Babushka" (1998)
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- Reid: "These were bought recently." (after finding women's clothes while looking for evidence.)
- Jardine: "How do you know?"
- Reid: "It's called fashion, Michael."
[edit] Theme music
The programme's theme music is "No Mean City" composed by Mike Morran and performed by Maggie Bell, formerly a member of Stone the Crows.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Taggart at itv.com
- Taggart at stv.tv
- Taggart at smgproductions.tv
- Taggart Fan Club
- Taggart Wiki
- Official Licensee of Taggart DVDs
- Taggart at the Internet Movie Database
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