It's not in the same manor as the legendary TV series, but this spin-off is a reasonable reminder of what made John Thaw and Dennis Waterman - as Regan and Carter - the icons of 1970s law enforcement. Screenwriter Ranald Graham's unfamiliarity with the characters occasionally brings the action to a screeching halt. However, he cranks out a typically abrasive plot, which sees the boys investigating a suicide and finding themselves knee-deep in vice, blackmail and corruption. Thaw and Waterman are solid as rocks, although the guests brought in to give the project class (including Ian Bannen, Colin Welland and Barry Foster) try a little too hard.

When one of Regan's snouts complains that his girlfriend's recent suicide was murder, the flying squad detective feels compelled to investigate. He uncovers a conspiracy that reaches the heart of the government, and finds himself fitted up, suspended and under the scrutiny of Special Branch.