Taggart (TV Series) Funeral Rites Part One (1987) User Reviews

Taggart does voodoo.

[bethwilliam · 7/10 · 16 April 2006]

The episode opens with an attempted murder by an arthritic dentist on his disabled wife. Consumed with guilt the husband seeks absolution from a priest who then attempts to interfere without breaking his vows. Watch out for the wobbly heater over the bathtub which is genuinely suspenseful.

Meanwhile a photographer is murdered in his dark room and his body set on fire in an old railway tunnel. Taggart and Jardine must investigate a case that involves them in black magic and voodoo. Meanwhile the dentist continues to device plots to murder his wife and eventually comes to the attention of Taggart's wife.

The supporting cast is a whose who of British television. Annette Crosbie plays Maggie Davidson. She has been seen on everything from "One foot in the grave," to "Dr Finlay." Her murderous husband is played by Paul Young who made his name on Australian Television before returning to Scotland.

This episode sees Taggart and Jardine settling into a comfortable relationship that will last for some years to come. Watch out for Jardine telling his boss that he is a Christian. Priceless! All in all a reasonable episode. Not brilliant. But one fans will find deeply satisfying.

Rite of death

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 10 August 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.

"Funeral Rites" is very good and often great for such early 'Taggart'. There is still a sense of things still settling and not yet found its groove understandably, with it dragging slightly occasionally, but what made 'Taggart' such a good show when it was in its prime is evident here. The characterisation here is meatier than seen previously, 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 it is already more interesting and settled than with Taggart and Livingstone.

As to be expected, "Funeral Rites" is thoughtfully scripted with nothing ridiculous happening and things being taken seriously without being too morose. The story is involving in its complexity 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. One doesn't predict the ending at all, which is clever and not convoluted or far-fetched.

Good acting helps, with Mark McManus being a suitably tough and blunt presence throughout and James MacPherson being every bit his equal. The supporting cast and chemistry don't undermine them in any way, with the standout being Annette Crosbie.

All in all, very well done. 9/10 Bethany Cox