| On a Clear Day |
| This is the first episode in a trilogy about Cass/Sam/Leroy � and, far more significantly for us Cult-ists, about Cullen and Chandler. It�s full of wonderful questions: Precisely whose corner is Alex fighting? What is his motivation? Why does it matter to Chandler so much? Was moving to Sun Hill a promotion for Alex? Can Alex honestly not see that Pennington oozes more slime than a bucketful of three-headed slugs? What is Pennington's agenda? I mean, I know why I'd want Alex in my unit but I'm not convinced that his wonderfulness would be that apparent to DCI Slithery Slime! The episode opens with a raid on a flat that we have been obbo-ing. The flat belongs to Lesley Gable, as suspected drug dealer. Cullen leads the raid in a casual look that doesn�t really work � pale blue shirt with no tie and the top button undone and a grey weatherproof jacket. A more casual casual shirt would have looked better but I guess he�s just come out from work. Unfortunately, the traditional barks of �Don�t anyone move!� are unnecessary - everyone in the flat has been murdered. *** Jack is there for the next scene and he and Alex discuss what has happened while Jack views the bodies. Jack keeps playing that common and annoying boss's game of �try to guess what I�m thinking while I deliberately mislead you.� *** Jack and Alex now go to the obbo post and view the video surveillance footage with Duncan and Paul. NDIU (my guess for that acronym would be National Drugs Investigation Unit) will take over the case now and Alex demonstrates yet again why he is an outstanding divisional DI � he can let go! He doesn�t even view all specialist squads as plague-carrying, first-born-stealing rats! Oh, well, it�s not really our problem any more, guv. *** Alex is walking past Tom�s office � in the wrong direction � when Tom leaps out and brings him inside to let him know that NCS are also involved in some way and will be coming by. Tom wants to make sure we have every possible loose end we can tie up, tied. Alex, looking very cute with the faintest of ginger moustaches showing, defers to Tom as he often does, asking what else can we do. Tom tells him to go and have a look around at Upside, the bar to which Paul had followed Gable a couple of times. *** Alex visits the bar with Paul. He demonstrates how to combine quiet politeness with a nice line in totally unimpressed looks. The bar manager � Resinbrink � is clearly scum, but there is a helpful bartender. |
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| *** If you ask me Alex had no real intention of running away to the NCS � until the following scene: Alex is in his office when Jack comes in. He�s in a snit, as is not unusual. This particular one is because Paul Riley has told him that they�ve been to the Upside. Alex says that he was going to mention it and then gets himself in deeper and deeper firstly by saying that Mr Chandler told them to (always Jack�s favourite person) and then by saying that the NCS have warned them off. Jack immediately demands details and Alex is stuck. To be honest, guv, I don�t know if I�m supposed to tell you this. He then mentions the meeting and Jack demands to know who the NCS met with. Alex looks thoughtful � presumably thinking �Oh, beetle dung!� � before admitting, Mr Chandler and me. From the look on Alex�s face he now realises he is damned either way though he does point out that it wasn�t really a CID matter. Jack is demanding more details and Alex can�t answer. Jack snipes, with his customary maturity, Oh, I see � big secret, is it? Alex gives a rueful look, purses his lips and waves his hand sort of helplessly, Guv� Jack turns and walks out, leaving Alex in an oddly Chandler-like pose. He thinks for a moment than drops his head forward. I reckon it is at that moment, when he has just again been forced to play the meat in Meadows and Chandler�s sandwich, that the NCS starts to look like an attractive career option. |
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| Alex is in Tom�s office to meet DCI Pennington from NCS. He�s just wearing his unbuttoned blue shirt now and looks fairly silly in it, IMO. Tom does lovely polite pushiness while Alex casts mysterious looks (why the searching look at Tom when he says that he doesn�t need to be reminded of the need for secrecy, for instance?) Indeed for much of the time DCI Slime is talking our two boys are doing significant look exchanging. Pennington�s fundamental message, btw, is that they want Resinbrink and the Upside to be off-limits as they believe he is involved in a very large heroin shipment which has just come in from South Africa. |
| *** Alex walks Pennington out of the building (polite but also wise � I�d want to know he hadn�t had his sleazy little fingers anywhere ;-)) while having a fascinating conversation. Alex Cullen, isn�t it? Yes, sir. I remember your name being bandied about at NCS a few months ago. Really? [Deep surprise] Because you�re at Vice before Sun Hill, weren�t you? Er, with Mr Chandler. [Puzzled] Yeah, that�s right. Got you on a long leash, has he? [Now, I don�t get that � what is so wrong with a senior officer rating you highly enough that he wants you at his next posting? Isn�t that how nepotism is supposed to work? On the other hand, is there nothing really wrong with Alex being at Sun Hill and it is just Pennington seeing a possible lever?] No, not really. [Still said in our Alex�s sweet and calm voice] Then how come you wound up here? It was the best promotion I was offered. |
| [Okay � now this is interesting! Does that imply that Alex was a DS at West End? I can�t believe that Jack wouldn�t have thrown that in his face by now. Alternatively, is being a divisional DI a bit higher in some regards than being a DI at a large specialist squad where you wouldn�t be the only one? Or should we just assume that the scriptwriters were chatting through their hats?] Must be frustrating � feeling yourself under-pitching all the time. I was in that situation once. How�d you get out of it? Gatecrashed a few parties, got myself assigned to some high profile cases. |
| *** Alex walks out to the yard to leave, still looking thoughtful. DCI Pennington is lying in wait. Get in, Alex � there�s someone I want you to meet. Tom arrives in the yard just in time to see them drive out together. He watches them go, looking darkly thoughtful. *** They go to some art house movie place and go in to see Summer Solstice. Although the theatre is deserted they sit straight behind the other person in there � he turns around and it�s the helpful bartender, aka DC John Hanbury of the NCS. Alex, being the sensible, sweet person he is, apologises for any problems he might have caused by going in like that. Hanbury tells them that the move to distribute the heroin is near but he�s nervous and would prefer to be out of there. Pennington dismisses his concerns and offers only oily reassurances. Hanbury leaves. Brave man. Think you could do it? [Very thoughtful pause.] I�d like the chance to try. *** It�s the next day � Alex is in his office on the phone. He�s wearing his grey suit, pale yellow shirt and yellow-green tie with dashes. �..and that�s confirmed � it�s pure heroin? It hasn�t been cut with anything? He puts the phone down after the answer and thinks while fidgeting his fingers. Behind him we can see his little glass bird peck-pecking away (For more information on this office accessory see Watch the Birdie!). He picks up his mobile and dials a number. Mr Pennington? It�s Alex Cullen. I think I�ve got something for you. *** |
| Gorgeous little smile from Alex � sweet and slightly rueful. Not my style. Ah, you make your own luck in the Met, Alex. We�ll be in touch. Sir�any time. [Very thoughtful look] |
| Jack and Tom have a meeting of minds � political animal type minds � in Tom�s office. When it�s pointed out to him Jack can quite see that while of course we will tell NCS about the heroin there�s no need to rush, not when potential brownie points are there for the acquiring, to give them the titbit about Leroy *** The next scene (bearing in mind that I�m only addressing scenes that include Alex or which I see as relevant to the Alex storyline) has Pennington in Chandler�s office. Much to Chandler�s barely hidden chagrin Pennington knows about Cyril Chambers aka Leroy Jones. Although Chandler is annoyed that Pennington already knows I don�t think he is suspicious at this point. I don�t think even an inkling hits him until he offers to put Meadows on to it, as he knows Leroy, and Pennington oozes, �I rather think you�re DI Cullen might be the man for the job. Chandler stops, looks sharply at him, puts the phone down and leans back in his ready-to-swoop mode. Really? Well, he wasn�t here last time the station dealt with Leroy. Extra sleazy look form Pennington. Just a suggestion, sir. I don�t want to do your job for you. Thank you. [said with great sarcasm]. A pause then his famous Ooooh and, �could I ask you where your intelligence on Leroy came from? I�m afraid to answer that might compromise our informant. [Yes, it might � mightn�t it, you silly redhead who is trying to play with the big boys.] I see� Let�s just say it was a very reliable source. Pennington walks out leaving Chandler sitting there, arrested, mouth at half-cock. *** Tom pops his head into Alex�s office. Alex, I�m off home � I�ll catch you in the morning. Alex nods. [Viewer wonders does the superintendent come in every night to say goodnight? S�ppose they are supposed to be friends but it seems a little OTT.] Oooooh, [Comes into the office.] I forgot to mention � DCI Pennington paid me another visit this afternoon. Wanted some help in finding Leroy Jones. Alex does his nothing-face. Right. I didn�t want to embarrass him by telling him that we were already onto the case. No, of course not. Interesting how the NCS got onto it so quickly, though. Yeah. Almost as quickly as us, in fact. [Looks worried � or mock-worried?] Yeah, well, that�s what they�re good at isn�t it � being ahead of the game. Yeah, but surely you were going to let Pennington know about Leroy anyway? Yeah, of course, as soon as I figured out we weren�t giving him a red herring. [Nod] Very complimentary about you, though. Who � Pennington? [Apparent surprise] Yeah. That surprises me � I thought I�d trodden on their toes at the Upside. No, not at all. In fact it wouldn�t surprise me if they were thinking about offering you something. Well, suppose I�d have to think about it if I was offered anything. [If you ask me this is Alex putting into practise very game playing skill he�s ever learnt from Tom and getting back a little of his own for all the times he�s been treated like a household appliance � useful but un-needing of any consideration.] Mmm�. Well, you do know I wouldn�t stand in your way, don�t you? [Put a ring of fire, bog of eternal stench or hungry dragon in your way quite possibly but not stand in your way ;-)] Thanks! [Very strange expression] Good. [Turns to �go� then swings back.] He hasn�t mentioned anything to you directly, though. Nothing concrete, no. And he hasn�t asked for anything in return? Like what? [A surprised grimace, then determination then resignation.] You don�t think I told him? [Well, actually, yes � and I think this fan does and all.] [Hand swoop] No, no, no. I know that you would come to me directly with anything that affected this station. [Obvious subtext � I�m worried that you haven�t] That�s the way the chain of command works, isn�t it? [Sweet innocence � after all we all know that Tom�s version of the chain of command performs a loo- the-loop most of the time.] Yes, it is � and you can�t serve two masters in the Metropolitan Police Service. Leads to chaos, doesn�t it? [says Tom with forced cheerfulness and a big cheesy smile.] Tom sounds as rattled as I�ve ever seen him. He may give a big cheesy grin but it fades very rapidly as he walks out. Many fans see this as an example of him being two faced but I see it slightly differently. What really struck me was how unconfident of his ground was our Tom Chandler. I would have expected more to see him march in and call Alex sharply to heel, instead of the cloaked in smiles circuitous enquiries we did get. Being the 'boss' is basically always a lonely job; being the boss with an agenda for change can make you as friendless as a Manly supporter at an ugg boot festival Given the 'poisoned chalice' aspect of SH and Tom's relative inexperience it's probably a scary job as well as a lonely one. For whatever reason - his lack of ambition, your knowledge of where his bodies are buried, shared battle scars - Tom obviously (IMO) trusted Alex and felt safe with him. You didn't even have to try and impress him. Now the one person you thought was totally reliable seems to be playing a different game. It'd wipe the smile off my face, too. As far as Alex goes, well, this was an excellent demonstration of how to drive someone nuts by offering them nothing - perhaps Tom has made more of a politician of him than he�d realised. **** Sam rings CID just as Alex is leaving that night to say that he�s spotted Leroy (he has, of course, been following him and Cass. Sam wants us to contact Chelsea police and get them to pick up Leroy but Alex takes the call and tells Sam to tail him and that he will come over. He doesn�t (for Pennington�s reasons) want Leroy arrested. *** He meets Sam and the lovely Nina in the hotel lobby. Has a little grin at Sam�s pick-up � he implies that she is a hooker. There�s a classic exchange between Alex and Sam that I think does sum up his attitude towards his job. I�m off-duty, aren�t I? What does that matter? The episode closes with Alex ringing Pennington at the NCS to tell him that he�s found Leroy Jones. |
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| Tie Rating |
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