Don't Tell Them Willie Boy Was Here

Terry's week has too many strands, which is how he likes it. A prize bull goes missing after Arthur and Terry agree to transport it, and Terry has to talk Arthur into a trip to the countryside he would rather swallow his tongue than take. At the same time he is training Willie Reynolds, a boxer on the comeback trail who does not appear to believe in his own comeback. And somewhere between the livestock and the boxing, Debbie needs help identifying the stalker who has been scaring her fellow strippers.

The boxing thread carries the drama. Barney Mather, the promoter, has placed a large bet on Willie's opponent, which tells you everything about how seriously the fight is being taken. Terry shames Willie into training properly, and the fight itself goes down to the last round with the outcome still in the balance. The bull gets retrieved, the stalker gets identified, and Terry's list, long as it is, mostly gets crossed off. Arthur survives the countryside, which deserves its own medal, and the closing bell settles the matter.

Paul Wheeler and Leon Griffiths wrote it, Dennis Abey directed. Dennis Waterman and George Cole lead, with Alfred Marks as the promoter Barney Mather and Paul Barber as Willie, the reluctant comeback. Tania Rogers, Glynn Edwards, Ronnie Stevens, Benny Lee, Alex Tompkins and Dinny Powell complete the card.

The episode juggles a bull, a boxer and a stalker without dropping any of them, which is no small feat for a fifty-minute story. Terry is at his best here, cheerful, stubborn and quietly decent. It is the rare episode that gives you sport, livestock and a genuine mystery in one hour, and it never feels crowded. The final round of the fight is worth the wait. Somebody had to keep all the plates spinning, and Terry is the only one qualified.