Caught in the Act, Fact

Arthur's scheme this time is to broker the story of Danny Varrow, a footballer who wants to sell his life to the papers, and Terry is the man who has to mind him while the deal is cooked. Arthur's cut is a percentage, as ever, which means Terry's share of the trouble is the whole of it. Varrow is a hopeless gambler, which has put him on the wrong side of the local bookie, and a hopeless womanizer, which has put him on the wrong side of his latest girlfriend's father. Both men are circling. The fee is going to be earned. It is a simple job, on paper, and the paper lies.

Then Des asks a favour. He needs a hand delivering a car, and the car turns out to have been used in a robbery, with Terry's fingerprints all over it. That is the kind of coincidence this show specialises in. The police pick Terry up. Arthur, of all people, produces the alibi that gets him out. And to round the day off, Terry is asked to mind a magistrate who turns out to be a shoplifter. A magistrate. Shoplifting. The day has stopped making sense, and Terry has stopped asking.

Tony Hoare and Leon Griffiths wrote it, Terry Green directed. George Layton is Des, Angela Browne is Lady Margaret Thompson, Glyn Houston is Harry, Patrick Malahide is Chisholm, Colin Prockter is Stevie, Angus MacKay is Mr Knight, Ellis Dale is the magistrate and Glynn Edwards is Dave. Chisholm turns up too, because Chisholm always turns up.

Somewhere around the third favour of the day Terry's face says it all: everyone he knows is a walking liability, and Arthur is the worst of them. The show has rarely been more honest about why he stays. The money, presumably. It is an exhausting day for everyone, and a great one for the viewer.