Taggart

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Taggart
Taggart Titles.
Genre	Drama
Created by	Glenn Chandler
Starring	Blythe Duff, John Michie, Alex Norton, Colin McCredie, Katrina Bryan
Country of origin	Scotland
No. of series	25
No. of episodes	98
Production
Executive producer(s)	Eric Coulter
Producer(s)	Graeme Gordon
Running time	60 - 120 minutes (including adverts)
Broadcast
Original channel	ITV
Picture format	153px
Original run	6 September 1983 – Present (Ongoing)

Taggart is a long-running Scottish detective television programme, created by Glenn Chandler, who has written many of the episodes, and made by STV Productions for the ITV network. Taggart is a Glaswegian detective television programme, originally set and filmed in the area of Maryhill police station in Glasgow, Scotland, but is internationally famous and is now translated into many languages including German, French and Japanese. The series revolves around a group of detectives in the Maryhill CID of Strathclyde Police. It is the world's longest continually running police drama,^[1] although "Woodentop", the one-off drama that later served as a pilot for another ITV police drama, The Bill, aired one month before the first episode of Taggart.

The Scottish English and Glasgow Patter used by the characters in the show has been the subject of a number of skits. The 1980s BBC Scotland comedy series Naked Video regularly featured a series of 'Taggart' sketches in which Tony Roper portrayed Mark McManus/Jim Taggart complete with his "There's been a murder!" catchphrase pronounced with an extremely thick Glaswegian accent rolling the 'r' in murder. There is also a Tennents lager advert where CG-animated pints of Tennents play Taggart characters. "There's been a murder!" was commonly used to stereotype the show - especially in the Mark McManus era.

The programme is considered in France as part of the film noir genre due to its dark and grim story lines^{[citation needed]}. The show's 100th episode will air in late summer 2009, starring Alex Norton, Blythe Duff, Colin McCredie, and John Michie, the current actors in the long-running TV detective series^{[citation needed]}.

History

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Current main cast (l-r) DC Stuart Fraser (Colin McCredie), DCI Matt Burke (Alex Norton), DI Robbie Ross (John Michie) and DS Jackie Reid (Blythe Duff).

The Scottish BAFTA winning pilot episode, "Killer", broadcast in 1983, directed by Laurence Moody, introduced the character of Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Jim Taggart (played by Mark McManus until his death in 1994), a tough and experienced detective who had worked his way up through the ranks. His original sidekick was Detective Sergeant (DS) Peter Livingstone (Neil Duncan). Livingstone represented the new breed of young graduates entering the police force, and frequently had a difficult relationship with Taggart as a result. Taggart's boss in the pilot was Supertintendent Robert Murray (Tom Watson), known as The Mint after the well known sweet. This humour was continued in the subsequent series with Taggart's boss replaced after the second episode ("Dead Ringer") by Superintendent Jack McVitie (Iain Anders), nicknamed The Biscuit because he shared his name with a popular brand of biscuits. Another important character was Taggart's long-suffering, wheelchair-bound wife Jean (Harriet Buchan) whose disability did not prevent her from pursuing a number of interests in life, while her cynical husband stuck mainly to his job.

In 1987 the character of Mike Jardine (James MacPherson) was introduced, and when Neil Duncan left the series in 1989, a new female sidekick, Jackie Reid (Blythe Duff) was introduced.

McManus died in 1994 in the middle of filming an episode. His absence was explained by the claim that Taggart was in constant meetings with the Chief Constable. The 1995 episode Black Orchid opened with Taggart's funeral but despite the death of the title character the series continued with Jardine being promoted to Detective Inspector and DC Stuart Fraser (Colin McCredie) was introduced, becoming the long-suffering sidekick to Jardine, former long-suffering sidekick to Taggart. DI Robbie Ross (John Michie) joined the team in 1998. Fraser was later revealed to be gay.

When MacPherson left the series in 2002, his character was killed off, and replaced with DCI Matt Burke, formerly of Special Branch (played by Alex Norton who had previously appeared in the series playing a murder suspect in the 1986 episode, "Knife Edge"). Alex Norton's Matt Burke character has gained widespread critical acclaim, many believing him to be the first credible successor to McManus's original Taggart character.

Much was made of the platonic relationship between Jardine and Reid, with the two being shown to share a brother/sister-like bond. Both pursued a number of relationships with other characters over the years. Reid even got married, but later separated from her husband, who is now dead. The personal relationships of the police officers in this series are shown as nothing to be envious of; Reid once describing herself, Burke, Ross and Fraser as three divorcees and a celibate homosexual.

Format and Broadcast Information

The format of the show has changed over the years. Originally the show ran as three one hour episodes to each story (130 minutes without the adverts). This later changed to a two hour stand alone story, later shortened to 1.5 hours. From 2008 the show has become a one hour stand alone story. The DVD rights are held by Clearvision.

Fans of the show have been increasingly frustrated by the scheduling of the show in recent years.^{[citation needed]} Although blocks or series of the show are filmed, they are often not shown together as with other series. They are usually just fitted into the schedule wherever there is a gap, meaning they are often not shown in consecutive weeks or on one set night of the week. Often months will pass between episodes of the same series being shown.

One particular example can be seen in 2008. The last two episodes of the 23rd series, "The Caring Game" and "Lifeline", were the last of the ninety minute episodes filmed before the new one hour format began. However, these were not broadcast at the time. Instead ITV broadcast all five episodes from the 24th series and the first episode of the 25th series, all one hour episodes. "The Caring Game", was then shown on 14 November. This meant that the episode was shown well out of sequence. In the episode, DI Ross is faced with the choice of leaving for Canada, with his ex-wife and son, or staying in Glasgow. However, viewers already knew that Ross was not leaving the programme, as numerous future episodes had already been broadcast. The other missing episode "Lifeline", was finally broadcast on 30 December.

Viewers in Northern Ireland are subject to further scheduling difficulties. Episodes are sometimes broadcast in mainland ITV regions, but replaced on UTV by regional programmes. This creates additional displacement of episodes out of sequence for Northern Irish viewers, with no indication from UTV in listings magazines, as to when the episode is scheduled to be broadcast in the future, if at all.

Cast

Current Cast

• Alex Norton as DCI Matt Burke (2002-present)
• Blythe Duff as WPC/DC/DS Jackie Reid (1990-present)
• Colin McCredie as DC Stuart Fraser (1995-present)
• John Michie as DI Robbie Ross (1998-present)
• Katrina Bryan as Pathologist Ellis Sinclair (2008-present)

Previous Cast

• Mark McManus as DCI Jim Taggart (1983-1995)
• Harriet Buchan as Jean Taggart (1983-1995)
• Alister Duncan as DS Peter Livingstone (1983-1987)
• James MacPherson as DS/DI/DCI Michael Jardine (1987-2002)
• Robert Robertson as Dr Andrew Stephens (pathologist) (1983-2000)
• Iain Anders as Superintendent Jack "The Biscuit" McVitie (1985-1998)
• Gray O'Brien as DC Rob Gibson (1994-1995)

Episodes (by series)

(including original UK broadcast date)

• Pilot:
  • P. "Killer" 6 September 1983

• Series 1
  • 1. "Dead Ringer" 2 July 1985
  • 2. "Murder In Season" 23 July 1985

• Series 2:
  • 3. "Knife Edge" 24 February 1986
  • 4. "Death Call" 2 September 1986

• Series 3:
  • 5. "The Killing Philosophy" 15 April 1987
  • 6. "Funeral Rites" 9 September 1987
  • 7. "Cold Blood" 31 December 1987

• Series 4:
  • 8. "Dead Giveaway" 7 September 1988
  • 9. "Root Of Evil" 28 September 1988
  • 10. "Double Jeopardy" 30 December 1988

• Series 5:
  • 11. "Flesh And Blood" 5 September 1989
  • 12. "Love Knot" 1 January 1990
  • 13. "Hostile Witness" 1 March 1990

• Series 6:
  • 14. "Evil Eye" 4 September 1990
  • 15. "Death Comes Softly" 3 December 1990
  • 16. "Rogues Gallery" 31 December 1990

• Series 7:
  • 17. "Violent Delights" 1 January 1992
  • 18. "Nest Of Vipers" 9 January 1992
  • 19. "Double Exposure" 30 January 1992

• Series 8:
  • 20. "The Hit Man" 17 September 1992
  • 21. "Ring Of Deceit" 8 October 1992
  • 22. "Fatal Inheritance" 1 January 1993

• Series 9:
  • 23. "Death Benefits" 16 February 1993
  • 24. "Gingerbread" 20 April 1993
  • 25. "Death Without Dishonour" 11 May 1993

• Series 10:
  • 26. "Instrument Of Justice" 30 September 1993
  • 27. "Forbidden Fruit" 1 January 1994
  • 28. "Secrets" 6 October 1994

• Series 11:
  • 29. "Hellfire" 27 October 1994
  • 30. "Prayer For The Dead" 11 January 1995
  • 31. "Black Orchid" 25 February 1995

• Series 12:
  • 32. "Legends" 2 November 1995
  • 33. "Devil's Advocate" 4 January 1996
  • 34. "Angel Eyes" 21 March 1996

• Series 13:
  • 35. "Dead Man's Chest" 19 September 1996
  • 36. "Apocalypse" 16 January 1997

• Series 14:
  • 37. "Babushka" 4 September 1997
  • 38. "Berserker" 1 January 1998
  • 39. "Out Of Bounds" 1 March 1998
  • 40. "Dead Reckoning" 15 July 1998

• Series 15:
  • 41. "A Few Bad Men" 8 October 1998
  • 42. "Long Time Dead" 1 November 1998

• Series 16:
  • 43. "Bloodlines" 16 January 1999
  • 44. "A Fistful Of Chips" 7 September 1999
  • 45. "Fearful Lightning" 21 October 1999
  • 46. "For Their Sins" 21 November 1999

• Series 17:
  • 47. "Ghost Rider" 16 February 2000
  • 48. "Skin Deep" 14 September 2000
  • 49. "Wavelength" 21 September 2000
  • 50. "Football Crazy" 1 December 2000
  • 51. "Falling In Love" 10 January 2001

• Series 18:
  • 52. "Death Trap" 14 January 2002
  • 53. "Fire, Burn" 21 January 2002
  • 54. "Watertight" 8 July 2002
  • 55. "The Friday Event" 15 July 2002

• Series 19:
  • 56. "Hardman" 4 December 2002
  • 57. "Fade to Black" 11 December 2002
  • 58. "Blood Money" 18 December 2002
  • 59. "New Life" 4 January 2003
  • 60. "Bad Blood" 11 January 2003
  • 61. "Halfway House" 18 January 2003
  • 62. "An Eye For An Eye" 25 January 2003

• Series 20:
  • 63. "Penthouse And Pavement" 7 October 2003
  • 64. "Atonement" 3 December 2003
  • 65. "Compensation" 30 April 2004
  • 66. "Saints And Sinners" 30 December 2004
  • 67. "Puppet On A String" 6 January 2005
  • 68. "The Wages Of Sin" 13 January 2005

• Series 21
  • 69. "The Ties That Bind" 20 January 2005
  • 70. "In Camera" 27 January 2005
  • 71. "Mind Over Matter" 3 February 2005
  • 72. "Cause And Effect" 16 September 2005
  • 73. "A Taste Of Money" 23 September 2005
  • 74. "A Death Foretold" 30 September 2005

• Series 22:
  • 75. "Running Out Of Time" 4 November 2005
  • 76. "Cause To Kill" 11 November 2005
  • 77. "Do Or Die" 9 December 2005
  • 78. "Dead Man Walking" 16 December 2005
  • 79. "Law" 22 March 2006
  • 80. "The Best And The Brightest" 29 March 2006

• Series 23:
  • 81. "Users And Losers" 3 January 2007
  • 82. "The Thirteenth Step" 17 January 2007
  • 83. "Tenement" 30 April 2007
  • 84. "Pinnacle" 4 July 2007
  • 85. "Genesis" 8 January 2008
  • 86. "The Caring Game" 14 November 2008
  • 87. "Lifeline" 30 December 2008

• Series 24:
  • 88. "Judgement Day" 15 January 2008
  • 89. "Island" 27 February 2008
  • 90. "Trust" 21 April 2008
  • 91. "A Study in Murder" 1 May 2008
  • 92. "Point of Light" 5 June 2008

• Series 25:
  • 93. "Safer" 3 November 2008
  • 94. "Homesick" 8 December 2008
  • 95. "Crossing the Line" 15 December 2008
  • 96. "Cold Reader" 20 February 2009
  • 97. "Grass" 30 April 2009
  • 98. "The Knife Trick" 7 May 2009
  • 99. "So Long Baby" 20 July 2009

Guest appearances

Actors appearing on Taggart episodes over the years include Dave Anderson, Isla Blair, Billy Boyd, Ewen Bremner, Robert Carlyle, Ian Colquhoun, Annette Crosbie, Alan Cumming, Henry Ian Cusick, Barbara Dickson, Fish, Jill Gascoine, Iain Glen, Hannah Gordon, Clare Grogan, John Hannah, Douglas Henshall, Celia Imrie, Jason Isaacs, Ashley Jensen, Diane Keen, Kathleen McDermott, John McGlynn (in 5 episodes, each as a different character), Ann Mitchell, Peter Mullan, Gray O'Brien, Dorothy Paul, Amanda Redman, Dougray Scott, Ken Stott, Allison McKenzie and Katrina Bryan.

Theme music

The programme's theme music is "No Mean City" composed by Mike Moran. The vocals were originally performed by Maggie Bell, formerly a member of Stone the Crows, but an instrumental version is now used for both opening and closing credits.

References

1. ^ "Taggart". STV Productions. 2003. http://www.stvproductions.tv/content/default.asp?page=s2_2_15. Retrieved on 2008-11-28. 

External links

• Taggart at itv.com
• Taggart at stv.tv
• Taggart at stvproductions.tv
• Taggart at the Internet Movie Database
• Taggart Fan Club
• Taggart Wiki
• Official Licensee of Taggart DVDs