The Sweeney (TV Series) Golden Fleece (1975) User Reviews

Reality check for Haskins

[keysam-02610 · 8/10 · 3 June 2024]

On the surface, this is a bit of a jokey episode and it's also notable for the villains getting clean away and for sparking a sequel.

However, to me the most interesting aspect is the effect it has on Haskins.

It's been clear in the series to date that though Haskins isn't averse to occasionally getting his hands dirty on a collar, basically he has spent his career being a rule follower. That's how he got where he is today, so to speak. At times it seemed he despised Regan and worried about the effect Jack would have on baby copper George Carter. The writers softened that aspect up a bit and gave Haskins a grudging respect for Jack, but he still hadn't seen the police force itself from the same angle as Regan has, an organisation that doesn't always treat its staff terribly well.

Haskins now knows what it's like to be on the wrong end of an internal investigation and, unsurprisingly, he's not a fan. The series never (IIRC) entirely puts him on Regan's side, but going forward he does have a bit more sympathy for Jack's more jaded perspective.

Incidentally, in this episode the villains and Regan/Carter never meet. They may get a description from the pool manager, but I'm still curious as to how in the sequel Jack will realise it's the same two chancers. Maybe it'll just be the (appalling!) Aussie accents; I will find out soon enough.

Golden Fleece

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 24 March 2020]

Even with a hood over his face you recognise that voice belonging to Patrick Mower. The Aussie accent is less convincing so it is a good job the director gave him and his sidekick plenty of cans of Fosters lager to ram the point home.

Colin and Ray are two cheeky crooks who by night rob the homes of the wealthy with the words 'Stand and Deliver.'

By day they work in a leisure centre where they wind up their line manager and plan their next job.

Regan and Carter are investigating their latest robbery and the crooks think that Haskins is getting too close so they get a local villain to set him on a fake corruption charge.

With Haskins suspended, Regan looks to clear his name.

Given the previous episode had Regan being stitched up, it was too soon to see Haskins in a similar predicament. Whatever Haskins has done wrong is tenuous in what is shown on screen. At one point he is told off for having three bank accounts and one of them is his wife's.

Still it is up to Regan and Carter to ride to the rescue and gold Krugerrands turn out ot be a link. Gold Krugerrands were big deal back in the 1970s. A slightly unusual ending with everybody dreaming of flying to Rio.

a pair of thieves are breaking into the houses of wealthy couples and robbing them at gunpoints. The only clue is that one of the pair appears to be Australian. They also seem to have inside knowledge on the people they are targeting. When they think Haskins is getting too close to how they are getting their information they decide to put him out of action by using local villain Wally Vince to set him up with A10 on a fake corruption charge.

With Haskins on suspension Regan and Carter have to do a little investigating of their own to try and clear his name. It doesn't take long to discover that all of the victims had purchased Krugerands from a London clearing house called Warburtons. However unusually for the Sweeney the Aussies manage to get away. Wally Vince also does a runner abroad to Canada meaning the case against Haskins has to be dropped.

Patrick Mower in a different kind of role

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 12 March 2021]

Once again the duo are on the trail of a couple of robbers with a penchant for housebreaking; this time they're led by Patrick Mower, who we're used to seeing on the side of the law in previous TV shows. For novelty value, they're South Africans, and for some reason accompanied by Scott Joplin-style music which I enjoyed somewhat.