Status beendetSender ZDFneoErstaustrahlung 24 September 2013Laufzeit 60 MinutenGenres Comedy, Crime, Drama

Die viel versprechende Karriere von Hauptkommissarin Sandra Pullman (Amanda Redman) bei der Londoner Kriminalpolizei scheint frühzeitig zu enden, als sie bei dem Versuch eine Geisel zu befreien, die Kontrolle über den Einsatz verliert: Anstatt die chinesischen Kidnapper in Schach zu halten, feuert ein Polizeikollege unkontrolliert einen Schuss ab, durch den ein Hund zu Tode kommt und der gekidnappte Millionär so erschrickt, dass er in Panik aus dem Fenster stürzt und auf der Intensivstation landet. Nach diesem Desaster legt ihr der stellvertretende Polizeichef Donald Bevan (Tim Woodward) – als letzte Chance – die Führung einer neuen Spezialeinheit nahe, die noch nicht abgeschlossene und unaufgeklärte Fälle der Vergangenheit lösen soll. Kleines Handikap: Wegen akuter Personal- und Geldeinsparungen sollen ausschließlich pensionierte Kollegen aus dem Ruhestand reaktiviert werden. Keine leichte Aufgabe, wie sich herausstellt, da die meisten, infrage kommenden Beamten entweder verstorben, alkoholisiert oder nicht greifbar sind. Nach einem längeren Auswahlverfahren gelingt es Hauptkommissarin Pullman schließlich, ihr neues Team zusammenzustellen: Jack Halford (James Bolam), Pullmans ehemaliger Vorgesetzter, mit dem Hang zu verdrehten Wortspielen, Kommissar Brian Lane (Alun Armstrong), der Mann mit dem fotografischen Gedächtnis und hypochondrischen Zügen, und last, but not least Gerry Standing (Dennis Waterman), der Kommissar mit der höchsten Aufklärungsquote, der sich im Privaten mit seinen drei Exfrauen und fünf Töchtern auseinander zu setzen hat.

New series of the drama featuring an eccentric group of ex-police officers brought out of retirement to investigate unsolved crimes. Jack confronts his nemesis in court when Ricky Hanson stands trial for his attempted murder, and Gerry faces the consequences of lying to his 'daughter', Emily. The team uncover a shady organ-donor racket when they reinvestigate the murder of a wealthy businessman who left a three million pound fortune to a prostitute.

The team return to the 1992 case of actor Michael Austin, shot dead by his wife on stage during the opening night performance of Death at the Masked Ball. Already a man down when Halford goes AWOL, the case looks like claiming another member of the team as Lane embraces his newfound love of acting and the theatre.

The team reinvestigates the murder of a popular DJ who died live on air after an arson attack at 80s music station Roxy Radio. Lane is determined to find the missing Jack Halford when Pullman and Standing threaten to quit rather than work with a new team member.

Gerry meets his heroes, the 70s rock band Bad Faith, when the team investigate the death of its lead guitarist. It is over 30 years since the group split up, however, and the ageing rockers do not quite live up to the legends Gerry remembers. Meanwhile, determined to prevent UCOS from disbanding, Brian finally tracks down Jack and tries to persuade him to return.

The team investigate the death of the Chief Brewer at Felspar's Brewery which proves to be rather intoxicating for the boys. For Pullman, the case has a more personal agenda and she learns some difficult truths about her dead father.

The team investigate the art of illusion when they reopen a case involving a magic trick that ended in murder. Powerful mind games and hypnosis prove a dangerous mix for Brian Lane, however, sending him down a destructive path. Meanwhile, a session with the Magic Circle's Dr Moroni leaves a sceptical Gerry Standing feeling paranoid and his colleagues a little nervous around him.

As Brian Lane struggles to control and conceal his desire to drink again, he finds the perfect refuge in a commune at the centre of the team's investigation into the death of a university student. The case also helps Gerry face up to his relationship with Emily, who has not spoken to him since she discovered the truth about the DNA test at Ricky Hanson's trial.

Jack and Strickland form an unlikely alliance that sees them break the rules to find out why a British soldier died while taking part in a Ministry of Defence medical trial. With three of the man's colleagues now suffering from psychological, drink or memory problems, the team consider whether he died as a result of the experiment, or if he was a victim of an Army cover-up.