The Great Depression of 1994

Episode Overview

When Ray’s uncle and Arthur’s brother-in-law Brian shows signs of manic depression, Arthur feels it is affecting his sales potential. Arthur & Ray do a little research and discover that depressives can have both high moments and low moments. Arthur believes that when Brian finally comes out on a high moment, he offers great potential for an earner of his own. Meanwhile, Arthur sells a car to a very keen customer. 

After a conversation with Dave & Ray at the Winchester, Arthur seeks advice from Percy Vallins about Brian. Vallins is a renowned but reclusive businessman who is known to have suffered from manic depression himself in the past. Arthur is keen to find out from Vallins how he might ascertain if Brian’s manic depression is for real or not. When Arthur finally confronts Brian about his depression being real, Brian finally comes clean and admits it is all a sham, solely to keep Ray’s mother Doreen from interfering with his own florist business. Brian tells Arthur that Doreen doesn’t like manic depressives so stays away as a result.

Later on, Arthur once again meets the same man at The Winchester who purchased the car from him earlier in the episode, who it turns out is an ex-policeman and real manic depressive, ex-Detective Inspector Henry Keys. While Keys is having a low moment, he admits to Arthur he remembers nicking him 25 years earlier. Feeling sorry for him when hearing Keys’s story of his fall from grace, Arthur calls DS Rogerson to help out, as Keys has now locked himself in the toilets in The Winchester Club.

Cast

Glynn Edwards as Dave, Robert Stephens as Percy, Barry Jackson as Brian, Peter Jones as Henry, Amelda Brown as Heather, James Warrior as DS Rogerson, Duncan Bell as Fowler, Merelina Kendall as Mrs Kean, James Coyle as Bernie, Geoffrey Drew as Cecil, Daphne Neville as Joy, Russell Kilmister as Security Man

Facts

This is the first of two episodes to feature James Warrior as DS Rogerson, who would later appear in #10.9 Bring Me The Head Of Arthur Daley. It is also the second appearance by Duncan Bell as Fowler, who previously featured in #10.4 One Flew Over The Parent’s Nest.

Generally, most Minder fans consider this episode to be the weakest of the entire series as the episode tends to experiment with the theme of depression.

Double Take

Barry Jackson who plays Brian in this episode previously appeared as ‘Mournful’ Maurice in #4.6 If Money Be The Food Of Love, Play On. James Coyle who plays Bernie previously appeared as a different character in #5.6 The Long Ride Back To Scratchwood.

Bloopers: At 09m58s as Dave & Arthur leave the Winchester in Arthur’s car there seems to be a strange jitter in the picture as if the scene has been cut.