Better The Devil You Know

Episode Overview

Archie Daley is being threatened by the Gold Brothers, who are ordering him to force his friend Petra Bennett to sell them her pub. On the run from their heavies, he gets a cab from Jamie Cartwright who after talking to Archie in the cab decides to help him out. Trouble ensues when it turns out that the Gold Brothers have a dodgy contact in the local planning department of the council, Councillor Conway, who also wants to see the pub sold to the Gold Brothers. When Archie and Jamie decide to take positive action against the Golds, Jamie is accidentally caught stealing on CCTV and ends up in the local nick. Archie enlists the help of his lawyer Dickie Mint, who gets Jamie out of the police station with Archie posting bail for him. As they return from the police station to see Petra they discover the pub is on fire and Jamie rescues Petra and her son from the flames.

With the odds stacked against them, Archie, Jamie and Petra set a plan in motion to trap the Gold Brothers and Conway for good. With his cab repaired after being damaged by the Gold Brothers, Archie offers Jamie a more permanent job with him and offers him a flat. When Jamie asks why Archie is helping him out, Archie tells him that someone did the same for him once.

Cast

Shane Richie as Archie Daley, Lex Shrapnel as Jamie Cartwright, Jenna Russell as Petra Bennett, Paul Brooke as Dickie Mint, Christian Lees and Jonah Lees as Kieran Bennett, Josette Simon as DI Murray, Gavin Brockner as Nick Gold, Nick Court as Mark Gold, John Benshaw as Councillor Conway, Jamie Kenna as Bob

Facts

No direct references are made to the original Minder show in this episode, although the viewer is left to think that the person who once helped Archie out and gave him a chance was indeed his uncle Arthur. Petra also tells Jamie that Archie used to run errands for her dad, who the viewer is meant to think is Dave the barman – although Dave is not mentioned by name at any point in the episode. Jenna Russell who plays Petra Bennett had previously worked with Dennis Waterman in ‘On The Up’.

Double Take

Paul Brooke who plays Archie’s lawyer Dickie Mint previously appeared as ‘Hamster’ in #4.3 High Drains Pilferer.

Bloopers: Not strictly a blooper but if you watch the taxi chase at the start of this episode you will see they pass the same location many times. Also, look closely at Jamie’s cab when it is supposedly repaired at the end of the episode, there is still a slight dent in the top of the driver’s door.