The Wrong Goodbye 

Episode Overview

Arthur’s cheques are being bounced and he is faced with a court order for the confiscation of his goods and chattels to pay off his debts. His problems seem to be over when he accepts a seemingly generous offer for his lock up and car lot, unaware that he is being conned by three bent freemasons. When Terry discovers the deal is a con he turns to DS Jones for help. We see DC Melish rear-end his car into Terry’s, and Arthur trying to unload a consignment of talking dolls.

Cast

Glynn Edwards as Dave, Ray Mort as Billy, Simon Cadell as William Pierce, Paul Eddington as Guy Wheeler, Michael Lees as Tony Davis, Iain Cuthbertson as Bernard McKenna, Cassie Stuart as Veronica, Mark Farmer as Justin, Michael Troughton as DC Melish, Peter Childs as DS Rycott, Michael Povey as DS Jones, Richard Linford as Car Salesman, Royce Mills as Andrew, Jonathan Elsom as Muir, Jonty Miller as Bus Driver, Una Brandon-Jones as Woman on Bus, Morris Perry as DHSS Manager

Facts

This was the last episode of The Terry McCann Years and was Dennis Waterman’s final appearance playing the character. It was also the last appearance of Michael Povey as Jones after 21 appearances and Peter Childs after 15 as Rycott. Sadly, he died of leukaemia later that year at the age of 50. It was the last appearance of Mark Farmer after five appearances as Justin, also the last appearance of Royce Mills after four as Arthur’s accountant Andrew and of Jonathan Elsom after two as Mr Muir the solicitor. It has been mentioned that while filming Minder was always usually a happy affair, Paul Eddington was one of the more difficult actors to get along with during the filming of this episode.

Perhaps the title of this episode sums up Dennis Waterman’s departure from the series more than it does the content of the episode itself. At the time this episode was filmed, he had not officially ‘left’ Minder and this episode’s title is in no way intentional.

Double Take

Several actors appeared as different characters elsewhere in the series: Simon Cadell previously appeared in #2.9 All Mod Cons, Richard Linford in #6.7 Minder On The Orient Express, Jonty Miller in #3.12 Back In Good Old England and Una Brandon-Jones in #5.3 A Number Of Old Wives Tales. Jonathan Elsom had previously appeared as Arthur’s solicitor in #6.4 Arthur Is Dead, Long Live Arthur.

Bloopers: Start as you mean to end – the very first episode of Minder with Dennis Waterman ended with the two main characters in a taxi scene that featured a continuation blooper and this episode, Dennis Waterman’s final episode is exactly the same. During this scene you will see a slight continuation hiccup as the taxi actually drives past the same cars twice, firstly from an external shot followed by an internal shot from the taxi.

Title: ‘The Long Goodbye’ was originally a novel, written in 1953 by Raymond Chandler and later a 1973 film of the same name starring Elliot Gould as Philip Marlowe.