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Telegraph
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The Gold, series 2, review: bleaker, more desperate, but the show retains its sparkle
The first series of The Gold (BBC One), a drama about the 1983 Brink's-Mat robbery, was an accomplished piece with one major flaw: a soft spot for its chief villain. Everyone likes a Robin Hood figure, but Kenneth Noye is a convicted murderer who also stabbed a police officer to death. This isn't loveable rogue territory. The second series wisely avoids doing the same thing again. It differs in two ways. When Noye (Jack Lowden) eventually appears, he is now just a nasty piece of work. And the sequel is more interested in two other characters linked to the heist: John 'Goldfinger' Palmer and Charlie Miller. They're not exactly nice guys either, but they've got more nuance in storytelling terms. Cast your mind back to the ending of series one, and one of the final shots was of Miller (Sam Spruell) sunning himself on the Costa Del Sol. He was revealed to be one of the armed robbers, and that tied in with Scotland Yard's realisation that they had only ever been on the trail of half of the Brink's-Mat gold. Now they're going after the other 50 per cent – all £13 million of it – and the drama explores various theories, which range from stashing it down a Cornish tin mine to laundering the money through a former public schoolboy based in the British Virgin Islands. 'A lot of blokes in South London become villains to be big men in South London. I became a villain to get out of South London. I became a villain so that one day I wouldn't have to be a villain any more,' says Miller, but his unsophisticated ways soon tell and he finds out that acquiring wealth and knowing what to do with it are two separate things. Meanwhile, Palmer (Tom Cullen) is sitting pretty on the Sunday Times Rich List thanks – on paper at least – to his dodgy timeshare business. Unfortunately for him, he's a magnet for trouble. With the chauffeur, private jet and champagne comes cocaine, Russian gangsters, and angry pensioners fleeced out of their life savings. There are so many threads to the story, which freely admits to being based on theories rather than facts, and writer Neil Forsyth handles them with great skill. While it may lack the narrative drive of series one, it will keep you watching through the strength of the writing and the top-notch performances from everyone involved – Bafta nominations for Cullen and Spruell would be well-deserved. If the scenes in Tortola begin to drag, they are pepped up by a great turn from Joshua McGuire as Douglas Baxter, a prissy, disgraced lawyer who brings a welcome note of comedy. There's also a great little cameo from Phil Davis as a crime boss hankering after the good old days. The hunt for the gold is again led by Hugh Bonneville as Brian Boyce, the dogged detective who personifies everything that was good and proper about old-fashioned British policing. At the beginning, he's under pressure to wrap it up – this has been the longest and most expensive investigation in the history of the Met, and its failure has become an embarrassment. But Boyce presses on, aided by trusty colleagues Brightwell and Jennings (Charlotte Spencer and Emun Elliott) and new addition Tony Lundy (Stephen Campbell Moore). It's no spoiler to say the police never did find the gold. But nobody got clean away. Where series one was full of verve, this series has a bleaker, more desperate tone. Pulling off the heist was all well and good. This follow-up is about the reality of being on the run, and it's not much fun.
The Guardian
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Gold season two review – this thrilling tale of stolen millions is top quality British drama
At the end of the first series of The Gold, it dawned on the officers of the Met's Flying Squad that for all of their multiple investigations into the infamous Brink's-Mat robbery of 1983, they had only ever been chasing half of the stolen bullion. Arriving two years after its highly entertaining predecessor, series two sets off with an irresistible premise: what exactly happened to the rest of it? The trouble is that the show doesn't know the answer, though it freely admits this. None of the gold has ever been recovered, but a note at the beginning explains that the series is based on both real events and theories as to where the loot went. As before, some of the characters are real and some invented. The focus, this time, is on bringing down the ones who got away. The police are hot on the heels of the charming rogue John Palmer (Tom Cullen), AKA 'Goldfinger', who talked his way out of a conviction so convincingly in series one. They're also trying to track down Charlie Miller (Sam Spruell), a fictional amalgam of various south London villains, who has come away from the robbery with a lot of gold to hide and only loose ideas of what to do with it. The first series, set in the 1980s, was a classic cops-and-robbers drama, and as a result, was more contained and more thrilling. The second series moves the action to the 1990s, and has to work harder, at least initially. It follows the money through a sprawling network of villains, some small-time, some so big-time that at one point we take a detour to the country then called Burma. (I'm sure the cast who were stuck on the Isle of Man felt no resentment whatsoever towards the actors who ended up mostly in Tenerife.) For the first couple of episodes, The Gold seems uneasy with this new sense of unharnessed scale. It starts out like an instalment of The Famous Five, or Scooby-Doo, as Miller heads for the disused tin mines of Cornwall. But it soon drags its attention back to the money trail and the investigation, still led by Det Supt Brian Boyce (Hugh Bonneville at his best). The police work has been going on for so long that he and his team are losing the support of their superiors, who are trying to shut them down. These scenes feel a little stuck, a little repetitive, lacking the excitement of the robbery and its immediate aftermath. That is, until Palmer begins to flaunt his wealth and muscle his way into the English establishment. The Gold has always had something to chew on about who belongs where, and who gets to do what. The establishment and the underworld are rarely as distinct as you might think, the series seems to say, an idea that on occasion muddies the waters of who you are supposed to be rooting for. Miller is perceived as a 'knuckle-dragger' by Douglas Baxter, a disgraced Cambridge graduate and tax whiz whom Miller tasks with cleaning the dirty money. Joshua McGuire – a standout – plays Baxter with a snivelling haughtiness as repellent as it is pathetic. In fact, this is filled with thunderingly good performances, both billed and in the form of a few surprise appearances, which should please fans of series one. Any sense of triumph, of thieves luxuriating in their ill-gotten gains, is soon swallowed up by paranoia, and by episode three, the claustrophobia experienced by those involved in Brink's-Mat is palpable. Palmer's timeshare business in Tenerife is hiding a multitude of sins, and when the Russians arrive, it's fair to say that his work-life balance tips in an unfavourable direction. Miller, meanwhile, directs his attention towards the Virgin Islands, and a network of old boys to which he does not belong. For Palmer and Miller, the bubble can only get so big before it bursts, and the series revels in slowly turning the screws on them. The Gold is still prone to giving its characters lengthy speeches, in order to explain their belief system or philosophy of life, but that quirk has become as much a part of the series as sweaty detectives shouting 'nick 'im!', or indistinct timeframes indicated by captions like 'a few years ago'. But there is an overwhelming sense that this is Good Quality British Drama, despite the inevitable sprawl that comes with a story wandering across the Canaries, the Caribbean, Asia, the Isle of Man and London. For the most part, it is focused and newly thrilling. And despite having no obvious ending to draw from in real life, The Gold manages to cobble one together, with gusto. The Gold aired on BBC One and is on iPlayer now.
Powys County Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Powys County Times
Powys actor Tom Cullen to star as BBC hit the Gold returns
Powys actor Tom Cullen will be appearing on our screens this weekend as the BBC's hit show the Gold returns. Tom, who grew up in Llandrindod Wells, will reprise his role John Palmer in the factual drama series which is inspired by the true story of the 1983 Brink's-Mat robbery and the decades-long chain of events that followed. The Gold is the creation of highly acclaimed writer Neil Forsyth the creative force behind 'Bob Servant Independent' and 'Guilt'. The first series was a huge critical success with the Hugo Rifkind of The Times calling it "tremendous – I'm not sure there's been a drama like it in years' while the Evening Standard called it "a truly smart British crime drama with a classic feel and a knockout cast". The first series saw Cullen's Palmer work with Kenneth Noye, played by Jack Lowden, to melt down the stolen gold and launder it in the open market. According to Cullen, viewers can expect a big change in Palmer in the much anticipated second series. In an interview with the BBC ahead of the new series Cullen said: 'There's quite a large leap in terms of John Palmer from series one to series two. 'The themes of the show are a continuation of series one, in that it's about class, it's about money, it's about greed. It's about how money can be like an infection, and it can change the very makeup of a person. 'I also think it is about consequences. What happens if you push beyond your limits?' Help support trusted local news Sign up for a digital subscription now: As a digital subscriber you will get Unlimited access to the County Times website Advert-light access Reader rewards Full access to our app In the same interview with the BBC, creator Neil Forsyth added: 'The second series of The Gold picks up from the first series when the police realise they were only ever chasing half of the gold. 'This series follows the second half of the Brink's-Mat gold and it's also a story of the consequences faced by several of our key characters across the entire show. 'I always saw The Gold as a two series show, following the two halves of the gold, so this will be the final series.'
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Yahoo
Baker, Union County among graduates from the K9 Tracking Team Academy
Baker and Union County are among the 28 graduates from the Florida Department of Corrections K9 Tracking Team Academy. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The program teaches FDC correctional officers essential skills such as K9 handling and advanced tracking techniques, tactical weapons proficiency, and other roles disclosed to units. While the primary role of K9 Tracking Teams is to pursue escaped inmates, K9 teams are often deployed to support local law enforcement in apprehending dangerous fugitives and locating missing children and vulnerable adults 'These graduates exemplify the Department's mission to protect public safety within our communities,' said Florida Department of Corrections Region II Regional Director of Institutions John Palmer. 'As these officers return to their home institutions, their communities can feel a further sense of security knowing they have these highly trained professionals ready to serve and protect with unwavering dedication and commitment.' Graduates from the program include: Apalachee Correctional Institution Baker Correctional Institution Central Florida Reception Center Century Correctional Institution Cross City Correctional Institution Dade Correctional Institution Franklin Correctional Institution Gulf Correctional Institution Hernando Correctional Institution Holmes Correctional Institution Jackson Correctional Institution Jefferson Correctional Institution Lancaster Correctional Institution Liberty Correctional Institution Madison Correctional Institution Marion Correctional Institution North West Florida Reception Center Okeechobee Correctional Institution Polk Correctional Institution Reception and Medical Center South Florida Reception Center Sumter Correctional Institution Suwannee Correctional Institution Tomoka Correctional Institution Union Correctional Institution Wakulla Correctional Institution Watch the video below to learn more. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
The Guardian
05-02-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Greenland votes to leave the European Community – archive, February 1982
23 February 1982 Godthaab: Greenland's mainly Inuit (Eskimo) people are expected today to vote to leave the EEC, thereby depriving the Community of roughly half its total area. Some 32,500 Greenlanders are eligible to vote in a consultative referendum on whether the world's largest island should continue membership of the Community. EEC Commission officials in Brussels have said a 'no' vote and subsequent withdrawal could set a dangerous precedent with both the new Greek Socialist government and the British Labour party which are talking of leaving the EEC. Greenland entered the community with Denmark in 1973 despite the fact that 71% of its voters opposed membership in the Danish referendum on the EEC the previous year. A Greenland referendum in 1979, then approved home rule by 70% to 26% of the voters, permitting Greenlanders to decide for themselves whether they wished to stay in the EEC. Greenland remained part of the Kingdom of Denmark and under the Danish constitution, but power was devolved to a locally elected parliament, the Landsting. From John Palmer, European editor in Brussels 25 February 1982 There were fears in Brussels yesterday that the vote in favour of withdrawal from the Common Market in the Greenland referendum would encourage anti-Marketeers in Britain and Greece. The EEC Commission expressed its 'regret' at the result but undertook to negotiate a new relationship with Greenland – a process which may take until 1984 to complete. The referendum, in which 52% were against staying in and 46% were for remaining in the Community, was advisory. But the Siumut party, which has the majority in the local parliament, has repeatedly stated that it would pull out if the majority of Greenlanders wanted it. Despite the campaign waged by the Danish Government and the EEC Commission in favour of a vote for staying in the EEC, there was no great surprise at the narrow victory of those advocating withdrawal. Although the Ten will, at a stroke, lose about half the total land mass of the European Community, the decision only affects about 50,000 people of a total EEC population of 200 million. While considerable efforts were being made in Brussels yesterday to play down the decision, it was seen as setting a precedent in the British and Greek cases. However, it was pointed out that Greenland was a unique case in that it was better understood as part of a belated de-colonisation process by Denmark than as an attempt by an independent member state to seek a new relationship with the Ten. The first step in Greenland's disengagement from the EEC will be the formal communication of the decision to the prime minister, Mr Anker Joergensen, by the leader of the administration, Mr Jonathon Motzfeldt. It will then be for the Danish government, which remains responsible for Greenland's foreign and defence policies, to negotiate a new status for Greenland. Greenland's Siumut party wants the territory to be given the same privileged relationship with the EEC as that of France's metropolitan overseas territories. Although by leaving the EEC, Greenland will have taken itself out of the customs union the local administration is anxious to be able to sell fish to the EEC market free of tariffs. While anxious not to shut the door on a close link between the EEC and Greenland, the commission also does not want to encourage anti-Marketeers in Britain and Greece to think that the Greenland referendum is an easy option for them. From Derek Brown in Brussels 18 December 1984 Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion The European Community has invented the opposite of blackballing, the process used by club members to veto membership applications by undesirables. It has whiteballed Greenland into staying in the Community, against the will of its 52,000 mostly [Inuit] inhabitants Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory, wanted to leave on 31 December, largely because the regional government wants full control of fish stocks, the island's only significant resource. Earlier this year the 10 member states agreed terms under which the Greenlanders conceded valuable fishing rights in exchange for cash compensation. The deal, making Greenland the first territory to secede from the EEC, was, to take effect on 1 January 1985. But it had to be ratified by the 10 member states' parliaments. At least five have failed to do so. The whiteballing of Greenland is not the result of warm affection for the frozen wastes. The French Senate objected to certain features of the fish deal, which could affect catches in national waters surrounding, the colonial islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, south of Greenland. Other parliaments – in Ireland, Germany, and Italy – seem more simply to have overlooked the matter. Irish legislators started their Christmas holidays last week so Greenland is condemned to spend at least the first part of 1985 in the EEC. There was doubt last night whether the Dutch parliament had completed the ratification process. Belgium has refused to do so until the legal status of the deal is made clear. Foreign ministers of the Community, whose meeting here yesterday was largely concerned with opening the EEC door to Spain and Portugal, were unable to find the key to the exit for Greenland. They are still hoping, however, that the island can be treated as a non-member, even though she will remain in the club. Continue reading 2 February 1985 Greenland yesterday left the EEC to become the first country to quit the bloc since the founding Treaty of Rome came into operation in January 1958. The departure, originally set for 1 January, was held up by a dispute over access to dwindling stocks of fish.
