Bought this along with "The Power Game" but have only just got around
to watching this. Series may seem a bit patchy because only one episode
of the first series survives. While "The Power Game" is all big business with
Wilder's Machivellian machinations in taking control of Bligh Constructions
this series, initially, has a bosses vs workers theme.
Reginald Marsh is superb as Sudgeon, the managing supervisor who is
suddenly thrust onto the board, as his old union chum says "we need
someone like you on the board to fight for us but the workers will hate
you"!! So while Wilder (Patrick Wymark) episodes are to do with wheeling
and dealing in the board room and he is portrayed as ruthless, Marsh
shows a man who is fair and human, although as in "Don't Stick Your
Head Out" gets a glimpse into how Wilder operates. Once the series
settles in it becomes a slice of life into the many departments of the
Scott Furlong Air Company. In "Any More for the Skylark?" Wilder tries
to put a stop to the practice of issuing free passages on test flights and
a young clerk (Rodney Bewes) finds courage he never knew he had.
"A Matter of Self Respect" finds Sudgeon giving a helping hand to a
friend who has just been released from prison for manslaughter - this
is particularly emotive as the man struggles to cope with his first visit
to his young daughter!!
Unfortunately mid way through series 3 Sudgeon is forced to resign - I
noticed that throughout the start of the season Marsh's role was
diminished and Alan Dobie who played the icy David Corbett gained
prominence. Corbett was as coldly calculating as Wilder but he just
didn't have the older man's passion and emotion to say nothing of
charisma - I found him impossible to warm to. So without a character
who audiences could relate to - the ying to Wilder's yang, the edginess
went out of it and I can understand why the show ended when it did!!
