New Tricks

New Tricks follows the Unsolved Crime and Open Case Squad (UCOS), an unconventional unit within London’s Metropolitan Police that reinvestigates unsolved murders and serious crimes. The team consists of three retired detectives brought back into service, supervised by a serving Detective Superintendent who must manage their talents whilst reining in their tendency to ignore modern procedures, political correctness, and occasionally the law itself.

The original team comprises three distinct personalities who form an unlikely but effective partnership. Detective Superintendent Sandra Pullman, an ambitious career officer, is appointed to lead UCOS after a hostage situation goes wrong, effectively sidelining her from frontline policing. Determined to prove herself, she must navigate the challenge of managing three men who collectively have over a century of police experience and aren’t keen on taking orders from someone they see as young enough to be their daughter.

Jack Halford is a widower haunted by his wife’s unsolved murder, his grief channelled into meticulous detective work. He’s methodical, thoughtful, and maintains old-fashioned courtesy even whilst investigating the darkest crimes. His loss gives him empathy for victims’ families and drives his determination to bring closure to cases that have languished for years or decades.

Brian Lane is a brilliant but troubled detective forced into early retirement due to obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety issues. His exceptional memory and ability to spot patterns make him invaluable, but his mental health struggles, paranoia about conspiracy theories, and social awkwardness create complications. Brian’s character provides both comic relief and genuine pathos as he battles his conditions whilst trying to contribute meaningfully.

Gerry Standing is a charming rogue with flexible ethics – he was forced out of the police under a cloud of corruption allegations, though the truth is more complicated. Three times divorced, fond of the ladies, and always working an angle, Gerry brings street smarts and useful underworld connections. His willingness to bend rules often proves helpful, though it regularly puts him at odds with Sandra’s by-the-book approach.

The dynamic between these four drives the series. Sandra must earn the respect of three men who initially dismiss her, whilst they must adapt to modern policing’s bureaucracy, political correctness, and technology. The generational clash provides ongoing tension and humour – the old detectives mock contemporary police procedures, political sensitivities, and especially the computerisation of police work, whilst Sandra despairs at their casual sexism, questionable methods, and tendency to go rogue.

The cold cases themselves span decades, allowing the show to explore how London has changed over time. Cases from the 1970s, 80s, and 90s reveal different eras of policing, social attitudes, and criminal methods. The team often discovers that witnesses have died, evidence has degraded, and memories have faded or been distorted, requiring creative investigation techniques and the old detectives’ ability to think like the original investigators.

What sets New Tricks apart is its treatment of ageing and retirement. The detectives aren’t portrayed as past their prime but as experienced professionals with skills modern policing has lost. Their old contacts, knowledge of pre-digital investigative techniques, and understanding of how criminals thought in earlier eras prove invaluable. The show argues that experience and instinct remain relevant even in an era of DNA evidence and computer databases.

The series balances crime drama with genuine warmth and humour. The banter between team members, particularly the three men’s teasing of each other and their initially patronising attitude towards Sandra, provides comedy. Gerry’s romantic misadventures, Brian’s conspiracy theories and obsessive tendencies, and Jack’s patient mediation between his colleagues create character-driven humour alongside the serious business of solving murders.

Personal storylines develop throughout the series. Sandra navigates career ambitions whilst managing an unconventional team and dealing with her own relationship struggles. Jack seeks closure regarding his wife’s death whilst building a new life. Brian battles his mental health issues and complicated family relationships. Gerry juggles his ex-wives, numerous offspring, and attempts at romance. These ongoing narratives give emotional depth beyond individual case-of-the-week plots.

The show also features strong supporting characters, particularly DAC Robert Strickland (later DAC Donald Bevan), who serves as Sandra’s superior and political buffer. His role involves protecting UCOS from bureaucratic threats whilst occasionally questioning whether the team’s unorthodox methods are worth the headaches they cause. Pathologist Dr. Fiona Kennedy provides forensic expertise and periodic romantic tension.

As the series progressed over twelve seasons, cast changes saw new detectives join UCOS as original members retired or left, including Steve McAndrew, Dan Griffin, and Sasha Miller. Each brought their own personality and skills whilst maintaining the show’s essential dynamic of mixing old-school policing with modern requirements.

The London setting is integral, with the team investigating across the capital from affluent areas to rough estates, from historic locations to modern developments. The city’s evolution over the decades becomes part of the narrative – neighbourhoods transformed, communities displaced, and social changes reflected in both old and new crimes.

New Tricks explores themes of justice delayed but not denied, the importance of closure for victims’ families, and how crimes from the past continue to affect the present. Cases often reveal that what seemed straightforward decades ago was actually more complex, that prejudices or corruption caused investigations to fail, or that new evidence technology can finally prove what old detectives always suspected.

The title itself is ironic – whilst the show demonstrates that experienced detectives do indeed learn new methods (reluctantly embracing computers, adapting to modern procedures), it also argues that “old tricks” – instinct, experience, street knowledge, and traditional detective work – remain vitally important. The best results come from combining both approaches.

What makes New Tricks particularly appealing is its refusal to treat retirement as the end of usefulness or relevance. The detectives are in their sixties and seventies, dealing with health issues, family complications, and the challenges of ageing, yet they remain sharp, capable, and essential. The show celebrates their experience whilst acknowledging their limitations, presenting a nuanced view of ageing rarely seen in crime drama.

The tone balances serious crime investigation with lighter character moments. Murders are treated seriously, victims’ families are shown compassionately, and the emotional weight of unsolved cases is acknowledged. Yet the show never becomes grim, maintaining an essential optimism and warmth. The camaraderie between team members, the satisfaction of solving cases everyone else abandoned, and the gentle humour throughout keep the series accessible and comforting despite dealing with murder.

Ultimately, New Tricks is as much about second chances as cold cases – detectives getting another opportunity to prove their worth, victims’ families finally receiving justice, and everyone involved discovering that experience, determination, and the willingness to adapt can triumph over bureaucracy, time, and seemingly impossible odds. It’s a show that respects both tradition and progress, arguing that the best policing combines the wisdom of experience with openness to new methods – and that you’re never too old to make a difference.

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