User Reviews

You know an episode is good. I watched this episode when it was first broadcast in 1978 and still remember parts of it.

One big element was James Cosmo playing tough Scots cop Davy Freeth who broke down doors with his face.

Freeth has come down from Glasgow to bring in three violent gangsters. One of them is found dead, it might had been over an argument about football or religion.

The remaining two are planning to kidnap a schoolgirl. The daughter of another Glasgow gangster. Only for the thugs to enter the wrong house and attempt to abduct the wrong girl.

Before that, Regan and Carter rope in Freeth to recover a painting stolen from Windsor Castle. Once again Freeth's face is left plastered but it's the wrong flat they got into.

There is a lot of comedy including Regan and Carter indulging in Scots stereotypes. Freeth is above it all, he is a professional copper, even insisting he would not break down a door unless there is a warrant.

There is also a shocking act of violence with a man killed by a flare gun which sets his body ablaze.

Cosmo just steals the episode, he makes Regan and Carter look like amateurs. I was surprised that he did not get his own spin off.

This is one of the most violent episodes of a TV show i ever saw. I can't remember all the details of the plot, except to say, that it is probably how crime often plays out, and the level of tragedy is higher than normal. It's one of the only episodes of the Sweeney where Regan gets really angry, the only other Sweeney I can remember such a thing happening is when at the end of the first movie, Carter yells "They didn't kill him, you did!" But I think I last saw this twenty years ago, and it really had an effect on me. The violence is amazing. Not only that, but it reminds me of the film 'Villain', which starred Richard Burton.

Regan and Carter meet Detective Sergeant Freeth who has come down from Glasgow to pick up three "hard men" who have strayed from his patch. He doesn't give them any details but things get murkier when one of them is found murdered, likely by one of the other two. It also appears that the men are in London to kidnap a young girl.

Season 4 started off incredibly well with Messenger of the Gods, for me the best episode of the show. Hard Men follows in a similar vein: gritty, action-filled plot, great procedural elements and much banter and humour, here often at the expense of our Scottish guest.

There's also a Keystone Cops sort of vibe running through it as Regan's under-staffed team fumble their way around investigations. The attempted raid on the art fencer was very funny!

Nice and gritty, sparse episode and it's one of those "New Guy Who Reluctantly Helps Regan/Carter And Is Comparably Uptight and Accident Prone" in James Cosmo as a Scotsman after the titular Hard Men causing some havoc in London, which is never quite clear and not entirely built up but the wandering around and investigating has intrigue and suspense. The only downside is the disgusting Token Fat Cop Jellyneck constantly picking his nose, and one time eating it!

The funniest thing is how they continue to make us think John Thaw is a sex symbol. He walks into a 20-year old girl's room, who he had just met, and the next scene they're in bed! It's one thing to have an ugly guy like him have a certain rap or charm, but he does nothing and it's more Fantasy than The Hobbit and funnier than Charlie Chaplin how England pushes their agenda that all male heartthrobs be ugly while all the women are magazine model quality. A man's world indeed!!!