Bergerac: Prime Target (BBC-1 30 Jan 1983, with Anthony Valentine)

In Prime Target Jim finds himself in France when a dead body turns up, the French police believe he is from Jersey. It just so happens that Charlie is also in France, doing business with Mrs Van Stratton. Van Stratton tells Jim that she the man at the Casino she and Charlie were at the night before and that she felt he was watching her.

Back on Jersey Jim discovers that the dead man was a private detective called Moberley who was working for the Carteret family of solicitors. Lionel Carteret (played by the always fabulous Anthony Valentine) the oldest brother has taken a back seat and the rest of the family want to buy him out but he has no intention of letting them. Moberley was working for the Carteret’s trying to find out whether the woman Lionel is seeing in France is only after his money.

It’s quite a convoluted episode really (especially the Van Stratton subplot which goes nowhere) but it does give Jim and Marianne the chance to go to France whilst Jim does some digging into the case. It’s also the catalyst for the two of them spending the night together.

There of lots of well known faces popping up including Nickolas Grace as a French police inspector; Catherine Schell as Carteret’s love interest; Madge Ryan as an friend of Charlie’s who is hiding a secret and Tammy Ustinov as Lionel’s younger sister.

production details
UK / BBC One / 1×60 minute episode / Broadcast Sunday 30 January 1983 at 9.10pm

Writer: Robert Banks Stewart, Robert Holmes / Production Design: Phil Roberson / Director: Henry Herbert

Series: Bergerac Season 2 Episode 4

cast
John Nettles as Jim Bergerac
Terence Alexander as Charles Hungerford
Sean Arnold as Crozier
Annette Badland as Charlotte
Mela White as Diamante Lil
Celia Imrie as Marianne
Deborah Grant as Deborah
Anthony Valentine as Lionel
Catherine Schell as Veronique
Nickolas Grace as Inspector Chazottes
Constantine Gregory as Dushesne
Madge Ryan as Mrs Van Stratton
Emlyn Price as Lawrence
Nell Campbell as Mrs Moberley
Marc Sinden as Lucas
Tammy Ustinov as Libby
Neil Phelps as Hair stylist
Alexandra Saul as Receptionist
Stephen Lawrence as Raoul
Andrew De La Tour as Moberley
Victoria Davies as Secretary