The Brothers: Riley (BBC-1 10 March 1974)

In Riley It’s revealed that 25 years previously in 1947 Bill Riley was arrested for stealing a consignment of cigarettes with two other men, Riley was only 21 at the time and had only recently been demobbed from the army, he claims it was just high spirits but the police are determined to prove he is a thief (following the hijack of the previous episode). Meanwhile Jill and David are at complete crisis point and Jill is threatening to walk out on their marriage. A heart to heart with Mary Hammond leaves her even more unsure and Mary makes it plain that she intends to give Julie a piece of her mind.

Barbara has realised that Johnny has no idea about how to run a business and forces him to shut the boutique before they go any further into debt.

Bill Riley (played by Derek Benfield) gets a real chance to shine in this stand out episode, very quickly certain members of the board are keen to believe that he might just have been responsible for the robbery but Edward backs him all the way even going so far as to offer bail surety if its needed. Things are maybe wrapped up a little too quickly but the show as a whole is at the top of its game here. Writer Paice, who wrote the majority of season three episodes, has a very definite handle on how he wants the storyline to move forward.

production details
UK / BBC One / 1×60 minute episode / Broadcast 10 March 1974

Writer: Eric Paice / Production Design: Charles Bond / Director: Roderick Graham

The Brothers Season Three Episode Six

guest cast
JONATHAN NEWTH as Nicholas Fox
HUGH SULLIVAN as D.I. Parsons
BRIAN GRELLIS as D.S. Pritchard
FRANK JARVIS as Jim Barker
MALCOLM STODDARD as Johnny Trent