Hazell: Hazell and the Baker Street Sleuth (ITV 19 Apr 1979, with Ken Hutchinson)

In season 2 opener Hazell and the Baker Street Sleuth our intrepid hero has just helped secure the release from prison of Mrs Pargeter and and she is thankful in a number of ways.

Hazell has also gone solo as this second season begins, he is no longer attached to Dot Wilmington’s agency. He decides to team up with a new agency run by Neville Fitch. Fitch has him investigating a potential adulterer but it’s clear that the man, McGeegan, is just a drinker. With fifteen hundred nicker on the line Fitch decides to fit up McGeegan, that is very much against everything Hazell believes in and instead he decides to team up with McGeegan to sort Fitch out. In the process Hazell discovers that McGeegan’s wife really just wants him out of the way so that she can take over the running of the business fully.

Hazell spends much of the episode talking in a cod Irish accent. When challenged as to which part of Ireland he comes from he says South of the Border – Down Mexico Way. Having got the better both of Fitch and McGeegan’s wife (who wants control of their ample fortune) Hazell also ends up taking Fitch’s office when he can’t pay Hazell the money he owes him.

An excellent second season opener, so far it looks like Cousin Tel may well be the only carry over from season one. By the end of the episode James has his own agency at last. Graham Morris, an illustrator of some sort, rents office space from Fitch and answers the phones etc, it looks like he will be sticking around too.

production details
UK / ITV – Thames / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast 19 April 1979 at 9.00pm

Writers: Gordon Williams, Terry Venables / Production Design: Philip Blowers, Peter Elliott / Director: Brian Farnham

Series: Hazell Season 2 Episode 1

cast
Nicholas Ball as James Hazell
Desmond McNamara as Cousin Tel
Peter Bourke as Graham Morris
Clive Swift as Neville Fitch
Ken Hutchinson as Michael McGeegan
Lorna Heilbron as Anne McGeegan
Jill Melford as Mrs Pargiter
Vivienne Burgess as Miss Frobisher
Dawn Rodrigues as Margo
Michael Forrest as Joe Goss
Peter Godfrey as Photographer
David Neville as Aubrey Buscombe
Peter Guinness as Mr Downes
Virgo as Club Band
Alan Chuntz, Chris Webb as Heavies