In How Is It You’re Losing?, the penultimate episode of Spindoe, Eddie Edwards is dead and Alec is back in charge of the South and is determined to do things his way. He quickly throws out Mackleson’s right hand man Webster who had been working with Edwards. D.S. Peach is starting to feel the heat as he zero evidence to get at either Mackleson or Spindoe.
Things then starting hotting, quite literally, Mackleson and Spindoe begin tit for tat strikes at each other’s businesses from nightclubs to betting shops to strip joints. They all are hit and mostly burnt to the ground. Mackleson shuts the violence down by taking Billy Humphries hostage. A devastating attempt to rescue him leaves Humphries dead, along with several of Mackleson’s men. Spindoe, in a bid to get away, actually uses the only wounded at this stage Humphries as a human shield. Private Detective Scaliger, who is also heavily involved in the rescue realises that Spindoe is driven only by his own need for power.
Scaliger has been finding himself increasingly caught in the middle as he tries to play off both Spindoe and Mackleson, seemingly motivated only by his desire to help the troubled Renata and Humphries but with Humphries death it’s all starting to fall apart and he knows Spindoe needs taking down.
Another excellent episode and another one with a high attrition rate.
classic quote
“If I go down, Mackleson is coming too. For life.”
production details
UK / ITV – Granada / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast Friday 17 May 1968 at 9.00pm
Writer: Robin Chapman / Production Design: Alan Price / Director: Cormac (Mike) Newell
Series: Spindoe Episode 5 (of 6)
cast
Ray McAnally as Alec Spindoe
Richard Hurndall as Mackleson
George Sewell as Scaliger
Rachel Herbert as Renata
Glynn Edwards as Billy Humphries
Garfield Morgan as Webster
Bryan Marshall as Detective Sergeant Peach
Jon Laurimore as Detective Sergeant Fowler
Carole Mowlam as Ruth
Dan Jackson as Boy
Gerry Cowan as Tommy
Anthony Mayne as Reggie
Alan O’Keefe as Adams
David J. Graham as Schroder
Dorothea Rundle as Woman
Colin Edwynn as Curtis
Alan Bird as Thug
Alan Bird as Detective
David Courtland as Detective
Anthony Maygarth as Pressman
Michael Hall as Deputy Commander
