In season closer The Pier, Kingdom has his hands full on both the work front and the domestic front and finds the two coming together. His wife Angela has gone away to Margate for a few days and he has a murder to investigate – which just happens to be in Margate!
The opening segment is split between scenes of Kingdom and wife Angela at home with a young man behaving strangely on Margate Pier. Angela is increasingly unhappy, something that has been building up throughout the whole season really and wants to spend a few days by herself in Margate (the seaside town she grew up in.)
There is quite an air of menace throughout the whole episode. Both with the strange man on the pier and Adams the creepy barman at the hotel where Angela Kingdom is staying. Adams has his eye on her right from the start and at one stage practically assaults her in her room. Ray Lonnen who plays Adams had previously appeared in the season 2 episode Prove It.
The final episode of the Kingdom-Ward era then and it’s been a hugely satisfying run. The third series toned down the antagonism between the two as they formed more of a respectful relationship.
classic quote
“It’s difficult to be alone, really difficult.”
production details
UK / ITV – London Weekend Television / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast Saturday 15 September 1973 at 9.40pm
Writer: Peter J. Hammond / Production Design: Rodney Cammish / Director: Cyril Coke
Series: New Scotland Yard Season 3 Episode 13
cast
John Woodvine as John Kingdom
John Carlisle as Alan Ward
Sally Home as Angela Kingdom
Andrew Bradford as Richard Holly
Ron Hackett as Detective Inspector Greenaway
Colin McCormack as Detective Sergeant Edge
Ray Lonnen as Adams
Jacqueline Bennett as Jean Meadows
Jason James as Policeman
Mike Stevens as Policeman
