E P I S O D E
Russian Roulette | |
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Season 11, Episode 3 | |
Air date | 11th November 2001 |
Written by | Brian Finch |
Directed by | Jonas Grimås |
Episode guide | |
Previous She's Leaving Home |
Next Legacies |
Synopsis[]
Mr Maxwell, a patient of Dr Tricia Summerbee is suffering from depression, and keeps walking onto railway lines. Meanwhile, Mike considers taking Sergeants exams.
Full Summary[]
Clive Denby from MI5 arrives unexpectedly and demands to see Craddock. He smugly tells him of a top secret surveillance operation he is carrying out in the area and that he may need a helping hand. Denby and Mike are old acquaintances. They were cadets in London and Denby takes delight that he as climbed the career far quicker than his old class mate. Other matters at the station soon divert attention away from the patronising visitor. There have been reports of suicide attempts on the railway line which need looking into and Mike tells Craddock that he has decided that he wants to take his Sergeant exams. Elsewhere Lithuanian Igor Saukas has come all the way from Russia to pay a visit to his old friend and business partner, Vernon Scripps. Leaving his trawler in Whitby, Saukas starts his hunt for Vernon in the Aidensfield Arms where Blaketon and David are most obliging. Vernon is horrified when David tells him that Saukas is coming to see him - he sold him some leaky umbrella's back in Lithuania and it could be pay back time. Little does Saukas know that he is the subject of Clive Denby's investigation. He suspects that the Russian visitor is a spy and what's more he thinks that Vernon is also involved. At the surgery Tricia is having a few problems with a new patient, Mr Maxwell. He came to see her with some chest complaints but soon started to behave very strangely- waiting for her late at night, calling her out for a suspected heart-attack and yet showing no symptoms. Tricia begins to suspect that Maxwell's problems are psychosomatic. When Mike visits her at the surgery Tricia lets her professional discretion slip as she discusses Maxwell's strange behaviour. Maxwell has overheard the whole conversation and is livid - he threatens to report her. Furious with herself Tricia is determined to help Maxwell. She locates his medical records and talks to his old doctor. Her suspicions are confirmed - he has been suffering from clinical depression, even suicidal, after the death of his wife. After a long chat with Tricia, much to her relief Maxwell is persuaded to seek some more specialist help. Back to his old tricks Vernon finds that Saukas's arrival isn't quite as painful as anticipated. Saukas has a trawler full of peat and has come to Vernon to strike a deal. Soon Vernon is selling peat to the whole of Aidensfield - he even manages to persuade Gina to use it at the Aidensfield Arms. When smoke starts billowing out of the pub, Vernon discovers that the peat is contaminated. Saukus has had his revenge! Elsewhere Craddock is delighted when he contacts the Chief Superintendent at the Division about Denby's investigation into Saukus. They agree that the situation has become nothing more than a wild goose chase and Denby's mission comes to an instantaneous end, much to his frustration.
Cast[]
- Jonty Stephens as Eamon Maxwell
- Mark Letheren as Clive Denby
- Stanley Townsend as Igor Saukas
- Philip Franks as Sgt Raymond Craddock
- Jason Durr as PC Mike Bradley
- Clare Calbraith as Dr Tricia Summerbee
- Derek Fowlds as Oscar Blaketon
- Tricia Penrose as Gina Ward
- David Lonsdale as David Stockwell
- William Simons as PC Alf Ventress
- Mark Jordon as PC Phil Bellamy
- Geoffrey Hughes as Vernon Scripps
- Dicken Ashworth as Enoch Payne
- Polly Pleasence as Dr Elizabeth Mitchell