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The Gold is another of those dramas which was “inspired by real events”, so will have to imagine conversations between certain characters because CCTV can’t be everywhere at once… 40 years ago, at least, whereas it’s almost everywhere, now… and yet, it still can’t find my car keys.
But despite it being set in 1983, it’s not about the Spandau Ballet song, and opens with the text:
- “On the 26th November 1983, six armed men broke into the Brink’s Mat depot near Heathrow. They were expecting to find a a million pounds’ worth of foreign currency… Instead, they found gold bullion worth £26m.
It was the largest robbery in world history, and changed British crime and policing forever.
If you’ve bought gold jewellery in Britain since 1984, it’s likely to contain traces of this gold.
And it all began with six men in a van.”
The drama begins on that date, with the robbery taking place at gunpoint. I figured this would be quite a drawn-out process, but it’s all carried out quite quickly, and then it’s on to the investigation by the Flying Squad, as well as the baddies trying to fence the gold.
The cops are led by DCI Brian Boyce (Hugh Bonneville – To Olivia), who’s taken somewhat of a sideway promotion, thanks to the decision of Assistant Commissioner Gordon Stewart (Peter Davison – The Larkins, in a brief, but welcome role), who explains why he’s not getting his desired job as the head of Counter-Terrorism, all leaving Brian rather unimpressed with his lot.
Dominic Cooper (Warcraft: The Beginning) plays lawyer Edwyn Cooper, who represents cops who’s transgressed, but not too badly… i.e. not bent cops. So at least he’s on the side of Ted Hastings, although he does still have his finger in some rather unwise pies.
On the other side of the coin, Jack Lowden (Dunkirk) plays the murderer Kenneth Noye, who killed Stephen Cameron in 1996, and in watching this, it seems odd trying to glorify someone who, at the time, was just a thief, but later killed a man in cold blood, and was never repentant about it. I didn’t realise Noye was behind the robbery at the time – unless it came up and I’ve since forgotten – but then a leopard rarely changes its spots.
Only the first episode was available prior to broadcast, and I expect the whole series will be available from day one, but in seeing Hugh and co. – as he’s partnered with Nicki Jennings (Charlotte Spencer – Cinderella 2021) and Tony Brightwell (Emun Elliott – The Rig) – going to kick down doors to get the baddies, there was absolutely zero tension in this.
Conversely, what there was in abundance, was a stack of bad Cockney accents. And overall, I really couldn’t get a handle on The Gold at all.
The Gold begins on Sunday night on BBC1 at 9pm, and then will be on the BBC iPlayer.
Series Directors: Aneil Karia, Lawrence Gough
Producer: Charlie Leech
Writer/Creator: Neil Forsyth
Music: Simon Goff
Cast:
DCI Brian Boyce: Hugh Bonneville
Kenneth Noye: Jack Lowden
Edwyn Cooper: Dominic Cooper
Nicki Jennings: Charlotte Spencer
Tony Brightwell: Emun Elliott
John Palmer: Tom Cullen
Gordon Parry: Sean Harris
Micky McAvoy: Adam Nagaitis
Marnie Palmer: Stefanie Martini
Robert Wright: Josef Altin
Mary: Miranda Bell
Isabelle Cooper: Ruth Bradley
Brenda Noye: Nichola Burley
Assistant Commissioner Gordon Stewart: Peter Davison
Al: Anil Desai
CS Cath McLean: Amanda Drew
Henry: Richard Durden
Sergeant: Jake Fairbrother
DCI John Fordham: Hadley Fraser
DI Neville Carter: Sean Gilder
Freddie Hook: Kieron Jecchinis
Jackie McAvoy: Lily Knight
Garth Chappell: Robin Laing
Ralph Turner: Tom Meeten
Cooper’s son: Raffi Phillips
Kathleen Meacock: Sophia La Porta
Young Policeman Jack: George Russo
Charlie Miller: Sam Spruell
Wright’s Lawyer: George Taylor
Brian Robinson: Frankie Wilson
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.