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Minder is a British comedy-drama series about the London criminal underworld. Initially produced by Verity Lambert, it was made by Euston Films, a subsidiary of Thames Television, and shown on ITV for ten series between 29 October 1979 and 10 March 1994. The series was revived by Channel 5 in 2009 but was discontinued after only six episodes. It was nominated three times for Best Drama Series or Serial at the British Academy Television Awards. Plot The first seven series starred Dennis Waterman as Terry McCann, an honest and likeable former boxer turned bodyguard (minder in London slang), and George Cole as Arthur Daley, an aging chancer and petty schemer, importer/exporter, wholesaler, used-car salesman and purveyor of anything else from which there was money to be made, legally or not. The series is principally set in working class west London (specifically Shepherd's Bush, Ladbroke Grove, Fulham and Acton), and was largely responsible for introducing the word minder, meaning personal bodyguard, into the UK popular lexicon. The characters often drank at the local members-only Winchester Club, where owner and barman Dave Harris (Glynn Edwards) acted, often unwittingly, as a messenger for Arthur, and turned a blind eye to his shady deals. Series 1–7 Although initially developed to focus on Terry's character, equal prominence was allotted to Arthur and his dealings as the series progressed. Barman Dave Harris at first made only occasional appearances, but the character also become popular and by the second series Dave was featured more prominently as well. The opening sequence of Series 7 was changed slightly to include shots of Terry, Arthur and Dave at the Winchester, and Edwards was given his own billing rather than remaining among the guest cast. Series 8–10 In 1989, after filming the seventh series, Waterman left the cast, feeling that the character had run its course and that it was becoming harder for the writers to come up with plots as sharp as the earlier series. Minder returned in 1991 with another character replacing Terry. Waterman's final episode, Series 7's coincidentally titled "The Wrong Goodbye", was filmed before Waterman announced his departure from the series, so there was no mention in the episode of Terry's forthcoming departure either. In the opening episode of series 8, "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Entrepreneur", Arthur finds Terry has married and emigrated to Australia to finally escape his influence. At the same time, he is stuck with looking after his nephew Ray Daley (Gary Webster), at the request of Arthur's brother, to give him employment and keep him out of trouble. With Terry gone, local undesirables start to muscle in on Arthur, but it soon emerges that Ray is able to handle himself in a tight situation, so Arthur appoints him his new "minder". Ray is well spoken, well educated (O Level French and woodwork) and less likely to be called upon as a pugilist, as fights were far less frequent and graphic than in the show's early episodes. He dresses snappily in designer suits, prefers mineral water or a soft drink to a pint of ale, but lacks his own car, usually relying upon the beaten up old blue Ford Transit van from Arthur's lockup. The original theme tune was replaced by a rock-style instrumental version, credited to "Kenny" (Gerard Kenny). By this stage, the grittier elements of the early series had been toned down in favour of the comedic aspects of Arthur's dodgy dealings. Waterman praised Gary Webster for fitting into the series, but remained vocal in his comments that the series was no longer about a "minder", and that the revamped version should go under a different title, reflecting its reorientation to Arthur. Other new characters were Sidney Livingstone (previously appearing as casino bouncer in the episode, "You Lose Some, You Win Some") as Bert Daley, Arthur's gullible brother and Ray's father, who views Arthur as a successful businessman rather than a con man, and entrusts Ray to his care; Bert's wife and Ray's mum, Doreen (Lill Roughley); and Ray's recurring girlfriend Gloria (Emma Cunningham), who is frustrated with Ray being torn between her and Arthur. The new police nemeses were Detective Sergeant Michael Morley (Nick Day), and D.C. Park (Stephen Tompkinson) in series 8, who in turn, was replaced by D.C. Field (Jonty Stephens) in series 9. At the conclusion of the final episode of Series 10, "The Long Good Thursday", Arthur along with Ray, Dave and crazy prisoner, Frankie (Matthew Scurfield), are finally apprehended by the police who drive them away in a convoy. In a final monologue over closing credits, a bemused Arthur protests that he is a hardworking, upstanding citizen. The following week, a slightly edited version of the first episode, "Gunfight at the O.K. Laundrette" was broadcast. In the introduction, in response to being asked to name his favourite episode, Cole states that "all were of such quality that he could not". He closed with "Goodbye... for now". Series 11 In 2009, Minder resumed on Channel 5 after a 15-year break. The first episode of the six-part series was broadcast on 4 February. The makers emphasised that it was a revival rather than a remake. The show focused on Arthur's nephew Archie, played by Shane Richie, and a new minder, Jamie Cartwright, played by Lex Shrapnel. Channel 5 stated that there were no plans for Cole, Waterman or Webster to reprise their roles. The series was produced by Talkback Thames. In the weeks leading up to the new series, Channel 5 launched a national advertising campaign to promote the show's return. These featured a series of adverts on television and billboards. Other promotions included advertisements on taxi receipts, a social networking campaign and branded beer mats, all designed to attract the young male audience Channel 5 was targeting. Although a Christmas episode was initially planned and announced ahead of the intended second series, due to poor ratings Channel 5 did not commission either. Cast and characters Terry McCann Terry is a former professional boxer who has served time in Wormwood Scrubs ("two years for GBH and three for attempted robbery" according to a police sergeant in the first episode, "Gunfight at the OK Laundrette", although other episodes slightly contradict this and the overall details are often quite vague), having served a substantial term because he would not become an informant against his co-accused. With few options, Terry is employed as Arthur's "minder" on vague and ungenerous terms, with it often being hinted that Arthur has manipulated him into this job, and indeed is seen to continue to manipulate Terry throughout the character's run in the series, despite Terry often attempting to find other means of employment and break free from Arthur's control (the later feature-length special "An Officer and a Car Salesman", which leads into Series 7, Terry's last stint in the series, begins with Terry once again insid.... 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