MovieChat Forums > The Vice (1999) Discussion > 'The Vice' is very annoying

'The Vice' is very annoying

posted 18 years ago by srm-1
21 replies | jump to latest

I find 'The Vice' to be the most annoying crime drama in recent years.
The acting is top-notch, but it is just so poorly written and frustratingly predictable. Devoid of irony or, indeed, any kind of realistic human comic banter, this show takes itself far too seriously. Inspector Pat Chappel comes across as a complete idiot and his private life is about as interesting as he is.

The only real character in 'The Vice' is Dougie, who gets topped for falling in love with a prostitute towards the end of season 2. Chappel then spends the rest of the series falling in and out of love with other prostitutes. In fact the entire programme is more about the vices in Chappel's head than those on the streets of London. Which is a bit of a shame as there is little of any significance going on in Pat's head.

In real life the vice squad is probably a really mundane and boring job and perhaps, too, they don't have much success in what they do - but would that make good TV drama? That folks, is what we have here; and it goes on and on and on...for 5 seasons.

If you are thinking of getting the DVDs, save your money and get 'Waking The Dead', 'Prime Suspect', 'Cracker', 'A Touch of Frost', 'Inspector Morse', 'Murder in Mind', 'Trial and Retribution', 'Dalziel and Pascoe', 'Wire in the Blood' or even 'Midsomer Murders' instead. All of these leave 'The Vice' floundering in their wake.

[–] Tweekums 18 years ago

I haven't seen it is ages but I really enjoyed The Vice, it was darker than most other detective shows and the acting was great. I guess it is just a matter of taste... although I enjoyed all the other programmes you mentioned.

I'm only going to say this once: stay out of Camberwick Green - Sam Tyler

[–] akrouichi 11 years ago

it was not formulatic or easy to spot. unlike other cop shows.

[–] jmatrixrenegade 15 years ago

"realistic human comic banter"

I don't know what that means exactly. Dougie was caught at the end of the First Series, not the second.

As to prostitutes, he seems more attracted to various police types -- so far from what I seen he had an affair with a therapist and another officer. There also appears to be some attraction, perhaps, with a younger member of his team.

I'm willing to bet real life vice is not quite the same here but as to success, the point seems to be Chappel is little more than running in place as well, adding to his desperation at times.

But, this is all a matter of taste, yes.

[–] janschbern 14 years ago

The plots may be weak - not necessarily boring. In reality, how does one make stories connected to British Vice Police interesting? They have no guns. They are highly limited in how they gather evidence. Very different than the opportunities available to their American cousins, as far as bringing in action, chases and all sorts of mayhem. Rather, The Vice revolves around the strengths and weaknesses of the characters who make up the small group of that unit. And therein lies the quality. The acting is brilliant. The casting for the secondary parts is top notch, with some annoying exceptions. Ken Stott alone is worth the price of watching (for those episodes in which he stars). Its the same for all those other series that you mention. British television tends to be about quality acting first, plots second. If both are there, all the better. Take Foyles War. Dinky plots. Wonderful actors.

[–] akrouichi 11 years ago

you are right. yanks would screw it up!

[–] kathquay1 11 years ago

Watching all this again on ITV3 and I love it!! Ken Stott is just great in whatever he does, seems to fill the screen with his presence.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] kathquay1 11 years ago

Yes.

[–] kathquay1 11 years ago

They are showing the whole body of work every night so we are getting through the various series pretty quickly. However, I must say that the later series do not have the edge of the earlier series and IMO are not as good. Seems that they have become successful as a show and therefore the sets are more sophisticated, the story lines, ditto and the show seems to have lost that element of gangsterism that made it so successful. But what do I know? I wouldnt know how to write a t.v. series.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (41638798) 11 years ago

You are so right about the later series losing something kathquay1.

I was just talking about that with someone last night, who also is following the recent airings of the entire series.

I'd not see in it years and years; and even then it tended to be a hit and miss ep here and there.

But watching it one by one does throw up the weaknesses of the later shows.

IMHO only, series 1-3 were the best. And 1-2 the better of this grouping.

It becomes clear when looking at the credits that the early seasons were written by the creators themselves, Pursey and Simner. And some of the other best early eps were by Wilsher, who clearly knew what the creators wanted in the show.

So in essence The Vice was their vision--they created the characters, the plot and took the 4 leads through their arcs.

The show had that imprint that ALL shows have that are one person's vision--like Anthony Horowitz and "Foyle's War" or Martin Clunes and his producer wife who created and control entirely the "Doc Martin" series.

These kinds of single-creator (or team creator) shows really have a special aspect to them that show franchises that are farmed out to a different writer every week and a different director just don't tend to have.

The latter part of Season 3 of The Vice suffers from this I think. It's all over the place.

And it's not too far a stretch to content that the loss of Warren's character Dougie was a HUGE blow to the show. That energy his plot (and the actor) brought to the show was such a huge loss in the thing.

It's perhaps a sin to say it--but if anybody could knock Ken Stott of the screen it was Warren's Dougie!

The emotion, the intensity, the pathos and underneath it that hugely likeable young guy who was struggling so much--very few young actors could have pulled that off and have us love him all the way no matter what. I did anyway!

Warren plays so many goofy sad sacks that the level of his huge talent sometimes gets lost in the lack of respect we have for some of the village idiots he plays as a rule. But with Dougie he had a REAL role and had not yet begun to play his stock and trade bozo he later got stuck in.

After Dougie left the story, it was never the same for me. And the changing writers were another blow.

[–] kathquay1 11 years ago

I love Warren too. Glad you are in agreement and thanks for your detailed input.

[–] akrouichi 11 years ago

you are spot on.

[–] akrouichi 11 years ago

you are spot on !

[–] kathquay1 11 years ago

Just watched the start of Season 5. Good acting but IMO, an implausible plot.Someone who worked vice all those years getting carried away and actually killing someone? An officer working undercover allowing herself to become an addict? The big bad cheese walking away from a rape charge and taking Chappels position in the office? Still it makes for compulsive viewing and I look forward to the rest of the plot unfolding.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] kathquay1 11 years ago

Yes, Ken Stott is excellent is he not?

[–] GoldenGooner04 11 years ago

As soon as the amazing Ken Stott left the show in a most stupid way then they should have finished the show,
instead they carried on with it, brought in some C quality actors and made the boss Vickers a very bent cop, who does what he likes when he likes and to who he likes, so then we have Jo turning brainless and stupid, and the others going bent or just plain stupid. As for Kirsty, they just have turned her into a hooker as that was what she was
And in the final episode we have Jo forcing another cop to sleep with a pimp
what was brilliant was turned into mash

Problem was Stott was so good he did not have to speak, his looks his eyes you felt his pain, the episode where he was in the house with the gang of pedos was truly stunning, and his acting was outstanding

Then we have Vickers and Kirsty, what a waste and what a sad ending to a great series

[–] kathquay1 11 years ago

Yes it was a bit of a damp squib of an ending. Got the impression they felt they had gone as far as they could go with the story lines. Not nearly as good without Ken Stott and they all knew it. Still I enjoyed watching it so thanks for all the input.

[–] gerrymcaleer 9 years ago

I'm so sorry, but your criticism of The Vice & Ken Stott don't resemble anything I've viewed before. I'm assuming you're simply mistaken. And there it is.

[–] SMORacka 9 years ago

Watching the series and it's interesting how my opinion of these guys has changed. Ken Stott is an incredible actor, but come on, what is up with this guy and his libido. Are they trying to tell us vice cops have such hollow lives that they would do and screw anything?

I'm still on season 3, but it seems the only normal person was Joe - he made an attempt to lead a decent and normal life - away from the crap he saw at work.

Cheryl was just a snitch who'd rat on even her colleagues.
Dougie was an impressionable moron.

And then you have Pat. Pat who screws everyone and does not seem to have limits. Starting from the psychiatrist in S1, he did not have any normal relationship. He ends up in relationships with prostitutes, mothers of crime victims, and whoever came across his path.

I definitely agree with Waking the Dead - great series. Touch of Frost got ridiculous when you had a 60yr old, overweight and seemingly unhealthy man chasing and tackling bad guys.

[–] SMORacka 9 years ago

Also, the series started declining in series 3. You have Pat dating the mother of a murder victim who did not seem to spend more than 2 minutes mourning her dead son. Then you have the prostitute/schoolteacher/escort whose teenager came to shack up with her and Pat. And how does a woman suddenly go from living the life of a suburban mom to quickly becoming an escort over a £500 commission when she was not in desperate need of a home? All with her teenage daughter around.