Original Air-Date: 18/3/2000, 20:55
Ratings/Chart Position: 10.63m/13
Duration: 49.11m
Screenplay by: Charlie Higson
Directed By: Mark Mylod

Starring: Bob Mortimer (Jeff Randall), Vic Reeves* (Marty Hopkirk) and Emilia Fox (Jeannie Hurst).

* Real Name = Jim Moir

Guest-Starring: Charles Dance (Kenneth Crisby), David Tennant (Gordon Stylus), Hanna Stylus (Annette Stylus), Jessica Stevenson (Felia Siderova), Melissa Knatchbull (Wendy Gill), Steve Pemberton (Sergeant Liddel), Mark Gatiss (Inspector Large), Paul Shearer (Man In Restaurant), Gemma Page (Woman In Restaurant), Martin Wimbush (Head Waiter), Michael Knighton (Workman) Brian Williams (Arty Type at Party), Joscelyn Best (Young Artist) and Charlie Higson (Cameo as Arty Type, uncredited).

Technical Personnel: Ken Shane (1st Assistant Director), Trevor Puckle (2nd Assistant Director), Janine Law (3rd Assistant Director), Pat Karam (Location Manager), Giles Edleston (Assistant Location Manager), Tracey Tucker (Unit Manager), Susanna Wyatt (Production Accountant), Lynne Greenshields (Assistant Accountant), Ruta Ozols (Production Co-Ordinator), Sophie Siegle (Producer’s Assistant), Julie Brown (Script Supervisor), Peter Versey (Camera Operator), Ben Wilson (Focus Puller), Ian Struthers (Clapper/Loader), Andy Kendall (Camera Grip), Steve Phillips (Sound Recordist), Jeff Milner (Boom Operator), Jane Walker (Chief Make-Up), Jayne Buxton (Make-Up Artist), June Nevin (Costume), Sharon Robinson (Wardrobe Mistress), Pookie Russell (Wardrobe Assistant), Sarah Kane/David Walley (Art Directors), Madelaine Leech (Art Director on Camera), Brian Williams (Stylus’ Paintings), Ian Tully (Production Buyer), Trevor Daniels (Property Master), Simon Buret/Noel Deegan (Dressing Props), Eric Levy/John Grimwood (Standby Props), Mike Eager (Standby Carpenter), Dave Stapleton (Standby Painter), Martin Goddard (Standby Rigger), George Vince (Gaffer), Andy Hebden (Best Boy), Kenny Redford/Rick Loughlin (Electricians), Artem Visual Effects (Special Effects), Tomato Design (Titles), Nick Angel (Music Advisor), Rod Woodruff (Stunt Co-Ordinator), Colin Chapman (Supervising Sound Editor), Joe Gallagher (Dialogue Editor), Alan Snelling (Re-Recording Mixer), Adrian Seery (Telecine Operator), Ronan Hyder (Assistant Editor), Matthew Holben/Fay McConkey (Visual Effects Supervisors), Double Negative (Visual Effects), Analisa Barreto (Associate Producer), Marilyn Johnson (Casting Director), Murray Gold (Music), David Arnold (Theme Music), Bryan Dyke (Editor), Grenville Horner (Production Design), John Ignatius (Director of Photography), Liz Bunton (Line Producer), Simon Wright (Executive Producer) and Charlie Higson (Producer). A WTTV Production for BBC. Copyright Universal Television/BBC, MM.

Developed with the support of the media programme of the European Union.

Jeff: Jeff Randall is introduced, a partner in "Randall and Hopkirk - Security Services", along with Marty Hopkirk. A worrier who, it is implied, has a secret affection for Jeannie, he and Marty, according to Jeannie "did everything together". Marty claims that divorce is Jeff's specialty. He and Marty have a car (apparently joint-owned), a brown Mercedes, registration PYY 875Y.

Marty: An over-cautious driver who never goes over 40mph, yet also a joker, Marty claims to be a lover of the arts, having recently bought Classical Moods, a four-album box set. He also claims to have painted a bare wall outside the office with an image of tower blocks. (It's assumed this is just a joke).
After he is killed, he reappears as a ghost, composed of ectoplasm. Abilities he demonstrates are appearing on television and in a computer game; speaking over the phone; blowing objects and switching on an unplugged radio. He also learns to sit in a moving car. However, he remembers the old rhyme: "Afore the sun shall rise anew, each ghost until his grave must go. Cursed be the ghost who dares to stay, and face the awful light of day. Thy shall not your grave return, until thy chosen one begone." This is a notable change to the original, that had Marty cursed to walk the Earth for a hundred years. Here Marty is only a ghost for as long as he has Jeff for company. After staying to help Jeff past dawn, he is now stuck as a ghost, with only Jeff able to see him.

Jeannie: Jeannie Hurst is engaged to Marty as the story begins, a waitress who was due to marry him the forthcoming Sunday. (A wedding car was due to leave the junction of Spooner Drive and Berman Street at 10:15am for the church three miles away).
However, after his death she loses her temper and is fired from her waitressing job. From the wedding scene it appears her father is still alive, and at Marty's funeral she has an unspecified sister/friend called "Wendy".

The Story: As the episode opens Jeff and Marty are working on a divorce case for Jennifer Crisby while Marty is supposed to be on a date with Jeannie. They get caught by Kenneth Crisby taking photographs of him having an affair with Annette Stylus and he assaults Marty, pledging "you're a dead man". As a result, Jennifer divorces him, taking 50% of his wealth.
In order to exact his revenge, Crisby plots with his client, famous artist Gordon Stylus, to kill both Marty and Stylus' wife. Crisby wants Annette dead as she threatens to reveal she is the real producer of Gordon's work, while Gordon wants her dead after her infidelity.
Gordon "hires" Jeff and Marty to watch over Annette, whom he tells them is suicidal and mentally unbalanced. While getting an android stand-in at a live art performance show (designing an exhibit called "Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust"), he kills his wife and dresses up as her to drive her vehicle (registration S525 BFG) over a cliff. He drives the car, dressed as Annette, into Marty and over a cliffedge. Getting out just in time, the vehicle crashes into the sea with Marty on the bonnet and his dead wife's body in the driver's seat.
Marty comes back to life as a ghost and helps Jeff piece together what really happened. They confront Crisby and Gordon, Marty knocking Kenneth out by blowing paint tins all over him. He is arrested, while Stylus is accidentally sawn in half by one of his androids.

In-Jokes: When meticulously planning Marty's wedding, Jeff mentions a "Spooner Drive" and "Berman Street". This refers to Dennis Spooner, the creator and executive story consultant of the original series, as well as Monty Berman, the original's producer. Kenneth Cope is honoured by Vic copying his "about to be run over" pose when Annette's car drives up to him for the first time.
Also of note is Randall and Hopkirk's secretary, who considers naming her unborn child "Damien" - a reference to the avant garde artist in the story who is a spoof of real-life artist Damien Hirst. This is also reflected in the final shot, a wry take on Hirst's famous "divided sheep" exhibit.
Finally, is this just me, or in the scene where Bob is dictating the wedding arrangements in front of a map projection, is he directed to deliberately walk in front of the map section so that a little black box appears, Hitler-like, under his nose?

Soundtrack Used: My Body May Die - Pulp vs The Swingle Sisters; Confusion - James and Carnival of Drums - Talvin Singh

Viewpoint:

Vic and Bob themselves sited this as the worst episode of the series. Rather a pity, then, as the audience pulled in by an extensive marketing campaign will be in two minds whether or not to return after seeing a muddled and disjointed debut episode.
Desperately in need of another draft, the first episode is confused and badly told; Marty’s death, which should be the focus, is shunted to the sidelines to make way for a satire on Damien Hirst. The original, you may remember, had its own "wacky artist" episode – arguably its worst – with For The Girl Who Has Everything. You’d think the remake (though this is not really a remake, more of a "based-on") would learn from this, and adopt a more satisfying plot for its first outing.
And what of the original? Well, for those that have seen it, it’s impossible not to compare the two. For a start, mild bad language is implemented, something that never would have happened in the 60s version. Three bloodys, two bitches, a tit, a turd, a git, "sod you" and bastard all escape the lips of the supporting cast. Perhaps most unfortunate is a kick-boxing Jeannie that hurls food down crotches and utters "arsehole", while the previously-childlike Marty yells "bollocks" before the episode fulfills its duration. This is a Randall and Hopkirk that has a healthy mention of sex, violence (Dance bangs Marty’s head on a car bonnet an unlucky thirteen times, while being sawn in two by a chainsaw is shown to be a topic for amusement) and pop fills the screen. This is not just pop that naturally occurs in the background of dinner parties or radios, but an irksome, unnamed song (or at least, it was when I wrote this review - see "Soundtrack Used", above) that makes multiple incongruous reappearances. Obviously just hard-sell on the forthcoming tie-in soundtrack.
Semi-frozen images, fast-frames and cutaways all owe more to Trainspotting than the creaky old 60s show, while alcohol is freely consumed by all. But before I begin to sound like the son of Mary Whitehouse, I should point out the series should be viewed on its own merits. Comparisons are irrelevant, this is a completely different series. And while the opening episode is severely flawed (its pacing is too frenetic, the comedic elements and unclaimed affection between Jeff and Jeannie overstated; the characters of the two main leads are unrealistically presented, Marty particularly; Marty doesn’t die until 23 minutes in and his resurrection as a ghost is presented again without realistic reference), there is a fair potential in the series, a pretty good television programme waiting to emerge. While the denizens of The Fast Show, The League of Gentlemen and Spaced distract ("I’m afraid we have some bad news", says the Dr. Chinnery-like Inspector Large), support is ably offered by the excellent Charles Dance, while Vic and Bob can passably act. Bob, in particular, (the one who took acting lessons), makes a very endearing Jeff, though Vic has yet to display sincerity as Marty. You genuinely feel as if this could work, if only it could allow itself to settle into more rigid storytelling, less flashy direction and overtly-youthful references. Vic and Bob are middle-aged now, and the series should reflect that. Marty is such a pratt that his role as detective is completely unbelievable. Hopefully these flaws will right themselves, and even though I wasn’t that keen on the actual episode, I am looking forward to seeing more.