Story
Action
Pace
Humour
Violence

I think this episode starts quite well but, halfway through and particularly towards the end, it declines into a rather "comic-book" style. The scrap between Bodie and Krivas is puerile and undoubtedly fuelled critics' complaints that the series was frequently moronic.

Another problem for the story is that there aren't really any likeable support characters and there is a noticeable lack of humour, too – except for the highly amusing scene involving the lads "kidnapping" Sinclair's daughter. Martin's underplaying works extremely well ("Oh yes, you're certainly pretty.... it's just that I haven't being feeling very well lately!") but Lew arguably spoils it by slight overacting.

The scene where Bodie tells about the girl he lost to Krivas was hammed up, too.

That said, the late Robert James plays a lovely brief role as nervy arms dealer Cusak. (The actor would return in the second season's 'The Rack').

There is some interesting social comment: the state of the high-rise block and attitudes towards the police. As with many similar scenes in other episodes, still relevant to today's problems. Brian Clemens was right: the stories are still fresh today.

Benny's interrogation scene comes alight once Cowley threatens to deport him back to Angola. Benny pleads with Bodie and Lew's expression is perfect – obviously sympathising with him yet fully supporting his chief's actions.

Despite an early sighting of Cowley "out in the field" the episode does not contain enough high-points to recommend it.

This one's a showcase for Bodie. The opening scene has him showing his matter-of-fact tough and nasty character, then turning to Doyle and engaging in some matey patter.

We learn more about Bodie's pre-army mercenary past. More about his loves and losses. The three main actors work quite well together throughout. Bodie is driving now with Doyle as passenger. There's good character development during the "chat on the stairs" and kudos to the writers for that scene! Note that when Cowley chews out Bodie, Bodie takes it like a soldier rather than fighting back verbally as Doyle always does. Bodie obeys; Doyle questions.

Doyle again demonstrates his hot temper. Bodie restrains him. Watch Bodie's face when he finds the door to the armorer's place open. This is an expression he uses a lot when he finds doors unlocked or open – it's in 'Heroes', too, when they enter the warehouse only to find it empty.

Here we see the "sneaky" Cowley for the first time – the man who's quite willing to put his boys on the line in order to advance the case. The "kidnap" scene is both funny and awkward – MS plays it well but LC seems to be straining at the dialogue. Possibly this is one of the infamous "dubbed" scenes.

The two leads are starting to work with "the looks" rather than talking about what they will do. The audience has now come to accept their ability to read one another's minds, I believe.

The plot - well, uh. I cannot imagine a leader as volatile as Krivas actually keeping a band together. He's mad as a hatter and untrustworthy. Doesn't work for me.

The best part of the entire episode is the destruction of that awful suit and red shirt Bodie sports. Who is in charge of wardrobe in this one? MS seems rather embarrassed at the finale. I do not blame him.

Not my favorite ep, but Bodie does look good!

There are five members in Krivas gang. During the bank raid, four of them are sat in the back of the lorry while The Pole is at the airfield... so who is driving the lorry??!! (Well spotted, Tomas Jakl!)

In the opening scene at the airport, a wall calendar reveals it is 27th July 1977 (which was the actual date the scene was shot), yet after the bank robbery the following day, the newspaper headline claims it is 23rd November! (Well spotted, Petri Kaasalainen!)

When the planes are scrambled to intercept Krivas' plane, they keep swapping between Harriers and Jaguars! Also the landscape keeps switching between lowlands and mountainous regions. (Thanks to Mike Pounder and Ted Taylor)

Krivas is only ever known to Sinclair as "Mr Smith", yet when Bodie tackles Sinclair, the latter recognises Bodie's reference to "Krivas".

When Krivas threatens to shoot Benny, the pistol's slide is locked in the open position, which indicates that the pistol is either out of cartridges, or a cartridge (or catridge case) has jammed within the pistol and so cannot be fired. (Thanks to Peter Bahniuk and Martin Edge).

In the scene where the trio are chasing Krivas' lorry, you'll see that the seat headrests in the Rover keep disappearing and reappearing!

Also, in the scene where Cowley is trapped by the motorbikes: keep an eye on his handkerchief!

Another episode which was found to be under-running when originally edited together, hence the later additions of the scenes noted in the Production Dates section above.

Luke Hanson (Keller) was originally known as Hans de Vries and appeared in small roles in a number of 1960s ITC series such as The Saint and Randall and Hopkirk. In 1969 he auditioned to replace Sean Connery as James Bond. He would later return to The Professionals in 'Backtrack'. Continued a career of minor film and television roles and appeared to leave the business in the late 1990s.

David Suchet (Krivas) of course went on to play Belgian detective Poirot in the long-running 1990s ITV series. Recently seen alongside Keith Barron in the BBC's National Crime Squad: Manhunt mini-series.

Geoffrey Palmer has had a busy career since the 1960s, carving out an unlikely niche in British sitcom (Butterflies, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, Fairly Secret Army, As Time Goes By). Also had a hilarious cameo as Field Marshal Haig in Blackadder Goes Forth. More recently he appeared as General Roebuck in the Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies.

Del Henney (Benny) reappeared in 'A Man Called Quinn'. Film appearances include the controversial (indeed banned in the UK) Straw Dogs. Other credits include guest shots in shows such as The Sweeney, Rumpole of the Bailey and the popular Jonathan Creek.

Robert James (Cusak) reappeared in 'The Rack' as the Coogans' lawyer. A massive catalogue of television appearances, including the very first (now lost, sadly) Avengers episode and a number of other stories from that show. He also appeared in Brian Clemens' cult fantasy Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter (1972). Passed away in 2004.

Note: despite most of the bank raid action being shot in Slough and Eton, some further, brief shots were taken several weeks after principal shooting, this time using Harefield in order to boost the action further.

Harefield Grove was used for CI5 headquarters, Cusack's arms store and the hotel room where Krivas' gang first meet up.

The lads escort prisoner Keller for extradition. Although the opening shot of the plane landing is Heathrow, the interior, was filmed at the TWA Air Terminal in Kensington. However it is now this hotel.

Krivas' mob heads to the bank south along St Lawrence Way, Slough, although it's been completely redeveloped since 1977.

After Benny tells the gang about seeing Bodie at the airport, there is brief shot of the truck on Alpha Street South, Slough, although it's quite difficult to tell given that the truck obscures most of the shot! However, as we'll see, this road was used a lot in this ep.

The bank is at 54 High Street, Eton.

The gang drops a blockade at the junction of Grove Close and Alpha Street South, Slough.

Alerted to the robbery in progress, a blue Triumph police car emerges from Merton Road and crosses the St Laurence Way roundabout into Alpha Street North. (An alternative take for this shot had previously been seen in 'Old Dog with New Tricks')...

... arriving at the bank, the cops hit one of the gang's blockades and immediately comes under fire. However this brief shot was actually filmed at 25 High Street, Harefield.

A second police Triumph comes under fire on the aforementioned Alpha Street South.

More location cheating: the police Allegro gets blocked on Newdigate Road, Harefield.

Krivas & co flee in the army truck around the corner of Alpha Street South and Grove Close in Slough.

Meanwhile fellow gang member The Pole hijacks a light aircraft at what is documented as Leavesden Aerodrome, near Watford.

The residents of Alpha Street South must have had a terrifying day when the chase was filmed because here is the truck coming down it yet again!

Another location hop now with a brief shot taken in Park Lane, Harefield..

... but, inevitably, it gets terminated on... yep, the Death Valley of Slough: Alpha Street South!

Back on Newdigate Road, Harefield for a brief shot of another Allegro chasing the Krivas gang. Check out that handling and body-roll!

Back in Slough, the truck rounds the corner of Hencroft Street North and Herschel Street. Note that day-glo green door - we'll see that again!

The pursuing Allegro is killed off on the corner of Alpha Street North and Herschel Street. (The truck then somehow doubles back up Herschel Street past The Day-Glo Green Door!)

After using cloud cover to evade the RAF jets (which used stock footage), Krivas' mob 'chute out of their plane and land in Croxley Hall Wood near Croxley Green, Hertfordshire.

Suspecting that Krivas led the raid, the lads set off for local arms dealer Cusack. There is a cheat here because CI5 HQ suddenly moves to 33 High Street, Harefield! In the screenshot the building on the left that juts out from the pavement is immediately recognisable.

Having deliberately taken a strong-box belonging to local crime boss Simon Sinclair, Krivas delivers it back to its owner as a precursor to offering his team of mercenaries to carry out other blags. Sinclair's mansion is Lockwell House, White Hill, Batchworth Heath.

Bodie suspects that Benny won't pass up a chance to see his wife and child while he is in England. The lads head to Benny's place, via Russell Road, Kensington. The postbox that can be spied in the background is just about the only recognisable landmark on this street now, although in the Google Street View its obscured by the parked cars. The subsequent shot from inside the car is documented as having been filmed on the same street.

On returning from Sinclair's place, Krivas hitches a lift on a van. The shot of him leaping from it is documented as the aforementioned White Hill, Batchworth Heath but, if correct, the exact spot is difficult to pinpoint.

In the next shot, Krivas hides from a police Range Rover. This is documented as having been filmed at the Mount Vernon Cottages on White Hill.

Meanwhile the lads arrive at Benny's place, Hazlewood Towers, Golborne Gardens in Kensington in and wait for him to turn up.

The gang's second hideout is documented as being shot around the gravel pit on Moorhall Lane, Harefield, although if correct then it has been redeveloped since.

Having taken Benny in for questioning, the squad hatches a plan to track down the rest of the gang, using Sinclair's daughter as an offer the gangster can't refuse. The gir's school is actually Park Mansion in the grounds of Harefield Hospital. As can be seen from the photo below, it is now in a very sorry state - indeed the use of the tight close-up shot in the episode itself may indicate it wasn't in good shape way back in 1977! (Photograph of Park Mansion reproduced by kind permission of Fiona Slee at Narrowboat Epiphany.)

Now aware that Krivas is about to steal a consignment of plutonium from Barrowsby nuclear plant, Cowley and the lads set off to intercept the mercenary. On the way they almost colliding with a truck by Woodcock Hill Cemetery, Rickmansworth.

The Barrowsby nuclear plant was actually Harefield Hospital. Most of the site has been completely transformed since 1977 but this insert shot seems to have been filmed at the main gates. The brick gatepost is unchanged.

Arriving at the plant too late, Cowley suspects that the speeding truck was actually Krivas, who has now ambushed a police car towards the north end of Rickmansworth Road, Harefield.

The closing scenes of the villains dumping the bikes, the firefight and the scrap between Krivas and Bodie were filmed around the Springfield Lane area of Harefield.