User Reviews

Special Branch – Downwind of Angels – 1974 Special Branch Constable, Susan Jameson, is assigned to protect Vicki Hodge. Hodge is the wife of a South American dictator with more than a few enemies.

The two have just taken their seats at a fashion show, when Jameson sees a man with a gun standing in the shadows. She pushes Hodge to the floor, then, draws her weapon and fires. The man flees out the back with Jameson in hot pursuit.

The man, Jonathan Blake, makes good his escape down a fire escape. Jameson returns to check on Hodge. Hodge is OK but it seems her shot has hit a bystander, Margaret Cope. Cope is badly hurt and rushed to hospital.

Inspectors George Sewell and Patrick Mower arrive and take charge of the investigation. It seems that nobody saw the man with the gun except Jameson. She is quickly suspended and dragged over the coals by the force. The media then jumps in with the "invisible" gunman story.

Sewell, who has been stepping out with Jameson, is the only one that seems to believe her. The only person now that could confirm her story is Cope. She is in a coma with a less than 40% chance of survival.

Of course the usual assortment of nut bars and losers with a cause come in admitting to be the gunman.

Cope pulls out of her coma and tells Sewell and company that she did indeed see a gunman. She gives them a description of the man.

The Special Branch boys show the sketch to all involved and quickly get a name. Blake, it seems is from the same South American country as Hodge. Blake, is upset that his father, has been arrested by the current government. He plans on killing Hodge to get his revenge. He is planning a new hit at the hotel were Hodge is staying.

Sewell and Mower come to the same conclusion and rush to Hodge's hotel. They get there just as Blake is about to make his try. A brisk foot chase and a flying tackle bring Blake to heel.

Good series!

Special Branch comes to an end. It is the mid 1970s and this episode seems to be clear that the police are shown a lack of approval.

Britain is working on a trade deal with a South American country. The daughter of the Latin American dignitary is attending fashion show where a gunman plans to shoot at her.

Detective Sergeant Mary Holmes who is following her sees the gunman and fires back. Unfortunately she hits a young woman.

Mary is suspended as no one else there saw the gunman.

It is up to Haggerty to clear Mary's name. She is being grilled by internal affairs. Craven has to take a back seat because she is too close to Mary.

An agitator called Fountain comes forward but he has his own agenda. It does not stop Haggerty to rough him up.

There is a downbeat ending. Haggerty is suspended, Craven loses Mary who decides to leave the post. I did wonder if another series was planned.

It was also too silly for my liking. Haggerty and Craven bicker needlessly. Haggerty seems to have forgotten that Mary has put so much at risk for them in the past.

What was really mindless was all those people such as the photographer and models treating Haggerty with disdain. People seem to have no respect for the law in the 1970s.

In hindsight there were a few good reasons for it!