by Craig Cabell
‘The Rebus books were first picked up by the BBC. They were the first to cast it and I went down to London from Edinburgh to see the big cheeses for a casting meeting, and they asked me who I thought should play Rebus. I told them that I had absolutely no idea what he looked like. However, his background was SAS and he was a bit tough and they said that they were thinking of Robbie Coltrane. And I smiled a bit, thinking that the flashbacks to Rebus’s SAS training would be brilliant – the assault course with Private Robbie Coltrane running over it!’
SERIES 1
Black and Blue 26 April 2000
The Hanging Garden 6 September 2000
Dead Souls 13 September 2001
Mortal Causes 1 November 2004 (this episode was postponed from 20 September 2001 due to the 9/11 attacks on the US in 2001).
Main characters
Detective Inspector John Rebus: John Hannah
Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke: Gayanne Potter
Detective Chief Inspector Gill Templer: Sara Stewart
Detective Inspector Jack Morton: Ewan Stewart
Morris Gerald Cafferty: James Cosmo
SERIES 2
The Falls 2 January 2006
Fleshmarket Close 6 March 2006
SERIES 3
The Black Book 8 September 2006
A Question of Blood 15 September 2006
Strip Jack 22 September 2006
Let it Bleed 29 September 2006
SERIES 4
Resurrection Men 5 October 2007
The First Stone 12 October 2007
The Naming of the Dead 26 October 2007
Knots and Crosses 7 December 2007
Main characters
Detective Inspector John Rebus: Ken Stott
Detective Chief Inspector Gill Templer: Jennifer Black
Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke: Claire Price
PLOT SUMMARIES
Black and Blue
The story starts with a man being tied to a chair by two thugs, tools being taken from a bag and the victim escaping by throwing himself out of the window while still tied to the chair. He plunges several floors.
Rebus has labelled a serial killer as a ‘copycat’ of ’60s murderer Bible John. He gathers his leads in the case while drinking heavily and overcoming his inner demons. Sitting in his living room, looking through his netless window at the Edinburgh night sky, there is a feeling as if the city is willing him to drink himself to an early grave, but the telephone rings as if the living are telling him that he’s still needed.
The scenes of darkness, rain and disquiet make this an entertaining, atmospheric and pacy episode, albeit a shadow of its original story.
A fictionalised version of The Dancing Pigs – the punk band Rankin sang for – appears briefly in this episode. The title refers to the Rolling Stones album Black and Blue, which is briefly seen in the story. Over all, an entertaining show.
CAST
DI John Rebus John Hannah, Ryan Slocum (The Preacher) Jim Norton, DI Morton Ewan Stewart, DCI Templer Sara Stewart, Eve Kendall Joanna Roth, D Supt McCaskill Stuart Hepburn, DS Clarke Gayanne Potter, Angie Riddell Clare McCaron, Lawson Geddes David Lyon, Lenny Spaven Robert McIntosh, DI Ormond Lewis Howden, Barry Judd Fish, Joanne McKenzie Jenny Foulds, Paul Martin (The Disciple) Stevie Hannon, D Supt Grogan David Gallacher, DI Lumsden Gilbert Martin, WPC Logan Jenny Ryan, Stanley Toal Stephen McCole, Joe Toal Michael Carter, Alan Mitchison Russell Anderson, Mark Jenkins Graeme Mearns, Tony Kane Andrew McCulloch, Mental Minto Anthony Donaldson, Kenny Lynch Malcolm Shields, Rico Briggs Tam White, William ‘Craw’ Crawford Billy Barclay, DC McLean Andrew John Tait, TV Presenter Nicola Burnett Smith, Taxi Driver Richard Callum, Hotel Owner Alistair Ritchie, Customs Officer Paul Pirie, Gerry the Waiter John Leith, Undertaker Colin Scott-Moncrieff, Ronnie Singh Faroque Khan, Venessa Molly Innes, TV Journalist Ian Sexon, Immigration Officer Ian Cairns.
Standby Props Chris McMillan and Tristan Carlisle-Kitz, Props Driver Andy Neilson, Dressing Props Bobb Orr and John Casey, Prop Master Bill Gower, Standby Carpenter Ian Gallacher, Standby Painter John Hughes, Standby Rigger John Rhymer, Construction Painter Henry Gallacher, Construction Manager Malcolm Gilbert, Electricians Joe McLean, Ben Horsefield, Genny Operator Phil Green, Best Boy Eddie Monaghan, Lighting Gaffer Bob Horsefield, Floor Runner Emmet Cahill, Third Assistant Director Mark Murdoch, Second Assistant Director Dee Hellier, Script Supervisor Sheila Johnston, Production Runner Mark McGhee, Production Secretary Claire Gammon, Production Co-ordinator Joanne O’Sullivan, Assistant Accountant Lorraine Berrie, Production Accountant Wim De Greff, Location Runner Robert Cowie, Unit Manager Miglet Crichton, Location Manager Brian Kaczynski, Assistant Film Editor Laura Gorman, Dubbing Mixer Chris Sinclair, Sound Editor Douglas MacDougall, Graphic Design Douglas Bryce, Post Production Supervisor Liz Pearson, Stunts David Andres and Vincent Keane, Stunt Co-ordinator Roderick P Woodruff, Special Effects Designer Paul Kelly for Any Effects, Special Effects Supervisor Tom Harris, Wardrobe Assistant Nicholas Roache-Gordon, Costume Supervisor Suzy Freeman, Boom Operator Bradley Kendrick, Sound Recordist Brian Milliken, 2nd Camera Assistant Joe Blackwell, 2nd Camera Operator Dave Carey, Grip Terry Pate, Clapper Loader Stephen Warner, Focus Puller Steve Oxley, First Assistant Director Nael Abbas, Casting Director Di Carling CDG, Screenplay Stuart Hepburn, Script Editor Nicole Cauverien, Costume Designer Delphine Roche-Gordon, Make-Up Designer Amanda Warburton and Alison Davies, Music Douglas Ferguson, Editor Chris Buckland, Director of Photography Doug Hallows, Production Designer Campbell Gordon, Line Producer Gary Tuck, Director Martyn Friend, Producer Murray Ferguson, Executive Producer Philip Hinchcliffe and John Hannah.
The Hanging Garden
The film has a violent but very atmospheric opening that sensitively bastardises the important points at the start of the novel.
The voice-over from Hannah is good and helps gel a highly charged story.‘Big Ger’ is OK, Tommy Telford, more so. A lot of Rebus’s complex love life is left unsaid to keep the story visual and at pace. From the mid-point of the film the pace is somewhat increased and more detail is left out, including a character full of Eastern promise…
Overall The Hanging Garden is a very watchable TV drama, even if Templer’s character is taken far from the original books, but then again some liberties were taken with some of the nicely tied loose ends at the end of the original novel.
Note: the book title refers to The Cure’s song ‘The Hanging Garden’.
CAST
DI John Rebus John Hannah, DI Morton Ewan Stewart, DCI Templer Sara Stewart, DI Ormond Lewis Howden, D Supt McCaskill Stuart Hepburn, DS Clarke Gayanne Potter, Dr Emir Slaven Tom Watson, Candice/Katarina Sheyla Shehovich, Morris Cafferty James Cosmo, Sammy Rebus Eilidh MacDonald, DI Miriam Kenworthy Philippa Watson, Jake Tarawicz Deka Walmsley, Tommy Telford Tommy Flanagan, ‘Pretty Boy’Summers Scott Cleverdon, Rhona Corinne Harris, WPC Logan Jenny Ryan, Executive Jaclyn Tse, Weasel Andrew Barr, Kenny Houston Douglas Russell, Sean Haddow James G O’Hara, Telford Man Martyn Tim Webster, Danny Simpson
Steve Caswell, DS Bill Pryde Robert Paterson, Doctor Jacques Kerr, Nurse Trish Mullin, Boy Eyewitness Sean Mowat, Acid Throwing Man Chris Young, Marty Rab Affleck, Taxi Driver Gordon Munro, Singer Owen Gorman, A&E Doctor Patrick Logan, Boy Scott Weir.
Standby Props Chris McMillan and Dennis Knotts, Props Driver Andy Neilson, Dressing Props Bob Orr and John Brown, Prop Master Bill Gower, Standby Carpenter Ian Gallacher, Standby Painter John Hughes, Standby Rigger Peter Callaghan, Construction Painter Henry Gallagher, Construction Manager Malcolm Gilbert, Art Department Runner Sarah Cowlishaw, Production Buyer Douglas Harvey, Art Directors Nicki McCallum and Catherine Carruthers, Electricians Joe McLean and Mike Archer, Genny Operator Phil Green, Best Boy Eddie Monaghan, Lighting Gaffer Bob Horsefield, Floor Runner Emmet Cahill, Third Assistant Director Mark Murdoch, Second Assistant Director Dee Hellier, Script Supervisor Sheila Johnston, Production Runner Mark McGhee, Production Secretary Claire Gammon, Production Co-ordinator Joanne O
’Sullivan, Assistant Accountant Lorraine Berrie, Production Accountant Wim De Greef, Location Runner Robert Cowie, Unit Manager Miglet Crichton, Location Manager Brian Kaczynski, Assistant Film Editor Laura Gorman, Dubbing Mixer Chris Sinclair, Sound Editor Douglas MacDoughall, Post Production Supervisor Liz Pearson, Stunts David Anders, Theo Kypri, Lex Milloy, Andy J Smart, Trevor Steedman, Tony van Silva and Len Woodcock, Stunt Co-ordinator Roderick P Woodruff, Special Effects Designer Paul Kelly for Any Effects, Special Effects Supervisor Tom Harris, Armourer Gregg Pearson, Armourers Perdix Firearms, Wardrobe Assistant Nicholas Roche-Gordon, Costume Supervisor Suzy Freedman, Boom Operator Bradley Kendrick, Sound Recordist Brian Milliken, 2nd Camera Assistant Joe Blackwell, Steadicam/2nd Camera Operator Dave Carey, Clapper Operator Stephen Warner, Focus Puller Steve Oxley, Grip Terry Pate, First Assistant Director Nael Abbas, Casting Director Di Carling CDG, Screenplay Ben Brown and Philip Palmer, Script Editor Nicole Cauverien, Costume Designer Delphine Roche-Gordon, Make-up Designer Alison Davies and Amanda Warburton, Music David Ferguson, Editor Chris Buckland, Director of Photography Doug Hallows, Production Designer Campbell Gordon, Director Maurice Phillips, Line Producer Gary Tuck, Producer Murray Ferguson, Executive Producers Philip Hinchcliffe and John Hannah.
Dead Souls
Rebus’s troubled sleep – dark and gothic – opens the story. But soon Rebus springs into action and starts to narrate the story.
He arrests a known paedophile, Darren Rough, as he takes photographs at the zoo. Rebus thinks he is taking photos of children but in fact he is taking photos of the animals. Rebus and DI Jim Margolies take Darren home, arousing the local community as to his past at the same time – so much so that Darren eventually needs police protection.
Old school friend Barny Mee turns up at St Leonard’s to ask Rebus for help in locating his missing son. Rebus is reluctant to help until he finds that Barny is actually married to Rebus’s ex-girlfriend, who he falls in love with all over again.
Jim Margolies, Rebus’s friend, the man who has everything, commits suicide and Rebus suspects foul play even though Jim’s father wants everything left alone.
Gill Templer admits to organising the safe house for Darren Rough, because she needed him as a witness in one of her cases. She had warned off Margolies, who was responsible for putting the paedophile away in the first place, but Rebus knew nothing of it.
After interviewing two child prostitutes and Darren himself, Rebus finds that Margolies was hiding a sinister secret, something his wife even knew about and his father had orchestrated.
Rebus helps his ex-girlfriend in finding her son. He is living with his gay lover. Barny Mee won’t thank Rebus though, as Janice admits to spending the night with Rebus. It seems that Rebus has broken up the marriage.
CAST
DI John Rebus John Hannah, DCI Gill Templer Sara Stewart, DCS Wilson Ron Donachie, DS Siobhan Clarke Gayanne Potter, Janice Mee Michelle Fairley, Barry Mee Paul Cunningham, Darren Rough Russell Barr, DI Jim Margolies Mark Bonnar, Katherine Margolies Emma Currie, Dr Joe Margolies Hugh Ross, Betty Margolies Anna Hepburn, Mary Margolies Danielle Cook, Stuart Mee Iain Robertson, Cameron Petrie Stuart Wilkinson, Ama Petrie Carol Preston, Weasel Andrew Barr, Van Brady Myra McFadyen, Ray Heggie Paul Malcolm, Billy Boy Brady Ryan McIntyre, Gordon Ince Peter Kelly, Kenny Lynch Malcolm Shields, Mrs Playfair Pamela Kelly, Fern Dorothy Jane Stewart, Francine Stephanie Wilson, Leanne Kayleigh Johnstone, Joey Thomas Mullins, Pete James Mackenzie, Bouncer Dirk Robertson, PC David Tarkenter, Man Walking Dog Colin Brown.
Standby Props John Booth, Bob Orr, Props Driver Andy Neilson, Dressing Props John Casey, Piero Jamieson, Prop Master Bill Gower, Standby Carpenter Ian Gallacher, Standby Painter John Hughes, Standby Rigger Billy Wilson, Construction Painter Henry Gallacher, Construction Manager Malcolm Gilbert, Art Department Runner Sarah Cowlishaw, Production Buyer Craig Menzies, Art Directors Nicki McCallom, Catherine Carruthers, Electricians Mick Lay, Rob Osborne, Genny Operator Mike Cooper, Best Boy Dave Cook, Lighting Gaffer Steve Philips, Third Assistant Director Emmet Cahill, Second Assistant Director Dee Hellier, Script Supervisor Sheila Johnston, Production Secretary Anne O’Neill, Production Co-ordinator Joanne O’Sullivan, Assistant Accountant Catrina Luna, Production Accountant Wim de Greef, Location Runner Fraser Tolmie, Unit Manager Miglet Crichton, Assistant Film Editor Laura Gorman, Dubbing Mixer Cy Jack, Sound Design Savalas, Post Production Supervisor Liz Pearson, Stunts Tony Van Silva, Peter Pocock, Vincent Kerane, Gordon Seed, Stunt Co-ordinator Roderick P. Woodruff, Special Effects Supervisor Peter Akass, Armourer Gregg Pearson, Assistant Costume Designers Rob Wooley, Christof Roche-Gordon, Assistant Make-up Designer Fiona Maynard, Boom Operator Bradley Kendrick, Sound Recordist Brian Milliken, 2nd Focus Puller Kevin O’Brien, 2nd Camera Operator Jim Peters, Steadicam Operator Alastair Rae, Clapper Loader Stephen Warner, Focus Puller Jason Olive, Grip Terry Pate, Camera Operator Andrew McDonnell, Location Manager Brian Kaczynski, First Assistant Director Nael Abbas, Casting Director Di Carling CDG, Script Editor Nicole Cauverien, Costume Designer Delphine Roche-Gordon, Make-up Designer Alison Davies, Music David Ferguson, Editor Chris Buckland, Director of Photography Eric Gillespie, Production Designer Campbell Gordon, Line Production Don Bell, Executive Producer Judy Couniham, John Hannah, Screenplay Stuart Hepburn, Producer Murray Ferguson, Director Maurice Phillips.
Mortal Causes
A very good narration begins the episode concerning the two sides of Edinburgh. Then an IRA six-pack-style murder is committed under the streets of the city and Rebus is called in.
The story follows on from the last one as Janice Mee now has her own flat and starts to rebuild her life. Throughout the episode there are tensions between Janice and Rebus but they find some common ground towards the end.
Rebus finds that the murdered man is Brian Cunningham, ‘Big Ger’ Cafferty’s son. Here the story harks back to the previous episode The Hanging Garden, where ‘Big Ger’ helped to find the person who knocked down and nearly killed Rebus’s daughter. Now Cafferty, still in prison, wants Rebus to return the favour. Rebus has regrets.
A hoard of guns is found and racial tension builds. Rebus finds a group called The White Thistle who wish to exterminate any non-white Scots.
‘Big Ger’ is sprung from prison and Rebus finds himself repaying the debt he owes him.
Trivia: the list of White Thistle recruits Siobhan finds on Brian’s computer account is the names of the production crew who worked on the Rebus series.
CAST
DI John Rebus John Hannah, DCI Gill Templer Sara Stewart, DS Siobhan Clarke Gayanne Potter, DI Martin Kilpatrick Michael Nardone, Janice Mee Michelle Fairley, Morris Gerald Cafferty James Cosmo, Frankie Bothwell Kevin McMonagle, Mhairi Henderson Ashley Jensen, Caro Rattray Michelle Gomez, David Soutar Paul Doonan, Jamesie McMurray Craig Moncur, DS Ken Smylie Eric Barlow, DS Calum Smylie Gregor Duncan, Jools Docherty Jenny Patterson, Lachlan Murdock Russell Anderson, Teresa Cunningham Sheila Grier, Weasel Andrew Barr, Clyde Moncur Vincent Marzello, Eleanor Moncur Barbara Barnes, Dr Curt James Bryce, WPC Ellen Logan Jenny Ryan, Nahid Surinder Hoonjan, Christo Mark O’Hare, Minister John Comerford, Brian Cunningham Alan Berkley, Estate Agent Suzanne Dance.
Standby Props John Booth, Bob Orr, Props Driver Andy Neilson, Dressing Props John Casey, Piero Jamieson, Prop Master Bill Gower, Standby Carpenter Ian Gallacher, Standby Painter John Hughes, Standby Rigger Billy Wilson, Construction Painter Henry Gallacher, Construction Manager Malcolm Gilbert, Art Department Runner Sarah Cowlishaw, Production Buyer Craig Menzies, Art Directors Nicki McCallum, Catherine Carruthers, Electricians Mick Lay, Rob Osborne, Genny Operator Mike Cooper, Best Boy Dave Cook, Lighting Gaffer Steven Philips, Floor Runner Mark McGhee, Third Assistant Director Emmet Cahill, Second Assistant Director Dee Hellier, Script Supervisor Sheila Johnston, Production Secretary Anne O’Neill, Production Co-ordinator Joanne O’Sullivan, Assistant Accountant Catrina Luna, Production Accountant Wim de Greef, Location Runner Fraser Tolmie, Unit Manager Miglet Crichton, Assis
tant Film Editor Laura Gorman, Dubbing Mixer Cy Jack, Sound Editor Douglas MacDougall, Post Production Supervisor Liz Pearson, Stunts Richard Bradshaw, Stuart Clarke, Dave Anders, Gary Connery, Seón Rogers, Derek Lea, Clive Curtis, Stunt Co-ordinator Wayne Michaels, Special Effects Supervisor Mark Holt, Armourer Greg Pearson, Assistant Costume Designer Rob Wooley, Christof Roche-Gordon, Assistant Make-up Designer Fiona Maynard, Boom Operator Bradley Kendrick, Sound Recordist Brian Milliken, 2nd Focus Puller Kevin O’Brien, 2nd Camera Clapper Loader Stephen Warner, Focus Puller Jason Olive, Grip Terry Pate, Camera Operator Andrew McDonnell, Location Manager Brian Kaczynski, First Assistant Director Marcus Catlin, Casting Director Di Carling CDG, Script Editor Nicole Cauverien, Costume Designer Delphine Roche-Gordon, Make-up Designer Alison Davies, Music David Ferguson, Editor Chris Buckland, Director of Photography Eric Gillespie, Production Designer Campbell Gordon, Line Producer Don Bell, Executive Producers Judy Counihan, John Hannah, Screenplay Mark Greig, Producer Murray Ferguson, Director David Moore.
Series one summary
Although John Hannah may be a little too young to be the Rebus of Rankin’s books (at the time of making the series), he is extremely credible in the role, as is the supporting cast. If one accepts that the stories are simplified for dramatic effect and some characters behave differently from the books, the first Rebus series was both atmospheric and entertaining, leaving the audience thirsting for more. Because of topical news stories, the last episode wasn’t screened originally, which is a shame as several ongoing themes find closure in the last episode, making the series quite rounded.