It felt different. If you were watching BBC One back in 2012, you probably noticed the shift the moment the first episode of New Tricks Series 9 hit the screen. Change is usually slow in long-running procedurals. Not here. This was the year the Unsolved Crime and Open Case Squad (UCOS) finally started to fracture under the weight of its own history.
The show had always been about the friction between old-school "coppers" and the red-tape world of modern policing. But Series 9 wasn't just another collection of cold cases. It was a goodbye. James Bolam, who played the grumpy yet brilliant Jack Halford, had already decided he’d had enough. His departure early in the season sent shockwaves through a fanbase that viewed the core quartet—Halford, Lane, Standing, and Pullman—as untouchable. Honestly, watching the dynamic shift after Jack left was like seeing a favorite band replace their lead guitarist. It works, but the tuning is slightly off.
The Jack Halford Exit and the Arrival of Steve McAndrew
When Jack Halford rode off into the sunset in the first episode, titled "A Death in the Family," it wasn't just a plot point. It was a logistical necessity because Bolam reportedly felt the show had become too formulaic. Whether you agree with him or not, his exit forced the writers to scramble.
Enter Denis Lawson.
Lawson took on the role of Steve McAndrew, a retired detective from Glasgow. Bringing in a Scot to shake up the London-centric vibe was a smart move. He was high-energy. He wore a leather jacket. He was basically the antithesis of Jack’s quiet, grief-stricken wisdom. While Jack was the soul of the team, Steve was the spark plug. Fans were divided. Some loved the new kinetic energy he brought to the squad room, while others felt the "grumpy old men" balance had been permanently disrupted. You’ve probably got a preference, but there’s no denying that Lawson’s chemistry with Alun Armstrong’s Brian Lane was surprisingly solid from the jump.
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Why the Cases in New Tricks Series 9 Felt Darker
The show always had a bit of a "cozy" reputation, despite being about murder. It was the "Sunday night cocoa" of television. However, New Tricks Series 9 took some surprisingly grim turns. We weren't just looking at dusty files; we were looking at deep-seated corruption and personal failures that didn't always have a happy resolution.
Take the episode "Old School Ties." It deals with a death at a prestigious boarding school. It’s classic New Tricks on the surface, but the underlying themes of classism and the "old boy network" felt more biting than usual. Then you had "Parts of a Whole," which delved into the murky world of 1970s forensics. It highlighted how much the team relied on gut instinct versus the sterile, data-driven world of modern CSI.
The writing team, led by creators Nigel McCrery and Roy Mitchell, seemed to be leaning into the idea that the world was moving on, and UCOS was the last line of defense against a cold, impersonal future. This season wasn't just about catching killers. It was about proving that the "old ways" still had value in a world that wanted to digitize everything.
The Casting Gamble: Did It Work?
Replacing a lead in year nine is a nightmare for any producer. Most shows die when a core member leaves. New Tricks didn't die, but it evolved.
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- Amanda Redman (Sandra Pullman): She remained the glue, but you could see the character's patience thinning.
- Alun Armstrong (Brian Lane): He stayed brilliant, twitchy, and obsessive. His subplot involving his wife Esther continued to be the most humanizing part of the show.
- Dennis Waterman (Gerry Standing): He provided the muscle and the "geezer" charm, though by Series 9, the show started hinting that even Gerry’s charm had an expiration date.
The inclusion of Steve McAndrew (Lawson) changed the rhythm of the dialogue. The banter became faster. The "hanging out" scenes in the pub felt different without Jack's stabilizing presence. It was a gamble that paid off in terms of ratings—the show remained a massive hit for the BBC—but it fundamentally altered the DNA of the series. If you’re a purist, this is where the show starts to feel like a "spin-off" of its former self.
Technical Shifts and Production Quality
By 2012, the transition to high-definition was standard, and New Tricks Series 9 looked significantly sharper than the early seasons. The lighting moved away from the somewhat flat, tele-visual look of the mid-2000s into something more cinematic.
The music stayed the same, though. Dennis Waterman’s iconic (and often parodied) theme song "It's All Right" remained. You either love it or you've learned to ignore it. Interestingly, Series 9 saw a slight uptick in location shooting around London, giving it a more expansive feel than the basement-office scenes of earlier years.
The Real-World Legacy of the Ninth Series
It’s easy to dismiss a show like this as "dad TV." But look at the numbers. At its peak, New Tricks was pulling in over 8 million viewers. In the UK, those are staggering figures. Series 9 proved that the format was "actor-proof" to an extent. It showed that the audience wasn't just there for James Bolam; they were there for the concept of justice being served by those the world had discarded.
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There's a specific comfort in watching people who are "past their prime" outperform the youngsters. That’s the secret sauce. Series 9 leaned heavily into that trope, especially as the team faced off against modern bureaucracy and "fast-track" detectives who didn't know how to knock on doors or talk to witnesses.
Misconceptions About Series 9
A lot of people think the show was cancelled because the ratings dropped. That's not actually true. Even in the later seasons, it was outperforming almost everything else on the BBC. The reality is that the cast simply grew tired. When you've been playing the same character for a decade, the creative itch becomes impossible not to scratch. Series 9 was the beginning of the "great exit." By the time the show ended in Series 12, none of the original cast members were left.
If you're going back to rewatch it, Series 9 is the bridge. It’s the transition from the "Classic Era" to the "New Era." It’s bumpy, it’s a bit sad, but it’s still remarkably good television.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Rewatch
If you’re diving back into these episodes, don't just look at the mystery. Watch the background. Watch the way the characters react to the technology they're forced to use.
- Spot the guest stars: This season had some greats, including Sheila Hancock and Pippa Haywood.
- Monitor the "New Boy" dynamic: Watch how Gerry Standing treats Steve McAndrew compared to how he treated Jack. There’s a lot of subtle territorial behavior there.
- Check the credits: You’ll notice the shift in directors, which accounts for the more modern "feel" of the episodes.
The best way to experience New Tricks Series 9 is to view it as a standalone piece of character study. It’s about aging. It’s about how we handle the loss of a friend and how we integrate a stranger into our tight-knit circles.
Start with episode one, "A Death in the Family." It sets the tone for everything that follows. Pay attention to the silence in the office after Jack leaves; it’s one of the most honest moments in the entire run of the show. From there, jump into "The Girl Who Lived," which is widely considered one of the stronger Steve McAndrew episodes. It really highlights Lawson's ability to carry the emotional weight that Bolam left behind. By the time you hit the season finale, "Part of a Whole," you'll realize that while the team changed, the heart of the show stayed exactly where it needed to be.