The Invisibles is a
UK
2008 comedy drama series created and written by
William Ivory for the BBC. It was produced by
Company Pictures, shot in the
Republic of
Ireland
and Northern Ireland
.
Premise
Maurice Riley (
Head) and Syd Woolsey
(
Clarke), are "The Invisibles", a team
of retired master
burglars. After a string
of successful crimes during the 1980s — during which they were
never apprehended or identified by the authorities — they retired
with their wives to the
Spanish
Mediterranean coast. In their heyday, the media turned them
into minor folk heroes.
Now
getting long in the tooth, they give in to homesickness and return
to England
, settling in
a quiet Devon
fishing
village. They still have enough money to support themselves
comfortably (though not as extravagantly as they might be used to),
and look forward to a quiet life of fishing and the benefits of the
NHS.
Circumstances, however, conspire to pull them back to a life of
crime. Woolsey's son (
Tighe) is in
trouble with mobsters, and the son of a former associate (
Lennox Kelly) idolizes them and wants them
to teach him the business. On top of this, they're feeling old and
bored. Early capers prove to them that security technology and the
brutality of the criminal life have changed dramatically in two
decades, and they've lost their edge as well. But the excitement is
undeniable, and they try to make a go of it.
Maurice's wife Barbara (
Agutter),
initially resistant to their plans, can't deny the positive effect
it has on Maurice's demeanour. Their daughter, Grace (
Emily Head), is completely unaware how Dad made
his money or what he does when he goes out for the evening.
Cast
Production
The series
was filmed in the Northern Ireland village of Portaferry
, County Down which was
considered a good look alike for a Devon village without being so
crowded.
It was originally commissioned under the title
Desperados
but was changed to
The Invisibles to match the name used
by Head and Clarke's characters, and in reference to how people
become "invisible" in society as they get older.
The BBC confirmed in March 2009 that it would not be renewing the
series for a second season.
DVD
It was released on DVD 14 July 2008 in the UK, and 26 May 2009 in
the US.
Episodes
| Episode 1- First aired: May 1 2008 |
| After fifteen years of living it up in the Costa del Sol,
Maurice Riley and Syd Woolsey are back in Blighty. Mo is determined
to keep his promise to his wife and not return to crime, but Syd's
son is in trouble and the only way they can help bail him out is to
rob again. With the help of their old colleague's son Hedley, the
boys try one last job. Or so they say. |
| Episode 2- First aired: May 8 2008 |
| Maurice and Syd are shocked when Knacker, a copper from their
past, rents the flat below them. Maurice struggles to keep him away
from his visiting daughter, who doesn't know about his criminal
history. Things get much worse for the boys when Knacker reveals he
has evidence that could send them both down for a very long time -
unless they do a job for him. |
| Episode 3- First aired: May 15 2008 |
| Maurice is rattled when Barbara befriends a local aristocrat.
When her bracelet is stolen, Maurice is convinced he knows the
culprit and will stop at nothing to prove he's right. Meanwhile,
Syd runs into his first love and as sparks fly again, he completely
goes off the boil. |
| Episode 4- First aired: May 22 2008 |
| Maurice decides to try and crack the one safe that he could
never open, ignoring warnings from Hedley and Syd of a curse on the
safe. |
| Episode 5- First aired: May 29 2008 |
| Hedley considers leaving the gang and giving up his life of
crime after finding out that his wife is pregnant. |
| Episode 6- First aired: June 5 2008 |
| After their doctor suffers a heart attack, Maurice and Syd
realize that they're getting old. After bodging an attempt to
retrieve a stolen violin, they find themselves in a police siege in
the pub. |
References
-
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a151420/the-invisibles-will-not-return-to-bbc.html
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