26. Yellowthread Street

An A to Z of UK Television Drama

This Hong Kong-set series was one of the top-rated shows of 1990. Going out on ITV in the first quarter of the year this 13-part cop show was a big hit with audiences including an 18-year-old Andy but it passed Martin by completely. But how does it stand up some 30 years later? Starring Bruce Payne, Ray Lonnen, Robert Taylor, Doreen Chan and Tzi Ma, Yellowthread Street was based on the successful novels by the same name by William Marshall and produced by Ranald Graham who had also created Dempsey and Makepeace. To say Andy is dismayed by how much either his memory has cheated or how badly the series seems to have aged is something of an understatement, While Martin coming to it anew is rightly puzzled that Andy ever held it in high regard. Watching 3 episodes, all available on YouTube, a DVD release never having materialised, Andy & Martin consider where Yorkshire Television's answer to Miami Vice went so badly wrong. Next Time: The Zoo Gang