Spindoe

Before The Sweeney brought flying fists and screeching tyres to primetime telly, Spindoe had already carved out a brutal legacy as one of the earliest and grittiest portrayals of Britain’s criminal underworld. Airing in 1968, this taut eight-part series written by Robin Chapman dared to depict a world where loyalty is meaningless, violence is currency, and power shifts with every bullet fired. A tale of cross-border gang warfare; North versus South London, it offered a grim lesson in the complete absence of honour among thieves.

The story begins with the release of Alec Spindoe (played with brooding intensity by Ray McAnally), a once-powerful gangland boss freshly out after a seven-year stint. But freedom comes with a slap in the face. Outside the prison gates, he’s met not by his right-hand man Eddie Edwards, but by Henry Mackleson (Richard Hurndall), the cold, calculating overlord of Northern crime. Mackleson isn’t just there to gloat, he’s there to warn. Spindoe is not welcome back, and if he tries to reclaim his empire, there will be consequences.

From there, the downward spiral begins. Spindoe discovers that not only has Edwards taken over his entire operation, but he’s also stolen his wife, Shelagh, and cleaned out Spindoe’s finances and property holdings. The betrayal is complete. In a rage, Spindoe storms to Edwards’ doorstep and issues a terrifying ultimatum: Shelagh comes back to him, or she dies. What follows is a relentless spiral into open gang war, as Spindoe sets out to reclaim what’s his, no matter the cost.

What truly elevates Spindoe is its raw, uncompromising style. The violence, while perhaps tame by today’s standards, was groundbreaking at the time and marked a shift towards a more rugged and dramatic form of storytelling on British television. Chapman’s writing avoids melodrama, instead building a tense, character-driven narrative where every move carries weight and every betrayal cuts deep.

Ray McAnally commands the screen as the steely and vengeful Spindoe, giving the character a wounded dignity that makes his descent all the more compelling. Richard Hurndall’s Mackleson is a masterclass in restrained menace, while George Sewell shines as Scaliger, a professional killer with shifting loyalties who brings a mercenary cool to the proceedings.

The series originally aired as a spin-off from The Fellows, and the now sadly defunct company Network DVD wisely included the original episode that introduced Spindoe as a bonus feature in their box set. The release also included Big Breadwinner Hog, Chapman’s follow-up series which, if anything, outdid Spindoe in terms of sheer savagery. But it’s Spindoe that laid the foundations, portraying the British underworld with a starkness and maturity that was years ahead of its time.

For fans of British crime drama, Spindoe is essential viewing - unflinching, intelligent, and packed with top-tier performances. A product of its era, yes, but one that still manages to resonate with a modern audience accustomed to the morally murky worlds of Peaky Blinders or Line of Duty.