New Tricks

A group of retired detectives is pulled back into police work to tackle cold cases the regular force can't crack. Led at first by Detective Superintendent Sandra Pullman, the Unsolved Crime and Open Case Squad mixes sharp policecraft with the quirks that come from decades on the beat. Each episode hooks around a different old file, and the team has to piece together faded evidence, unreliable memories, and new leads while dealing with the bureaucracy of modern policing and their own personal histories. The tone shifts between serious procedural work and light-hearted moments, as the characters use experience and instinct to shine fresh light on long-closed crimes.

Created by Nigel McCrery, New Tricks premiered in 2004 as a British drama-comedy for television. The series leaned on ensemble work, with Dennis Waterman, Denis Lawson, Nicholas Lyndhurst and later Tamzin Outhwaite among its notable cast members, and it kept a procedural structure while letting character chemistry drive episodes.

Over its run the show drew attention from UK television awards and received various nominations, reflecting its popularity and long presence on air. Recognition tended to highlight strong ensemble performances and writing rather than big international prizes.

The series helped make the idea of a cold case unit familiar to mainstream viewers, and its image of older officers staying sharp influenced other shows that pair experienced investigators with modern methods. Its blend of humor, respect for veteran cops, and readable mysteries left a mark on British TV drama trends, especially in how aging protagonists are presented.

Critics and audiences gave New Tricks generally positive marks, reflected in a vote average of 7.4/10 from available ratings. Reviewers often praised the cast chemistry and the way episodes balanced nostalgia with procedural detail. Major themes include aging and relevance, memory and truth, and how institutional change affects people who spent their lives in one system, all delivered in a tone that mixes warmth with procedural tension.