I was fortunate enough to see THE GHOST SQUAD when it debuted in the UK on Channel 4 in 2005. In the first episode, uniformed police officer Amy Harris (played by Irish actress Elaine Cassidy, subsequently the female lead in American slasher series HARPER'S ISLAND) arrests a local scumbag and repeat offender for a minor crime. However, the man is subsequently beaten to death in the cells, and the police station is locked down as the UK equivalent of Internal Affairs arrive to question everyone. Harris realises that she's being framed for the murder by whoever amongst her colleagues is actually responsible, and the remainder of the episode is a tense race-against-time as she rushes around the building, trying to keep one step ahead of both the investigators and her co-workers, while desperately attempting to clear herself. Realising that Pete Maitland, a detective recently assigned to the station (a pre-ROBIN HOOD Jonas Armstrong) is an undercover mole, Harris exposes him to buy herself more time, and eventually uncovers the true killers. The episode ends with Harris quitting the police, knowing that because she handed in her colleagues, nobody in the force will trust her or work with her again. She's promptly recruited by 'the Ghost Squad', an officially non-existent unit of undercover officers who investigate reports of corruption within the police. Harris leaves behind all traces of her old life, is given a new identity and forced to adopt a rootless, friendless, nomadic existence, going wherever each assignment takes her and living in cheap and temporary rented accommodation. Her only contact is Maitland, who's appointed as her partner/handler, with both of them reporting exclusively to Detective Superintendent Carole McKay (Emma Fielding, a talented actress whom we don't see enough of on our screens), the secretive head of the Squad.
Channel 4 spent a lot of money on THE GHOST SQUAD, and each episode boasted some familiar guest stars, such as Lloyd Owen and Adrian Lester. Jason Flemyng was a particular standout in one instalment, playing a veteran Ghost Squad operative who was cracking up under the strain, giving Harris a glimpse of her potential future. However, due to it's adult content - language, violence, sex scenes and full frontal nudity - the series was shown at 23:00 on weeknights and seems to be have overlooked as a result. Critics ignored it and most people appear never to have heard of the show (I'm always met with blank looks whenever I mention it in company). It only lasted one series, and has never been released on DVD in the UK.
I have fond memories of THE GHOST SQUAD and consider it to be one of the best police dramas I've ever seen. It's a shame that it's one of those TV shows that has slipped through the cracks and been forgotten about.
Channel 4 spent a lot of money on THE GHOST SQUAD, and each episode boasted some familiar guest stars, such as Lloyd Owen and Adrian Lester. Jason Flemyng was a particular standout in one instalment, playing a veteran Ghost Squad operative who was cracking up under the strain, giving Harris a glimpse of her potential future. However, due to it's adult content - language, violence, sex scenes and full frontal nudity - the series was shown at 23:00 on weeknights and seems to be have overlooked as a result. Critics ignored it and most people appear never to have heard of the show (I'm always met with blank looks whenever I mention it in company). It only lasted one series, and has never been released on DVD in the UK.
I have fond memories of THE GHOST SQUAD and consider it to be one of the best police dramas I've ever seen. It's a shame that it's one of those TV shows that has slipped through the cracks and been forgotten about.