You are probably thinking 'How did you rank them in such an order Sarah?'
Well to answer that here is some words relating to my choices which seem to take almost as much time as ranking the episodes themselves...
(1) Too Near Home
Not just for the scene in Julius’ bicycle rental shop and Lisa’s subsequent prison stay but the deeply unsettling interaction between Gaston and Kessler plus the deeply tragic conclusion to the episode make this for me the strongest first season story.
(2) Sergeant On The Run
I rate this so highly because of the clear indication, so early in the season, of the callous, unfeeling nature of Kessler when he delayed medical attention to Walker after the airman makes a failed escape from German headquarters. I also like the rather surreal nature of his capture following his colleagues failed escape from the café.
(3) Child’s Play
I like “Child’s Play’ not just because of the guest appearance of Ian McCulloch as the cynical Malaud but because this presents an intriguing mystery for Major Brant set in an atypical rural setting.
(4) Identity In Doubt
It’s the interaction between Juliet Hammond-Hill’s Natalie with guest star Christopher Douglas as South African evader Noel Uys at the windmill. A marvellously dramatic instalment rounded out by the infamous crawl through the mud makes it worthy of a high ranking place.
(5) Lost Sheep
The character of Peter Romsey is certainly a likeable, believable nervous youngster and the premise of his taking the wrong train to a tranquil rural village is certainly a worthy well realised one. It’s a worthy unexpected surprise to discover the ex-patriot Englishman Hugh Neville, a reclusive writer with questionable loyalties (marvellously portrayed by Peter Butterworth). I feel this is the stronger of the two-part story thanks to Neville helping to facilitate Romsey’s escape with the assistance of local tradesman Victor.
(6) Suspicions
Curtis actions in the rural village near Tours earlier in the season comes back to haunt him with Kessler and Brandt taking an interest in a salesman whom was in the area at the time. Great to see these lead German military characters visit the café Candide for the first time, in a well paced, tense and dramatically engaging script.
(7) Be The First Kid On Your Block To Rule The World
Although continuing the narrative of the previous week this instalment I feel is slightly shaded by ‘Suspicions’. I can’t really point to any factor for this, maybe it was the Hitler youths and the fate of Albert’s bed bound wife Andree which lessened the feeling of danger facing Curtis.
(8) Guilt
Although a seemingly unexpected continuation of a premise that appeared to have been concluded in ‘Lost Sheep’ there are some worthy aspects to this instalment which contribute to its placing in my list. I love the frosty interaction between Curtis and Monique. Praise is also due to Curtis speaking with Inspector Dubois and later Neville but for me it feels like the slightly weaker of the two probably due to the novelty of its rural setting and lack of Kessler and Brandt.
(9) A Question of Loyalty
Personally I feel largely ambivalent towards this instalment. Granted Brandt’s plan of using an SS Officer to pose as recently deceased bomb aimer Maurice Clifton is a worthy audacious premise. However all it seems to accomplish is to exploit an emotional vulnerable moment for Monique about her relationship with Albert, his bed-ridden wife Andree and life in general centred around the café Candide.
(10) Second Chance
The central premise of wounded airman Eric Finch coupled with the introduction of the bargee Van Broecken couple for me mitigates its likelihood of a higher placing in my preferential episode list when considering the entire story.
(11) Good Friday
Although it’s a rather atypical setting and there are some great guest star performances on offer I personally didn’t find “Good Friday” overtly memorable.
(12) Radishes With Butter
Yeah I agree the tragic fate of the Schliemann family which Curtis is powerless to prevent makes for an emotionally disturbing premise but as indicated in the story Lifeline is not able to assist Jewish nationals from forced deportation. For detracting from the return of British aircrew this for me is one of the seasons underperformers.
(13) Lisa : Code Name Yvette
As a series opener ‘Lisa : Code Name Yvette’ obviously has to spend most of its time establishing character and situation dynamics with viewers so whilst not a bad episode this story I feel obviously lacks most of the familiar dramatic tension so prevalent in other season one offerings.
(14) Bait
Although again having many worthy aspects to it for me the central premise of ‘Bait’, that of elderly spinster Catherine Bidout hiding an airman rather lessens the overall dramatic tension of this instalment when compared with other stories in this first season.
(15) Growing Up
Having the main series cast peripheral to the central episode narrative is not something that I think works well and I feel a good example of this is “Growing Up”. I didn’t find the attempt by 10-year-old Jean-Paul Dornes to assist a downed RAF pilot a rather underwhelming premise, even with the welcome appearance of Brian Glover as Corporal Emil Schnorr.
(16) Hymn To Freedom
For me the aspect that really brings “Hymn To Freedom” down is the rather lacklustre feeling I get from the central premise of the defection of puppet Belgian government minister Hans Van Reijn which for lacks any real tension.
