Premise
Ken Boon (Elphick) and Harry Crawford (Daker) were both old-fashioned "smokeys" (firemen) in the West Midlands Fire Service. In episode 1 we see that Crawford takes early retirement and moves to Spain to open a bar, leaving Ken behind. In the same opening episode, Ken attends a house fire where a child is trapped upstairs. Realising he must act quickly he goes into the house without breathing apparatus and rescues the child but is severely injured by inhaling toxic smoke. He attempts to prove he can still make it but he is declared unfit for duty after collapsing during a drill because his lungs have been permanently damaged, and he is retired from the fire service for good.
He started a market garden called "The Ponderosa" in a village about ten miles outside Birmingham but found that it wasn't working out. As he struggled to pay bills and keep afloat, he was surprised when a visitor arrived at the garden: Harry had returned from Spain to Birmingham, after his wife Alison had left him for a young hairdresser. Harry had acquired a hotel in Birmingham and offered a port in a storm for Ken.
Harry persuaded Ken to place a PO box advert saying “Ex-fireman seeks interesting work. Anything legal considered.” From these humble beginnings, his career as a courier, minder and private investigator began.
During the time that Ken and Harry worked together, Between series 1-3 Harry ran two hotels (The Grand Hotel and The Coaching Inn), a ballroom (The Plaza Suite), and from series 4 a country club (Woodcote Park) and later a security firm (CBS - Crawford Boon Security). Ken ran a motorbike courier firm (Texas Rangers), two private investigation firms (BDI - Boon-Daly Investigations - and Boon Investigations) and CBS. CBS was a joint venture, with Ken being responsible for private investigations and Harry for security.
The series moved away from Birmingham to Nottingham at the beginning of series 4, with production of the show being based at Central's studio in Nottingham. The Birmingham episodes (Series 1–3) were made on film whereas the Nottingham episodes (Series 4–7) were made on video. Apart from studio interiors of Series 1, all filming was done on location.
Neil Morrissey joined in the second series as Rocky; this was his first major television role. Other regular characters were played by Rachel Davies (Doreen Evans), Lesley-Anne Sharpe (Debbie Yates), Amanda Burton (Margaret Daly), Elizabeth Carling (Laura Marsh), Brigit Forsyth (Helen Yeldham) and Saskia Wickham (Alex Wilton).
Read more about this topic: Boon (TV Series)
Famous quotes containing the word premise:
“We have to give ourselves—men in particular—permission to really be with and get to know our children. The premise is that taking care of kids can be a pain in the ass, and it is frustrating and agonizing, but also gratifying and enjoyable. When a little kid says, “I love you, Daddy,” or cries and you comfort her or him, life becomes a richer experience.”
—Anonymous Father. Ourselves and Our Children, by Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, ch. 3 (1978)