Is Sharon Small the lead in Lynley

[stuart.uk]

It's not a program I watched regulary, but have started to enjoy the recent batch of The Inspector Lyley Mysteries. However, I get the impression the Sharon Small's Barbara Havers is almost the lead role, taking up if anything more screen time than her sceen boss Lynley.

I think it might be a good idea for a spin off show with Sharon playing Barbara on her own. It worked on Morse and Taggart with sidekicks taking on the main role after their bosses died, even though they didn't have the same screen time as Havers

[MikeBSG]

While I certainly would like to see Sharon Small in more films, I don't think she's the lead in "Inspector Lynley." It depends on which episodes you watch, and if I remember, in the early episodes she was the "point of view" character whom we encountered everyone through. Some episodes are very much centered on Lynley, and indeed, the last episode just aired in the US seemed as if Small had only a walk-on role.

[movieman1957]

Nothing like coming in almost 5 years later to a post but I wouldn't say she is the lead anymore than Lewis was with Morse. She is more the heart of the series and a bit of grounding for him. Take her away (and Lewis from Morse) then you don't have the same series and I doubt it is nearly as interesting.

[stuart.uk]

I'm reminded of John Thaw's other iconic tv role Jack Regan in The Sweeney. When the Sweeney first aired it was supposed to be Regan and his sidekick George Carter, as played by Dennis Waterman. However, on Thaw's insistance the role of Carter was built up into almost a double act with Regan. IMO in the two movie spin offs that Thaw had the bigger role in Sweeney with Waterman having a slightly larger part in Sweeney 2.

In A Touch Of Frost, David Jason had several sidekicks.

Going back in time I'm reminded of Ivor Dean, who played Inspector Claude Teal in The Saint with star Roger Moore. I prefered Teal in the BAW episodes as he appeared more friendly with Simon Templar and less of a bumbler as he appeared in the coloured Saints. Dean, who died young, was impressive in those early episodes, so I wonder how he would have fared in a spin off

[movieman1957]

I've not seen "Sweeney." I've seen the first "Frost" and I think we'll check more. Having recently finished "Lynley" and "Wire In The Blood" and nearing the end of "Morse" and up-to-date on others we're looking for something new.