~ Lovejoy n. Second Fiddle - TV Series (BBC) 1993: Series 4, Episode 3 Ronan content: approx 24.6% (50 mins) Character: Lindsey Parry-Davies, violin virtuoso Cast: Ian McShaneLovejoy, Ronan Vibert Lindsay Parry-Davies,  Michael Angelis Tommy Norris, Philip Bond Duncan Strong Availablity: Not available. Repeats regularly on UK Gold/2 digital channels

Plot/Comments: One of the more memorable and well-plotted episodes of the long-running BBC TV series about a roguish, but golden-hearted, dodgy antiques dealer .   The episode revolves around the intracies of why up-and-coming Nigel Kennedyesque  violin maestro, Lindsay Parry-Davies (Ronan Vibert), would want to 'cobble' his priceless Stradivarius violin to make it look like a fake, without destroying its tonal quality.

Vibert has liberated the Strad from his stepfather - a man who refused to play the violin after hearing his stepson  'fiddle him into a corner', instead becoming an obsessive collector of priceless instruments, destined never to be played again.      It emerges that Parry-Davies swapped the Strad for a good fake, which was then destroyed in a fire. Rather than have the insurance company realise that the original Strad is with him and assume that his stepfather has claimed  fraudulently, he must disguise his priceless and irreplaceable violin with the help of Lovejoy's equally dodgy associate, the Liverpool soccer obsessed Tommy Norris (a charismatic performance by Michael Angelis).

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Naturally, it all ends well, with the Strad in original condition, father and son reunited (awkward British hug) and insurance investigators kept at bay.    There are some rather cringeworthy forced and dated comic relief scenes (not connected with the main plot), and McShane's camera talking moments often seem forced. However, a well-researched script  (i.e. How to Fake a Strad 101), with some good characters, makes the episode stand out from the usual Sunday-night BBC fair of the period.

Ronan content: Vibert plays an on-edge, shy, sensitive loner, who despite being good looking  and talented (the script's observation) is  uncomfortable in social situations and lacks showbiz confidence. Ronan has a good habit of rubbing his bowing-arm in a sort of  comforting, slightly bashful way when his character feels uncomfortable.

Typical Ronan Character Quote: "Why are people so in awe of the gifted? There's nothing clever about it. It is what it says it is - a gift. You don't earn it, you just...inherit it, like a title or a million pounds"

His characterisation is subtle and sympathetic. Towards the end of the episode, he gives a (long for light entertainment television) monologue on the nature of being gifted and the relationship with his stepfather. His delivery retains the interest of the viewer and makes the episode particularly memorable (I remembered this  episode without seeing it for 7 years, when I was still at school and didn't know the meaning of Vibertology) .     Vibert's performance -- especially of the monologue -- gives a little class to a series that often relied more on the charm of its premise and central characters than the ability to engage the audience.

Trainspotter comment: Ironically, the episode starts with him performing at a fancy dress gala (French Revolution-era dandies) wearing a Scarlet Pimpernel (second series) style wig.