What is it? George Gently Collection, Seasons 1-4, 11 90-minute episodes on 11 DVDs or six Blu-ray discs from Acorn Media
When? Now
How much? $99.99
Mystery? With a twist.
Journey back to England in the 1960s. It is a time of upheaval as The Beatles and James Bond rocket to stardom, the British Empire dwindles and the rising threat of war in Southeast Asia hints at more turmoil ahead. Jolly old England is changing.
But some things never change. Like murder.
In this volatile era, one of the best detectives at Scotland Yard is George Gently (Martin Shaw). Moral, honorable, dedicated and scrupulously honest, Gently is a perfect police detective. Unfortunately, his co-workers don’t really think so. These excellent personal qualities make him a pain in the neck for the corrupt members of the force and, particularly, for a notorious gangster. Gently cramps his style.
When Gently’s wife is murdered right in front of him thanks to his fight against police corruption, Gently decides to retire from the police force. But he puts his plans on hold when a murder matching his primary enemy’s modus operandi occurs up in Northumberland.
Once that crime is solved, he ends up sticking around the northeast permanently and working for the Northumberland police.
One of his primary reasons for doing so is his new partner - an ambitious young detective named John Bacchus (Lee Ingleby). Bacchus is smart and eager, but he’s also cocky, has a tendency to jump to faulty conclusions and doesn’t at all mind bending or breaking a few rules. Also, these days, he would be called politically incorrect.
Where Bacchus tends to rely on hunches, cool-headed Gently prefers to wait for clues and facts. Though, when it comes down to it, neither one is all that opposed to a little police brutality now and then.
Gently feels it’s his responsibility to try to “fix” Bacchus - whether Bacchus wants to be fixed or not.
Over the next few years, the two face a series of crimes. In one, the investigation into a woman’s murder ends up uncovering some very disturbing family secrets. In another, a mysterious death at a mill is connected to the coming general election. A student uprising and the murder of a controversial teacher turn attention to a local college.
Is it good? Yes, it is. Quite good. It’s moody, atmospheric, and does an excellent job of capturing this specific time and place. The stories often have events or political movements as backdrops for the episodes, though that rarely overshadows the story. It’s a bit like Foyle’s War (which focused on southern England during World War II) in that regard.
Some of the mysteries can be pretty gruesome and they twist and veer off in unexpected and disturbing directions.
But lest you think it’s all dark and dour, there are a few laughs to be had.
The heart of the show lies in the relationship between Bacchus and Gently. Shaw and Ingleby play very well off each other. As for their characters, while the two do develop a certain level of trust and respect, there’s a prickliness present that doesn’t fully go away.
Are there extras? There are text-only interviews and historical facts and a 13-minute behind-the-scenes feature.
New this week: The Angry Beavers, Complete Series; Midsomer Murders, Seasons 1-5; Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 4 (Blu-ray); Touched by an Angel (Season8).
Next week: Battlestar Galactica, 35th Anniversary; The Borgias, Season 3; Community, Season 4; Duck Dynasty, Season 3; Gunsmoke, Season 9; Smash, Season 2; Strike Back, Season 2.
Style, Pages 51 on 07/28/2013