The Last Detective - Series 1
by Matthew Evans (III), Douglas Mackinnon, Ferdinand Fairfax, Nick Hurran, Gavin Millar
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Peter Davison, Sean HughesDirector: Douglas Mackinnon, Ferdinand Fairfax, Gavin Millar, Matthew Evans (III), Nick Hurran
Brand: Acorn Media
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0; English (Published), Dolby Digital 2.0
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 312 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-04-25
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: ACORN MEDIA
Product features:
- 2006 - Acorn Media - UK Drama
- The Last Detective - Series 1
- Stars: Peter Davison & Sean Hughes
- 4 Episodes / 2 DVDs
- Limited Edition
Movie Reviews of The Last Detective - Series 1
Movie Review: In His World, No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Last Detective, Series 1"is, of course, the first of the popular British mystery series, a witty police procedural, to find its way here, and how lucky for us. The series is based on the Dangerous Davies novels by Welshman Leslie Thomas; it was produced by the British firm Granada for Britain's Independent Television (ITV).
It stars that affable Everyman Peter Davison (All Creatures Great & Small: The Complete Series 1 Collection; Campion - The Complete First Season) as the title character, a lowly detective constable, called "Dangerous" Davies ironically, as he is of hardly any danger to the criminal elements - it's his friends, family, and co-workers who'd better watch out. And called the last detective by his boss, as in "You're the last detective I'd ever put on a case, except a crap one." The decidedly unglamorous Davies even works in an unimportant, out-of-the way North London precinct, Willesden.
Davison is ably supported by Sean Hughes (the guy from Eejit records in The Commitments) as his eccentric friend Mod; and Emma Amos as his estranged wife Julie. Rob Spendlove gives us a tough supervisor, Detective Inspector Aspinall; Charles De'Ath as DS Pimlott and Billy Geraghty as DC Barrett add greatly to the flavor of the cop shop. The series is certainly character-rich and character-driven.
Davies is a rumpled, clumsy guy, nice even when he's drunk, and unfailingly polite to little old ladies; nevertheless, he does seem always to get his man - or woman. The mysteries in this first series, based directly on the works of Thomas are complex and flavorful, though murder itself is in surprisingly short supply. The episodes are:
1. "The Last Detective." Feature length pilot. Davies discovers the unsolved 1981 murder of a 17 year old girl. As he solves it, he proves once again Clare Booth Luce's useful adage, "No good deed goes unpunished." And gets himself in dutch with his co-workers.
2. "Dangerous By Moonlight." An elderly man has disappeared; his wife, stunningly played by Sian Philips ( I, Claudius), seems surprisingly unconcerned. This episode takes Davies to a dance club that caters to senior citizens: he and Mod have got to stay light on their feet. And it offers further proof that no good deed goes unpunished.
3. "Tricia." Davies' kindness to demanding women gets him two thankless cases. An old busybody has suspicions of her next-door neighbor. And an attractive young woman seems to be getting unduly involved with him. Once again, no good deed goes unpunished.
4. "Lofty." An eccentric old vagrant (played by popular English comedian Norman Wisdom), whom Davies has befriended in a park, is found dead in a canal. Davies takes on the case because no one else will. And no good deed goes unpunished.
This series is witty, entertaining, and intellectually and emotionally satisfying. But: and here comes the DePue closed captions report: there are none. And the cast spits out rapid-fire North London dialect. You'll have to work for your fun.
Summary of The Last Detective - Series 1
He?s gentle, old-fashioned, and decent; nice even when he?s drunk. But these qualities only earn Detective Constable "Dangerous" Davies (Peter Davison, Dr. Who, All Creatures Great and Small) the scorn of his fellow detectives in a small London police station. His boss tells him straight out that he?s the last detective he would assign to a major crime-solving mission. Unlucky in love, rumpled, and accident prone, Dangerous muddles on and, with the help of his eccentric friend Mod (Sean Hughes, The Commitments), he proves the merits of his dogged, unglamorous method. He likes being a detective and, occasionally, he gets to do some good. Based on the Dangerous Davies novels by Leslie Thomas.Similar DVD Movies
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