Last year, Martin Shaw (pictured) did himself proud with his portrayal of Inspector George Gently, the 1960s elderly copper with a conscience. Now, based on the character from the Alan Hunter novels, and with shades of Morse, Frost, Wexford and a little bit of Lewis, Gently's back.
Shaw does a good job too, in the first of two new programmes, set in Northumberland in 1964. In the opener, having been disturbed from a fishing trip on a Sunday, Gently probes the mysteries surrounding a badly burnt body, which has been found near a barely active RAF airbase. The only evidence is a ring from someone called Wanda.
Usefully Gently has his young sidekick Detective Sergeant John Bacchus (Lee Ingleby) in tow again. Apart from the fact that Bacchus is good at sniffing for clues (in the Lewis mould), it's a clever plot device as every so often the two knock around what they've discovered, which helps latecomers to understand this particularly fiendish twister of a thriller.
There's temptation for Gently, too, in the shape of sultry café owner Wanda Lane (Pookie Quesnel). Not only is she the Wanda who owns the ring, but she clearly has designs on our widowed detective. Sidestepping her advances proves tricky, almost as difficult as trying to fathom why Special Branch's Superintendent Empton ((Robert Glenister) has suddenly become involved in the ongoing murder investigation. Empton claims that there are IRA connections to the murder, but Gently isn't so sure...
A fine, if occasionally laboured episode, it bodes well for the future. We may even have another classic Sunday-night detective series on our hands. Let's hope so.
Reviewer - Paul Strange
Did you know? In this episode of George Gently, Martin Shaw drives a 1964 blue Rover 2000. It's not the first time he's driven this type of car on screen. Playing Roy Doyle more than 30 years ago in The Professionals, Shaw occasionally drove a brown, slightly later example of the same vehicle.
I watched George Gently last night and supposedly in Northumberland can you tell me where it was made as it didn't look like any of the northumbrian villages on the coast that I know
I am afraid the series George Gently is entirely ruined in my view by the fact that the cars used are, in most cases, very obviously much later than 1964 but have had 'period' registration plates fitted in an attempt to make them look authentic. Very distracting to car enthusiasts!
July 20th - 9:55pmjenny hicks said...
Who played Mrs Schmeikel. Was it Jenny Seagrove !!??
Which character wa Tim Healey ?
Fantastic performances. Martin Shaw wonderful as always.
June 29th - 10:39pmCarole Howells said...
Please could you let me know the theme tune being used on the recent BBC1 trailer. My son loves it but does not recognise it and I haven't seen the trailer yet
(4 Star)
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