George Gently Series Four

Excellent 60's Era Police Procedural For Folks Who Love Quality Storytelling
In today's science-minded world, most police procedurals are ruled by the irrefutable clues of fingerprints, tire tracks, and hair samples. The make of the villain's car somehow becomes as important as the contents of the victim's stomach. And, after all, "if the glove doens't fit, you must acquit" we've been told time and time again in hundreds of novel variations. Long gone are the days when hard-driving detectives had to use their minds - instead of their microscopes - to get to the bottom of an inescapable mystery ... but, thankfully, Inspector George Gently (played by Tony nominee Martin Shaw) is a different breed of copper. He's far more concerned with the "passions and planning that lead to murder," and, with his cocky young partner, Sergeant John Bacchus (Lee Ingleby), he'll overturn every stone to get the man, woman, or child responsible for breaking the law on his watch.

(For the purposes of clarity, I'm happy to explain that these GENTLY telefilms play out...

1960s Durham where 2 cop generations take on crime
George Gently based on Alan Hunter novels. Charismatic sixties murder. Series 1 showed Gently's wife killed right before his eyes. Burying grief, the cop takes the high road in finding criminals, & justice. Like "Midsomer Murders" [a superb series] without multiple victims. You get mixed-plots in police, private, and associates lives. Good writing makes the show. Gently, played by Martin Shaw, is through, calm, and plays the mentor/father to his youthful assistant, Detective Sgt John Bacchus (Lee Ingleby). Their relationship is as important to the story/series as the crimes and investigations. Both are performance perfect. PC Taylor (Simon Hubbard) is also back for both episodes. An emotional crime series, mystery, suspenseful, fast moving, and packed with plot. A perfect personality bounce between DCI Gently and Sgt Bacchus, with comedy spice.

SUBTITLES are available.
2 feature length episodes (178 min total) for the price of one typical theater film DVD. Gently...

Series 4 is not much of "series"
I have read Alan Hunter's novels with pleasure. I have also watched all of the preceding series with Martin Shaw. They are excellent. My biggest criticism of Series 4 is that it only contains two mysteries. To my mind, "two" is not much of "a series" and for that reason I am giving this four stars instead of five. Still, they are rich renderings, filled with great period detail (1960s in the North of England). The acting is excellent, the dramas are intense, and I do recommend them to those who savor intelligent mysteries with moral themes that challenge the viewer to think beyond the episode at hand. I only wish there had been more offerings included in Series 4. I would also add a gentle warning that the first episode in Series 4 is disturbing. It's an absolutely powerful drama; but it is also so very sad. It leaves one feeling bereft and haunted. It involves the vulnerable ones in society -- whether developmentally challenged, the victims of abuse, or the result of hard...

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