Gideon's Way

if you appreciate well written and crafted police drama with an authentic and quality feel to it's production then Gideon's way is for you. I have spent many a moon searching for any videos of the 1960's TV series and have still only obtained around 6 of them!! John Gregson and Alexander Davion are excellent as the detectives out to solve some tricky crimes and criminals. Shot virtually always on location the series have a real taste of the times and are nicely set with believable and tasty villains. What a shame that the series have rarely been re run on present TV schedules. John Gregson, a sensitive and human actor as always, died suddenly in the early 1970s, his acting and valuable contribution to British films and TV remain a quality legacy for us to enjoy.Please would someone release the series on DVD/video!!

For years, Edwin Astley's theme song from Gideon's Way stuck in my mind. I remembered it as well as John Gregson's splendid performance as the show's title character. Imagine my delight at finding Gideon's Way on DVD. Although produced over forty years ago, the show is as compelling as any recent TV offering. I think John Gregson captures the essence of the character he plays. He's surrounded by a solid supporting cast and guest stars like a very young John Hurt. The black and white photography is an asset to the programme; it gives Gideon's Way a gritty realism. Some of the prints used for the DVD seem a bit soft, but all are watchable. Movies and TV shows that survive as more than quaint time capsules do so because they are still relevant in some way. The human drama of Gideon's Way proves this.

The 'Gideon's Way' TV series was based on a series of novels by John Creasey. The series was written/published, under the pseudonym of J J Marrick, between 1955 ('Gideon's Day') and 1976 ('Gideon's Drive'). I picked up another Gideon novel at an op shop (thrift shop) which was written and published after after John Creasey's death but was written by someone else using the pseudonym J J Marrick (it was very poor).

As with the 60s TV series, 'The Baron', John Creasey is again strangely not credited here as at least the creator of the characters.

I have waited for a long time for this series to come out on DVD and am not sorry for the wait. I saw the series on tele in the 60s and boy what a difference to todays world. John Gregson was an excellent actor who deserved better parts that what he got in his days. What happened to our once loved and respected police from that series. Long gone and nothing like what we have today. Poorly trained, invisible, no ties, failure to wear their headgear when on duty unless visiting royalty and ministers visits. The series was well acted and with good location series and memories of a lot of great actors and actresses of that time it is a joy to watch. Loved the policemen all dressed properly and smart, the police cars that brought fear into our young hearts at the time. The police sergeants out on their bikes inspecting the troops again something long gone. Sad it all gone. Thank god for dvds.

Happily 'Gideons Way' was recently released on DVD in the UK in full.

At 32, I obviously missed the series first time round, and some may suppose a B&W police series for 1965 may be somewhat old fashioned for a thirtysomething. However, its blend of well crafted story lines, an often shocking brutality for 1960s television, and the honest and natural acting make it unmissable. It represents now a lost London : of gangs and protection rackets, Soho coffee bars, undeveloped docklands and seedy rooming houses. Superb!

John Gregson was hugely underrated as an actor. A biography on this talented man is highly overdue. Anyone know of one? Or shall I have to write one myself?!