Crime Traveller

In this show it doesn't matter if there were no witnesses to the crimes as the detectives are able to travel back in time to watch it happen themselves (or try to stop it). The time travel paradoxes involved in the detective work adds a new dimension and makes this an interesting change to the usual detective show.

I found this terrific little show about 4 years ago on cable TV and have never forgotten it. I would race home from work every afternoon just to catch it, and was really disappointed to find that so few episodes had been made. Yes it was far-fetched, but what SciFi isn't? Yes it was lightweight, but what's wrong with that? Not every show needs to be Law and Order Yes it required some concentration, but only a little. I don't care if the effects were good or bad, I enjoyed this show because the acting was good, I liked the relationship between the leads, and I've never been able to resist the dejavu of characters witnessing their own previous actions.

I'm a sucker for time traveling. Not that I have ever done it personally, but boy is it fun to watch other people do it. In this series coppers Slade and Turner go back in time to help solve crimes. They can't stop the crime from happening nor can they stop Slade from wearing a mustard colored coat. Nevertheless this is a very entertaining time travel show in a light and fluffy way. Each episode is tweaked a little bit from the previous one, so it isn't as formulaic from episode to episode. Had the series lasted more than 8 episodes it would have been interesting to see how Anthony Horowitz would have continued to shape the show. The leads have nice chemistry. I thought the supporting characters were rather weakly rendered and wouldn't have minded seeing Grisham and Morris drive a squad car over a white cliff at Dover. And for good measure Robson should have been in the boot (that's what Englanders call a trunk in case you aren't from there) of that car as it smashed on the rocks below. I also would have liked to have seen Honeysuckle Weeks make a cameo in every episode cause she is totally groovy.

This is one off the BBC's most underrated shows. Sue Johnson is brilliant in this as Grisham, as are the two main characters Jeff Slade and Holly Turner. Slade is likeable for the viewer becaue he always pushes things that bit too far! Employing cheeky and rebellious methods to solve the crime. Wheras Holly is the down to earth (as much as you can be having a time machine hidden away!)and sensible one.

Although many people would point to the flaws in the 'time travel' aspect, the show is not a strict hard nosed drama. More a drama with comedy ailments, which, in turn allow us to bypass any such flaws.

In an era where the BBC have, by their own admission, struggled to find a good Saturday night show, why not bring this back? Several years on, and with the SAME CAST? I mean none of them Johnson aside have really been in anything else particularly successful after this. (Although French does appear in some other 'Sunday evening' prog)

They could start it up as if the machine had been tampered with and that it hasn't been used in the years since the programme was last aired. Possibly having the two characters have drifted apart, only to bump into each other and regurgitate the need for time travel.

There was much scope for other adventures in another series. Possibly having episodes where they were transported back further.....?

I would urge the BBC to seriously consider this.

The show was proceeded with Jonathan Creek, and you can see shades of it in this. However although Jonathan Creek is a good show, this was better, had more scope in another series.

Please get it back! A Saturday night hit beckons...

This programme was so enjoyable. I realise there was little scope for say 10 series, but having only 8 episodes is a tragedy.