This three-part BBC documentary series is an excellent examination of the Greater Manchester Police as they investigate sexual offences. Woven into contemporary cases, The Detectives follows Operation Canute, a spin off of the high profile Operation Yewtree, spurred by allegations against the late & notorious DJ Jimmy Savile. Canute focuses on Jimmy Savile's friend and former driver Ray Teret (not Tenet, as named in the IMDb synopsis) accused of historical sex offences dating back to the 1960's.
Unlike most heavy-handed crime profiles and documentaries, 'The Detectives' is superbly produced, avoiding many of the traps that make so many of its bedfellows unwatchable. The narration is sparse, clear & devoid of hyperbole and 'Batman' delivery, the music is free of industrial crash bang wallop percussion, relying more on sombre piano and strings, sometimes reminiscent of Danny Elfman's work in Errol Moris films & the people - police, victims & the accused - are represented without judgement. Would that even a third of crime- related documentaries were handled in such an objective and sensitive manner.
Along with the recent Investigation Discovery series 'A Crime to Remember', 'The Detectives' stands out - albeit for different reasons - as one of the best TV crime profiles in quite a few years.
