The Last Detective

The Last Detective is a British series that combines good detective stories with a character study and a fair bit of humor especially for the genre.

Detective "Dangerous" Davies (Peter Davison) has the lowly rank of Constable despite having reached his middle years, he is kind and considerate to everyone, but his colleagues have mockingly nicknamed him Dangerous and his superiors have overlooked him. In fact Davies boss Detective Inspector Aspinall has said he will consider Davies to be last detective, the last to be considered for any investigation unless it meaningless and boring, in which case he will be first.

Davies in the midst of an amicable divorce from his wife and they share custody of their massive dog. His closest friend Mod is both philosophical and underemployed, because of this he often acts as a sounding board for his friend both for aspects of his work and his personal life.

The cases are often lesser crimes as befits his rank but sometimes they develop into other cases altogether, it's also somewhat refreshing to see something other than a murder being investigated. Davies despite his poor reputation amongst his colleagues is a fairly good detective mostly as a result of hard work as opposed to intuitive leaps.

Overall the cast is quite good, the bulk of the screen time goes to Peter Davison and he is very effective in low-key role, Sean Hughes as the eccentric Mod is also quite good and next in screen time.

I believe the series is best appreciated by those who are well acquainted with the British Police/Detective series although it's certainly not necessary. The majority of those series place considerable emphasis on rank, feature crusty or disagreeable detectives who are tolerated for their abilities and have little humor.

The series has thus far run four seasons, all of which are now available on DVD.

I don't like violence or sudden nasty surprises in my watching, but I do like well-written drama/comedies/series and so have taken to this to the extent that I'm binge watching the whole lot at the moment - about to start season 4. I love that authenticity of the settings, the characters (there really isn't anyone who doesn't stand scrutiny) and the dialogue. It's very well written, in that while you know the good will out and a solution will be found (usually by Dangerous) , you are not spoon fed the answer and have to try and work it out yourself. I agree with the other reviewers, it's a pity there were only four series, but best to leave us wanting more. Excellent. I must try and find the books. Did they change the dog?

'The Last Detective' is again being shown on ABC1-TV in Australia late on a Saturday night. I reckon this is at least the third showing of some episodes, and I'm still watching them. So, what does this mean? If I can watch anything for the third time and still be entertained, then it's well written, well acted, and probably quite unique.

Peter Davison is perhaps best well known as playing Dr Who in the first half of the 1980's. As 'dangerous' Davies, he walks a fine line between being a hero and being a loser. Mostly he manages to squeeze into the hero role, much to the derision of his work colleages, DC's Pimlott and Barrett. PC Davies is an old-fashioned copper who would like an old fashioned life, but between being given the soft cases by his boss, DI Aspinall, and being given the shove by his bitchy wife - well played by Emma Amos - his life is usually one long uphill climb. Peter Davison handles this role with the skill we have come to expect from him.

Whist the scripts verge on the comedic, genuine light relief is provided by Sean Hughes as Mod, Davies' mate and confidant.

Mod: What do you call a dozen rabbits walking backwards?

Davies: What?

Mod: A receding hairline.

After which follows a discussion about whether a bunch of rabbits can be called 'hares', since hares are completely different from rabbits.

Gentle, but addictive and entertaining.

The Last Detective tv show is made after books by the author Leslie Thomas, I only know it from catching it on the box.

It's become a favourite show of mine,and something of a must see programme.

I have scarcely seen Peter Davison in anything else but I really like him in this show, he seems to fit the character like the proverbial glove.

So much so one might imagine that it could have almost been written for him.

I have not seen enough of Sean Hughes comedy routine to know if he is actually funny, but he certainly fits in well as Mod. There is great rapport between his character and Dangerous, such that its easy to imagine them hanging out together.

DC Davies is frankly something of a soft touch certainly, his ex spouse and work colleagues consider him as such. A regular doormat someone to walk all over, and clean their shoes on.

Any self respecting individual would get out from under PDQ, leave both the parasitical ex and the prats he is lumbered with at work.

But although they all dislike him they wouldn't ever dispense with his services, because he is too useful to them. Plus they are all mean spirited and spiteful, and he is too handy a target.

The excuse for this gem of a series that it was losing viewers just doesn't ring true. From 1990 onwards every single programme was losing viewers due to sky TV, I'd like to think that many were videoing this and it never lost many viewers at all.

Anyway to the important stuff. Peter Davison is as ever brilliant. I watched him when I was a lad in "all creatures" and having read all the books thought he brought Tristan to life exactly the way Herriot wanted. Sean Hughes is a great foil, I also remember him as a young comedian and his show. The rest of the cast are top notch and you believe every character....even the daft ones. The cast progression through the series is paced very well letting you into each one a bit more, Emma Amos in particular.

All good things must end and people move on to new projects so this series must be remembered for what it was, classic British comedy drama which is done better here than anywhere else. A must see.