The Chelsea Detective

Really enjoying this and I do hope it comes back for another series. What is it I like about it? That's a difficult question to answer. It just works, the characters are good , the storylines are good and I'm pleased to be seeing it set in London for some reason. As a Yorkshire man I think I've seen enough northern dramas for a while. Keep up the good work.

You review this show in terms of what it is not. Not Morse. Not Lewis. Not even close. Not written by Moffat. Not something you would go out of your way to schedule for a family viewing. Not fast moving. In fact if Scarborough's detective were any slower, he would require dusting. But it is safe, it is comfy, it is not excessively woke, and it holds the attention. Sonita Henry does an especially decent job as the sidekick, packing a massive amount of dignity and self-confidence into a role nobody usually pays attention to. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

The bad review bears all the hallmarks of someone who read the synopsis and cast list but didn't actually watch the program and therefore doesn't understand it. OK, it's not the deepest, most thought-provoking programme you'll ever see, but having watched the first I'm looking forward to watching the rest of the series to see how the characters develop, particularly the complex relationship between the protagonist and his estranged partner. The crime-solving is an added bonus!

Sometimes I'm not wanting different or radical. Sometimes I want easy and familiar and just watchable. This is it, familiar places with just a touch of humour. Sonita Henry is great and a good foil to Adrian Scarborough who plays the DI with a slight weariness that is subtle and smile worthy to enjoy. The plots are easy and it's a distraction that's not too taxing after a working day.

Just what I expect from a British detective show. No fancy car chases, no blazing gun fights, just solid police work.

I hope there will be more seasons.