The Detectives

I guess its pretty mediocre stuff at the end of the day, but its often so stupid you can't help but laugh - plenty of toilet gags. Almost every episode is (or seems to be) produced on a shoestring budget, and its certainly true the quality of them is a 'mixed bag'.

Ironically the 2 minute weekly sketch this series was developed from I always thought was the low point of Jasper Carrots show.

Remember comedy critics - theres loads of unfunny shows out there to knock before you pick on this one.

Fantastic show! One of those shows that will grab you for several episodes; great characters in bungled escapades. In North America, I rate its writing/humour as comparable to Third Rock and Drew Carey. In other words, good fun and wide appeal.

I live in Canada and this show appeared on our national station a couple of years ago with several other British gems like: Vicar of Dibley, Black Adder, Mr. Bean, Murder Most Horrid. No offense to Rowan A, whose work I always enjoy, but I much preferred The Detectives to The Thin Blue Line. I've been trying to find replays on TV constantly, but it's one of those that just didn't catch the limelight like it should have.

If you enjoy the kind of slapstick situations that brought fame to James Herriot, it's likely that you'll also enjoy The Detectives. Jasper Carrott's rubberized helpless faces kept me in stitches.

Series 1 of "The Detectives" is finally coming to DVD on the 12th June 2006, that's according to play.com and amazon.co.uk, so at last we can enjoy these excellent shows again without having to hunt for the out of print VHS tapes. The DVD is being released by Cinema Club, according to amazon, so yet again the BBC have not got their act together and released it themselves. As with the classic comedy "Goodnight Sweetheart", released by Revelation Films, it seems it has taken another studio to release this wonderful show to the eagerly awaiting public. Although I'll bet that the BBC get royalties from the release because most DVD producers go to the BBC for permission unlike Revelation Films who seem to find another route which enables them to by-pass that permission. Anyway, it's still a big thank you to Cinema Club for finally getting the DVD out there. Now we just have to hope that all 30 episodes will be released, we don't want another fiasco like the "People Like Us" release where the subsequent series don't appear.

I was gifted the box set and have been delighted to rewatch these shows. Yes, the humour is far from sophisticated but that is its strength. Have just watched S1E6 'Strangers in Paradise'. Barry Cryer stole the show - we were crying with laughter. It's great to pick out the stars who make appearances. Probably an age thing!

This show was, and still is, great fun as the two leading roles play off of each other perfectly. No-one else could play the ever insecure roles of Briggs and Louis as well as Powell and Carrott. This show, to the best of my recollection, was never touted as a TV classic and was meant to be one of those programmes that everyone loves. It was very successful in that. The only person who I have ever heard say they did not like it was American and, by their own admission, did not get some of the 'British humour'. This show was a class act all the way.