A new feature on Poisoned Rationality, "What I'm Watching" will cover the anime, tv shows and DVDs I'm watching each week.


I seem to be on a bit of a British show kick right now, which I blame fully on my father.  I wanted him to watch the Doctor Who Christmas special with me (I didn't want to watch it by myself) and he said he would if I watched the first episode of 'The Last Detective'.  I agreed, mainly because I have a soft spot for Peter Davison (the 5th Doctor in Doctor Who) and I do like my quirky British detectives.

Turns out I love it and now we're watching the whole series together (as quickly as Netflix will send us the DVD's at least).  The series, of which there are 4 'seasons' and 17 episodes total, are based on a four book series by Robert Crais Leslie Thomas (thank you Ellen!).

The series revolves around Detective Constable 'Dangerous' Davies (Peter Davison), a middle-aged man who has a reputation for being rather ordinary.  The nickname given to him, Dangerous, is really a taunt--practically everyone in his life thinks he's just so placid and nice he poses no danger.  He's often given cases that no one else would touch (either because they're ridiculous or because they aren't high-profile enough) and in the first episode one such case leads him to solving an even larger case dating back a couple decades.  Because of his findings of that case his boss Detective Inspector Aspinall (Rob Spendlove), mostly called 'Guv', swears to him that he will be the very last detective he ever thinks of for any job.

The first series consists of 4 episodes--3 of which appeared to have been based around the actual novels.  The series focuses mainly on how Dangerous carefully puts the clues together--he's dogged about searching out leads and talking to people others wouldn't think of.  He's not flashy, doesn't intimidate people or use violence--his very nature, that of a decent guy just trying to do the right thing, is what makes most of the criminals lose out in the end.

Rounding out the main cast are his two co-workers; DS Pimlott (Charles De'Ath) and DC Barrett (Bill Geraghty, his estranged wife Julie (Emma Amos) and his good friend Mod (Sean Hughes).  Pimlott and Barrett spend a lot of their time teasing, taunting and playing pranks on Dangerous--its uncertain why exactly, except that Pimlott seems to resent Dangerous for being so decent and good.  Barrett really only follows Pimlott's lead for the most part, and doesn't seem so bad when Pimlott isn't egging him on.

His wife is a pill--she doesn't want to be married to him, has a different boyfriend every episode (far as I can tell), but depends on him for nearly everything else.  I get the feeling that she does love him a great deal, but like Pimlott can't deal with how good of a person he is (I guess it makes them feel like they can't measure up) and the fact he has no ambitions beyond his current job.  He likes being a street detective--going out and getting the clues and helping people directly.

Mod is...let's just say Mod is unique.  He is, far as I can tell, a professional student.  He enjoys learning for the sake of it and takes odd jobs to live.  Not a bad sort, but he looks like an unreliable and disreputable person.

This is, without a doubt, an engaging show.  Its not dark and gritty, doesn't focus on the scum of the earth and the extreme measures cops have to take.  Through careful research and thorough investigation Dangerous gets the bad guy in the end...no matter what it means.