I have watched several of the earlier episodes of this brilliant BBC detective series. It has it all: clever plots that are never quite what they seem to be, a dry "British" (I think it is universal) sense of subtle humor, two interesting leads who work perfectly together in their roles, topical plots (circa 1960's but still interesting) that are a cut above your normal plots and do not pull any punches, a quality sense of drama that packs a huge emotional punch (see Season 2 episode 1 'Gently with the innocents' and tell me you are not moved).I have watched many BBC series, detective and otherwise, sometimes with mixed results. This series is right up there at the top except for one big flaw. The writers, as many times happens, editorialize in their plots. If they removed the political correctness and stuck to good detective plots I would have added stars.

I love British detective shows, and I get that most of them are dark, but this one is a black hole: it sucks any humanity into nonexistence. There is not one likable character:Bacchus is a jerk who goes into every situation with his mind made up. a terrible quality for a good detective. He bullies other cops and treats women like objects. I know understand the impetus for the 1960's women's movement. Inspector Gently isn't gentle, he's simply passive: he watches Bacchus' bullying and lecherous behavior and says next to nothing. I feel sorry for the 30 something actresses who are supposed to look into his 50 something world weary eyes and melt. i hope they get hazard pay.

Inspector George Gently is a clever, astute cop but he spends less time fighting crime in bleak Durham County in the north of England than battling racism, sexism, corruption and general narrow- mindedness, much of which is to be found within the police department! When the coppers aren't taking a "backhander" (a bribe), they're busy harassing or beating up some hapless Arab, Black or Paki. Set in the year 1964, these rambling, overlong episodes reveal such a profoundly anti- police attitude that, as one reviewer noted of the American film **Serpico**, you have to wonder why the title character went into police work at all.On the plus side, Inspector Gently is well played by sixty-something Martin Shaw as the veteran detective who has seen too much and experienced personal tragedy. He and young Detective Sergeant Bacchus, who married the boss' daughter and feels guilty about it, make a well-balanced team with the younger man properly in awe of his superior's integrity, wisdom and powers of observation.

Martin Shaw plays an out of sync copper. He want answers, he wants justice, he wants someone caught but he will play by the rules. He gets paired with a younger partner, John Bacchcus played by Lee Ingleby, who is more interested in getting results than following the rules but "understands" he might learn something from his unwanted mentor George Gently. OK the characters last names may be a bit too much symbolic but their working relationship is well worth watching and the writing is quit good. Getting through the accents might be a push for some but after a few episodes you get the cadence. A good series. And I like the Bacchus character, who doesn't like a flawed character especially one who is a quick study.