It wasn't meant to be a classic and admittedly it wasn't. But I doesn't mean it wasn't any good. Personally, at the time of the original broadcast I was too young to get the jokes or to be interested in the series. I even had no idea who Robert Powell was (other than the fact that at one point he had been crucified (Jesus Of Nazerath)). But now the DVD's are coming out, I'm getting back into them. Obviously, the humour has changed and I'm finding many of the jokes very 'of the time' and 'too tame' to some lines that I could put in. The only comment I could say against the first series is, why the hell put Jim Bergerac in it? He's got his own show! It might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but it just seemed odd to me. The issues tackled in this fantastic comedy/drama, are also very much of the time and are funny but only if you're old enough to remember them. Nothing these actors have done since matches this. Powell and Carrott, a perfect pairing! But(like The Thin Blue Line) this is worth a watch with an open mind.

To be fair to Briggs and Louis, they certainly are in touch with their individual inner children. We're talking about policemen here, policemen who argue like little children, and who couldn't even dream of missing their inter-departmental table-football tournament, complete - of course - with scale model of Wembley Stadium. There is a sort of charmingly naive side to Briggs and Louis. Left to guard a high-security prisoner on a train, who else would fall for his claims to be seriously ill for long enough to let him escape? And not only escape - since Briggs and Louis have been handcuffed by the said convict to a British Rail toilet door, they're actually going to have to follow him (complete with door). Jasper Carrott himself having very little hair, it was also another visually comic moment when the two were disguised as hippies to try to save their superintendent's environmentally friendly granddaughter from being arrested. Having a drink in the pub in the expected hippie costume, Briggs is amazed at the change in Louis when he realises the effect a long, blonde wig is having on his colleague. Fortunately, satellite TV in Britain does occasionally treat me by repeating a couple of episodes now and then, but I just wish I could find the series on DVD.

As I live in the USA I've never seen any of The Detectives on television, but I belong to a network of Robert Powell fans and we have managed to get the tapes to each other with no problem. Robert and Jasper are a great team, and why they decided to film only five years of the show is beyond me. Those two are a riot! Sparring Partners was one of the funniest comedy shows I've ever seen. What a shame the show was never broadcast in the USA! I wish Jasper and Robert would consider making The Detectives: the Movie!!!! Hear that Robert?????

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.