Detectorists - Boxing Day Special 75Min!

[smac]

I did a quick search and didn't spot a topic for this show - isn't anyone else watching it?

It finishes this week and I, for one, will miss it. Nicely understated, well-observed comedy.

[Nathan Wind]

I've caught the last few minutes of it a couple of times and it seemed like my cup of tea, but I keep forgetting about it. I'll catch up on iplayer. It doesn't seem to have been pushed very hard. I only recall seeing one or two short trailers for it.

[El Pibe]

I've been really enjoying this. Lovely and understated with some good chuckles. Toby Jones is always good!

[Guest]

Toby Jones?

[ZOK]

I saw the advert for it on BBC4 like fifty times, and it looked quite good, but I only managed to see one episode (some guy got arrested at the end) and it indeed seemed good.

[revlob]

I've not caught as much of this as I would have liked, but what I have seen I've enjoyed.

[Mr Cochese]

It's pretty much the programme the term "gentle comedy" was invented for. I quite like it, though.

Mackenzie Crook seems to have completed his transformation into a claymation character.

[Don Wiskerando]

It's great. Most of the time it's incredibly understated but then you'll get some sharp observation out of nowhere. I love it.

[PopeSmokesDope]

It's "lovely" as my Mrs would put it... nice calm sedate comedy....not in your face, just... calm..... bit like Metal detecting really....

Crooks done well writing and directing this... who'd have thought the odd bloke from the office would have so many strings to his bow, eh?

[smac]

It's great. Most of the time it's incredibly understated but then you'll get some sharp observation out of nowhere. I love it.

Phew, I thought it was just me - and yes, I agree. Sharper than it seems at first glance.

There's a lot of great background detail - like Lance's front room being all black shelving, the Tennis Girl poster and his car, as he regresses to his bachelor days.

The conversations are wonderfully realistic, too. The club rivalry reminds me of the computer clubs I used to go to back in the early 80s; same group of geeky, oddball characters, petty jealousies, one-upmanship and lame politics. Totally loving it.

[Don Wiskerando]

There is all of that and then sometimes the surreal stuff like the club president's psychic wife.

[PopeSmokesDope]

It's stuff like the jim'll fix it badge find that does it for me, funny and not overstated

[Davros sock drawer]

... who'd have thought the odd bloke from the office would have so many strings to his bow, eh?

Me, 'cos I knew him before he got famous in The Office. He was a stand up with loads of funny characters, and used to compere some of the gigs I played.

I'll have to check this out before it disappears from iPlayer.

[merman]

It's brilliantly written and performed.

There's this brilliant subtext to it too - Mackenzie's character spends his free time sweeping back and forth with a metal detector, walking up and down in lines. And his day job for an employment agency he does cleaning jobs, line painting, surveying and verge spraying. In other words walking up and down in lines sweeping a machine around. Clever.

[smac]

Yeah, spotted that.

[The Disco]

This was really great. I just sat through the entire 6 episodes. Well, the first is gone off iPlayer now, so I torrented that one (there's a good 720p rip on kat), but the rest is still there.

Nobody does these sorts of gentle comedy with a touch of drama and pathos in them like the brits, I have to say. Very much in the vein of stuff like The Cafe (which I also love), too.

Thanks smac.

[El Pibe]

Agreed. This was really great and I'll miss watching this each week.

[smac]

They said at the end of the last episode that there's another series on the way so, yay!

[El Pibe]

Ah, that's great news indeed!

[merman]

Superb, the character interaction feels real and it really is the definition of gentle humour. The proposal scene and the secondhand detector had me in stitches.

[merman]

The BAFTA for best Situation Comedy goes to Detectorists, along with a Craft Award for a best writing. Brilliant.

[El Pibe]

Superb news. I really liked this.

[MikeBeaver]

Just started on the first episode of this, thought I recognised the square where Lance's ex has her shop, only turns out it's filmed in Framlingham just up the road from me.

[gospvg]

Just finished watching the last episode of season 1, it's good.

Season 2 starts 29th October 10pm BBC4

[merman]

Looking forward to this, the trailer is brilliant.

[The Disco]

Season 2 starts 29th October 10pm BBC4

[smac]

Yay!

(I had forgotten I had to start this topic last time - was a brilliant series).

[merman]

This second series has been as good as the first - but we only have two more (and the Christmas special) to look forward to.

The characters are even better and more rounded this time. The subplots are hilarious - Lance's past catching up with him and the saga of the Mayor losing his chain of office.

I really hope this stays where it is, a sweet and beautifully observed comedy on BBC Four rather than turned into a broader sitcom to appeal to a bigger audience on another channel. (It deserves a bigger audience though. Get watching!)

[gospvg]

I noticed a couple of the actors are in some new drama on BBC next week.

[cassidy]

Is it wrong I really fancy Sophie?