This article needs additional citations for verification .(December 2023) |
The Last Detective | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Genre | Crime drama Comedy drama |
Created by | Leslie Thomas |
Written by | Richard Harris |
Starring | Peter Davison Sean Hughes Emma Amos Rob Spendlove Charles De'Ath Vineeta Rishi Elizabeth Bennett |
Composers | Rupert Gregson-Williams Alastair King |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 4 |
No. of episodes | 17 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers | Michelle Buck Tim Vaughan Damien Timmer Aviyan Bahri |
Producers | Nick Hurran Robbie Sandison Deirdre Keir |
Running time | 90 minutes (Series 1—3) 120 minutes (Series 4) |
Production companies | Meridian Broadcasting Granada Productions (2003–2005) ITV Productions (2007) |
Original release | |
Network | ITV |
Release | 7 February 2003 – 31 May 2007 |
The Last Detective is a British TV comedy drama series, broadcast on ITV between 7 February 2003 and 31 May 2007, starring Peter Davison as the title character, Detective Constable "Dangerous Davies". The series is based on the "Dangerous Davies" series of novels written by Leslie Thomas, and was filmed in the north London suburbs of Willesden, Neasden and Harlesden.
The first series aired in 2003, with three more series following it. The first, second and third series all consist of four 70-minute episodes (90-minutes with advertisements). The fourth series is slightly longer, encompassing five episodes in the series. After a total of seventeen episodes, production company Meridian Broadcasting (later Granada Productions), who produced the programme, stated that the series had been axed due to falling viewing figures, and that the fourth series would be the last.
The Granada series was not the first time that the title character had appeared on television. He previously appeared in a TV movie, first broadcast on 4 January 1981, starring Bernard Cribbins.
The series follows Detective Constable "Dangerous" Davies. Davies discovered a crime committed by a fellow officer at the opening of the series, and is treated as a pariah by his colleagues as a consequence. Moreover, he is committed to his work and is staunchly humane, leading to a view of his being soft by colleagues, and a degree of grudging respect from local criminals. The show's title reflects the initial attitude of his superiors, who describe him as "the last detective" who would be considered to head up a major case. Recurring themes include Davies solving the apparently minor crimes he is given, often resolving more complex and associated crimes (historical or contemporary), and Davies repeatedly being the target of practical jokes by younger but more well positioned detectives in his unit.
As the series progresses his reputation improves with his superior, Detective Inspector (DI) Aspinall, who realises that Davies' intelligence and fair but determined methods make him the best policeman in his squad. A strained mutual respect develops between the two characters as Davies increasingly finds the time to try to understand the troubled, hard drinking DI and his history (and demons).
The other major aspect of the series concerns Davies' private life, which centres on his estranged wife, Julie (played by Emma Amos). The storyline regularly integrates Davies' attempts to address the loss of his wife's respect and to repair the damage done to their marriage after his career stalls in the Metropolitan Police Force; for instance, the estranged character returns to pick up a dog whose custody he shares with Julie in the first episode, serve as her occasional chauffeur and carry out routine household maintenance at the family home (occasionally intersecting with Julie's new relationship interests).
His work and personal life intertwine in interactions with his friend, the irreverent and rather feckless Mod (short for Modesty) Lewis, played by the Irish comedian Sean Hughes, which include their park bench talks about cases and life, Davies' chauffeuring the unlicensed Mod, and Davies' walking his dog—an unnamed, but consistent character, a Landseer in early episodes, and later a St Bernard. Other recurring plot elements are the now "semi-detached" Davies' interactions with various female characters, episode by episode, and his relationship with Mrs Fulljames (Elizabeth Bennett), the romantic daydreaming landlady of the Bali-Hai Guest House, where he resides for a period.
Episode | Title | Written by | Directed by | Viewers (millions) [1] | Original airdate | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "The Last Detective" | Richard Harris | Nick Hurran | 6.25m | 7 February 2003 | |
Davies' investigation into the disappearance of a seventeen-year-old girl deepens when he discovers evidence which suggests she was murdered. | ||||||
2 | "Moonlight" | Richard Harris | Douglas Mackinnon | 6.26m | 14 February 2003 | |
The disappearance of an elderly philanderer takes an interesting turn when his abandoned car is found parked in the grounds of Heathrow Airport. | ||||||
3 | "Tricia" | Richard Harris | Pip Broughton | 5.74m | 21 February 2003 | |
Davies discovers a link between three separate investigations - an armed robbery at a job centre, the disappearance of a pensioner and a routine house burglary. | ||||||
4 | "Lofty" | Richard Harris | Matthew Evans | 6.18m | 28 February 2003 | |
Davies investigates the drowning of a local character known for collecting discarded scraps of paper - but did he stumble across someone's well kept secrets? |
Episode | Title | Written by | Directed by | Viewers (millions) [1] | Original airdate | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Christine" | Richard Harris | Ferdinand Fairfax | 6.18m | 13 February 2004 | |
2 | "The Long Bank Holiday" | Russell Lewis | Moira Armstrong | 5.77m | 20 February 2004 | |
Davies has to juggle a possible suicide, a murderer who has absconded from prison, the discovery of human remains in a local garden and a spate of computer thefts. | ||||||
3 | "Benefit to Mankind" | Michael Aitkins | Gavin Millar | 5.65m | 27 February 2004 | |
When the body of a medical researcher is found in the river, Davies suspects the case may be suicide - until the man's co-worker later disappears. | ||||||
4 | "Dangerous and the Lonely Hearts" | Russell Lewis | David Tucker | 5.74m | 5 March 2004 | |
The case of a young Eastern European girl who is arrested for shoplifting takes a bizarre turn when police arrive to interview her mother - and find she has been strangled. |
Episode | Title | Written by | Directed by | Viewers (millions) [1] | Original airdate | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Friends Reunited" | Kevin Clarke | A.J. Quinn | 6.37 | 29 May 2005 | |
Nick Roberts (Peter Sullivan), a multi-millionaire mobile phone salesman, is found dead after being stabbed fifteen times at a school reunion party held by his former classmate Edward Netherton (Steve Pemberton). Prime suspect for the murder is Simon Dabney (Stephen Tompkinson), Nick's former best friend who has since become a heroin addict. Despite Aspinall and Pimlott being convinced of Dabney's guilt, Davies suspects there is more to the case than meets the eye, and discovers that Dabney in fact has an alibi for the time of the murder - the only problem being that the man who supposedly saw him, Denny Flemyng (David Calder), known locally as 'The Man With No Name', is a convicted career criminal who disappeared sixteen years previously, presumed dead. Davies uses Mod's help to try and track down Flemyng in an attempt to prove Dabney's innocence. | ||||||
2 | "Towpaths of Glory" | Matthew Thomas | David Tucker | 6.18 | 5 June 2005 | |
Frank Moore, a decorated war hero, is found shot through the head on a garbage pile at the local landfill. Davies suspects that a history of domestic violence against his wife, Cathy (Lindsey Coulson) may somehow be connected to his death. Davies also interviews Craig Thorn (Charles Dale), Moore's former business partner, with whom he had recently fallen out. However, when CCTV footage of an army vehicle close the location of Moore's murder on the night of his death is discovered, the spotlight is soon cast upon members of Moore's former platoon, including volatile sergeant Stephen Kay (Hugo Speer). Meanwhile, Mod has a new job directing customers to a carpet shop, Aspinall tries to make amends with his friends and colleagues as he prepares to give up drinking, and Davies is forced to fend off DS Jez Kendall, who has taken a shine to Julie. | ||||||
3 | "Three Steps to Hendon" | Tim Vaughan | Moira Armstrong | 6.10 | 12 June 2005 | |
Teddy O'Connor (Tony Slattery), former lead singer of 1970s rock band Overnight Sensations, is found dead in his flat after suspected asphyxiation by alcohol. Pimlott and Barrett suspect death by misadventure, believing it is an open and shut case - but Davies isn't so sure. After investigating a noise complaint at a local pub and discovering that Teddy was involved in a punch up shortly before his death, Davies suspects murder, and the post mortem soon backs up his suspicions. Davies interviews Teddy's former bandmates, Harvey Troupe (Tim Healy) and Gerry Jameson (Nigel Planer), who both throw suspicion toward their former manager, Billy Wunder (Ian McNeice), whom they claim sexually abused them throughout their time in the band. However, the investigation takes a surprising turn when a link to the suicide of a fifteen-year-old girl in 1977 is made. | ||||||
4 | "Willesden Confidential" | Russell Lewis | Matthew Evans | 5.84 | 19 June 2005 | |
Geoff Fallon (Connor Byrne), a local stock car driver, is murdered when his car bursts into flames during a race at the local stadium. Forensic analysis uncovers that the fuel supply line to his car had been tampered with prior to the race. Initially, Davies suspects Roly Kingwell (Sid Mitchell), a burger van employee whose five-year-old brother was mowed down and killed by Fallon in a hit-and-run some years previously. Roly initially confesses to the murder, but this only quashes Dangerous's suspicions about his being the killer. Davies's attention turns to Fallon's brother Steve (Aidan Gillen), a fellow stock car driver, with whom he had a friendly rivalry; Fallon's wife, Maureen (Michelle Collins); and local mechanic Andy Holden (Dorian Lough), who was working on the car prior to the race. Meanwhile, Davies agrees to help Aspinall out of trouble, and Mod learns to drive. |
Episode | Title | Written by | Directed by | Viewers (millions) [1] | Original airdate | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Once Upon a Time on the Westway" | Matthew Thomas | Nick Laughland | 4.48m | 3 May 2007 | |
A notorious diamond robber, Jimmy Vincent, is released from prison, and within hours, an armed robbery involving the theft of diamonds is reported. | ||||||
2 | "Dangerous Liaisons" | Ed McCardie | David Tucker | 4.52m | 10 May 2007 | |
The death of an amateur photographer uncovers a snuff film made in the 1980s, which shows footage of a young girl who was later found murdered. | ||||||
3 | "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Willesden" | Richard Leslie | Douglas Mackinnon | 3.98m | 17 May 2007 | |
The poisoning of a stand-up comedian working the club circuit leads Davies into the murky world of comedy rivalry and playboy nightlife. | ||||||
4 | "The Man from Montevideo" | Matthew Thomas | Sandy Johnson | 4.34m | 24 May 2007 | |
Davies investigates the murder of a limousine driver who is found at the wheel of his limo, his neck having been slashed with a broken bottle. | ||||||
5 | "The Dead Peasant's Society" | Ed McCardie | Martyn Friend | 3.92m | 31 May 2007 | |
Davies investigates the death of Daniel Boden, who is found dead at the wheel of his car on a football pitch, and uncovers a link to a local Masonic lodge. |
The Last Detective: Complete Collection was released on Region 1 DVD on 20 January 2009 and includes all 17 episodes of the TV show, the earlier TV movie, and other features including an interview with Peter Davison. The DVD set is distributed by Acorn Media UK. [2]
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates is a British crime drama television series, starring Patricia Routledge as the title character, Henrietta "Hetty" Wainthropp, that aired for four series between 3 January 1996 and 4 September 1998 on BBC One. The series, spawned from a pilot episode entitled "Missing Persons" aired by ITV in 1990, was co-created by writers David Cook and John Bowen, co-starred Derek Benfield as Hetty's patient husband Robert, and Dominic Monaghan as her assistant and lodger Geoffrey Shawcross. It marked Monaghan’s acting debut.
The Mod Squad is an American crime drama series, originally broadcast for five seasons on ABC from September 24, 1968, to March 1, 1973. It starred Michael Cole as Peter "Pete" Cochran, Clarence Williams III as Lincoln "Linc" Hayes, Peggy Lipton as Julie Barnes, and Tige Andrews as Captain Adam Greer. The executive producers of the series were Aaron Spelling and Danny Thomas.
Burke's Law is an American detective series that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1966. The show starred Gene Barry as millionaire captain of Los Angeles Police homicide division Amos Burke, who is chauffeured around to solve crimes in his 1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II complete with an early car phone.
Detective Sergeant George Bulman was a fictional detective created by Kenneth Royce in his series of books about The XYY Man, where the character's name was initially Alf Bulman. Here Bulman is presented as a 'bent copper', though the only examples of his corruption given are that he gained promotion to sergeant by persuading down-and-outs to confess to unsolved robberies, in return for a prison sentence which would put them inside during the coldest months of winter.
Pie in the Sky is a British police comedy drama starring Richard Griffiths and Maggie Steed, created by Andrew Payne and first broadcast in five series on BBC1 between 13 March 1994 and 17 August 1997, as well as being syndicated on other channels in other countries.
Detective Constable "Dangerous" Davies is the central character in a series of comic novels by Leslie Thomas and a TV series, The Last Detective made for ITV and starring Peter Davison. The first novel in the series had earlier been made into a film for television in 1981. It starred Bernard Cribbins and was scripted by Leslie Thomas.
Vincent is a British television crime drama series, created and principally written by Stephen Butchard, that first broadcast on ITV on 10 October 2005.
Sherlock Holmes is the overall title given to the series of Sherlock Holmes adaptations produced by the British television company Granada Television between 24 April 1984 and 11 April 1994.
The Mrs Bradley Mysteries is a British drama series starring Diana Rigg as Adela Bradley, and Neil Dudgeon as her chauffeur George Moody. The series was produced by the BBC for its BBC One channel between 31 August 1998 and 6 February 2000, based on the character created by detective writer Gladys Mitchell. Five episodes were produced, including a pilot special. Stylish images of the 1920s are featured, including a classic Rolls-Royce limousine and art deco fashions and jewellery worn by the title character.
Dalziel and Pascoe is a British television crime drama based on the mystery novels of the same name, written by Reginald Hill. The series was first broadcast on 16 March 1996, with Warren Clarke being cast as Dalziel and Colin Buchanan being cast as Pascoe. The series is primarily set in the fictional town of Wetherton in Yorkshire, and "follows the work of two detectives who are thrown together as partners. Complete opposites. Different backgrounds, different beliefs, different styles. They get on each other's nerves. They are continually embarrassed by each other. But their differences make them a stunningly brilliant crime-solving team."
Cribb is a television police drama, which debuted in 1979 as a 90-minute TV film from Granada Television in the United Kingdom. Later, thirteen 50-minute episodes were produced, which ran from 1980 to 1981.
NCS: Manhunt is a British television crime drama series, starring David Suchet, and based on the National Crime Squad. Created by Malcolm McKay, the series premiered with a two-part pilot episode on BBC One on 26 March 2001. A full series of six episodes debuted on 4 March 2002, and concluded on 19 March 2002. Despite the series' popularity, and strong viewing figures, a second series was never commissioned. Notably, neither the pilot nor the complete series have ever been issued on DVD, although the series was repeated in its entirety on Forces TV in 2016. The series notably starred Michael Fassbender in one of his earliest television roles, after appearing in Band of Brothers the previous year. Kenneth Cranham and Phyllis Logan also co-starred in the pilot episode.
Liverpool 1 is a British television drama series centred on the work of a fictional Merseyside Police vice squad. Produced by Lime Street Productions for ITV, it starred Samantha Janus and Mark Womack and ran for two series from 7 September 1998 and 25 October 1999. The series represented an early vehicle for Janus' move into mainstream drama roles, following her success in the situation comedy Game On. Despite excellent viewing figures, ITV chose not to re-commission the show after series two. Repeats are intermittently shown on ITV3. The complete series was released on DVD for the first time on 15 August 2016.
Maigret is a British television series made by the BBC and which – following a pilot episode broadcast in 1959 – ran for 52 episodes from 1960 to 1963.
Scott & Bailey is a British police procedural series that debuted on ITV on 29 May 2011 and concluded on 27 April 2016. The series stars Suranne Jones, Lesley Sharp, Amelia Bullmore, Nicholas Gleaves, Danny Miller and Pippa Haywood. The show, mainly written by Sally Wainwright, revolves around the personal and professional lives of detectives Janet Scott and Rachel Bailey. Both characters are members of the Syndicate Nine Major Incident Team (MIT) of the fictional Manchester Metropolitan Police.
WPC 56 is a British television police procedural series, created and partly written by Dominique Moloney and broadcast on BBC One. The stories feature the first woman police constables (WPC) to join the fictional Midlands Constabulary at Brinford Police Station in 1956.
Without Motive is a British crime drama series broadcast on ITV, starring Ross Kemp as the main protagonist, Detective Constable Jack Mowbray, a born and bred Bristol detective whose world is turned upside down when he is assigned to a major murder enquiry involving a serial killer, who is randomly attacking young women, apparently without motive. Two series of the programme were produced. The first was produced by HTV, and the second by Meridian Broadcasting. Both series aired consecutively between 2 October 2000 and 1 November 2001. Both series were issued on DVD on 11 October 2011, exclusively in the United States by Acorn Media.
Tin Star is a British crime drama television series created by Rowan Joffé. The series focuses on Jim Worth, a former London Metropolitan Police Service detective who becomes chief of police of a Canadian town in the Rocky Mountains. It stars Tim Roth, Genevieve O'Reilly, Abigail Lawrie, Oliver Coopersmith, Ian Hart and Christina Hendricks.
Sister Boniface Mysteries is a British cosy mystery detective period comedy drama television series, created by Jude Tindall, which is produced by BBC Studios and BritBox. It is a spin-off of Father Brown, as the Sister Boniface character was introduced in a Father Brown episode. A 10-episode first series premiered on 8 February 2022, on the BritBox streaming service, and released in the UK on the UKTV Drama channel later in 2022. Sister Boniface Mysteries was commissioned for a second series, which began streaming in the US on Britbox on 3 April 2023. Series 3 began streaming on Britbox in the US on 24 April 2024.