The Detectorists: Season One: DVD Review

The Detectorists: Season One: DVD Review

Rating: M
Released by Madman Home Ent

Nobody does whimsy and wry observational comedy better than the British do.

So it's no surprise that The Detectorists, written and directed by MacKenzie Crook (The Office) comes with a pedigree and expectation. Following the non-adventures of a pair of metal-detecting enthusiasts, Andy (Crook) and Lance (Toby Jones) very little actually happens.

As they amble for one search to the next though looking for buried treasure, what Crook's actually uncovered is a veritable goldmine of gentle humour that gets under the skin of its leads and provides a show that's rarely on TV these days.

Both Jones and Crook turn in performances that are a delight to watch; these are two loveable outcasts that you want to spend time with, not because of their cringe factor but more because of their warmth and the recognisable nature of their lives.

In Crook's writing, there's an underlying sadness and layering of plots that really pay off with resonance.

This show slipped past TV networks here; I'd strongly recommend you don't make that mistake and put it firmly on your radar.