SEASON ONE
Martin Shaw does a great job of portraying the craggy DCI George Gently. I don't like the way the character John Bacchus is written. However, Lee Ingleby carries it off with aplomb. And the writers telegraph that character's underlying morality by tagging him with the last name of "Bacchus."
The two actors working on screen together are vaguely reminiscent of Christopher Plummer and Daniel Craig in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Unlike many crime dramas, the stories are NOT full of gaping holes that strain credulity. And maybe not for crime drama experts, but for the rest of us mere mortals, the culprit generally remains hidden until the last few moments of the drama when the reveal is done.
First season is a solid seven.
SEASON TWO
This season the filmmakers added a bold modernistic opening sequence. Of the four episodes, the clunker was Gently in the Blood. A tale that is preachy and overreaching in its moralism. The best episode was Gently with the Innocents. We've seen this story before: child abuse of orphans. But the plot is textured and convincing.
Last season Bacchus was merely a self-righteous idiot. This season the screenwriters have transformed the character into a rather despicable menace. He's married nevertheless he sleeps around.
At the end of this season Bacchus goes behind Gently's back and pulls strings to be enrolled in a course he hopes will advance his career. In the last episode we're left with the impression he's leaving for London.
SEASON THREE AND FOUR: OK
SEASON FIVE
My advice: Skip directly to the final episode, which is needed for continuity into Season 6.
SEASON SIX
Whew! The filmmakers have sown their wild oats in Season 5 and now we're back to the REAL Inspector George Gently. (Although I still miss the opening sequence that began in Season 2).
John Bacchus has lost his Beatles hairdo and looks more mature. Now he and George debate serious philosophical stances while solving cases. Essentially, this is the maturation of what the filmmakers were attempting in Season 5. Except - this time - it's well done. Unlike last season, these stories don't browbeat the audience with an exaggerated morality play. Instead, very deep social perspectives are debated while the cases go forward.
The George Gently - John Bacchus duo gets a pick-me-up with the introduction of a new character Rachel Coles, played with maximum aplomb by Lisa McGrillis. Rachel is a foil to John and it really spices up the chemistry of the scenes when the three are onscreen together.
Amazingly enough, this series is now better than ever!
SEASON SEVEN
After delivering a near perfect season six and just when you thought it was safe to watch Gently again, the filmmakers have returned to foisting abysmal soap opera scripts onto this cop show.
John Bacchus's character arc has retrograded. His haircut has changed back to a modified Beatles style. The viewer is inundated with the roller coaster story of John Bacchus and Gemma Nunn. Which is totally meaningless to the crime-solving plots. The only value that subplot has is filling up screen time. It's a cheap distraction leading nowhere. I fast-forwarded through all of those scenes.
The only saving grace in this pitiful season is Lisa McGrillis' performance as the unstoppable Rachel Coles. She is single-handedly saving this series. John Bacchus' character arc is going backwards. George Gently's arc has stalled. Rachel Coles is the only on-screen presence with a character arc that is proceeding forward. Without her, this series would effectively be over.
SEASON EIGHT
John Bacchus is now sporting a 70s hairstyle (No longer a Beatle-que hairdo). In the beginning of this episode he is as opinionated as ever. But by the end he has matured enough to admit his mistakes.
Facing his own mortality and the impending finish of his career, George Gently has accepted the writing on the wall and is willing to "let it all hang out" as they used to say. No longer holding back, he tells John exactly what he thinks of him. The undiluted honesty is like electric sparks between the characters.
Let's remember to mention Lisa McGrillis's outstanding contribution to the series. Her character, Rachel Coles, breathed new life into this series.
Alas, The Gently is dead. LONG LIVE GEORGE GENTLY!
Martin Shaw does a great job of portraying the craggy DCI George Gently. I don't like the way the character John Bacchus is written. However, Lee Ingleby carries it off with aplomb. And the writers telegraph that character's underlying morality by tagging him with the last name of "Bacchus."
The two actors working on screen together are vaguely reminiscent of Christopher Plummer and Daniel Craig in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Unlike many crime dramas, the stories are NOT full of gaping holes that strain credulity. And maybe not for crime drama experts, but for the rest of us mere mortals, the culprit generally remains hidden until the last few moments of the drama when the reveal is done.
First season is a solid seven.
SEASON TWO
This season the filmmakers added a bold modernistic opening sequence. Of the four episodes, the clunker was Gently in the Blood. A tale that is preachy and overreaching in its moralism. The best episode was Gently with the Innocents. We've seen this story before: child abuse of orphans. But the plot is textured and convincing.
Last season Bacchus was merely a self-righteous idiot. This season the screenwriters have transformed the character into a rather despicable menace. He's married nevertheless he sleeps around.
At the end of this season Bacchus goes behind Gently's back and pulls strings to be enrolled in a course he hopes will advance his career. In the last episode we're left with the impression he's leaving for London.
SEASON THREE AND FOUR: OK
SEASON FIVE
My advice: Skip directly to the final episode, which is needed for continuity into Season 6.
SEASON SIX
Whew! The filmmakers have sown their wild oats in Season 5 and now we're back to the REAL Inspector George Gently. (Although I still miss the opening sequence that began in Season 2).
John Bacchus has lost his Beatles hairdo and looks more mature. Now he and George debate serious philosophical stances while solving cases. Essentially, this is the maturation of what the filmmakers were attempting in Season 5. Except - this time - it's well done. Unlike last season, these stories don't browbeat the audience with an exaggerated morality play. Instead, very deep social perspectives are debated while the cases go forward.
The George Gently - John Bacchus duo gets a pick-me-up with the introduction of a new character Rachel Coles, played with maximum aplomb by Lisa McGrillis. Rachel is a foil to John and it really spices up the chemistry of the scenes when the three are onscreen together.
Amazingly enough, this series is now better than ever!
SEASON SEVEN
After delivering a near perfect season six and just when you thought it was safe to watch Gently again, the filmmakers have returned to foisting abysmal soap opera scripts onto this cop show.
John Bacchus's character arc has retrograded. His haircut has changed back to a modified Beatles style. The viewer is inundated with the roller coaster story of John Bacchus and Gemma Nunn. Which is totally meaningless to the crime-solving plots. The only value that subplot has is filling up screen time. It's a cheap distraction leading nowhere. I fast-forwarded through all of those scenes.
The only saving grace in this pitiful season is Lisa McGrillis' performance as the unstoppable Rachel Coles. She is single-handedly saving this series. John Bacchus' character arc is going backwards. George Gently's arc has stalled. Rachel Coles is the only on-screen presence with a character arc that is proceeding forward. Without her, this series would effectively be over.
SEASON EIGHT
John Bacchus is now sporting a 70s hairstyle (No longer a Beatle-que hairdo). In the beginning of this episode he is as opinionated as ever. But by the end he has matured enough to admit his mistakes.
Facing his own mortality and the impending finish of his career, George Gently has accepted the writing on the wall and is willing to "let it all hang out" as they used to say. No longer holding back, he tells John exactly what he thinks of him. The undiluted honesty is like electric sparks between the characters.
Let's remember to mention Lisa McGrillis's outstanding contribution to the series. Her character, Rachel Coles, breathed new life into this series.
Alas, The Gently is dead. LONG LIVE GEORGE GENTLY!