The perfect show? AJ Hartley reviews Brit TV show DETECTORISTS

Not sure if this is legal or how long it will stay up but you can watch most of the show here: • Detectorists - Season ...

[@hotelsierra86]

Totally agree. This was not a TV series, it was a life event. Nothing surpasses it.

[@RangerErnsy]

I found this show a bit ago by complete random chance. I fell in love with it and binged through it straight away. It's so quiet and full of heart with lots of chuckles. Toby and Mackenzie are so pitch perfect. And all of the characters have their own stories. Even though I am an American, I really related to it.

[@AndrewHartley]

Agreed. Thanks!

[@nutbrown607]

One character detail that I really liked was that Lance had already won the lottery. The national lottery that is. He, like all the characters, isn't searching for gold to get rich. They're looking for, like you said, the Ancient, the history. A piece of ancestry. Something that connects them to the earth and all the people that have lived on it - to become a part of English history. Really beautiful storytelling.

[@AndrewHartley]

Yes! Loved that.

[@digill13]

My favourite TV show..... Ever. Thanks for your comments

[@AndrewHartley]

Mine too!

[@alfgarnett3821]

At the 30 minutes mark, you nail this show when you say "A Masterpiece"

[@AndrewHartley]

Hey, for me, only taking half an hour to get to the point is pretty good ;)

[@ScottyDnB]

I loved this show, such a beautiful slice of countryside dwelling, British to a fault hobbyists. The whole show just gives me a warm glow and i could feel the heart and passion of the writers through the screen.

[@AndrewHartley]

Me too. Thanks!

[@StephaniePisces]

This show is so important to me. Thanks for this inisightful commentary.

[@AndrewHartley]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@lencooke944]

Hi Professor, this is such an interesting concept. It just goes to show that when programs are written with integrity and genuine heart, they can be absolute gems. This seems a real 'everyman' series, where not just detectorists, but hobbyists of any persuasion find their ilk and stories are built around simple things that many people can identify with. This looks beautifully shot, well-scripted and superbly acted; I might have to track the dvds down. Thanks for pointing me to a show that looks heartbreakingly meaningful.

[@AndrewHartley]

Thanks, Len. Yes, I agree. The integrity of the thing is key. It would be a tough concept to pitch to most media producers, and I think the show's success came as a surprise to the BCC but yes, quality will out. I really hope you find and enjoy it.

[@marcm.8394]

Great video, I could of listened to you talk about Detectorists for hours. The show was recommended to me (Netflix) based on previous shows I had watched. Once I started, I couldn't stop myself from watching the complete series. One of the early words you used to describe the show is "quiet" and it's always the first thing that comes to mind for me. I've rewatched the show a few times and I never get tired of it. I actually get emotional every time I hear the theme song and think about this wonderful show.

[@AndrewHartley]

Great stuff! Thanks :)

[@Melanie220]

Discovered Detectorists back in the winter, here on YT. It really is the most perfect television show I've ever watched. I agree about that latest Christmas special; I actually bought the DVD set this past spring just so I could watch it as it's not on YT, I've forgotten why. Anyway, like you I will probably never watch it again because for me, the show's third season ending was just flawless and needed nothing more. By the way, American here, and I think I got almost every single British reference in the show. That may be because I watch so much British television, though, and read so many British books and other publications. If there was something I didn't get, I immediately paused the episode and did some Googling, unable to carry on until I was in the know. But no, you don't need to get it all in order to appreciate the perfection that is Detectorists. (I will say that it does help if you've watched a bit of Time Team! LOL)

[@AndrewHartley]

Thanks! Glad my sense of it chimed with yours. Cheers!

[@ashleywetherall]

Its my favourite show.. Beautifully made with pitch perfect performances..

[@JMxx6204]

Excellent stuff. I really liked this series and the Christmas special was an unexpected delight. I also like his take on Worzel Gummidge .

[@AndrewHartley]

Ha! Yes, indeed.

[@DaveBartlett]

There are three recent British shows that stand out as having the English Countryside as a 'featured character' - one is "Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing" and the other two are specifically Mackenzie Crook creations: "Detectorists" and "Worzel Gummidge" - Three totally different shows aimed at three different audiencies, but all of them celebrating the beauty of Britain, (and rural England in particular,) and as a collection, providing particularly 'feel-good' television. I'd recommend all three.

[@payfortheircrimes]

​@DaveBartlett I would add This Country to that 😊

[@johndoh539]

A wonderful description Andrew, and even made me think more about the true meanings in detectorists. However, I do think that the original “Darling buds of may” was THE perfect tv programme. Beautiful in every way, even in the cast ! 😊 Take care. James Doherty 🍺

[@AndrewHartley]

Thanks, mate!

[@diogenesagogo]

Superb, highly intelligent commentary on a small-scale work of genius. You might have specifically mentioned the hawk whistle/ magpie sequence - I thought you would when describing the underlying philosophy of the protagonists. It's a scene that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up (even when just thinking about it).

[@AndrewHartley]

Thanks for that! Much appreciated.

[@Julie-ge7jw]

Excellent - thank you.

[@AndrewHartley]

You are welcome!

[@wardjunior1450]

I think the 2022 special is perfect.

[@help_me_rhonda]

Thanks for the heads up about the 2022 special .. from what you say i get the impression it was driven by tv people who had no connection to the subject matter .. the last episode of series 3 was the perfect way to tie up the show.

[@AndrewHartley]

I didn't know that. Thanks. But yes, totally agree about the end of season 3.

[@fredhannum4015]

Just a wonderful review, and insightful commentary. My favorite show, for years. I did have to cut short, due to the unavailability to see the specials yet. I too, have an affinity for Japanese music, and have had, for many years, although not continuously. I still have, my vinyl of The Sadistic Mika Band, which I got in 1975. But some 30 years ago, I discovered, the group Anzenchitai, and it's lead singer Koji Tamaki. It was like waking, from a coma to discover the complete works of The Beatles, or The Eagles, or Bowie. Koji Tamaki, being very much like Bowie, in his changes of looks and style. My first purchase, from E Bay of 'Anzenchitai Super Best ' a multi disc collection of many songs and videos, of their long career, including, a mostly complete concert, live 'One Night Only' being a 'completeist' of course, I collected all of their albums, and videos. If you watch, their first song,first album video, 'Las Vegas Typhoon' they are all dressed in white, and their last song 'Chocolate' on their tenth album 'X' again all in white, it works as bookends of their wonderful career as a group. I also love many other Asian music, like, Jo Sung Mo, (Korean) and in particular, his song, and video of 'As if you were mine' a 9 - 11 story, and the saddest song, I've ever heard, I don't speak any other languages, but feel very satisfied from these songs, and videos, translated or not. Also the Japanese song, from 1985 that launched an entire genre 'City Pop' the song is titled 'Plastic Love' and there are probably 200 covers of this song out there, some of my favorites are by; Friday Night Plans, AGA, Alice, and Hayoung of 'Fromis _9' . I have been a metal detectorist for many years as well, and have several interesting finds. Thank you for your insightful review.

[@AndrewHartley]

Thank you! I know that Crook has also become a detectorist so I think there's some respect for the hobbyists there which people didn't expect. Thanks also for the notes on Japanese bands, not all of which I know. Will dig...

[@robpayne183]

Love the show!

[@gaskellr44]

Hi, you said there are not many perfect shows, and this one comes close to being one. Which ones then do you think have been or are perfect, Fawlty Towers I hope?

[@AndrewHartley]

Would certainly be a contender.

[@gaskellr44]

Yes, I think F T is most likely the pinacle of what a sitcom can be, but we were spoilt for sitcoms around that same time in the mid 70s in the UK.@@AndrewHartley

[@amelialikesfrogs5778]

its technically not connected but i love the Netflix movie The Dig and see it almost like a sister movie to Detectorists. It has Johnny Flynn, who did the dedtectorists theme song(his folk music is superb) acting in it and is set nearby being about the true story of the Sutton Who dig just before WW2. which is referenced a few times in detectorists. it has a similar calm and small story energy and has powerful messaging about archeology and death.

[@amelialikesfrogs5778]

it also has voldemort and sally sparrow as the main leads

[@AndrewHartley]

Yes, I'm familiar with it. I studied the Sutton Hoo dig back in my undergrad days when I was seriously considering a career in archaeology. Great stuff.

[@impertinenzija26]

I enjoyed watching this video, but now I feel the urge to play "Animal Crossing" again. ^^

[@nthemuseurodenon]

I am a detectorist but you don't have to be in order to like this show. It's a multi-faceted gem in a 24K setting

[@AndrewHartley]

agreed. nice image :)

[@LOLMAN9538]

Hey, AJ, I just thought I would let you know that BABYMETAL'S newest single "METAL KINGDOM" just released.

[@AndrewHartley]

Yep. I'm swamped with work right now but will try to make some sort of response when I can.

[@Scotlanz]

Because I don’t believe that perfection exists, I’d argue that the actor who played the German student is the only weak link in the cast.

[@AndrewHartley]

Fair enough. But it's tough to be both natural and compelling when you are playing someone who doesn't speak English as a first language. I'm ok with him.

[@hoog111]

Are you any relation to J R R Hartley. I agree with you but think the special was deliberately off, so to speak, to end it. By the way you’ll have to be British to get the joke at the beginning.

[@AndrewHartley]

Ha. No, but I did once sign his book when someone brought it to a signing as a joke (apparently the ads were so popular that they actually released the [previously nonexistent] book to capitalize)!