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For Mothers' Day, I quite delightedly received the DVD set of George Gently- first season. Thingummie Major and I watched them together.

As entertainment goes, these episodes are entertaining. We weren't surprised by that, since the show is still in production, which is evidence of mass appeal.

Also, we weren't disappointed by Martin Shaw's acting skills: great and still getting better as he continues. Wow.

There's one scene where the crazed killer is holding a gun on George, who cannot resist saying something scathing. The killer closes in, aims right between the eyes, is ready to shoot. George Gently's "I'm going to die here and now" reaction is brilliant, thrilling, carries utter conviction and fear to the viewer. Terrific. Yeehaw!

We come to the conclusion that "George Gently" is intended simply as a vehicle for Martin Shaw's acting.

The rest of the actors aren't groan-worthy, which is good. The actresses, though, gawds bless 'em, are hauling a heavy load, by virtue of the script they are handed.

The women characters fall into four categories:

1. Manikins attired in fashions almost completely, and yet not quite totally, unlike those of the 1960s
2. Idiots
3. Sluts
4. Dead

Then too, the depictions of forensics in this show are most peculiar.

We're not quite certain why the practical aspects of a police drama devolve to something in Benny Hill's genre. Perhaps these are attempts at surrealism?

For instance, there's a scene in which a fisherman's hook plucks an eyeball out of a drowning victim's skull. The recipient proceeds to play with the eyeball as if it were some sort of strange piece of fruit. Hoo-boy, catch of the day. I don't expect the film directors to know that underwater corpses inevitably drift face downward. [Okay, I DO expect them to know that, or at least ask about it, for gosh sakes.]

But a six year old child could tell you that it would take some skull carving to remove an eyeball whole, and the only imaginable thing that would result from a fish hook catching in a corpse's eyeball would be to lacerate it in passing.

Then there's another scene where the bad guys splash a bit of petrol on a freshly murdered body, toss in a flaming match, and immediately vacate the place. The next view of the corpse is of a beautifully complete skeleton with absolutely no soft parts remaining. Sorry, but there's no way that sucker burned that thoroughly. The miscreants would have succeeded in burning their victim's clothes and charring the flesh, but that's about it, yeah?

And then the police go on to discuss the stomach contents of the decedent. Having got rid of the organs for the camera, the director wants them back for the rest of the script? I mean, huh?

But being in a friendly and largely amused way, I'll return to my suggestion that these are attempts at surrealism, and leave my criticism at that.

The final word, if you haven't seen "George Gently" already, do so when you get the opportunity. The stories are entertaining, and Martin Shaw is just Great with a capital "G".
The women characters fall into four categories:

1. Manikins attired in fashions almost completely, and yet not quite totally, unlike those of the 1960s
2. Idiots
3. Sluts
4. Dead


:lol

Well, good old Martin  :thumbs   I'll definitely look out for that (forewarned tongue firmly in cheek when it gets to the pathology.)
Sounds like I should give that a look too. Thanks, Asy.  :thumbs

I know what you mean about details like that. I'm no expert, but I wince at some of the mistakes in movies. I suppose a series (presumably low budget) has a bit more excuse, but even so I wish they'd show it to a couple of people and say "does that sound ok to you"

I actually mind less when it's Bruce Willis/Sylvester Stallone crashing 50 cars and firing a pistol 50 times without reloading since it's not meant to be taken very seriously :)
Well, we're on a strict budget here at Clarke's Gap; not a whole lot of pressies given on birthdays etc, and those that are given fall into the "was going to buy that pair of socks anyway" category.

So the family actually plunking down the geld for George Gently discs, rather than waiting to rent them, displays a certain level of keen interest on my part, yeah?

I imagine most viewers just settle back and enjoy themselves as the story drifts across the screen. And I did start out that way, honestly I did. So there had to be something of a startlement there, to shake me out of my assumed complacency.

The series is presented as a police drama. It starts with the homicide of Gently's wife, the music is all "The Blues", Shaw gives a quite believable presentation of mourning.

And then suddenly from out of left field, the director hits the viewer in the face with an eviscerated eyeball.

Trust me, in order to avoid a total "what the freakin H?" reaction, I had to muster the "oh, okay, surrealism," judgment.

It's even possible that is what the director intended, heh.  ;)

Thanks for replying, guys. It's more fun, viewing and then jabbering over a cuppa joe, innit?
I had a letter from my Auntie Mon (aged 80 plus) yesterday and she said 'M Shaw in George Gently is the highlight of my week!'

:D
You've got to admit, the lady has good taste. How I wish I didn't have to wait until season two comes out on DVD!



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