joeyking-13604 The excuse for this gem of a series that it was losing viewers just doesn't ring true. From 1990 onwards every single programme was losing viewers due to sky TV, I'd like to think that many were videoing this and it never lost many viewers at all.Anyway to the important stuff. Peter Davison is as ever brilliant. I watched him when I was a lad in "all creatures" and having read all the books thought he brought Tristan to life exactly the way Herriot wanted. Sean Hughes is a great foil, I also remember him as a young comedian and his show. The rest of the cast are top notch and you believe every character....even the daft ones. The cast progression through the series is paced very well letting you into each one a bit more, Emma Amos in particular. All good things must end and people move on to new projects so this series must be remembered for what it was, classic British comedy drama which is done better here than anywhere else. A must see.

ennor 'The Last Detective' is again being shown on ABC1-TV in Australia late on a Saturday night. I reckon this is at least the third showing of some episodes, and I'm still watching them. So, what does this mean? If I can watch anything for the third time and still be entertained, then it's well written, well acted, and probably quite unique.Peter Davison is perhaps best well known as playing Dr Who in the first half of the 1980's. As 'dangerous' Davies, he walks a fine line between being a hero and being a loser. Mostly he manages to squeeze into the hero role, much to the derision of his work colleages, DC's Pimlott and Barrett. PC Davies is an old-fashioned copper who would like an old fashioned life, but between being given the soft cases by his boss, DI Aspinall, and being given the shove by his bitchy wife - well played by Emma Amos - his life is usually one long uphill climb. Peter Davison handles this role with the skill we have come to expect from him.Whist the scripts verge on the comedic, genuine light relief is provided by Sean Hughes as Mod, Davies' mate and confidant.Mod: What do you call a dozen rabbits walking backwards? Davies: What?Mod: A receding hairline. After which follows a discussion about whether a bunch of rabbits can be called 'hares', since hares are completely different from rabbits.Gentle, but addictive and entertaining.

bailey-486 Like a previous poster, I too thought of Dixon of Dock Green (which I remember from about 1956 - it was on every Saturday night) as I first watched "The Last Detective", which I just recently discovered. However, as I watched more of the series I began to realize that it's really quite different. Firstly, Dixon was respected by his colleagues and bosses, whereas Dangerous is definitely not. Secondly, he lived with his daughter's family (his son-in-law was a detective in the same police station) and had a comfortable home life with people who loved him...again, totally different from poor Dangerous. Thirdly, Dixon refused promotion because he just wanted to be "an ordinary copper". I'm sure Dangerous would be delighted to be promoted, but because no one really realizes what a good job he does, it will never happen!"Dixon of Dock Green" was made and broadcast on the BBC in the 50s up to the 70s, and certainly the ones I remember (50s and early 60s) featured cozy stories with happy endings and nothing really nasty. There were sad things, of course (like when the young policeman was killed) but mostly everything was all right in the end. "The Last Detective", while not wallowing in the nasty stuff, could certainly not be described as "cozy". Dangerous (wonderfully played by Peter Davison, a favourite since his Tristan days) is a very nice man, if a bit too ready to take all the abuse his colleagues heap on him. I would like to see him stand up for himself a bit more!I am enjoying "The Last Detective" every bit as much as I enjoyed "Dixon of Dock Green" all those years ago and can't wait to see Series 4 on DVD.

cranston-3 Ever since his "Dr. Who," ALL THINGS GREAT AND SMALL, his appearances on Diana Rigg's MRS. BRADLEY MYSTERIES series, as well as his engaging CAMPION, I've admired Peter Davison, as an apparently quite likable fellow off-camera and a warm, excellent actor in front of the lens. Now, a bit older, he's returned, in top form in "The Last Detective" series. Though at bottom in the gritty Brit Police Force pecking order, a pariah to his burnt-out colleagues, he still manages to solve crimes none of them thinks worth the time. It's good news that THE LAST DETECTIVE has run for three seasons. Let's hope that there'll be many more, and that Seasons 2 and 3 will also soon be made available on DVD. So that we Statesiders can enjoy it. For I have little hope that we'll ever see them on PBS, at least not soon. Good show, Peter!