Detectorists is a lovely example of British television at its best; poignantly humorous yet sensitive, emotionally deep and intensely rewarding.
Andy and Lance live in a rural English backwater that superficially seems quiet and uneventful. Writer (and portrayer of Andy) Mackenzie Crook's genius is to show us the rich comic beauty that lies beneath. They are searching for an elusive horde of Saxon gold and the ups and downs they face cleverly mirror the vicissitudes of their journey through life.
The pair are intelligent, well-read, avid viewers of highbrow quiz shows but, by the capitalist standards of modern life, serial under-achievers. However, the humour never belittles them. Instead their male slant on life is lent a dry, sometimes morose, and often wistful comic voice. Andy and Lance are highly endearing, their eccentricities laced with humility. Perhaps we see ourselves in them and consider them as easy for us to befriend.
The actors are gentle, credible and very English; the rural Suffolk air thick with seeds and insects and pollen. It’s a beautiful setting, far from the ugliness of modernity. What starts as a simple premise, two middle-aged men trudging across fields, gently swinging their detectors while musing on the curiosities of life, develops plots, sub plots and village goings-on that draw you in.
We are shown only subtle clues. Nothing is thrust at us. Potentially vital hints at the direction of things to come are hidden away, shown on screen for a split second. Those who get up early to make a cup of tea when they see the closing credits and the viewpoint panning out and up will miss much. Understatement is used powerfully and sits in perfect keeping with the overall mood.
The music plays a vital part. The theme tune in the style of old English folk and the incidental variations sit perfectly with ploughed fields, rich earth and Mother Nature. Which other dramas show us close ups of summer meadow flowers, insects and birds?
Two of the three short seasons are on Netflix. Detectorists comes highly recommended as a deceptively powerful piece of television which by rights should win numerous awards. I can't wait to see what Mackenzie Crook dreams up next!
PS: Remember, the tools are metal detectors, Andy and Lance are detectorists!
