Topic: Detectorists Series 3

[Enzo]

Been re-watching this as balm for the broken heart after a break up. Just sobbed like a baby throughout that last episode. Probably not worth bumping the thread for but this show might well be perfect, and the finale is just on another level.

Sorry to hear that Bernice. I did the same after my last break-up. It really is a tonic for the soul.

[jobotic]

I still haven't watched the last episode. Don't want it to end!

[olliebean]

Probably a non-story, but: https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/6139/detectorists-revival/

[holyzombiejesus]

Probably a non-story, but: https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/6139/detectorists-revival/

One of my favourite programmes ever but I hope he doesn't make any more. That ending was absolutely perfect.

[mobias]

Bumping this thread because I've just binge watched all three series for the first time. I started to watch it when it came out back in 2014 but it just didn't click with me. I didn't think it was funny enough and its slow pace just didn't hold my attention. Over the years I'd tried with it again getting further and further through the first series but always giving up. Last week though with nothing else to watch and prompted by someone mentioning it on Twitter I thought I'll go for it and force myself to watch all three series in one go.

I must say I absolutely adored it by the end. Its just perfect feel good comedy drama, the perfect antidote to life at the moment. I think its the best TV comedy I've seen in years. It is a strange one though. Its like there's sometimes two competing styles in it. All the stuff between Lance and Andy, the relationship between them and indeed all the family relationship stuff could almost be described as whimsical drama with the occasional nugget of laugh out loud comedy. Yet a lot of the other stuff, like the Simon and Garfunkel characters and the other detectorists seems much more born out of a traditional sitcom. Indeed bits of it reminded me of Dads Army. No bad thing of course.

Its sometimes odd binge watching shows like that. The join between the second and third series seems quite abrupt. Lovely Sophie disappears without any explanation and isn't mentioned again plus there's a big deal about Andy and Becky disappearing off to Africa and then they're suddenly back and none of it is even alluded to. There's two years between the second and third series but if you watch it in one go its seems a bit disjointed. There's a few other bits like that where there's not much attempt to tie anything together.

I loved the fact there were loads of little clever directorial flourishes in it. It never ceases to put a smile on your face with funny little plot devices. I loved the little pre opening credit vignette each episode has. My favourite one was the blowing away trampoline and Larry the crazy old landowner making a brief reappearance chasing after it. I loved him. I wish there could have been a bit more of him.   

I'd be well up for a fourth series. It wouldn't be too difficult to do I don't think. Its the sort of thing that gets a lot of millage out of very little.
     

[Better Midlands]

There's two years between the second and third series but if you watch it in one go its seems a bit disjointed

There is a christmas special between S02 & S03 incase you missed it.

"Christmas Special"
Lance's lucky strike, a late Saxon gold and jewelled aestel, is on display at the British Museum but seems to have used up all his luck, as he hasn't had a single find since (not even a ring-pull), and he suffers a series of misfortunes which his club-mates consider to be "the curse of the gold"

[The Mollusk]

Larry the crazy old landowner
     

He’s great. Shouting “COME ON GIRLS” has become a regular thing in my household now when calling our cats in from outside at bed time.

[willbo]

I watched series one for the first time a month ago. I didn't really get what you were supposed to think about the relationship between MC and the younger woman they make friends with. Like if he is planning to leave his girlfriend for her or should you root for the relationship. I liked the show overall though.

[mobias]

There is a christmas special between S02 & S03 incase you missed it.

Yeah saw the Christmas special. I guess it does tie things together a little bit. I think its a series that benefits from not being binge watched though. At least have a bit of a break between each series.

He’s great. Shouting “COME ON GIRLS” has become a regular thing in my household now when calling our cats in from outside at bed time.

If the show does come back for a fourth series I think it could easily get away with making more of these hilariously eccentric country characters. I loved Kevin Eldon's little cameo in the final episode. He'd be great being brought in as a character.

I watched series one for the first time a month ago. I didn't really get what you were supposed to think about the relationship between MC and the younger woman they make friends with. Like if he is planning to leave his girlfriend for her or should you root for the relationship. I liked the show overall though.

You need to watch the whole thing. I definitely found there were little plot points that don't quite make sense at the time but make more sense in the grand scheme of things.

 Really lovely series over all. Its stayed with me since I finished it, which is always the sign of something special. I'm not sure why I keep thinking back and comparing it in my head to the output of Gervais and Merchant. I guess because MC was obviously born out of the Office and so would have been influenced by them. I see similar elements of British parochial humour in something like After Life. I think Detectorists is far, far superior though. It almost seems like it could have been written as a kind of reaction against Gervais often cruel style of humour.

[gilbertharding]

I watched series one for the first time a month ago. I didn't really get what you were supposed to think about the relationship between MC and the younger woman they make friends with. Like if he is planning to leave his girlfriend for her or should you root for the relationship. I liked the show overall though.

I think you should definitely root for the relationship (if you put it like that). If I know Andy's character, he's an easily led sadsack who is flattered by the attention of Sophie, but would never want the relationship to go further than something he can easily retain inside his head.

[crankshaft]

I'm not sure why I keep thinking back and comparing it in my head to the output of Gervais and Merchant. I guess because MC was obviously born out of the Office and so would have been influenced by them. I see similar elements of British parochial humour in something like After Life. I think Detectorists is far, far superior though. It almost seems like it could have been written as a kind of reaction against Gervais often cruel style of humour.

There's more empathy, emotional intelligence and warmth in that single shot of Terry looking at Sheila in the final episode of Detectorists than there is anywhere in the horrorshow that is After Life.

[kngen]

He's an easily led sadsack who is flattered by the attention of Sophie, but would never want the relationship to go further than something he can easily retain inside his head.

I think that's the perfect observation of a perfectly observed aspect of the internal life of men of a certain age (I should bloody know.)

[Better Midlands]

There's more empathy, emotional intelligence and warmth in that single shot of Terry looking at Sheila in the final episode of Detectorists than there is anywhere in the horrorshow that is After Life.

Yes, it's lovely - who wouldn't want to be looked at like that?

[gilbertharding]

I think that's the perfect observation of a perfectly observed aspect of the internal life of men of a certain age

Wow - I got one right!!

(I should bloody know.)

me too :(

[markburgle]

Recently binged all 3 series, bloody loved it. What distinguished it from other comedies I've tried recently (People Just Do Nothing, This Country and a few others) was that I wished I was part of their crew, found myself envying their relatively cosy, gentle lives.

One question mark with S3 was the bit in an early episode where the Terra Firma lot are plotting to cheat at a rally by planting their finds. Felt like that had maybe been supposed to come back later but there wasn't room. Good decision if so as the finale was bloody perfect, loved the stuff with Lance and Garfunkel morphing from shit-talking rivals into shit-talking pals