New Detectorists special

[Terry Torpid]

It's wonderful to feel so excited about a current telly show. It's like some fond memory of a beloved old show from your childhood, except it's recent and they're still making it. It's nice to recognise a classic as it's happening, if that makes sense.

[frajer]

Here's Crook in the RT:

Lovely piece, thanks for sharing. Crook and the show just radiate sincerity in such a life-affirming way. It's a very special thing indeed.

[Better Midlands]

Imagine my surprise when I saw myself in this thread, brain like a sieve.

Same, absolutely magic

Also, thanks for the Radio Times piece @Vroomo

Lovely piece, thanks for sharing. Crook and the show just radiate sincerity in such a life-affirming way. It's a very special thing indeed.

I wish I could live in their world

[atavist]

It's wonderful to feel so excited about a current telly show. It's like some fond memory of a beloved old show from your childhood, except it's recent and they're still making it. It's nice to recognise a classic as it's happening, if that makes sense.

Yeah, I loved it. No real snark, or edge or darkness. It had a timeless classic feel to it as it was aired, and did seem to hark back to a gentler age of comedy.

Which I suppose is why it had a few reviews along the lines of 'Last Of The Summer Wine' for Generation X (or was it Millennials? Whatever)

[Noodle Lizard]

Very glad to hear this, although I'll have to rewatch the third season since I really can't remember a thing about it.

It's a shame it looks like Aimee Ffion-Edwards still won't be returning. I'm assuming she left because of Peaky Blinders rather than any bad blood, but I feel like that character was left a little unresolved.

[Brundle-Fly]

Dame Diana Rigg will be missed too. Her frosty relationship with Andy was a joy to watch.

[holyzombiejesus]

Got mixed feelings about this as the final episode ended so perfectly. So glad to see it back though. Any air date yet?

[Brundle-Fly]

I heard a storyline rumour that the club go on a metal detecting holiday in Spain with a guest star cameo from Tony Robinson playing himself.

[SpiderChrist]

I heard a storyline rumour that the club go on a metal detecting holiday in Spain with a guest star cameo from Tony Robinson playing himself.

I initially read that as Tommy Robinson.

[Wayman C. McCreery]

Boxing Day, 9pm: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001gp05

[DelurkedToHelp]

I initially read that as Tommy Robinson.

English Detecting League

[Ferris]

Boxing Day, 9pm: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001gp05

Finally something to look forward to re: christmas staying with my parents in the UK.

[holyzombiejesus]

Why do they say 'feature length' when they actually mean 'a bit over an hour'.

[Wayman C. McCreery]

Interview with Crook and Jones in the Radio Times, which includes a couple of very minor spoilers: https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/the-detectorists-special-return-interview/amp/

[The Mollusk]

I suggest that there's a lot of kindness in the programme... "Yes, thank you and that's deliberate," replies Crook, "because I think it's a superpower, almost. Kindness is underrated. If people were kinder in general, the world would be a better place."

Just like Ricky Gervais!

Really lovely interview, but I expected nothing less from this pair. Enjoyed reading that Crook is a This Country fan, too. I've been rewatching both that and Detectorists in recent weeks and they're very similar in that they cast a light on a lot of simple, every day facets of human nature that could otherwise be taken for granted - albeit with This Country being more brash and silly, but the stuff with Martin Mucklowe or the vicar Francis is often very moving in its moral simplicity.

Also love that Pearce Quigley is such a funny presence on set. I think he's brilliant in this and have always loved his turn as the vicar in 15 Storeys High, both great performances. "You'll be in hell, swimming in a lake of turds and wasps. I'll be in heaven, watching Mariah Carey riding a horse in her shorts..."

[turnstyle]

Interesting to read that Crook is a This Country fan - as Mollusk says they definitely feel similar-ish - almost companion pieces in a way. I also made the very lazy observation to myself on my first watch that Louise is a similar character to Mandy, though a bit more down to earth and not as cartoony.

Really looking forward to the special. I actually only started watching the Detectorists this month - I don't know why I left it so long. Popped it on while I was working, then proceeded to binge the whole lot over a couple of days. I fell in love with it instantly. Been banging on to my wife about it to the point where she's probably sick of hearing about it and considering smothering me in my sleep.

There's something about the world that is really appealing. Maybe it is the kindness that Crook talks about in that RT interview. As a typical Cabber, I'm a bloke in his 40s, so that might explain in part why it resonates. I don't have any local mates to hang out with, so find myself wistfully watching a couple of guys hanging out in a field talking about University Challenge and thinking 'that sounds great'. It's the same way I felt about wanting to be a Jedi when I was 8. Funny how your goals shift as you get older.

Pub?

[Terry Torpid]

I don't have any local mates to hang out with, so find myself wistfully watching a couple of guys hanging out in a field talking about University Challenge and thinking 'that sounds great'. It's the same way I felt about wanting to be a Jedi when I was 8.

Well put. I'm especially wistful because metal detecting is illegal where I come from. It makes the show seem slightly foreign to me (which it literally is, but you know what I mean, sort of alien), like when someone in an American show buys a handgun or pours food down their sink. It looks like fun (detecting that is, not guns or garbage disposal), so even if I had friends like Andy and Lance I still couldn't do it.

[The Mollusk]

Done with another rewatch of this now, can't wait for boxing day. The last two episodes of series 3 are fantastic man, the bit in the last episode where Terry finds the button and lifts it up to show Sheila and she gives him an enthusiastic thumbs up, the look of absolutely love and devotion in that bloke's eyes, fucking hell.

[holyzombiejesus]

Interesting to read that Crook is a This Country fan

There was some discussion on here as to whether Crook has a cameo in the last series of This Country playing Kurtan's half-brother.

[Ferris]

That was brilliant. Loved it.

[trabuch]

I was a bit worried to begin with (the child), but I should have had faith.

[jobotic]

Yeah, brilliant. Laughed out loud at "do you think...she'll be there?"

[Ja'moke]

I was a bit worried to begin with (the child), but I should have had faith.

I know most child actors are rubbish, but christ he was awful.

Other than that though, this was lovely stuff.

[Ferris]

Ketchup "fridge or cupboard" absolutely slayed me.

Lot of tension involved (albeit very low stakes in the grand scheme of things) which made it a bit stressful to get through, so looking forward to watching again when I already know the story.

[beanheadmcginty]

Yeah, brilliant. Laughed out loud at "do you think...she'll be there?"

Did you notice that "she" was in the background out of focus when they were on the steps of the museum panicking?

[lauraxsynthesis]

"You're shaking my confidence daily"
"I'm 38"
The LEMONADE

How often do we get such understated confidence that the audience will pick up the callbacks?
And after FIVE YEARS

Also: https://twitter.com/_neilarmstrong/status/1607498326517088256?s=20&t=rnSALA10-mfCEtrlD1mdVA

@_neilarmstrong
The very first episode of #Detectorists had this exchange...
Lance: 'Saxon hoard? That's basically the holy grail of treasure hunting.'
Andy: 'Well, no, the Holy Grail is the holy grail of treasure hunting.'

[non capisco]

Brilliant again. I love Lance's continuing disdain for The Venerable Bede.

Andy and Becky's kid might be the worst sitcom child actor since Damien from Only Fools and Horses but it's not like he had a ton of screen time.

[Ferris]

Brilliant again. I love Lance's continuing disdain for The Venerable Bede.

Yeah really made me chuckle that

[neveragain]

Brilliant from the Museum trip onwards but the friction between Andy and Lance at the  beginning seemed a bit out of character. Nevertheless, loved it overall.

She got a poignant mention but I'd like to have seen a dedication slide for Diana Rigg.

[tinner]

lovely