Inspector George Gently Season 6

DVD Wholesale Quick Overview:

Martin Shaw as Chief Inspector George Gently is similar in a lot of ways to the equally fictional DCI Christopher Foyle. Both are superb detectives and deeply ethical men who are widowers. The difference between “George Gently” and “Foyle’s War” is of course the time setting. Gently is set in the 1960s (although I imagine we’re going to see the 1970s too since this set was set in 1969). Picking this time period was a stroke of genius because it must have been very tough to be a copper in a time of tremendous social upheaval and all kinds of new crime.

The main selling point of the show is Shaw and Lee Ingelby, as Gently’s “bagman” Detective Sergeant John Bacchus. Both do an outstanding job of bringing their characters to life. My only criticism of the way their characters are drawn is sometimes Gently comes across as a bit too progressive to be an old time copper in 1960s Britain and sometimes Bacchus comes across as a little thick.

As far as the episodes go, I liked “Gently Between the Lines” and “Blue Bird” the best. Both of them were very believable (the first being an investigation of a death in police custody after a riot and the second being a murder taking place at a holiday camp).

I didn’t like “Gently with Honor” all that much…

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Frankly, the whole thing came across as wildly implausible. How believable is it that someone would commit a murder in front of a rolling camera and then not make sure the film of him committing such a terrible crime was destroyed? After all, this was the 1960s, people couldn’t just make a quick copy of something like that on their computer and post it to the Internet.

Also, I couldn’t help but think that the whole plot of the British Army drugging squaddies with LSD and then torturing them to see if they could use such techniques on the Russians smacked more of a plot out of the “X-Files” than reality. I also could have done without the whole angle of the soldiers in question being gay and being forced to reveal that by the “evil British Army officer.” The whole thing smacked of political correctness.

The final episode in the set “Gently Going Under” was a good one but not quite as good as the the first two. The setting for the murder –deep in a coal mine– was pretty creative, but the complex family relationships that were critical to the story were a bit confusing, and I could have used a scene where someone explained the whole thing to make sure we all understood what was going on.

This being said, I will look forward to the next set of Gently stories. One major development in the late 1960s and early 1970s that I hope they use in a future story is Northern Ireland. In 1969, the whole place went up in flames and by 1972, Belfast was like a war zone. It would cool to see Gently and Bacchus deal with some of the spillover that took place in the Home Islands.

– maskirovka

Frankly, through 6 seasons I haven’t been able to figure out if I’m in love with Martin Shaw, or George Gently. Whether one, or the other, it doesn’t matter because this is a brilliant series. As is often the case with British TV, the main characters are developed and grow over time. They are far more than stereotypes. If I had more time, I’d write more, but let me just say that Series 6 continues to intrigue, provoke deep thinking, and engage this viewer. From Series 1, “Gently” has explored the social dynamics of the time, which includes, for example, an examination of the impact of immigration from the “colonies” on the social fabric of the English mindset. Also, Gently wonderfully handles “classism-social stratification” from the gentry with a stern grace that can only delight the heart of any who finds the concept of Lords’ and Ladies’, Dukes’ and Duchesses’ inbred sense of entitlement repugnant.

-ReaderRoz

This series is A-1, in story content and acting superb. Martin Shaw is excellent as George Gently and Lee Ingleby if a wonderful sidekick for George. Their friendship helps them both grow into characters you admire. The stories are very interesting and the endings are a surprise. To get into their private lives is interesting and helps you understand why the characters are the way they are. I am so glad I have viewed the episodes and to watch them again, as sometimes I miss key elements in the solving of the crime, so the second time is an enlightening view of what good mysteries should be, and George Gently mysteries are the best.

– movie afficonado

DVD Wholesale Main Features:

Actors: Lee Ingleby Martin Shaw
Format: Multiple Formats, Box set, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Widescreen
Language: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only.)
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Number of discs: 4
Studio: ACORN MEDIA
DVD Release Date: April 1, 2014
Run Time: 369 minutes