The Last Detective - Series 2

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As disrespected, disheveled, and endearingly dedicated as ever, Detective Constable "Dangerous" Davies (Peter Davison, Doctor Who, All Creatures Great and Small) returns to solve four new, full-length mysteries. His wife left him, his coworkers sarcastically dubbed him "Dangerous," and his boss called him the "last detective" expected to crack a big case. He even listens to advice from his kooky chum Mod (Sean Hughes, The Commitments). Still, Dangerous manages to make connections that slicker chaps in the North London constabulary miss. Whether investigating the mysterious deaths of a would-be artist, a medical researcher, an unknown victim under a high-speed train, or a pretty Kosovan refugee, Davies shows that underdogs do have their day. "Witty and well-plotted" —TV Times .com ---- Peter Davison is one of Britain's finest, most versatile actors, and creates a complex, counterintuitively compelling lead character in the British mystery series The Last Detective. The second series finds our unassuming detective inspector, "Dangerous" Davies (the nickname's ironic, blokes), quietly piecing together mysteries that the rest of the force can hardly be bothered with. Davison makes Davies one of TV's unlikeliest heroes, and one of its most appealing: we see his self-doubts, personal pains (a not-quite-ex-wife whom he still loves dearly), and detective thought processes all expressed fleetingly across his craggy face. In one of the four excellent episodes here, "Dangerous and the Lonely Hearts," for instance, the case begins with the inconsequential incident of a child's shoplifting--but because of Davies' dogged investigation, layers of malice and intrigue are pulled back, revealing immigrant desperation, a shady matchmaking agency, and murder. As Dangerous methodically explores the case, his coworkers affectionately deride him and he struggles with his own demons. Yet almost obliquely, Davies manages to home in on the human weaknesses that inevitably lead to bad behavior--sometimes, his own included. Davison, whose storied British career includes standout roles in All Creatures Great and Small and Dr. Who, only gets better as an actor over the years, and this offbeat but oddly endearing series is a knockout showcase for his acting talents. Extras include a biography and bibliography for Leslie Thomas, author and creator of the Dangerous Davies mystery novels; a photo gallery, and filmographies of the impressive cast. --A.T. Hurley