I only recently stumbled across this absolute gem of a series, and as it turns out it’s basically everything I love about British television. The wry humour, the gentle pace, the brilliantly written oddball characters, the frankly gorgeous setting… Haven’t enjoyed a TV series this much since Still Game.
So, now that I’ve reached the end of the third and final series (although I’m saving the 2022 Detectorists Special for a quiet evening in with a really good whisky…), what else can the good denizens of Reddit recommend that’s in a similar vein?
34 comments
Based on the criteria you listed (apart from the gorgeous setting, since it takes place in a grimy towerblock), you’d probably like 15 Storeys High.
Have you seen 6 series of gone fishing plus Xmas specials on I player?
You might like Ghosts.
Early Doors 👍
Top notch comedy, but nothing ever happens. Still terribly funny though.
It’s a bit old now but Early Doors, or going back further The Royale Family. Both funny but gentle and with really touching moments.
Peep show 😁
Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing
Very lemony Sheila, well done
Did you see University Challenge?
I honestly think the vibe is on par with Michael Portillos Great British Railway Journeys. Same beautiful landscapes. Slow pace. Niche subject.
Obviously that’s more a documentary and not a fiction piece but both shows give me a sense of calm, fire on, Sunday snoozing sort of vibe
This Country
Not a TV show, but Framlingham (where it was partly filmed) is worth the trip.
Back to life was pretty good, worth a watch I think.
Also green wing was awesome.
All Creatures Great And Small, the new series. It has that calming, twee vibe and you can’t go wrong with the Yorkshire Dales as a backdrop.
Did anyone google metal detectors after watching it?!
Two Doors Down. Scottish. A bit like Still Game because it involves neighbours but totally different vibe. I’d still say it’s quite gentle.
Stella Street
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stella_Street
I liked it but – spoiler – was annoyed they never found that big treasure.
Pub?
Here We Go. It doesn’t have the gorgeous setting but it hits the rest of your criteria.
Jam and Jerusalem
Detectorists was fantastic. Like slowly slipping into a warm bath.
Toast of London and The Thick of It are my favourites but Ghosts and Gone Fishing are probably closest to Detectorists in gentle fun.
Hate to say this (and I am a massive fan of Detectorists) but I would suggest you pass on the Xmas special from last year.
If you like the casualness and the chill vibe and the english country folk then The Change on Channel 4 is quite good. It’s the program I think is most similar to the Detectorists in just overall mood.
Don’t watch the last special is my advice.
Detectorists was the most beautiful programme ever made and all the characters had a lovely ending in the last season.
McKenzie said he would not make another if it ruined it and then went ahead and did.
Second ghosts as a recommendation it’s also sweet and wholesome.
I saw a ghosty series with Nick Frost. Truth seekers. Quite good.
Ghosts obviously.
Bloody hell are you me? I binged Detectorists a few months ago and am still saving the 2022 special for a relaxing festive evening with a tumbler of single malt.
In honesty, it was a few weeks post-binge that I discovered the special existed. An audible ‘whoop’ went out when I found out my Detectorists journey wasn’t entirely over yet.
Edit: inb4 ‘the Xmas special ruined it’. Not fussed. 🙂
I loved detectorists but was a bit disappointed with how it ended and the specials.
SPOILER:
>!The birds collecting the money in the tree for generations was a brilliant idea, but we never saw it was discovered, we just get told Simon and Garfunkel find it in a Christmas special! And what happened to the boat?! That never turned up!<
Don’t forget the driver.
Very slow paced, great characterisation, and very incomparable.
Watch detectorists again!!
Like you, I found it late, binged it, loved it, started again straight away from the beginning.
Think I’ve rewatched it 4 times now.
I generally hate tv and films, I don’t watch anything really, but my wife put it on and I was hooked from the start.
Go over to r/BritishTV – this gets asked a lot and plenty of recommendations.
Anything by Victoria Wood, especially Dinnerladies
Father Ted
Doc Martin
Fantastic, didn’t expect such a response, thank you very much for all the suggestions! Definitely got a good list to go at now.
Gone Fishing will probably be first up, I’ve seen a few odd episodes and really feel like I should start at the start and work my way through the lot. Then Ghosts, that passed me by previously but seems to come highly recommended, didn’t realise it was the same people who did Horrible Histories, that also bodes well!
Royle Family as well, showing my age but I remember that when it was new, definitely merits a rewatch.
Like others, I’d recommend against watching the Detectorists special. It’s oddly mean-spirited and spends a substantial amount of time undoing each and every happy thread from the previous series. It just left me with a very bitter taste in my mouth; a far cry from the wonderful ending of the third series.