DIRK GENTLY axed by the BBC

I know I'm days behind with this news, but I just wanted to officially mention the demise of BBC4's Dirk Gently after one pilot and three episodes.

A BBC spokeswoman: "We've loved having Dirk on the channel but the license fee freeze means less British drama on BBC4. In future we will focus on the best dramas from around the globe, like The Killing and Borgen, whilst BBC1 and BBC2 become the main homes of original British drama."

So why doesn't the low-budgeted Dirk Gently transfer to BBC2, huh? And, incidentally, does anyone really want BBC4 to become, in essence, BBC Euro? I know the unexpected success of "Nordic noir" has been great to see on UK TV (proving Brits don't mind subtitles provided the plots and acting are strong), but to import European drama rather than make your own doesn't seem fair.

Now, I wouldn't say I'm horrified by this cancellation, because Dirk Gently wasn't a show I was excited by, but it's still a shame. Stephen Mangan, who revealed the news on his Twitter, was really good as the shambolic Dirk, and I enjoyed the four hours it gave us (particularly the 2010 pilot and episode 2 of this year's run, which were both the more science-fiction-y stories).

Can't say I''ll shed a tear over this, but it's always frustrating when a show's potential gets flushed away over financial concerns.

DIRK GENTLY, 1.3 – episode three

The last episode of Dirk Gently returned to the show's default style, compared to last week's sci-fi/fantasy indulgence, and I have to admit that disappointed me. I don't mind this show being a crazy detective drama with oddball ideas up its sleeve, but it needs more inventive weirdness to keep me totally engaged, or it just feels rather half-baked. This episode had a lukewarm-Sherlock feel throughout, although I adored the scene where Macduff (Darren Boyd) let Dirk (Stephen Mangan) know exactly what the state of their relationship is with a brilliantly-delivered speech in their office. It was perhaps the first time Macduff came across as a three-dimensional character in his own right, and in general Tom Mathieson's script did very good things with the central duo's interactions. I also really liked Gilks (Jason Watkins), the local detective who can't stand Dirk, and could hardly believe this wasn't  Gilks' first appearance on the show.

This week's story sounded more compelling than it actually was on-screen, with Dirk the prime suspect after his ex-clients started to turn up dead. It was the work of an assassin trying to frame the holistic detective, but who and why? Along the way there was also a gun-toting Polish cleaner, another brief romance for Dirk with client Melina Fulstone (Lisa Dillon), and a handful of funny moments and amusing lines. And yet, none of it inspired more than sixty-minutes of half-interesting entertainment and hi-jinks. I wasn't gripped, excited, nor particularly bothered about Dirk solving the case. (Not for the first time, either.)

So it's been a curious three weeks for BBC4's Dirk Gently. I'm glad it exists because the ingredients are there for something special (in Douglas Adams' core idea and Howard Overman's Sherlock-y adaptation), and Mangan/Boyd are great assets to have around, but it's lacking that indefinable spark. I'd say the budget is a slight issue, although that didn't affect last week's adventure, so ultimately I think the writers just haven't quite gotten the mix right. It just needs to be funnier, quicker, sharper, with more emphasis on Dirk and Macduff's friendship/antagonism. The stories also need to be tightened, although the hour-long timeslot is a hindrance I keep mentioning. Why not make these into half-hour shows, sort of like a British Monk? Or split each case into two parts to extent the show's run from three to six weeks?

Last week's episode and, to a lesser extent, the original pilot from 2010, were both good enough to convince me Dirk Gently just needs some time to find itself. Hopefully the BBC will commission more and Overman will take a good hard look at what's working, and what's not. For me, I just want this show to get more creative and make me really care about the people and the week's investigation, which episode 2 proved is certainly possible.

What did you think of this finale, and Dirk Gently in general? Is it already giving you a lot of silly pleasure, or do you agree it has problems that aren't beyond fixing?

written by Tom Mathieson / directed by Tom Shankland / 19 March 2012 / BBC Four

DIRK GENTLY, 1.2 - episode two

It pleases me how Dirk Gently appears to be at the centre of a Venn diagram, sandwiched between Doctor Who and Sherlock. There's just so much crossover in terms of ideas, tone and talent. This episode's written by Matt Jones (who wrote Who's "The Impossible Planet" two-parter), and guest-stars Bill Paterson (who played a scientist in Who's "Victory Of The Daleks"). It was also more obviously geared towards science-fiction than last week's premiere, and that suits the show better than when it plays things too Agatha Christie.

This week, Dirk (Stephen Mangan) returned to the Cambridge alma mater he first learned about the theory of holism, St. Cedd's, before he was unfortunately expelled. There, he was reacquainted with mentor Professor Jericho (Paterson), shortly before his ex-teacher was murdered following the theft of a pioneering automaton called Jane. Could the killing be connected to an artificial intelligence called Max, and the Professor's comatose daughter? Of course it could. The one frustration with this episode is how obviously it dangled the beginnings of every thread in front of our eyes, before slowly connecting the dots.

I thought it was fairly obvious what had happened to Professor Jericho, although this episode managed to remain entertaining because it contained some of the show's funniest moments, and a sense that Mangan's beginning to deeply enjoy being Dirk There was also an excellent performance from Lydia Wilson as a chip-loving machine inhabiting a human brain. Her odd mannerisms and unusual choice of a Scandinavian accent raised the character beyond its basic clichés. Her love story with Dirk was surprisingly touching, and it was also interesting to see a softer side to Dirk come out here—especially after my complaint last week that Dirk and Macduff don't always feel like three-dimensional people.

Helen Baxendale returned as Susan from the 2010 pilot, but I'm so keen on her character because she's mostly a buzz kill. I guess she gives Macduff something to do (i.e. a person to talk to who isn't Dirk, often about Dirk), but she's another character who needs some colouring. At least there was a sign she's capable of changing her bad opinion of Dirk, however short-lived, and this is a counterpoint to Macduff's growing belief that Dirk's a bonafide unconventional genius.

This was a really entertaining and deft hour, although a 20-minute trim would have really helped matters once again... but you can't really hate a story that weaves together AI, robotics, and online gaming. Good guest-stars and growing confidence helped make this feel like a possible turning point for the series. It may have a low budget, but that needn't be a barrier to imagination. If the rest of Dirk Gently can tap into this story's sense of brisk creativity, I'll be very happy. I just hope more skill can be employed with the week's mysteries, because the problem with the show's "interconnectedness" gimmick is how it can be used as a crutch for a writer when stretching plausibility to bringing disparate ideas together.

Asides

• You may recognise Lydia Wilson from the recent Channel 4 drama Black Mirror. She played the kidnapped Princess Susannah in the Charlie Brooker-penned "The National Anthem". She also appeared in South Riding, where she played Muriel Carne, and the movie Never Let Me Go.

written by Matt Jones / directed by Tom Shankland / 12 March 2012 / BBC Four

Review: DIRK GENTLY, 1.1 - episode one

It's been awhile since the pilot of Dirk Gently aired on BBC4 in 2010, but a three-part series has finally arrived—again chasing the coattails of BBC1's Sherlock, which it resembles in a few ways. The primary difference is that Dirk's intelligence and theories are always in question, given his crazy belief that everything is interconnected, and the show is much quirkier—rather like an earthbound Doctor Who. But while the promise of a silly detective show, based on characters created by author Douglas Adams (The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy), influenced by Who and Sherlock, will have most geeks salivating with anticipation... Dirk Gently doesn't quite deliver.

I'm not entirely sure what's missing, but perhaps it's because both Dirk (Stephen Mangan) and his sidekick Macduff (Darren Boyd) aren't as well-written as they perhaps need to be. Or that it's hard to care about plots that are designed to be so trivial and nonsensical. Mangan and Boyd do great work with what they're given, and both characters are fun to watch interact, but there's not really much going on deep down. And with 95% of this episode concentrating on sheer plot, there was never really any lasting opportunities to explore them as people, either individually or as a crime-fighting duo.

Adapted by writer Howard Overman, Dirk Gently appears to scratch his plotting itch; perhaps in the same way his breakthrough hit Misfits scratches his dialogue itch. Dirk Gently tears along at a good pace, and this opening episode's storyline was suitably nutty—with Dirk having to solve the murder of someone who believed he was the target of an assassin from the Pentagon, and a paranoid man called Oliver Reynolds (Paul Ritter) who thinks the online horoscope he's emailed is accurately predicting his future. It's undeniably good fun watching Mangan spin around crime scenes (wearing washing-up gloves to prevent contaminating crime scenes, or using old-school techniques like shading notepads for clues), and Boyd provides a likable counterpoint as the skeptical Macduff, who somehow manages to avoid just playing second fiddle. Although there's always a worry the two characters and their relationship could stagnate, because, as I mentioned above, there's not really a whole lot of depth to either of them. Hopefully that will come in time.

Knowing this is achieved on a BBC4 budget is a remarkable fact, because it isn't significantly "cheap" to look at. There are moments and sequences where you can imagine a BBC1 production doing a slicker job, or just having the money to go to town in a few areas, but in some ways the lack of money helps keep the story strong and the pace fast. Necessity is the mother of invention.

However, I'm not sure a full hour is suitable for a show like this. It's a common complaint of mine with all BBC advert-less drama, but 45-minutes would be far preferable. Given this show's comedy leaning, I could even imagine it making a breezier half-hour. There were times during this episode, notably in the second half, where you felt things starting to get repetitive... meaning the resolution of the case was never anything I really cared about. It was often more pleasurable to watch various things slot together, and the fact Dirk Gently revolves around "randomness" and "coincidences" gives the show an enjoyable feel as the bigger picture starts to form. Fictional mysteries are built on writers working backwards, which gives the illusion of cleverness because the audience only see things linearly from beginning to end, and Dirk Gently particularly benefits from having lots of small instances where things are setup and paid off.

Overall, Dirk Gently is a pleasant way to spend an hour, and much better than Overman's similarly-toned Vexed, but it desperately needs to make the characters rise above their archetypes, and ensure each week's case feels like it matters. Without those two things, the show starts to bumble around and slowly loses your full attention. Just count your blessings Mangan and Boyd are the leads, because less capable actors would probably sink this show. For now, there's enough spark to keep me watching. I just hope Dirk Gently develops into something more substantial to sink your teeth into as a viewer.

written by Howard Overman / directed by Tom Shankland / 5 March 2012 / BBC Four

Coming Soon: DIRK GENTLY, series 1

After a successful pilot in 2010, writer Howard Overman (Misfits) returns with his crime mystery drama based on Douglas Adams' holistic detective character Dirk Gently. The new three-part series again stars Stephen Mangan (Episodes) as Dirk, joined by Darren Boyd, Helen Baxendale, Jason Watkins (Being Human) and Lisa Jackson.

The first episode is written by Overman and directed by Tom Shankland (The Fades), the second is written by Matt Jones (Doctor Who, Torchwood), and the third by Jamie Mathieson (Being Human).

Dirk Gently returns to BBC4 on 5 March at 9pm, with a story about a man who believes the Pentagon are trying to kill him, and another who thinks their horoscope is coming true...

Will you be watching? Is there anything you hope has been changed about the pilot, which I reviewed here?

BBC4 announce more 'Dirk Gently'

Following a well-received pilot last year, BBC4 have commissioned more episodes of Dirk Gently, the surreal detective series based on the character created by author Douglas Adams. Three hour-long episodes will be written by Howard Overman (Merlin, Misfits), reuniting actors Stephen Mangan, Darren Boyd and Helen Baxendale. The three specials are expected to be broadcast in 2012.

What do you make of this news? It's a shame we'll only be getting three episodes (a la Sherlock), probably because of BBC4's lower budget and the availability of Stephen Mangan and Howard Overman, but I'm just glad there's more to come. You?

'DIRK GENTLY'

Snoop around Obsessed With Film for my review of BBC4's DIRK GENTLY, starring Stephen Mangan as the eponymous detective created by Douglas Adams, brought to you by the makers of Post-It notes:

A lesser-known property from the late Douglas Adams (creator of The Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy), Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency was nevertheless a novel Adams thought would be easier to film than his revered sci-fi opus. Previously turned into radio plays with Harry Enfield as the gumshoe, BBC4 have decided to put Dirk Gently on-screen for the first time, adapted by in-demand screenwriter Howard Overman (Misfits, Vexed). Stephen Mangan (Green Wing) plays the eponymous sleuth, who believes in "the fundamental interconnectedness of all things", and applies this theory of quantum mechanics to solve superficially innocuous crimes. Continue reading...

TRAILER: 'Dirk Gently', BBC4

The BBC have released a trailer for their upcoming adaptation of author Douglas Adams's mystery novel Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, starring Stephen Mangan as the eponymous sleuth who believes in the "interconnectedness of all things". Dirk Gently co-stars Helen Baxendale, Darren Boyd, and Jason Watkins. This special (which will launch a full series if it's popular) has been written by Howard Overman (Misfits, Vexed). Hopefully it'll be of the former's quality, rather than the latter. The trailer certainly looks promising. Do you sense a Sherlock vibe from this..?

Dirk Gently: BBC4, 16 December, @9pm.

Howard Overman on 'Dirk Gently'

Howard Overman (Merlin, Misfits, Vexed) is writing an hour-long TV pilot based on Dirk Gently, hero of Douglas Adams's novel Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. Overman has spoken to SFX Magazine about this project, and how he's decided to tackle the book.

"I'm aware that it's a bit of a poison chalice. What I did was take the character, Dirk Gently, and his detection method, and write a new story. It has elements from the book, obviously, in it, but it's kind of a different story. Because if you've ever read the book, the story in there isn't really adaptable for TV. Especially not on the budget we've been made to do it on, because it involves an alien planet and all sorts of weird and wacky ideas." Continue reading...

What do you think? Personally, I can't help feeling anxious because Overman's most recent series, BBC2's Vexed, has been a crushing disappointment and makes me suspect he's not naturally adept at writing mysteries. So hearing that Dirk Gently won't follow the plot of any of the novels, but instead pay homage to certain elements while carving out its own unique path, has me slightly worried. I understand why Overman's decided to do this (not least for budgetary reasons), but is he the man for the job?

We'll find out when Dirk Gently airs on BBC4 later this year.