Product Details

• Actors: Peter Davison
• Format: Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Acorn Media
• DVD Release Date: April 8, 2008
• Run Time: 342 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0011FLGU6
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #31,667 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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  Movies & TV > Television > Crime > The Last Detective

• For more information about "The Last Detective - Series 4" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

• This is item 4 in The Last Detective Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
It's hard to imagine a more put-upon cop than Detective Constable "Dangerous" Davies, who was given that nickname by mocking colleagues. But as played with heart and sly wit by Peter Davison, Dangerous has a knack for solving impossible crimes and piecing together connections where others have long since given up. The Last Detective is one of England's most popular crime series, and that's saying something in a country proud of its Marples and Poirots. And much of the series' pleasure comes from Davison's performance, as well as the series' clever writing and humor. This boxed set--featuring five full-length feature episodes and loads of extras--finds things looking up, ever so slightly, for Davies, whose long-suffering wife, Julie, has taken him back (though slacker pal Mod, the hilariously understated Sean Hughes, is still hanging about). In "Once Upon a Time on the Westway," Dangerous investigates a brazen diamond heist that takes place on the day a mob boss is released from prison. And this don has decided to tell all in a memoir being shopped around London--naming all sorts of names. The cast is fabulous, including The Who's Roger Daltrey as a limping consigliore reminiscent of Kevin Spacey in The Usual Suspects. The viewer is struck by how civilized even British crime is, as Dangerous takes mobsters out for a pint to chat them up about the crime. The respect that the bad guys have for Dangerous is just further proof that Davies' reputation, and watchability, are no fluke. Another round, boys. --A.T. Hurley

Product Description
Britain’s most bumbling but beloved detective

Things are looking up for Detective Constable "Dangerous" Davies (Peter Davison, Doctor Who, At Home with the Braithwaites). Sure, he still gets the least promising cases in the Willesden constabulary. And he still gets little more than mockery from his colleagues. But his wife Julie (Emma Amos) has taken him back - even though she has to share a house with his quirky, freeloading chum, Mod (Sean Hughes, The Commitments). These five full-length mysteries feature first-rate guest stars, including Kenneth Cranham (Rome), Roger Daltrey (McVicar), and Leslie Phillips (Chancer). Each one rewards you with the gentle humor and captivating intrigue that you’ve come to expect from North London’s most doggedly unglamorous detective.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE interview with Peter Davison, Leslie Thomas bio and booklist, and cast filmographies.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I don't get no respect., April 10, 2008

By	Lou Novacheck (Silver Spring MD - for now) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"The last detective. That's what you are, Dangerous -- the last detective I'll ever think of, unless it's a crap job, see? Then you'll be the first." -- Rob Spendlove as Detective Inspector Aspinall, The Last Detective: Series 1

The Last Detective is a very popular television series in England, and the first volume of the fourth series is just being released tomorrow. Peter Davison plays Constable "Dangerous" Davies, the lowest man on the totem pole inside the detective division of the Willesden constabulary.
Davies is the British Rodney Dangerfield, getting no respect from anybody, neither his colleagues, his wife, nor the people he meets in the course of his duties. The series title comes from Dangerous' boss at the cop shop, whom all call Gov, or Governor. Gov is arrogant, quick to criticize Davies, and just as quick to give Davies' colleagues the better assignments. Gov and Dangerous are constantly at loggerheads because, although Dangerous is the office's patsy, he's also usually the one who picks up on the clues that the others miss, and who follows up on things that should have been followed up on, but weren't. He's also inevitably the one who figures out the perpetrator of the crime of each of the episodes. But Dangerous still gets no respect.
It doesn't come up in the five episodes on this DVD, but there's a good chance that Dangerous got his name because he's dangerous mainly to himself, constantly getting into embarrassingly funny situations at least once per episode. In the opening episode, "Once Upon A Time On The Westway," less than five minutes into the action Dangerous is nearly impaled on the top of a fence he's trying to scale. One of the pointed iron bars manages to tear into his trousers and get him hung up, while the trio who broke into a produce warehouse pelt him with tomatoes, then run off, leaving him hanging there. Sixties and seventies rock music fans will recognize Roger Daltrey of The Who as one of the bad guys, a member of a criminal gang that Dangerous is investigating in connection with a diamond heist. The heist is overtaken by the gang boss being murdered in his own home, then the two cases merge into one.
The second episode, "Dangerous Liaisons," is the story of what seems to be an accidental death. It quickly becomes a murder investigation, which leads to a two-decades old snuff film that everybody is quick to label a fake. Of course it turns out otherwise, drawing Dangerous even deeper into the mystery when he discovers a body buried in the cellar. Dangerous, in spite of his sometimes apparent fecklessness, rapidly narrows the field of suspects. The investigation takes still another turn when the primary suspect quickly becomes the next victim.
The third episode, "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Willesden," opens with a vaudeville type act on stage in a seedy little club. As they're going through their routine, one of them falls dead onstage. Again, it's thought to be a natural causes death until Dangerous takes the time to read the autopsy. The list of suspects is long because, in spite of being into his sixties, the dead comedian had an address book full of women's names in every city on his circuit. Not only does he have a string of girlfriends of all shapes, sizes, and colors, many of them are married, which only broadens the suspect list. Since the method used in the murder was poisoned wine, which he drank onstage, the field narrows somewhat. But it isn't until the last few minutes of the show that somebody who hadn't been a prime suspect is uncovered, again due to Dangerous's efforts.
Episode four, "The Man From Montevideo," opens appropriately with Dangerous walking the small horse that he calls a dog, and being offered a new suit for a great price from the trunk of a man's car. When he shows his cop shop ID, the man takes off running. Dangerous gets his man, but during the chase the man's trunk is being picked clean, thereby blowing the arrest.
The real case for this episode begins right afterward, when the owner of a small fleet of limos gets his throat cut with a broken bottle. The episode closes with Dangerous and his buddy Mod chasing a sheep. In between is an attempted bribe, a bent cop, a threatening boss, and a secret about Mod. How we go from a slit throat to chasing a sheep on a football pitch is a story you'll have to watch. This particular episode was my favorite of the five.
The final episode is "Dead Peasant's Society," and it opens with Dangerous doing a good deed, getting called a pig by the woman he helped, and getting his coffee and sandwich pinched in the process. A typical day for our fearless hero. The real action begins with the very next scene, which takes place in the same type of venue as the last episode closed: on another soccer field. Blood is spilled again, this time by a ceremonial dagger; there's a secret society; Dangerous sees his wife suspiciously leaving the house early, then meeting a strange man on two occasions; and Dangerous's boss is stabbed, as well.
Overall this series is well written, imaginative, and with the right degree of comedy and confusion mingled in. Highly recommended. Special features include an interview with Peter Davison, a Leslie Thomas biography and booklist, and cast filmographies.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great series, July 20, 2008

By	wtw2 (Houston) - See all my reviews

You really should start with Series 1 to get the full flavor of the character. However, as with all of the British detective series, the acting, character development, dialogue and plots are great. His side kick is somewhat annoying at times but as I said if you start at the beginning, even he is likable. Generally speaking there is nothing on US television to compare with the British series.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yet another great Detective., June 29, 2008

By	Roy Anderson "War Buff - and civilian combatt... (Mount Brydges, Ont. Canada.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Peter Davison is superb, in this highly unusual series.

The supporting cast, too, are all highly enjoyable and convincing. The fact that Davison the hard working, plodding but, in the end brilliant detective, is such a wuss regarding his estranged wife, was brilliant in its conception. It is always good to have heroes who have Achilles heels!

This series is brilliant and extremely well directed. Everyone, who enjoys a good detective yarn and a genuine smile, should see it.