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Hetty Wainthropp Investigates Collection : Complete BBC Series 1 - 4 [1996]
![Hetty Wainthropp Investigates Collection : Complete BBC Series 1 - 4 [1996]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/511wXOw%2BljL._SL160_.jpg)
RRP: £59.99
Our Price: £28.57 (subject to change)
The Wainthropp Detective Agency: A gentle retired lady slueth for hire series - enchanting really
Review date: 2007-12-26 Rating: 10 out of 10
Pretty much 'Life in a northern town' - a great series that should have run for 7 seasons. The last episode was first aired back in 1998. ITV originally dropped the series in 1990 after a one off, and 6 years later the BBC made it its own, buying up the 1986 novel rights and producing four seasons before cancelling it. The BBC series starts with Hetty hitting 60 and becoming increasingly determined to do something with her life. With her sidekick, the 'adopted' wayward teenager Geoffrey, they slowly evolve into a highly believable private eye investigative agency, and are rather like a 'Miss Marple & son' for hire. Doubting hubby Robert adds some additional support, mainly noting how much trouble they get in to, and for such little reward. All of Hetty's cases are mostly gentle stories, as much character studies as crime capers. All are filmed beautifully, capturing a working class Lancashire atmosphere harking back to an earlier era (even Geoffrey has a scooter) - in fact you could think it is set in the 1970s or earlier, and only the cars and the odd jug kettle give away the fact it is the 1990s. There is often an air of menace though and the odd body (e.g. in 'Fingers' and 'The Runaways'). The pairing of a naive enthusiastic youngster with a kind, if rather nosey & determined, old lady works really well, and the two can go places and be tolerated without attracting too much aggravation, so the series is surprisingly non-violent. Again like Miss Marple, with an extra large dollop of common sense, humanity, insight and 'above all never letting go', ex-housewife Hetty [and young Geoffrey] nearly always win through - although they are often aided by a little sympathetic help and advice from DCI Adams of the local constabulary [played by John Graham-Davies].
A typical episode is 'Lost chords' where all the contestants at Blainthorp Music Festival's Golden Voice competition start to lose their voices - Hetty is asked to investigate. This large DVD set has all twenty seven BBC episodes, but it doesn't include the older ITV pilot 'Missing persons' [that can be purchased seperately]. The BBC episodes are: The Bearded Lady, Eye Witness, Fingers, Widdershins, High Profile, Safe as Houses, Poison Pen, Lost Chords, Runaways, The Astral Plane, A Rose By Any Other Name, Woman of the Year, All Stitched Up, Daughter of the Regiment, Serving the Community, Fisticuffs, Childs-play, Pursuit by Proxy, A Minor Operation, Helping Hansi, How Time Flies, Something to Treasure, Family Values, Digging for Dirt, Mind Over Muscle, Blood Relations and For Love Nor Money. Plus there's an 'exclusive' interview with Patricia Routledge who loved making the series and was keen to get it resurrected, but sadly the BBC declined as it was expensive to film and viewer ratings at the time apparently disappointed them. The only other DVD extras are 'cast filmographies' and a picture gallery. The music from the series was awarded the Ivor Novello Award for best television theme in 1997. This nine DVD set is 4:3 standard TV and has subtitles on seasons 2, 3 and 4 [not 1]. Patricia Routledge (Hetty), Dominic Monaghan (Geoffrey), and Derek Benfield (Robert) are simply superb and totally convincing. So a days worth of quality TV viewing, and the perfect Birthday present for those of a certain age [e.g. my wife and mother]. It's rated for age 12 and above.
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Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Patricia Routledge
Dominic Monaghan
Derek Benfield
Creators:
Patricia Routledge (Primary Contributor)
Dominic Monaghan (Primary Contributor)
Recording label: Acorn Media
Manufacturer: Acorn Media
EAN: 5036193099045
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 9
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, PAL,
Release date: 2008-01-07
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 1352 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1996
Language: English (Original Language)