I’d never heard of this series until season 3 came my way
but I’m glad it did. What I found was that the series is one of the driest and
funniest shows to come from British TV.
The show revolves around two main characters. Andy Stone
(Mackenzie Crook), an agency worker with a degree in archeology that’s going to
waste, is married with a child, forced due to his work situation to live with
his mother-in-law (Dianna Rigg). Lance Stater (Toby Jones) is a forklift truck
driver and amateur musician. The two are best friends and both part of the
Danebury Metal Detecting Club (DMDC).
Living in Danebury near Essex the main plot of the show is
what takes place in their lives and how it revolves around their hobby which is
being detectorists. Now I’m not saying detectives but detectorists, someone who
uses a metal detector trying to find treasure or historical items. With season
three I gathered that they’ve were granted permission to go over the same piece
of land for some time now, with little luck to date.
This season finds Lance no longer living alone as his
daughter Kate (Alexa Davis) has moved back in with him. She’s inconsiderate of
his home and life, leaving the place a mess not cleaning up after herself and
uncaring of any time he wants to spend in his own home with his girlfriend Toni
(Rebecca Callard). The pair could spend time together at her place except that
she lives in a houseboat and the waves make Lace seasick, the focus of one
episode.
Andy on the other hand has found his dream job, working on a
crew checking excavation sites in the hopes of discovering ancient relics. That
comes crashing down around him when he discovers one, a set of tiles that
excites him. Until the foreman tells him to ignore them and the next day he
shows to work to find them covered over. It turns out the company he works for
is more inclined to satisfy the clients who employ them by ignoring things like
this to sign off that construction can continue without fear of disturbing
anything.
What brings the pair together is their scouting the farm in
search of artifacts when time allows. Moving meticulously across the
countryside they scan for anything and begin to find bits and pieces though
nothing major. But that comes into question with this season as the farm has
been sold and the detecting is opened with their fiercest competitor trying to
home in on the farm.
Worse yet is that we the viewers are shown that the pair are
nearing what could be a tremendous discovery, a set of ancient coins that would
not only be a major discovery but worth something as well. If it weren’t for
the magpies.
The series was a hit and also an award winner. Why, in a
world where hit shows from other countries are revamped for American audiences,
this one hasn’t been adapted yet is beyond me. Fortunately with the series on
disc it gives those of us here a chance to watch and enjoy the adventures of
this unlucky duo.
But it’s not just their search that offers the charm of the
show. It’s their entire lives from their love lives to their home situations to
their odd friends in the DMDC. They each have a charm that makes you care about
each of the characters here and want to know what happens next. I found myself
in the throes of binge watching once I began here, unwilling to stop because I
was having such a good time watching and waiting to see what would happen next.
That the series only lasts 6 episodes was disturbing as I wanted to watch more.
So take the risk and give this series a look. The
performances by both leads is so low key and wonderful that you won’t be able
not to cheer them on with each methodical step they take on the farm. And
you’ll root for something to happen to change their fortunes. These two everymen
are a welcome addition to the world of comedic television and are worthy of
your time.
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