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One of the most appealing things about this series is the disarming charm of Alan Davies as Jonathan Creek. My husband and I discovered this show on BBC America a few weeks ago, and have been addicted ever since. The character of Jonathan Creek, in spite of his very unique job skills, is so shy and unassuming that he could easily be the quiet neighbor next door. There is no pretention about him, as seen in so many other classic detective-style protagonists. And Alan Davies, with his classical Dickensian-features delivers this remarkable character beautifully and credibly. He is a joy to watch, and endearing to the audience. Jonathan is also a wonderful straight-man for the flamboyant Maddie, played by Caroline Quentin. Maddie is fun, resourceful, and all that much more enjoyable because she's not some twiggy fashion plate. Like Jonathan, Maddie is a very credible character with very human frailties and aspirations. The romantic tension between them is marvellously well paced as they work together, solve mysteries and otherwise drive each other to distraction. The characters are well developed and far more than 2 dimensional detectives, and the plots are nearly impossible to second-guess.
Of special note is the presence of Anthony Stewart Head playing Adam Klaus at the start of the series. American audiences may mostly recognize him as Rupert Giles on 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'. But he was deliciously smarmy as the self-indulgent stage magician Klaus, and absolutely wonderful to watch in this series.
Overall, if you're a fan of puzzling whodunits mixed with very fun and unique character concepts, Jonathan Creek is well worth a watch!
score /10
akbrown 18 September 2001
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw0400714/ |
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