Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

[random11]

To put it in one sentence: Weird, but in a good way.

I really didn't know what to expect from this series, but I know I'm glad the events in the series are after the books instead of trying to mimic them.

I like the humor, and I'm not bothered with the insane plot. It's better than trying to tame the characters into yet another "detective plus one series".
It's strange, it's new and that's a good thing.

If I'm allowed one pet peeve, it will be that they can stop hammering in the "it's all connected" every second sentence.
Yes, I know, I can see for myself...

[Fri]

I know. It's really good, it's one of my favourite series. And yes, I also like it that they make it based/inspired by the novels, rather than just adapting it wholesale. I'm pretty sure that's how Douglas Adams would like it himself. Pretty sure that the format of Detective+Partner is because the popularity of BBC Sherlock/parodying it though, not that I complain :smallbiggrin:

I wish there's more. There's only 4 episodes, with IIRC, pilot episode being great, first episode being good, second episode is meh, third episode being good again.

[BiblioRook]

Pretty sure that the format of Detective+Partner is because the popularity of BBC Sherlock/parodying it though, not that I complain :smallbiggrin:

I haven't seen it yet but I imagine as weird as Dirk Gently can be and how his methods often don't have very much in obvious immediate benefit the show probably would be rather hard to fallow if they didn't pair him with something of an audience surrogate to allow him to explain things to.

[Fri]

I haven't seen it yet but I imagine as weird as Dirk Gently can be and how his methods often don't have very much in obvious immediate benefit the show probably would be rather hard to fallow if they didn't pair him with something of an audience surrogate to allow him to explain things to.

Now you mention it, that makes sense, since explaining things with monologue or internal narration would be even more awkward.

[random11]

Oh, I have no problem generally with the "detective plus one" path, my fear was that it's going to be a clone of all the other ones.
Imagine how easy it would have been to ruin it by making a show where Dirk Gently combined forces with a normal cop or private investigator, solving a different weird case every week.

In here, while we have Todd as the normal partner, he flows with the madness (even if he doesn't want to) instead of trying to balance the show to something we've seen a million times.

[dehro]

So far I've only seen 2 episodes.
I went in blind, as in, I didn't know Douglas Adams had invented and written books about the titular character. I also had no idea Elijah Wood was attached to the project, which was a pleasant surprise. I was intrigued by the premise as depicted by the Netflix blurb (?). Also, my SO is fairly holistically oriented so I thought she might like it too.
I must say, I'm intrigued and will definitely watch the entire series.
The main character somehow makes me think of what Dr. Sheldon Cooper and the Doctor's lovechild would look like if he had inherited most of his parents' quirks and very little of their smarts. (don't look at me like that! it's possible!!)
His specular opposite is both impressive and frankly too enjoyable to watch to really count her out simply as a villain. Playing creepy characters to perfection must run in the family, as she's somehow even more believable than Dirk Gently himself.
The other character that somehow stands out to me is the idiot sniper who reminds me of the guy playing Captain America back in the days in which he played in the Scott Pilgrim movie.
Yeah, so far I'd say Netflix has nailed it again.
Now I'm just wondering if, after watching this I can still read the books without them being spoiled for me or the comparison disappointing me.

[Fri]

The books plot are unrelated to the series' plot except similar names and broad idea (like there's vaguely similar premise and similar events happening, but it's not same plot or characters at all).

For example, the sidekick character in the series is just a supporting character in the first book.

[Serpentine]

Pretty sure that the format of Detective+Partner is because the popularity of BBC Sherlock/parodying it though, not that I complain :smallbiggrin:
I'm probably just misunderstanding, but the Detective+Partner trope is far, far broader than BBC Sherlock :smallconfused: Just off the top of my head, we have Castle, Bones, Forever, Elementary (and everything based on Sherlock Holmes, really)...


Now I'm just wondering if, after watching this I can still read the books without them being spoiled for me or the comparison disappointing me.
Here is the sum total of what the show has in common with the books:
- There's a man called Dirk Gently.
- He's a private detective.
- His agency is called Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency.
- He believes everything is connected.
- There's a reference to him picking someone who looks like they know where they're going and following them as part of solving mysteries.

That's it. It's probably worth thinking about the book as just a jumping-off point. And it might be worth knowing that Douglas Adams died before he finished the third Dirk Gently book, and half of what exists was patched together with notes that he left behind.

I loved this show! :smallbiggrin: I can't wait until the second season! There MUST be a second season, right?!
I was watching it with my nephew, and every time Bart and Co. turned up he squealed with glee. (he's 17, for reference. But also a huge dork)

[Fri]

I'm probably just misunderstanding, but the Detective+Partner trope is far, far broader than BBC Sherlock :smallconfused: Just off the top of my head, we have Castle, Bones, Forever, Elementary (and everything based on Sherlock Holmes, really)...


The show was aired right after BBC Sherlock exploded in popularity, and the format difference of Dirk Gently TV Series compared to the original books seems to be too much of a coincidence to not directly parodying/referencing BBC Sherlock, if you get what I mean (it could be say, long case divided into multiple episodes ala Touch of Cloth, or not giving him a specific partner, but it decided to make it one case per episode with an eccentric detective+everyman partner).

Mind that I'm not condescending the format, just pointing how I see it as a parody/reference of that type of detective show.

Edit:

HOLY ****.

I just went to wikipedia to check on the show's airing date, and I only found out that THERE'S AN UNRELATED 2016 DIRK GENTLY SERIES!

The old miniseries was not continued, but there's a new, longer one, airing at october, starring Samuel Barnett as Dirk and Elijah Wood as Todd.

What the freakkin hell. Why do I only know about this now.

[Serpentine]

I'm pretty sure it's just another example of the archetype, maybe with parodies of the relevant tropes (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheWatson) at best. There's way too many movies and shows that follow the format, and nowhere near enough direct references to Sherlock, to say that's specifically what it's referencing, imo.

edit:


Edit:

HOLY ****.

I just went to wikipedia to check on the show's airing date, and I only found out that THERE'S AN UNRELATED 2016 DIRK GENTLY SERIES!

The old miniseries was not continued, but there's a new, longer one, airing at october, starring Samuel Barnett as Dirk and Elijah Wood as Todd.

What the freakkin hell. Why do I only know about this now.
Oooor maybe we're talking about entirely different shows? :smallconfused:

[Fri]

Apparently so, I was talking about the 2010 series starring stephen mangan.

[Serpentine]

Right :biggrin: In that case I have no idea whether or not the series you're talking about may or may not have had references to Sherlock. And also I really recommend the new one.

[Morph Bark]

The dialogue was occasionally jarring in the first few episodes, with rapidfire dialogue that didn't go anywhere, but at least that got phazed out as the series went on. The series used physical/visual humour very well in almost all episodes, too. The nonlinear storytelling wasn't too hard to follow, but the rate at which characters got introduced early on really was. I'd definitely say this is a show where it's better to not binge it, so you can absorb each episode and what happened in it, because each episode has so much that happens at such a fast rate that it's really quite intense.

I liked Ken as a character and his arc, though Bart still confuses me, and their whole connection to the remainder of the plot felt a lot like a brick joke. The downside of the very philosophy that the entire show is based on is that a lot of little things can feel like Deus Ex Machina, even when it isn't, not really.


Apparently so, I was talking about the 2010 series starring stephen mangan.

I'd guess the newer one takes at least some inspiration from the 2010 series then, considering you previously mentioned it having a sidekick character that Dirk could explain things to that, by your comments, seems to also have been named Todd.

[Officer Joy]

I loved the 2010 show, Dirk was such an unrelenting mootch and Conman. Once tricked an old lady whoes cat he was looking for to buy him a new fridge.

I was so surprised that the new Dirk was 100% sincere.