George Gently - The Incorruptible 4 (DVD)

Film: With George Gently, Martin Shaw, once star of the 70s cult crime series The Professionals, has landed a new series hit not only in the UK. The series based on the novels of Alan Hunter captivates with an atmospheric 60s set, exciting cases and the not always easy relationship between Gently and his partner, the young Sergeant John Bacchus (Lee Ingebly). In Germany, the series is finally entering its fourth round with three new films. The three new cases are gripping, extremely atmospheric staged and sometimes really stirring.

So the sad fate of a murdered schoolgirl turns out in the end to be much more tragic than it first appears. How the makers lead the viewer here again and again on a wrong track, before it comes to the nevertheless somewhat surprising resolution, works simply great. But also the case about the death of Gently's former informant China captivates with unexpected twists. Besides a lot of heavy drama there is also a little bit of dry humor. When Bacchus commits a burglary for Gently, for example, it provides a bit of amusing relief in the otherwise rather dark case, at least at the beginning. The last two minutes, on the other hand, are downright tear-jerking. The fact that all these different moods work well and together create a coherent and gripping overall picture speaks for the high quality of the series.

That the makers of George Gently chose the sixties as the epoch for their crime series proves to be a brilliant move in many respects. Because this time of cultural and social upheaval offers enough material for interesting cases, which also reflect very discreetly the social problems of the present. In terms of décor, the makers have really put some effort into it. Clothes, cars, furnishings - all this reflects the 60s authentically, without somehow seeming artificial.

An extremely entertaining, rousing and exciting crime series, which has lost nothing of its high quality in the fourth season. And this is what the three new cases are all about:

DVD1: DEADLY DESIRE

Detective Inspector George Gently and Sergeant Bacchus are called to a crime scene in Pinnock Woods: Schoolgirl Mary Claverton, reported missing, has been found murdered in a grave. Mary's father, miner Joe Claverton, reacts violently and impulsively to the news of his daughter's death. They learn from their best friend Hazel that Mary was a regular studio guest on the popular music show "UpsideDown." The friends had also been scheduled to meet the night Mary disappeared, but Mary never showed up. Gently and Bacchus delve into the glittering world of stars and starlets in the TV world. Although aging host Tony likes to pick up young girls from the show, no airtight motive for the crime emerges for Gently and Bacchus. Gently gains the trust of Hazel, who then suggests that Mary may have had a significantly older lover. When Bacchus finds out that David Nugent, a teacher of Hazel and Mary's, has been investigated in a similar matter before, they feel him out. But his principal, Peter Holdaway, stands protectively in front of him. The widowed intellectual, who raised his two daughters, Margaret and Hazel, alone after the death of his wife, is less than enthusiastic about his youngest wasting her talent on a TV music show. Then Gently and Bacchus learn after the completed autopsy that Mary was pregnant. Who was the schoolgirl's lover? Did Mary's father really not know his daughter was with child? Or did Tony, the TV star Mary spurned, overreact after all? Before their eyes and in the course of their investigation, a fateful family drama is revealed to Gently and Bacchus, with a deadly outcome. (Text: ZDF)

DVD2: CHINA'S LAST JOB

When his former friend and informant China dies in unexplained circumstances, Detective Inspector George Gently's suspicions are aroused. He begins to dig deeper, even though the alleged accident did not occur on his beat. The fact that he had broken away from the old and bedraggled Irish drunk in a quarrel now puzzles the thoughtful Gently. Did China fall in a drunken stupor and fatally injure himself? However, on enquiries with the local pathologist in charge, James Lafferty, Gently begins to have doubts about the testimony of the former policeman, who now works as a forensic pathologist in Wellaby-on-Tees under Superintendent Alan Sheperd. Gently and Sheperd know each other from their London days together. Sheperd is initially receptive to Gently's investigation. At the hospital, it turns out that China did not have alcohol in his blood and that the injuries he sustained in the alleged fall do not match the course presented: In what kind of fall do you get injuries to the back of your head and break your nose at the same time? Bacchus is simultaneously dealing with an extremely traumatized teenager who has apparently been subjected to severe abuse. His father, farmer Geoff Blackburn, admits to being unable to control his two boys after the death of his wife. But where is John, David's brother? Gently's investigation stings a hornet's nest: a harrowing spiral of violence and prejudice continues to write new trails of destruction into the lives of young people, revealing glaring misjudgements by local police that have led to the tragic loss of life. (Text: ZDF)

DVD 3: ADEL VERPFLICHTET

A crashed car is pulled from the river, inside the body of an unknown woman - no trace of the driver. Inspector George Gently and Sergeant John Bacchus are shocked: the young woman, whose foot was trapped in the car, was left alone in the night and drowned. A first lead leads to Abberwick Hall via the classic car's registration. This is grist to the mill of John Bacchus, who had already tried several times to have James Blackstone, the wayward son of Hector Blackstone, 13th Earl of Guyzance and owner of Abberwick Hall, arrested - for drink-driving. But under the guise of expensive lawyers and the protective wing of his domineering mother, Lady Alethea, the charges against James were repeatedly dropped. The latter has a cut on his face and initially becomes entangled in contradictions, but actually agrees to identify the dead woman against his mother's wishes, under gentle pressure from Gently. It is 19-year-old Ellen Mallam, a student at the Royal College of Music in London. James and Ellen have known each other from childhood. Ellen's father, left-wing activist Billy Mallam, who works for the Blackstones as a caretaker, is heartbroken at the loss of his only daughter. The latter had given a concert in the village pub the night before she returned to London. Both James and Hector were present, as was the ambitious Anthony Baugh, musician in Ellen's band and with political ambitions. Inspector Gently and Sergeant Bacchus attempt to reconstruct Ellen's final moments in order to track down the driver of the car. In the process, Bacchus makes a fatal mistake out of anger at the arrogance of the ruling class, which leads to a deep rift with Gently. (Text: ZDF)

In the end, the only conclusion that remains is that George Gently has delivered an impressive entry with its far too short first season, in which the mixture of great actors, intelligent and exciting scripts, the atmospheric landscape and the coherent décor make for an engaging whole. We're already looking forward to season two!

Image + Sound: The DVD's image is very clean. The overall sharpness is at a good level and, unlike the first season, shows little drop in quality even in the darker moments. The colour scheme is very consistent and captures the 60s atmosphere of the series very well. The audio is in a powerful stereo mix that allows the dialogue and music to sound very central from the speakers. Minor sound effects and atmospheric ambient noises have been well matched to create a TV-appropriate soundscape. Good!

Extras: Apart from a couple of trailers from the provider, there is unfortunately no bonus material whatsoever.

Conclusion: George Gently - The Incorruptible is a very good crime series that enters its fourth round with three exciting new cases. Martin Shaw is simply superb as the dedicated investigator and has an extremely strong presence that the classic crime drama production can definitely benefit from. The stories are thrillingly constructed and still hold quite a few surprises in store, even for crime fiction connoisseurs. The fourth DVD box presents itself in good picture and sound quality, but unfortunately there is no bonus material this time either. Nevertheless, it is quite clear: for lovers of first-class British crime fare, this box is absolutely recommendable!

Source: Sebastian Betzold / ZDF (synopsis)