Britain's Favourite Detectives (2014) - full transcript

They're intelligent...

They call me Fitz,
what do they call you?

...but flawed.

Determined...
Only interested in one thing here,

and that's bent coppers.

...and complex.

What are we dealing with?
Something new.

Can be scruffy or stylish...

...but are always driven.

You have no right to take the law
into your own hands!

And sometimes fierce.



Drop the gun!

From the mean streets
of 1980s New York City...

to the breath—taking scenery
of modern day Northumberland.

Well, you were right. Well,
it's like I've done this before.

From the peace and tranquility
of Oxfordsmre...

to the sprawling metropolis
of 21st century London.

Call him off.

They've been gracing our TV screens
for over 70 years...

Are you up to something,
Miss Marple? Am I?

...and have become some of
the most beloved characters

to appear on the box.

My name is Columbo.
Frost.

Taggart.

These are the top 25 crime—fighters



the ITV audience voted for
in their thousands

as Britain's Favourite Detective.

PHONE RINGS

DCI Tennison.

The fictional detective has been
a feature in popular culture

since Edgar Allen Poe's
The Murders in the Rue Morgue

was written in 1841.

For nearly 200 years,
writers have been creating

these complex
and fascinating characters.

Firstly, on the page,
before bringing them to screens,

both big...

You got a gun?
No.

What'd you do with it?
I never had one.

...and eventually small.

It wasn't long, though,
before law enforcement officers

became a regular fixture
on TV screens.

In the 1950s, shows like Dragnet
became hugely popular in America,

while in the UK,

we had Dixon of Dock Green,

followed a few years later
by Z—Cars.

It's these shows that paved the way
for the many detectives

that have graced our screens
over the past 70 years,

which is why we charged you,
the ITV audience,

with the task of uncovering
the nation's favourite.

Get on with it, then.
So let's start the countdown

by heading to Scandinavia

for the detective duo
that are first up at number 25.

In 2005, Swedish novel
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

was published to huge
international success.

Two years later, a Danish TV series
called The Killing was broadcast,

and when it came to the UK in 2011,
it became a break-out hit.

Then the following year,

BBC Four broadcast
what it hoped would be

the next great detective drama
from Scandinavia.

This one was set in both
Sweden and Denmark,

and the mystery starts
when a body is found on the bridge.

The bridge in question
is the Oresund Bridge,

which links Malmo, Sweden,
with Copenhagen, Denmark.

A body is found exactly
in the centre of the bridge,

so a joint investigation
is required,

with Saga Noren,
played by Sofia Helin,

leading the Swedish investigation,

and Martin Rohde,
played by Kim Bodnia,

acting as her Danish counterpart.

As well as being from
different countries,

the lead detectives had
very different personalities.

Saga was aloof, humourless,
with no social skills.

Whereas Martin was warm,
friendly and likeable.

Although very much a team,

it was the brilliant and devoted
police investigator Saga

who emerged as an unlikely heroine
with the audiences.

As well as having a compelling
lead character,

the programme also had
a labyrinth plot

that twisted and turned
throughout the first series,

leaving viewers
on the edge of their seats.

Such was the success of The Bridge

that it was remade
in a number of territories,

including America and the UK.

Three more series
followed the original,

and its popularity saw it broadcast
in over 100 countries.

Our next detective
had a rather unusual

and fortuitous journey
to the small screen.

The setting for this particular
police procedural

was the north—east of England
in the Swinging Sixties.

And it was just as focused

on offering viewers
a gripping detective drama

as it was a realistic snapshot
of time and place.

This is the world
of Inspector George Gently.

Screenwriter Peter Flannery
discovered the George Gently stories

in a dusty, old book shop

and decided they were ripe
for a television adaptation.

The person chosen to play
the leading man was Martin Shaw.

I need all the facts, john,
no more evasions.

Like all good detectives,
Gently needed a partner,

and it was actor Lee lngleby

who would take on the role
of Detective Sergeant john Bacchus.

You and Ronnie Chadwick
went to Rakes

and you picked a fight
with Patrick Donovan.

Why?

Gently was a bit of a father figure
to Bacchus,

and they both had
different approaches to the job.

The old school inspector
versus the modern man.

You're just a kid, aren't you?

You've got no self-discipline,
you want sweeties all the time.

I want a full account.
Come and find me tomorrow.

But...

Sir...

Look, I didn't bring my car.

Well, walk!

The show embraced its '60s setting

and reflected real social issues
of the time.

There is a house in this city

where abortion is performed
on a weekly basis,

and a blind eye
is turned towards it.

In England, in the 20th century.

Why aren't you investigating
those murders?

More of a whydunnit
than a whodunnit,

the show proved to be more about
the relationship

between Gently and Bacchus

that builds over 25 episodes
and ten years.

And the combination
of detective drama,

nostalgic history lesson,
and character study

is the reason why
George Gently counts himself

firmly amongst your favourites.

In the past, female detective duos
have been a bit thin on the ground.

So actresses and friends
Suranne jones and Sally Lindsay

decided to do something about it.

They came up with the idea
of a Mancunian Cagney 81 Lacey,

and with the help of writer
Sally Wainwright,

created a brand-new
pair of police officers.

Working in the Major Incident team,

they went by the names
of Scott 81 Bailey.

You ready, mate?

The show was first broadcast
in May 2011... Yeah.

...and was an instant hit for ITV

with over nine million viewers
tuning in.

Turkish girl, 18 years old,

the husband found her at half six
last night when he got in from work,

rang for an ambulance at 6:37
saying his wife's killed herself.

Writer Sally Wainwright

was keen that the show move away
from the idea

of the woman against
the boys club narrative

that had been used in the past.

She wanted to show that
it was perfectly acceptable

to be a woman in a high-powered job.

I'm Detective Constable Janet Scott

and this is Detective Constable
Rachel Bailey.

The cases they were working
was only half the story, though,

and the real appeal of the show

came from the relationship
between the two lead characters.

He's finished with me.

What?
Nick dumped me.

When?
Day before yesterday.

Why?
I'm boring.

They were friends
as well as colleagues,

and found time to catch up on each
other's lives over a cuppa at home

and on the go at work.

He's got kids.
What?

Boys. Nick.

You've been had.

Haven't you?
Yeah.

Each episode
found that perfect balance

between the professional
and personal stories,

a trick that not many
detective dramas have achieved

either before or since.

You all right?
Yeah, I just never...

ever charged anyone for murder
before and felt sorry for 'em.

She strangled and hanged
an 18-year-old girl

and then murdered her unborn baby.
What's to feel sorry for?

In April 2016,

after five series and 33 episodes,

Scott 81 Bailey
solved their last crime.

Coming UPI

a grumpy Scotsman,

a national treasure,

and a straight-talking Geordie,

but who have the ITV audience
voted in at number one?

Welcome back.

For our next detective,

you've voted for someone
from the early 1980s

that offered something
a bit different.

He didn't prowl the mean streets
of New York or London,

Hawaii was this character's
playground.

And he complemented the colourful
location with his loud shirts,

and even louder bright red Ferrari.

REVS

Welcome to the weird and wonderful
world of Magnum Pl.

Dan Cook was murdered,
and I'm gonna prove it.

The setup for the show was
different, to say the least.

Thomas Magnum,

played by moustachioed heart—throb
Tom Selleck,

was a Vietnam veteran
who lived in Robin's Nest,

the palatial estate of elusive
author Robin Masters,

never seen, but voiced
by Orson Welles, no less.

In return for running the occasional
security check on the property,

Magnum got to live rent free
and have access to Master's Ferrari.

Oh, and he occasionally did a bit of
private investigating on the side.

Magnum wasn't just about
the man himself, though.

There was his love—hate relationship
with Jonathan Higgins,

the caretaker for Robin's Nest,

who didn't always approve
of Magnum's lifestyle.

Argh! Higgins!

Magnum also had two sidekicks who'd
both served with him in Vietnam,

Rick, who owned a local beach club,

and TC, who conveniently ran
a helicopter company.

Magnum, of course, was more about
the aesthetic than the plot,

so each week you'd pretty much
be guaranteed a car chase,

a shootout,

helicopter stunt,

fist fight,

and a little bit of romance
for the star turn.

But it was a formula
that clearly worked.

In America in 1988,

the crime classic finale
had well over 50 million viewers

glued to their screens.

It made a star of Tom Selleck,

and of course, his moustache.

In April 2013,
a crime novel was published

called The Cuckoo's Calling,

written by newcomer
Robert Galbraith.

The book received good reviews,

but didn't shift
a huge number of copies.

Then the Sunday Times newspaper
did some detective work of its own

and revealed that Robert Galbraith
was the pseudonym of one jK Rowling.

Sales of the book
immediately soared,

and before Rowling's secret
was revealed,

the BBC were already looking to
bring Strike to our TV screens.

The story featured
a new private detective

who went by the name
of Cormoran Strike,

a war veteran who lost part of his
leg while serving in Afghanistan.

Strike worked out of a tiny office
on Denmark Street in London.

Each story followed the structure
of a classic whodunnit,

with Strike, played by Tom Burke,

being ably assisted by
Holliday Grainger, playing Robin.

I'm Robin. Robin Ellacott.

Cormoran. Just popping out.

Um... Where shall I say you are
if anyone important calls?

Down the boozer.

Don't worry, they won't.

Strike's personal life was a mess,

but underneath the chaotic exterior
was a brilliant mind

that worked at its best
when Robin was by his side.

And then the next camera.

That's after Lula fell.
Yeah.

Same guy walking quickly away,
less agitated, more purposeful.

Well, it's not the same guy.
Why do you say that?

Because his hoodie's got a thingy,
a logo, on.

Exactly, yeah.
These are two different people.

We can't see this guy's face,
but look at his hands.

Leather gloves.

Guy Some dropped a hoodie and gloves
off to the Deeby Macc flat.

So he could have used the clothes
as a disguise. Yeah.

I need to speak to Guy Some.

Tom Burke has said, as long as
Rowling keeps writing the novels,

Strike and Robin
will be back for more.

So for detective fans,

there could be many more
Strike mysteries to come.

In the early 1980s,

the TV detective genre was largely
a male—dominated one.

So, a producer in America,
by the name of Barney Rosenzweig,

came up with the idea of creating
an all-female detective duo

that would work the mean streets
of New York City.

Originally conceived as a film,

the concept was rejected
by all the major studios,

so it was then reworked
and turned into a TV series.

A series that went by the name
of Cagney 81 Lacey.

However, the Cagney 81 Lacey
we know and love

weren't always portrayed by
Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly.

Christine Cagney was in fact
played by two other actresses.

In the pilot episode,
Loretta Swit took the role,

but wasn't available when the show
was given a full season.

Meg Foster was then cast
in the part,

but poor ratings
meant the show was cancelled.

However, CBS were eventually
talked into making a second series,

and in 1982, the show returned with
Sharon Gless in the role of Cagney.

This time, the programme was a hit.

What did you want me to do
this morning?

Sign the form anyhow?
Tell them I saw a gun I did not see?

No, what I...

Why don't we just forget it, huh?

Why don't we just finish it?

The show was unique,

as it wasn't about
two cops who happened to be women,

it was about two women
who happened to be cops.

And it wasn't afraid to tackle some
of the important issues of the day,

like abortion, apartheid,

officer-involved shootings,
and alcoholism.

Thrown into the mix

were the characters' different
political beliefs and backgrounds,

which often led to conflict.

All right, I did not come here
because I needed some kind of work

to help pay the orthodontist.

This means something to me.

What the hell
are we talking about here?

What we're talking about here is
that our butts are on the line

every time we go out that door.

Now, that gun was there
and you didn't see it.

The show made stars
of Daly and Gless,

who shared the Emmy award for
Best Actress six years in a row.

It was hugely influential,

and plays an important role in the
history of both the female detective

and television itself.

In the early 1980s,
ITV had a gap in their schedule.

There wasn't a regular
detective series on the channel.

# All around me
Are familiar faces... #

Show producer Robert Love

and writer Glenn Chandler

put their heads together
and came up with a whodunnit

that featured a streetwise
Glasgow detective.

The three—part series
was a murder mystery

that went by the name of Killer
and was first broadcast in 1983.

The police officer
who worked the case

was Detective Chief lnspectorjim...

Taggart.

She knows something,
I am convinced of it.

Bring her in.

Sir, I've put the wind up her.

I don't want it to blow her away.

Brought to life
by actor Mark McManus,

he was soon to become
a household name,

when, in 1985, the character
appeared on our screens again

in a show called Taggart.

What's the connection
between him and Telfer?

Apart from the fact
they both need an undertaker?

This gritty slice
of Glasgow's urban reality

would go on to become one of
the longest-running detective series

in British television history.

Get on with it, then.

Take two.

Action.

In total,
there were 110 episodes of Taggart

produced over 27 years,

and one of the main reasons for
the programme's initial success

was the man cast in the title role.

For 11 years, Mark McManus
played the role of Taggart...

Going UP?

...and became one of the most
recognisable faces on TV.

I had Mark McManus in mind

from the very first moment
I started to write Killer.

Get your skates on, Peter,

we've got a severed leg
near the Erskine Bridge.

Human?

No, the kind you put mint sauce on.

He was the one Scottish face
that I could...

I could put behind these words.

I'd seen him on television
and thought,

he's a great person to keep in mind.

Robert Love gave the script to Mark,

and the story, I believe, is

that he read it on the train
going to London,

phoned Robert as soon as
he got to London and said,

"| want to do this."

He imbued this old-fashioned,
tough-talking, no-nonsense detective

with a wicked sense of humour
that was a hit with the audiences.

The one-liner that everybody quotes
that Taggart never spoke was,

"There's been a murder."

Because Taggart never said that,
you see,

it was always somebody else
who said it to him.

There's been another murder.

Away from the cameras, though,

McManus was going through
a difficult time

and battling some personal demons
of his own.

The first episode of series 11

saw the character of Taggart
take a reduced role.

I'm in no mood to be messed about!

Where are the drugs?

And sadly, in june 1994,

aged 59, Mark McManus passed away.

Off home?
Aye.

Off home.

This episode would be the last
to feature jim Taggart.

I spent four years working with him
until he died,

and he was a unique person
on and off-screen,

and I think we always said
that we learned from Mark.

And that was on and off,
because on screen,

he knew exactly what he was doing.

Before his death, Mark made it clear
to producer Robert Love

that he wanted the show
to continue without him.

Love was able
to honour those wishes,

firstly by giving the character
of Taggart a funeral on screen,

then with the original cast...
Are you ready, sir?

...and some new faces joining them.

Robbie Ross.
Burke.

Taggart continued on our screens
for another 16 years,

eventually airing its final episode
in 2010.

The character of Taggart
might have appeared

in fewer than half of the episodes

of the series to which
he lent his name,

but his influence remained,

and it was the popularity
of the character

that allowed the programme to endure
even after he was gone.

For our next detective,
we're going back in time

to one of the most turbulent periods
in history.

This detective operated
on the streets of Hastings

during World War ll,

and was often called on
to catch criminals

taking advantage of the confusion
created by the ongoing conflict.

Kept out of the war, he devotes his
time to solving homeland crimes,

and his name is Detective Chief
Superintendent Christopher Foyle.

Foyle's War came from the mind
of Anthony Horowitz,

bestselling author
of the Alex Rider novels.

It seemed to me very interesting
to come upon a situation

where, just across the Channel,

every day, hundreds of people
are being killed,

and yet a detective in England

is being asked to solve one murder
in an English library,

somebody with a knife in their back,

and it was the sort of dichotomy
between those two

that got me excited and that was
the beginning of Foyle's War.

Foyle's War was his passion project,

and gave him the chance to tell
a multi-layered detective story

based on real events
for a new detective series.

The first episode hit screens
in October 2002,

and introduced audiences to Foyle,

brought to life by
the brilliant Michael Kitchen,

a man frustrated by his lack
of impact on the war effort.

The answer's no, Foyle,
and this time it's final.

You know, if you weren't
so damned obstinate,

you'd see that
I'm actually on your side.

You do a good job.

No telling where you might be
once the war's over.

It'll depend on who wins, I suppose.

Michael Kitchen
is a wonderful actor to work with,

because he can do so much
by saying so little,

and that's fantastic for a writer
like me to play with.

Like all detectives,
Foyle had a bit of help

in the shape of Detective Sergeant
Paul Milner,

played by Anthony Howell.

Morning, Sergeant.

Sir.

Thought you might like a lift.

And most memorably, his driver,

Samantha 'Sam' Stewart,

played by Honeysuckle Weeks.

I've been assigned to you
as your new driver.

Uh... Stewart?

Samantha Stewart, sir.

You can call me Sam.

It's always a hoot on set.
I loved the show.

You know, I've kind of grown up
with Foyle's War.

I was but a mere girl of 21
when we did the pilot.

It means the world to me, this show.

The show prided itself on its
historical attention to detail...

Get undercover!
SCREAMING

Can't you hear?!

...with many of the plots
incorporating actual wartime events

and news stories.

Get down!

The way it's created,
the artistry, the writing,

it's immaculately done, you know.
Everything is...

The attention to detail that is paid
in every area of the production

is just...

I mean, I don't think there's
anything quite like it as a show.

Dead body, knife in the back.

Nice straightforward
bit of detective work for you.

Noticeable overuse of the word
straightforward this morning,

bearing in mind
nothing in this place ever is.

After eight series over 13 years,

Foyle's War finally came to an end
in 2015.

And as Foyle ended his story

employed by
the mysterious world of Ml5,

the door could always reopen
for more cases.

Don't go anywhere.

There are lots more super sleuths
still to come,

including a female trailblazer,

a mysterious police boss...

Whoa!
..and a returning familiar face.

Who did you vote for
as Britain's Favourite Detective?

Welcome back to our countdown to
crown Britain's Favourite Detective,

and welcome to Edinburgh,
the capital of Scotland,

and the location
for crime writer Ian Rankin's

uncompromising detective.

Forget picturesque castles
and stunning landscapes,

this TV series was to show a dark
underbelly of the Celtic city.

Investigations
led this senior officer

through the city's ancient beauty

and into its more sinister quarters,

with poverty, corruption and social
issues at the heart of the drama.

The city is as much
a central character

as the protagonist himself.

He was a world-weary,
pessimistic detective

who stalked the streets of Edinburgh

on a mission to rid the city
of crime and injustice,

and went by the name of Rebus.

A rebus is a picture puzzle.

I was an English student
at the time. I thought,

what a great name, call him rebus.

We've got Inspector Morse,
which is a kind of code,

and now we'll have Rebus,
which is a kind of puzzle.

The first Rebus story
was published in 1987,

but it took 13 years before the
dark-souled detective made it to TV.

Played originally by john Hannah
in 2000,

it was Ken Stott who took over
the role in 2006

and embodied the character.

PHONE RINGS
Rebus.

Stott, with his gravelly voice,

gruff mannerisms,
and aura of grumpiness,

was born to play the hardened
Scottish detective.

Better?

He's not a perfect human being,

and I suppose we identify
with that as well,

because we know we're not perfect.
He has his problems, you know,

he drinks too much,
his life's a mess.

Fuelled by a potent mixture
of booze, cigarettes and anger,

the unkempt detective
was at his happiest

when watching football alone
in his favourite pub.

He was insubordinate
and didn't play by the rules.

He doesn't care about
what people think of him.

He's not afraid of authority.

I think we all want to be
unafraid of authority.

The feeling is, you have to
get yourself under control.

They want you to have
some counselling

with a police therapist.
This is a windup.

You don't have any choice.

This is the last chance saloon
for you.

Rebus was a complex character
and the ultimate maverick cop.

This hard drinking, hard smoking,

and generally hard
detective inspector

established Ian Rankin as one of
Britain's biggest crime writers,

and the king of tartan noir.

Ian Rankin's books are never
out of the charts, are they?

There must be something
about the character of Rebus

that captures the imagination
that people...

...latch onto.

From New Order
and the Strangeways riots,

to Happy Mondays and the Hacienda,

Manchester clearly made its mark
on the world in the 1990s.

It was a time when forensic
psychology was an emerging science,

being used as a tool
to catch criminals.

Writer jimmy McGovern
was tasked with creating a detective

who wasn't actually a detective
but a forensic psychologist,

and so the character of Dr Edward
'Fitz' Fitzgerald was born.

He first graced our screens in 1993,

and working alongside a team
of actual detectives,

became one of the most iconic
crime—fighters of the '90s

in Cracker.

Dr Fitzgerald is now ready
to give us his lecture.

The character of Fitz, brought to
life brilliantly by Robbie Coltrane,

was a walking contradiction.

A chain-smoking, alcoholic,
gambling addict

with a foul mouth,

who was also a cerebral
and brilliant genius

specialising in criminal psychology.

It was a challenging part,

and that's what you want to do
if you do anything,

do something that's very difficult
as well as you can, don't you?

Get a chance to show
what you can do.

More antihero than hero,

Fitz worked
to keep his demons at bay.

What are you doing?!

We're going for a walk right now.

You and me.

He's not a great role model as a dad
or a husband, though, I have to say.

But all great men have great faults,
they say,

and that's one of the things
I liked about the character.

I do not have to hide my booze,
I am not an adolescent.

All the evidence
points to the contrary.

It wasn't just the lead character
that made Cracker unique.

The show didn't follow
the set formula of good versus bad.

People will say,
"He was a killer, he was a butcher,

"but he did one decent thing...

"He confessed so they could
bury their daughter."

It also wasn't afraid
to stretch out its storylines

across multiple episodes,

with each one ending
on a cliffhanger.

It's the one last decent thing
you can do.

Also central to Cracker's success

was the show's willingness to base
episodes around real-life events.

One such example was
the chilling story To Be Somebody.

If you're gonna do a TV drama,

it's gonna be a TV drama
warts and all,

and I'm not going to toe
the PC line,

I'm going to have people who are
racist, you know, who are sexist.

It's gonna be full of real life,
all the warts and all.

McGovern used antagonist Albie

as a way to bring to life his
feelings about, and reaction to,

the Hillsborough disaster.

It's like all these things, if you
do it right, it's not a problem,

it's only bad
if you're disrespectful to it

or sensationalise it,

or treat it in a shallow
and sensational way,

which jimmy never would.

The three—part story
was memorable for many reasons,

but chief amongst them

was a star-making turn
from Robert Carlyle.

# L—I—V

# E—R—P

# O-O-L, Liverpool FC
Celtic!

# L-I-V, E-R-P
O-O-L, Liverpool FC... #

And it's in the scenes
between Robbie Coltrane

and Robert Carlyle

where Cracker showcases
another of its calling cards,

the superbly written staged and
performed interrogation scenes.

Peter Sutcliffe
gets letters from women.

He sends them
signed photographs of himself

with little kisses on the bottom.

He's a somebody.
Don't.

Don't compare you with him?
Yeah.

Why not? You want to be a somebody,
Albie, don't you?

I really, really
love the interviews,

just cos of their intensity,
and, you know, as an actor,

you'd a chance
to really show what you can do.

Underneath, you're a good man.
Dig deep and we'll find sensitivity.

No, dig deep
and we'll find sentimentality.

It's been in every killer
I've ever met.

Sickening sentimentality.

On a personal level, of course,
I really enjoyed it.

I really, really enjoyed it.
You come in in the morning

and think, "Oh, God, this is
the bit where he breaks down.

"Boy, this is gonna be good."

He's buried
on my father's allotment.

Mind his runner beans
when you're digging.

It was a formula
that clearly worked.

The first episode pulled in an
audience of nine million viewers,

and at its peak,
the series was attracting figures

of 15 million plus.

In 2006, after 13 years,

three series, two specials,

and six BAFTAs,
Cracker came to an end.

Oxford,

one of the most iconic cities
in England.

Famous for its historic buildings,
prestigious university,

and as the backdrop
for our next series.

Popular both in the UK
and internationally,

it brought tourists flocking
from around the world

to tread in this detective's
famous footsteps.

As Watson is to Sherlock,

it was the relationship between
these two unlikely allies

in Inspector Morse which lay
at the heart of the series,

and gave the show its popularity.

Even the lead character's death
could not end the saga.

But the next detective you voted for

proved that the sidekick
is as important as the lead,

when, in 2006,
after a five-year absence,

an old favourite came back to
his former stomping ground,

and over 11 million viewers tuned in
to see the return of Lewis.

Kevin Whately reprised the role
of Robbie Lewis,

Morse's sergeant
in the original series.

He'd now been promoted
to the rank of detective inspector

and was assisted
by DS james Hathaway,

played by Laurence Fox.

This time round, it was Hathaway
who had to earn his stripes.

Has Oxford changed much
since you've been away?

Nope.

It changed before I went.

With murder and intrigue
still at the heart of the drama,

the series would continue
to keep viewers gripped.

GUNSHOT
It's very important

to have fairly complex plots
in this,

partly because it's two hours,
partly because it's Oxford,

so you expect it
to be pretty cerebral,

but I think audiences like to be
a bit bamboozled as well.

And the ghost of Morse
was never far away.

Whoa!
TYRES SCREECH

Morse.

Can still see the stain
from his gloss.

In the first episode, we found
Lewis struggling to fit back in,

and new boss,
Chief Superintendent jean Innocent,

wasn't his biggest fan.

You're never letting a sergeant
run a murder investigation

while I'm kicking my heels.
At least let me earn my keep.

You can head up the murder.
Thank you, ma'am.

But only until DI Grainger's
available to take over.

On hand to lend a friendly ear
and some much-needed support

was a familiar face from
the old days, Dr Laura Hobson.

So, what have we got?
Sir.

Scene suit, sir.
Nah, I'll not bother, thanks.

Uh...
They're all the rage these clays.

You'd better.

Give it here, then.

Romantic tensions simmered between
the pair throughout the series.

0w!

Well, I think I'll leave
you guys to, um... get on with it.

And theirs wasn't the only
relationship that blossomed.

It was Hathaway's logic
and Morse-like deduction

that made Lewis realise
what really mattered to him.

Do you love Laura?

Then go.

Show her that you love her.

Don't assume that she knows.

People make that assumption
and it's a mistake.

I think I've been a bit of a fool.

Well...

Actually, I've been a lot of a fool.

All good things must come to an end,
and after nine series,

Whately was ready
to call time on Lewis.

The series was to finish
as it had begun,

with Lewis and Hathaway
at the airport.

You'll be missed.

Better be.

In 2015, with the ghost of Morse
firmly laid to rest,

Lewis flew off into the sunset
with a new partner in crime.

In 1997, a new kind of detective
magically appeared on our screens.

Living in a windmill
in rural England,

your regular everyday Mr Nice Guy
lived quietly,

engrossed in creating
his magic tricks.

His attention to detail

provided him with the tools to
become an unassuming amateur sleuth.

A quietly reflective genius,

he was a return to the old school
cerebral detective

that relied on his little grey cells

to decipher a mystery
with pinpoint precision.

He was Jonathan Creek.

Stand-up comedian Alan Davies

landed the lead part
in his first acting role

which would turn him into
a household name.

Combining comedy, magic tricks,
and elaborate murder mystery,

Jonathan Creek transformed
the whodunnit into the howdunnit.

Finding a culprit would still be
part of the detective's job,

but the emphasis would be

on discovering
how the crime was committed.

What happened?
She's been stabbed.

But how?

No—one came in or out of the room.

I would have seen.

We all would have seen.

There was nobody here.

The whole thing is impossible.

Every detective needs a sidekick.

Pushy writer and journalist
Maddy Magellan

was written for and played
by Caroline Quentin

to solve crimes
where others had failed.

The sexual tension was there
from the very beginning,

and their will—they—won't—they
relationship left viewers gripped.

OK, get me down.

Then I'll explain our next move.

Just let me und...

What do you mean our next move?

The first three series saw Jonathan
in the middle of some baffling cases

after being duped into some grisly
murder investigations by Maddy.

Why was that rubber band
on the bedroom floor?

Why was the letter on the doormat?

Why would someone fire bullets
through the middle of a painting?

Well, why would they?

First, clear your mind
of all preconceptions.

This is more calculated and evil
than we imagined.

Good night.
Night.

Caroline Quentin
was to leave the series in 2000,

but would be followed
by three further sidekicks.

Firstly, Carla Borrego,
played by julia Sawalha,

then yours truly as joey Ross,

until finally, Creek's wife Polly,
played by Sarah Alexander,

became his reluctant assistant.

WHISPERS: You know what to do.
I just need three minutes.

WHISPERS: I can't.
I can't do this sort of thing.

How am I supposed to just suddenly
pretend to scream in agony?

I don't know.

Remember when you got halfway
through Piers Morgan's memoirs.

Just call on some of that.

In 2016, after five series
and 32 episodes,

the curly-haired investigator
solved his last case.

Whether he'll make a welcome return
to our screens remains a mystery.

Set in the 1990s on
the metropolitan streets of London,

an urban backdrop
was to be the location

for this trailblazing
British TV detective.

She was a character who was prickly,

complicated, but deeply human,

and was prime to take on
the overtly male establishment.

And for the creator Lynda LaPlante,

there was only one woman
for the job.

Helen Mirren was cast as
the no-nonsense DCI that is...

DCI Tennison.

...in Prime Suspect.

Prime Suspect was ground-breaking.

It was rare to have a woman
leading the drama.

There was great fear
in the television company

of making something that had

a female character
driving the story.

I don't think they were
at all convinced

that it was going to be successful.

What do you think?
About what, sir?

My voice suddenly got lower, has it?

Maybe my knickers are too tight.

Listen, I like to be called
Governor or the boss,

I don't like ma'am, I'm not
the bloody Queen, so take your pick.

Yes, ma'am.

SIGHS

After the detective in charge of
a gruesome murder investigation

suffers a heart attack,

Tennison seeks to prove her worth
by taking charge of the case.

I am not attempting
to step into his shoes.

No-one could.

But as the first available DCI,

all I ask of you is your
undivided loyalty and attention.

Does anyone have anything to say?

I do.

Look, I know you asked for
this case specifically...

You don't like it,
put in for a transfer.

From the very beginning,
we witnessed her constant battles

to prove herself
in a male—dominated world.

The first episode directly addressed
the institutionalised sexism

that exists within the police force.

Make it your business
to get on with her.

That an order?
Yes.

DS Bill Otley was
the constant thorn in Jane's side,

undermining her authority
at every opportunity.

Any word on what the readers survey
came up with, ma'am?

But she always gave
as good as she got.

For or against
female DCls on homicides.

ALL: Ooh!

Oh, you're a biased load
of old chauvinists

and there's thousands more like you.

You could always get a job
in pantomime.

The show earned a reputation
for its attention to detail

and pulled no punches.

I'd like to have a look, please.

Are you sure?

It's not a pretty sight.
I want to see her face.

A departure from her previous more
glamorous roles,

it took Helen Mirren's career
in a new direction.

It proved that she was not only
an accomplished actress,

but the series became iconic
due to her performance.

I did recognise it was a great role,
and you know, I loved the script.

I thought it was great, but you
never know how it's gonna come out.

Mirren won three BAFTA TV awards
for Best Actress in the role,

and jane Tennison was immortalised
in wax at Madame Tussauds.

After all those awards,
it was inevitable

that DCI Tennison would return,

and after a seven-year gap,
she did in 2003.

But in 2006, the final series
saw her slowly unravel

as she increasingly relied
upon alcohol to help her cope,

making the difficult decision
to retire from the police force.

I can't believe
you're really leaving.

Well, I've had a good run. You know.

Dozens of convictions,
three commendations,

two for bravery, one for excellence.

More than most.
First female DCI.

First Jane Tennison DCI.

Sorry, ma'am.

Don't call me ma'am,
I'm not the bloody Queen.

After two decades, seven series,

and a total of 30 hours
prime—time detective drama,

we said a fond farewell
to DCI jane Tennison.

SIRENS

Next, we're off on our travels
to Midsomer...

GUNSHOT
Ah!

Danton,

and Oxford,

to meet some more
crime—busting detectives.

Have you solved the mystery
of who you voted number one yet?

Welcome back.

The countdown to Britain's
Favourite Detective continues,

and we're off to Yorkshire
and the fictional town of Denton,

where this unconventional policeman
resides.

Sloppy, disorganised
and disrespectful,

he attracted trouble like a magnet.

With a dislike for authority,

he had a no-nonsense approach
to crime-fighting.

This role put David jason on the map
as a dramatic actor,

playing
Detective Inspector jack Frost.

This was a different side to David
jason then we'd ever seen before.

I thought that perhaps
it was time for a change,

and maybe something I haven't been
involved in is drama,

and they asked me, "Would you like
to do a police series?"

And so I thought, yeah,
I wanna give it a go now.

I'd like to be a policeman
and arrest people, basically.

And with a bark
that was worse than his bite,

he made this character his own.

I'm Niamh Cusack
and I'm playing Sally Burland.

Bruce Alexander playing Mullett.

I am Touch Of Frost.

LAUGHTER

He had many sidekicks
over the years,

but his most regarded
and highly valued

were Detective Sergeant
George Toolan...

Morning, George.

How do you fancy a cup of coffee
and a nice sticky bun?

It's only three clays old,
so eat it while it's fresh-ish.

...and DS Clive Barnard,

who made a welcome return
to his team.

Clive.

What the hell are you doing here?

Waiting for you, Governor.

Theirs was a partnership
filled with respect, admiration,

and banter.
Hey, is that your George Cross?

Yes, it is, but don't you lust
after it, that's for heroes only.

One of the most unexpected shocking
moments came in series five

when Frost and Barnard arrive
at a house to make an arrest.

A man doesn't have to be brave
to pull the trigger.

But he must be brave enough

to face the consequences.

GUNSHOT
It was a moment of high drama

when two gunshots were fired.

GUNSHOT

And we were left on the edge of our
seats wondering who had survived.

I said, I think he has to die.

"You can't have him die." I said,

"But it's going to be a shock
to the audience."

But it gave us somewhere to go,
somewhere different,

and somewhere we hadn't been before.

It was a testament
to Jason's acting skills

during the heartbreaking scene

when Frost gave Barnard
his treasured George Cross

and said goodbye to his colleague
and friend.

You deserve this.

More than I ever did.

That was a very emotional scene
to have to play.

Underneath the tough exterior,

he's always had a twinkle
in his eye,

and over the years has not been
short of female admirers.

Although they've never
seemed to last.

That is until the final series
when he met Christine Moorhead,

played by Downton Abbey's
Phyllis Logan.

PHONE RINGS

I'm sorry. Excuse me.

Frost.

Frost's happiness was short lived,

when, on his wedding day,
tragedy struck,

and in the last ever episode,

we were left on a cliffhanger
once again,

wondering who had made it out alive.

Here we are, jack.
Thank you.

And George.

After almost two decades,

David jason decided that it was time
for DCI jack Frost to retire.

It was a great wrench
to come to that decision,

but the point was that time
has caught up with us, really.

As a real, um... policeman,
if I were a real policeman,

I would have retired
probably about ten years ago.

After 17 years and 47 clays,

that's the end of A Touch Of Frost.
APPLAUSE

It's an end of an era in a way,
it's not just the end of Frost,

it's an end of...

Well, sort of way of life in a way.

Very sad. Very sad.

In America in the mid—'80s,

the CBS network were interested
in creating a new mystery series,

and they wanted that series
to be led by a woman.

William Link and Richard Levinson,
two of the writers behind Columbo,

were charged with the task of
creating a female detective

who wasn't gonna
be bailed out by men.

They came up with a widow

who lived in a tranquil coastal
community of Cabot Cove in Maine.

First, she took up
writing mystery novels,

and then she took up solving crimes.

Her name was Jessica Fletcher.

Murder, She Wrote was first
broadcast in America in 1984

and was an instant success,

thanks in main to the iconic
performance by Angela Lansbury

in the lead role.

CLEARS THROAT

I beg your pardon, Chief Gunderson,
I was just checking something out.

I probably should have
asked you first,

but I didn't disturb any evidence,
believe me.

I read your book.

Oh, you did? How nice.

Didn't say I liked it,
said I read it.

In fact, such was the success
of Murder, She Wrote

that, for a series three episode,

the producers decided to cross over
with another CBS show, Magnum Pl,

with Jessica trying to prove that
Thomas Magnum is innocent

of the crimes
he's been imprisoned for.

As a professional, if you were out,
what would you do?

Well, I'd talk to Arthur Houston
and get some answers.

Well, Mr Magnum,
since you can't, I will.

Angela Lansbury received ten Best
Actress Golden Globe nominations

for playing Jessica Fletcher, taking
home the award on four occasions.

And that's why you voted
Jessica Fletcher

as one of the best TV detectives
in the business.

We've reached the top ten,

and we're off
to the English countryside

and the chocolate box villages
and quaint market towns

of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

But looks can be deceptive,
and behind this genteel setting,

these stunning locations provide
the picturesque but deadly backdrop

for the fictional county
of Midsomer.

With a high body count
in every episode,

all is never quite as it seems
in Midsomer Murders.

When Midsomer Murders
first hit our screens in 1997,

Detective Chief Inspector
Tom Barnaby, played by john Nettles,

was already a familiar face
to TV detective fans

as the grumpy heart—throb Bergerac.

But six years on,

Nettles was playing
a very different kind of detective.

It's Delia Smith.

A married police officer with a calm
demeanour and dry caustic wit.

You can't go wrong with Delia Smith.

Yeah, that's what
I'd always thought.

Based in the force headquarters
in Causton,

it wasn't long before
the couple discovered

that life wasn't quite as tranquil
as they'd anticipated.

Behind the net curtains
in the sleepy suburbs

lurked suspicious, shady eccentrics

with their noses
in everyone's business.

It was their grudges and anger
that often result in the grisliest

and occasionally wackiest
of murders.

Arghg

Ah!

GASPS

With an average of 2.6 murders
per episode,

anyone, anywhere could become
a murder victim in this county.

You wouldn't think, would you,

one small village
would have so much trouble

bubbling away under the surface?

Midsomer, I don't know,

we killed more people
than you can shake a stick at,

and it was thought at one time that
it was getting a bit ludicrous,

and therefore the murder count
should be reduced somewhat.

When we tried to do that,
there were complaints.

People didn't like it very much,

and that's part of the joy,
is the...

the joke, if you like, is the sheer
number of murders in Midsomer.

After over 80 episodes
and hundreds of murders,

in 2011, john Nettles decided
that it was time for a change.

Conscious that Barnaby

was becoming the oldest detective
in the business,

it was time to take a step back.

We're going on a long holiday.
But I've...

Well, we've decided
that that holiday...

will be indefinite.

I am retiring.

Thankfully for the area's residents,

another member of the Barnaby clan
was ready and willing

to pick up the mantle.

Cue Tom's younger cousin,
DCI john Barnaby,

played by Neil Dudgeon.

I do hope the residents

can curb their murderous
inclinations while he's here.

I doubt it.
LAUGHTER

Nearly a decade and eight series on,

john Barnaby is still
solving murders in Midsomer

and entertaining audiences in over
225 territories around the world.

So, who was meant to die?

The magician?

Or the public?

Still to come, we'll be
counting down from nine to one

with some of the toughest cops
to hit our screens in recent times,

along with a couple
of senior sleuths.

But will any of these be the one you
voted Britain's Favourite Detective?

Welcome back.

In the spring of 2013,

a new detecting duo made its way
into viewers' living rooms

courtesy of ITV.

These two coppers

didn't walk the mean streets of
a major metropolitan area, though.

Their beat was a much more quiet
and tranquil location.

This was the setting

for a whodunnit
that gripped the nation

over the course of eight weeks.

As DI Alec Hardy and DS Ellie Miller

try to crack the case
of who killed Danny Latimer

in the sleepy West Country
seaside village of Broadchurch.

Hardy and Miller, brought to life
by David Tennant and Olivia Colman,

took centre stage in
one of the most gripping

and complex murder mysteries to
grace our screens in recent times.

Oh, God, don't do this to me.

Arriving on ITV on 4th March 2013,

what appeared at first
to be a simple whodunnit

turned into a sprawling mystery
with a multitude of suspects

that had viewers
on the edge of their seats

until the gripping final episode.

Central to that mystery

was the complicated relationship
between the two detectives.

Oh, God, no, no, no.
Off the beach!

Hey, this area's off-limits!
No, I'm police!

Oh, God.

Hardy himself

is haunted by his failure
to solve another murder case,

and his initial exchanges
with Miller

are frosty, to say the least.

You can't make it better, don't try.

You don't how I work.

Watch them. Every move.

Anything that doesn't make sense,
you tell me.

OK.

Don't look at me like that.

They're a slightly unconventional
crime-fighting duo.

They're not really Cagney 8; Lacey,
are they?

No. I can't actually think of a...

of a similar duo.

We don't like each other very much.
Don't really get on.

They come from
slightly different worlds.

Despite this, as the case builds,

so does the relationship
between the two detectives,

and they are there for each other
even in the most difficult moments.

You're wrong.

I'm not.

SOBS

Broadchurch got its casting spot on,

pairing two actors
at the precise moment

they were about to be acknowledged

as the leading male and female
screen talents of their generation.

With a stellar supporting cast,
including rising stars Vicky McClure

and jodie Whittaker.

The series proved to be
a ratings hit,

with millions of viewers gripped
over its eight-week run.

This led to BAFTA awards
for Olivia Colman,

and for the show itself.

Two more series followed,

but it was the first,
with its complex central mystery,

and the relationship between
the two dogged detectives,

that cemented their place
with the audience.

The majority of detective dramas
are pretty black-and-white.

The cops are the good guys
and the criminals are the bad guys.

But in 2012, a new crime drama
hit UK screens

which dared to ask the question,
who polices the police?

Set in a fictional Midlands city,

the show began life on BBC Two,

but the word-of-mouth it generated
and the popularity amongst viewers

saw it quickly promoted
to a prime—time BBC One slot.

The detectives
at the heart of the show

were Steve Arnott and Kate Fleming,

who work for
the anti—corruption unit

that goes by the name of AC—12.

There's only one thing
we're interested in here, son,

and one thing only...

...and that's bent coppers.

The job of AC—12 was to tackle
corruption within the police,

and Arnott and Fleming, played by
Martin Compston and Vicky McClure,

work under the watchful eye
of Superintendent Ted Hastings,

played by Adrian Dunbar,

who's made it his duty
to rid the force of...

Bent coppers.

Each series concentrates
on a different case,

with the chief antagonist

often played by some of
the biggest names in UK TV.

However, in the case
of Line Of Duty,

the bigger the name, the more likely
the character being played

will meet with a sticky end.

GUNSHOT
Shot fired!

This trend was set from series one

when Tony Gates,
played by Lennie James,

exited the show in dramatic fashion.

TYRES SCREECH

Since then,
actors including Stephen Graham,

Keeley Hawes, and Daniel Mays,

have all fallen foul
of the Line Of Duty call.

CHAINSAW BUZZES

GUNSHOT

But if there's one thing
that sets Line Of Duty apart

from other detective dramas,

it's the lengthy, intense stand-offs
in the interrogation room.

Anti—corrupti0n Unit 12 interviewed
by Superintendent Hastings.

These tightly scripted
and brilliantly acted moments

are peppered throughout the show,

and in series three,
reached their peak,

as Fleming used her skills to bring
down fellow AC—12 officer Dot.

Say that again.

You just said you were in your flat.
We have that on tape.

Uh...

It's a very simple matter,
DI Cotton.

DI Cotton has answered,
haven't you, DI Cotton?

You've mentioned when questioned

something you later intend
to rely on in court.

And this episode
offered further surprises,

as, just as it looked like
Dot had nowhere to run,

the programme makers pulled out
another superbly crafted twist.

GUNSHOTS

Of course, that didn't stop Fleming
ultimately getting her man.

As well as the individual cases,

there was also an ongoing story arc

that has sustained across
all five series of Line Of Duty,

the identity of the mysterious H,

the copper at the top of
the corruption tree.

Literally anyone
could be the big bad,

with suspicion even falling
on Hastings himself.

There's a line,
it's called right and wrong,

and I know which side my duty lies.

One thing's for certain,
when Line Of Duty finally ends,

it will be Fleming and Arnott
who bring down H.

In 2010, a new detective
was introduced to TV viewers.

His mission was to clean up
the streets of London.

Ostensibly a good guy,

this maverick police officer
did, however,

operate on the very edges
of the law,

almost blurring the lines
between good and evil.

His cases were often grisly,
and his quarry always dangerous.

However, they'd quickly learn

that they'd bitten off
more than they could chew

when they came face-to-face
with DCI john Luther.

Call him off.

Brought to life by Idris Elba,

it was clear from the off

that Luther was a very different
kind of detective...

Right. You tell me where he is,
or when they come for you,

I'll let you just hang.
Don't look at me, mate.

Come on! ..who wasn't afraid
to get his hands dirty

if it meant getting a result.

Where is he?!
None of it...

Tell me, now!

As well as being
a physical presence,

he was a cerebral one too.

Did I kill them?

No.

Can you prove that?
I can't prove a negative.

Can't be done.

A trick that allowed Luther to show
off his skills of deduction early.

There.

This is yawning.

She didn't yawn.
Yawning is contagious.

Someone in the room yawns,
you yawn too.

See, even talking about it.

It's to do with parts of the brain
that deal with empathy.

She didn't yawn. She did it.

But it wasn't just
Luther's intellect

that defined the programme.

It was his relationships with the
other characters surrounding him.

In particular,
the complex interactions

with killer and psychopath Alice,
played by Ruth Wilson.

You did it cos you needed to do it.

And it's that compulsion
that makes you weak

in ways that you can't see
or understand.

And it's that compulsion
that's gonna get you caught.

And it will bring you down, Alice,
it always does,

just like clockwork.
Are you threatening me?

Because, honestly, I wouldn't.

And why's that?
Oh, come now, really?

Across five series, they played out
a will—they—won't—they storyline

which saw Luther
torn between bringing down

or submitting to Alice.

So go on.

Kiss me.

Kill me.

Do something.

Luther's relationship
with his partner, however,

proved much less complex.

DCI john Luther, DS Justin Ripley.

Morning, sir.

Introduced in series one,

justin Ripley at first seemed like
an inconvenience to Luther.

So, do we need to have the chat?

A man who preferred to operate alone
away from prying eyes.

Want me to come with?
No. Stay here.

However, eventually,
Ripley proved his worth,

and their relationship went from
one of colleagues to friends.

He's my mate.

I love him.

But just as Luther accepted Ripley,
he was taken away from him...

...in a heartbreaking scene during
the third series of the show.

Justin! Justin!

Ripley!

Hey!

Hey!

No! Not you. Not you.

Hey!

Get up!

Justin!

When a character exhibits
such extreme methods

for upholding the law,

it was inevitable that DCI john
Luther would eventually break it,

and his last appearance
on our screens in 2019

saw the character
being led away in cuffs.

Whether we'll see Luther fight crime
again on the streets of London

currently remains to be seen.

Still to come, two of the smartest
ladies in the business,

and of course, we'll be revealing
who won your vote

for Britain's Favourite Detective.

Welcome back.

We're heading stateside next
for a true detective icon.

The backdrop
for this crime-solving mastermind

is the equally iconic
City of Angels, Los Angeles.

Behind the bumbling demeanour,
scruffy raincoat and cigar

lay a sharp mind
and a brilliant investigator.

He was a homicide detective with
the Los Angeles Police Department.

He is, of course...

Columbo.

Columbo was a crime drama
starring Peter Falk,

but he wasn't the first choice
for the role.

It was originally offered to
crooner Bing Crosby,

who, luckily for Falk,
turned it down.

Who are you?
Uh...

I'm just another cop. My name's
Columbo, I'm a lieutenant.

Falk said he loved the script
as soon as he read it.

The detective wasn't a cliche.

He was compelling, eccentric
and smart.

In 1971, the first series episode

was directed by a young unknown
director called Steven Spielberg.

He was the first director that had
the camera across the street

in the second store y window
and he had a long lens on it.

This is going back 40, 30 years ago.
It's very common today.

But it wasn't common on television,

so I knew I was in the hands
of somebody who was special.

It wasn't just the shooting style
that was different,

Columbo bucked
the TV trend at the time

by crafting movie-length episodes,

and pioneered a new technique
in TV crime drama,

by revealing the killer
in the first act of the programme...

GUNSHOT

...with Columbo
then solving the plot.

I must say I don't envy you.
I don't envy myself.

Now, look, I got a lot of phone
calls to make, I'd better get on it.

There were no car chases.

Columbo had no gun,

and no big action scenes.

He appeared chaotic, but was always
underestimated by his adversaries,

and never failed to solve a crime.

I kind of knew it
right from the start.

It was nothing definite,
it was a lot of little things.

Little things.

Columbo's iconic raincoat was said
to originally belong to Peter Falk,

but that was a bit of a mystery
in itself.

I thought I read raincoat
in the first script that I read,

but the two guys
who wrote the script said,

"No, there was no raincoat in it,"

so I say that
they put the raincoat in,

they say I put the raincoat in,
but at any rate, it is my coat.

He was as famous for his dishevelled
look as he was for his catchphrase,

which would always mark the point
when he'd found his prime suspect,

and all that followed
was getting the proof.

One more thing, sir,
it will only take a moment.

The show made a star of Peter Falk,

and he was the highest—paid actor
in America.

It was believed he earned $500,000
per episode by the final season,

when, after 69 outings, he finally
hung up the raincoat for good.

Welcome to Northumberland.

Best known for
its sweeping sandy beaches,

rolling dunes, high rocky cliffs,

and our next TV detective.

The female version of Columbo,

with her dishevelled appearance
and oversized raincoat,

she has the ability
to pick apart complex crimes.

She's a stalwart, a problem solver,

and with a no-nonsense attitude,

she's the character
that you immediately warm to.

The stunning setting has become
as much a star of the drama

as the leading lady herself,

Brenda Blethyn,
playing DCI Vera Stanhope.

This formidable detective,
with a caustic wit,

was the creation of acclaimed
crime writer Ann Cleeves.

Inspired by the resilient spinsters
Ann remembers from her childhood,

the straight-talking Vera was a hit
with her readers from the off.

Right, check eBay.

Check the girl, check everyone.

Check every drunk,
every stag do, the lot.

We've missed someone.

Don't sit down. Come on.

With no time for the trappings
of make-up,

fashion, romance or personal angst,

solving a crime and seeing justice
done are Vera's sole objectives.

She's a dedicated police officer.

It's her life, really,
she's just totally dedicated to it.

Someone climbs in the window,

strangles our lad
with a length of rope,

and then places him in a warm tub

like some poncy installation
at the Baltic.

And then there's his classmate,
Tommy Sharp.

Hilary's lad.

Ooh, look!

It woke up.

THEY LAUGH

Vera is absolutely
a wonderful character.

She's rather shambolic,

she's not your normal,
run-of-the-mill detective.

If you saw her in the street,

the last thing you'd think she was
is a detective.

She looks more like
a bag lady, frankly.

She's supremely intuitive.

We love watching her
deftly unpick complex mysteries

whilst being intensely sympathetic
to the victims of crime.

Your son didn't take his own life.

Right, come on,
let's take ourselves off for a bit.

She's so easy to talk to,

and of course,
it works very, very well for her

when she's questioning somebody.

You better arrest him, Joe!

I could do with a decent meal.

Brenda Blethyn embodies
the character of Vera,

and has kept us gripped with her
portrayal for nearly ten years.

Well, you were right.

It is a bloodstain on the bat.

Well, it's like
I've done this before.

This witty, salt of the earth,
straight-talking Geordie

is a firm favourite
with audiences all over the world.

At my time of life, it's wonderful

when such a superb character
lands in your lap.

You know, I consider myself
very, very fortunate.

Across the years, the TV detective
has taken on many different forms.

Often, they're hard drinking,
straight talking,

physical and formidable presences,

tasked with working the mean streets
of a bustling metropolis.

But one TV detective
very much bucks that trend.

She's small, unassuming,
softly spoken, and almost genteel,

much like the places she inhabits.

But look a bit deeper underneath
this unlikely exterior

and you'll find
one of the keenest criminologists

to ever grace the screens.

She lives in St Mary Mead

and her name is Miss jane Marple.

Marple first came to life
in the pages of books

rather than on our TV screens,

courtesy of the pen
of Agatha Christie.

In total, 12 of Christie's novels
feature the character of Marple,

and her popularity meant that
they were ripe for adaptation.

Early versions of her character
saw her appear on cinema screens

with both Margaret Rutherford

and Angela Lansbury
taking on the role.

In 1984, the first small screen
adaptation launched on the BBC,

and audiences were instantly hooked.

Miss Marple! Miss Marple!

Miss Marple! Telephone.

Oh, thank you, Cherry.

Joan Hickson perfectly captured
the dainty, birdlike old lady

who wasn't afraid to get involved

in the very serious business
of solving crime.

Now, tell me, do you think
Mrs Babcock was the intended victim?

No, I thought she might not be.

Well, who do you think it was, then?

You are remarkable.

In 2004, the character was revived
again, this time on ITV...

Are you up to something,
Miss Marple?

Am |?

...with Geraldine McEwan the next
actress to inhabit the role.

Would you mind strangling me,
Elspeth?

Not at all, Jane.

Please don't mind us.

And then in 2009,

it was julia McKenzie's turn
to breathe life into Miss Marple.

There's so many ways to play Marple,

and so many people have played it
so many different ways,

and everyone has
their own idea of Marple,

so I'm sure I won't please everyone,
I just hope I please enough.

It wasn't Lydia your brother forced
himself on that night, was it?

It wasn't Lydia who cried
and begged him to stop.

Do you mean that Honoria
killed Florie?

Amy?

All the others?

Yes.

ITV approached the adaptations
with great attention to detail,

high production values,

and a supporting cast made up of a
who's who of British acting talent.

While the actor portraying Marple
has changed over the years,

the character still remains

one of the most popular
fictional detectives,

and it seems like only
a matter of time

before she graces our screens
once more.

Thank you, Miss Marple.

Not at all.

From Taggart to Tennison,
Fletcher to Fitz,

and Magnum to Marple,

we've counted down
some of the finest TV detectives

that you, the ITV audience,
has voted for,

but there are still
three more to go,

so who's missing
from the countdown so far?

And who will be crowned
Britain's Favourite Detective?

Welcome back to
Britain's Favourite Detective,

and we've reached the home stretch,

and another
of Agatha Christie's creations.

Although he shares Miss Marple's
keen eye and skills of deduction,

he's much more of a globetrotter.

Murder follows him everywhere,
be it on a trip up the Nile,

or a journey on the Orient Express.

He's short, Belgian, and sports
a flamboyant little moustache.

He is, of course, Hercule Poirot.

The popularity of Christie's novels

has meant there have been
multiple versions of Hercule Poirot

seen in both TV and film.

Actors including Albert Finney,
Peter Ustinov, Kenneth Branagh,

and john Malkovich have all breathed
life into the Belgian detective.

There is one adaptation, however,

that the ITV audience
have voted for in their droves.

He played the part on television
for 24 years across 70 episodes,

and David Suchet
remains the only actor

to film every single story
that featured Hercule Poirot.

The show premiered in 1989

with the story entitled
The Adventure of the Clapham Cook,

and it was clear Suchet
had done his research

when it came to bringing his version

of Agatha Christie's creation
to life.

A file of paper,

a pen,

and I started reading
every single story.

So I wrote a list of 93 little notes
about his character.

For me, it's the voice.

Poirot is not really connected
with his emotions.

He's connected with his head.

And therefore, I decided
to give him a head sound.

So, I could be talking to you
as David Suchet,

my voice is coming out
from my emotions.

Now it is in my mouth and now it is
going higher, higher in my brain

and I will put on
his Belgian French accent

and then I will speak
as Hercule Poirot.

What?!

What?! How does she dare?!

In 2004, Death On The Nile
was produced

featuring acting royalty
like james Fox...

Had you fooled there, Poirot,
you old dog. Oh!

...and Frances de la Tour,

alongside then rising star
Emily Blunt.

Filmed on location in Egypt,

this lavish adaptation
showed Suchet at his best

as Poirot attempts to solve the
complex murder of Linett Ridgeway.

It seems as if you had thought of
everything, Monsieur Doyle,

except for one thing.

Hercule Poirot.

Then, in 2010,
perhaps Poirot's best-known case,

Murder On The Orient Express,
was broadcast on ITV.

Again, an all—star cast
was in place,

and again, the period detail
was second to none.

And as always, it was Poirot's
reveal of whodunnit

that was the star of the show.

Notable this time as it threw
the detective into turmoil

as he wrestled with right and wrong.

You behave like this
and we become just...

savages in the street.

The juries and executioners
that they elect themselves.

No, it is medieval!

The rule of law,
it must be held high,

and if it falls, you pick it up
and hold it even higher!

2013 saw Suchet bring the curtain
down on his time as Poirot.

But the character
will forever endure.

He may be Belgian,

but that didn't stop you voting him
into the number three spot

in Britain's Favourite Detective.

In the mid—'80s,
Central TV was under pressure

to commission programmes
with a regional identity.

Head of Central, Ted Childs,

also believed that ITV would benefit
from some quality crime drama.

Working with producer Kenny McBain,

the novels of Colin Dexter,
set in the city of Oxford,

was seen as the perfect material
to adapt for the small screen.

The protagonist of those novels
was one Inspector Morse.

First appearing on our screens
in 1987,

Morse was brought to life
by the late, great john Thaw.

Driving the iconic red jaguar, his
first appearance as the character

brought to mind one of his
previous roles as an action man

in another detective drama,
The Sweeney.

It soon became clear, though,

that Morse was
a very different detective,

one who used his mind to bring down
criminals and murderers.

What's the estimated time of death?

No, no, don't tell me.

Between seven and eight
this evening.

Don't know yet. Max is up there now.

What makes you think you know?

Just a hunch.

Like all great detectives,

Morse was of course nothing
without his partner,

the long-suffering
Detective Sergeant Lewis.

We're trying to keep people
out of here.

There's a hell of a crowd in there!

Initially, the relationship
between the two

was a little frosty and unsure...

Let's have a look at your face!

But Lewis soon grew to become
Morse's loyal right-hand man,

acting as his sounding board,

and on occasion, coming to his aid

when Morse found himself
in a spot of bother.

Hang on.
However, Lewis was never far away

from being on the end
of Morse's sharp tongue.

I'm sorry, hang on.

A pen and a bit of paper.

Morse, though, was very much
the star of the show,

working tirelessly to solve
the crimes put in front of him.

Is this a dagger
that I see before me?

Just an ordinary kitchen knife,
I think, sir.

Brand — new, too.

Bought for the purpose, I would say,
but what purpose?

What purpose?

Though he always found time
for a good pint

and a good woman,

with the reputation of being
quite the ladies man.

You got me all in a fret,
driving like that.

Oh, I'm sorry,
it's being a policeman.

Always in a hurry, and we are late.

Always on the side of good,
Morse's extracurricular activities

and unorthodox approach

did sometimes find him at odds
with his superiors,

and even, on occasion,
under suspicion himself.

I did not kill her.

Now, someone, I don't know who,
and I don't know why,

is trying to frame me.

It was these ingredients

that made the show
so incredibly popular with viewers.

And in total, 33 episodes of
the programme were produced.

Such was the appetite
for the character

and the world he inhabited,
two spin-off series followed.

The first, as we've already seen,
was Lewis,

and then, in 2012, ITV launched
the prequel series, Endeavour...

You are whom?
Morse.

Detective Constable.

...that follows a younger Morse,
played by Shaun Evans,

working as a police constable
in the 1960s.

Squeamish, are we?

You won't make much of a detective

if you're not prepared
to look death in the eye.

And john Thaw's version
of the character

finally looked death in the eye

when Colin Dexter decided
to kill off Morse on the page.

The 33rd episode of Inspector Morse,
The Remorseful Day,

would be the last.

Inspector Morse is dead!

Over 12 million viewers tuned in

to see Inspector Morse become
the 82nd and final body

to appear in the programme.

John Thaw's award-winning
performance as the character

created a fiercely loyal following,

and is the reason why he is almost,
but not quite,

your choice for
Britain's Favourite Detective.

We've counted down from 25 to 2,

and totted up
your thousands of votes.

So who is
Britain's Favourite Detective?

Well, I'd like to tell you,
but it's a bit of a mystery.

But I think, by now,

you'll have realised who is
conspicuous by their absence.

He resides at
221B Baker Street in London

and was created by the author
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

He would probably describe himself
as the greatest detective,

and it seems that
the ITV audience agree,

because our number one
is of course Mr Sherlock Holmes.

Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
in 1886,

the character appeared in a total of
56 short stories and four novels,

often accompanied on his cases by
his able assistant Dr john Watson,

whose involvement
was a deliberate inclusion,

as explained by Conan Doyle himself
in this rare footage.

I used to occasionally
to read detective stories,

but what annoyed me in the
old—fashioned detective story,

the detective always seemed
to get his results

either by some sort of
lucky chance or a fluke,

or else, it was quite unexplained
how he got there.

Well, once I began to think about
this,

I began to think of turning
scientific methods, as it were,

onto the work of detection.

Holmes's scientific detection

has been portrayed on the big screen
by a wealth of different actors.

From 1939 to 1946,
Basil Rathbone took on the role,

appearing in a total
of 14 Sherlock Holmes films,

and more recently,

Robert Downey jr
brought Holmes to life,

appearing in two Hollywood
blockbusters

alongside jude Law
in the role of Dr Watson.

On the small screen, though,

the character has proven
just as popular,

and one of the most memorable
betrayals was by actor jeremy Brett.

Mr Sherlock Holmes, I believe.

I am Mr Holmes.

From 1984 to 1994,

Granada TV produced 41 episodes
featuring Brett in the title role.

His performance as Holmes
was rightly lauded.

Aided by
the period production design,

Brett showed a brooding,
unsympathetic side to the character,

and a slight hint of menace
that made his Holmes stand out

from the previous version
seen before.

My mind rebels at stagnation.

Give me problems,

give me work.

Give me the most abstruse
cryptogram,

the most intricate analysis,

and I'm in my proper atmosphere.

The representation of genius
is practically impossible

if you're a person, you know,
just like me.

But that is...
In all my endeavours,

to try and get
the quickness of mind,

and the only way to let the audience
in through the camera,

is to kind of show
the cracks in the marble.

And I think, probably,
in that endeavour,

there is certainly a darker side
to Holmes.

What are we dealing with?

Something new.

In 2010, writers
Mark Gatiss and Stephen Moffat

decided to bring Holmes back
to our TV screens.

But with a bit of a twist.

Rather than setting their series
in 19th century London,

they opted to adapt
Doyle's original stories

and transplant them
to the modern day.

Rising star Benedict Cumberbatch
was cast in the role of Holmes,

with Martin Freeman appearing
alongside him

as his faithful,
long-suffering assistant Watson.

GUNSHOTS

What the hell are you doing?!

Bored.
What?

Bored!

This modern spin meant that,
much like in the novels,

Holmes embraced modern technology
and practices.

Do you wanna take us through it?

The trousers, they're heavy duty.

Polyester, nasty, same as the shirt.
Cheap.

They're both too big for him.

So some kind of
standard issue uniform.

Dressed for work. What kind of work?
The watch helps too.

The alarm shows
he did regular night shifts.

Why regular? Maybe he just set his
alarm the night before he died.

No, no, the buttons are stiff.
Hardly touched.

There was some kind of badge or
insignia on the shirt front

that he tore off, suggesting he
works somewhere recognisable,

some kind of institution.

Did a quick check.

The Hickman Gallery has reported
one of its attendants as missing.

Alex Wood bridge.
Fantastic.

The technology and setting
might be modern,

but one tradition
couldn't be messed with.

Holmes had to come up against
his most famous adversary.

Every fairy tale needs
a good old—fashioned villain.

Holmes' arch nemesis Moriarty
was introduced in series one,

and this time,
was portrayed by Andrew Scott.

Do you know what happens if you don't
leave me alone, Sherlock? To you?

Oh, let me guess, I get killed.

Kill you?

No, don't be obvious.

I mean, I'm gonna kill you anyway
some day.

I don't wanna rush it, though.

A cat and mouse game between the two
played out,

culminating in a shocking finale
in The Reichenbach Fall,

where Arthur Conan Doyle's original
ending was given a new twist

when Moriarty took his own life,

and Sherlock seemed to do the same.

Sherlock!

Sherlock...

But anyone who knows
their Sherlock Holmes

knows that you can't keep
a good detective down,

and Sherlock returned from the dead

with almost 13 million viewers
in 2014.

The show has been a smash hit
for the BBC over four series,

and turned Cumberbatch
into a superstar.

Cumberbatch's Holmes has been
absent from our screens for a while,

but it is testament
to his portrayal,

and to Conan Doyle's character,

that the violin-playing sleuth

continues to resonate
with the audience,

and has landed him the title
of Britain's Favourite Detective.

ALARMS SOUND

So, there you have it.

We've travelled
across continents and eras

to bring you
the top 25 super sleuths

that you voted for
as Britain's Favourite Detective.

From the hard-boiled and gritty,

to the almost genteel,

from the friends,

to the foes,

the scruffy and unassuming,

to the bold and brilliant,

all unique,
and all at the top of their game,

but there could only be one winner,

and it simply had to be
the detective in the deerstalker,

Mr Sherlock Holmes,
Britain's Favourite Detective.

Oh...

Put the hat on!
Yeah, Sherlock, put it on.

Just get it over with.

APPLAUSE

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