Inspector George Gently (also known as George Gently for the pilot and first series) is a British television crime drama series produced by Company Pictures for BBC One, set in the 1960s and loosely based on some of the Inspector Gently novels written by Alan Hunter. The series features Martin Shaw as the eponymous Inspector, Lee Ingleby as Detective Sergeant John Bacchus, and Simon Hubbard and Lisa McGrillis in supporting roles as police constables for the fictitious North East Police Constabulary.
The series is notable for moving the setting of the stories to North East England, centering on Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland and County Durham, as opposed to the Norfolk, as portrayed in the books. As the series begins, the death penalty is still in effect in Britain, and is used as a plot feature in some early episodes. The abolition of the penalty in 1965 is a change that is noted in the series. The earliest episodes are set in 1964, and the series progresses in approximately real time, with the closing scenes of the eighth series taking place in 1970.
Series 1 (2007)
Series 1 (2008)
Series 2 (2009) The show's title is changed to 'Inspector' George Gently.
Series 3 (2010)
Series 4 (2011)
The show's theme song and opening credits sequence no longer appear starting with this series.
Series 5 (2012)
Series 6 (2014)
Series 7 (2015)
Series 8 (2017)
Filming for the eighth series began in January 2017. It was subsequently confirmed that this would be the final series, and it would comprise two feature-length episodes, set in 1970, that have been written as a way to "close" the series. Company Pictures CEO Michele Buck commented: "We felt the character was coming to natural end, and wanted to bring the audience an ambitious and exciting conclusion to such a well-loved show."
DVD Region Title Release date Product code Distributor Notes Refs 1 "George Gently: Series 1" 11 November 2008 ASIN: B001B43IUS NTSC Format in the USA Acorn Media US "George Gently: Series 2" 25 May 2010 ASIN: B00331RHCM "George Gently: Series 3" 28 June 2011 ASIN: B004SI5VUY "George Gently: Series 4" 3 July 2012 ASIN: B007S0DEB2 "George Gently: Series 5" 28 May 2013 ASIN: B009DS3VQA "George Gently: Series 6" 1 April 2014 ASIN: B00GWXI1F0 "George Gently: Series 7" 29 September 2015 ASIN: B00XDBMB8W 2 "George Gently: Series 1" 25 May 2009 EAN: 5036193096297 PAL Format Region 0 in the UK Acorn Media UK "Inspector George Gently: Series 2" 24 May 2010 EAN: 5036193097874 "Inspector George Gently: Complete Series 1 & 2" 4 October 2010 EAN: 5036193099915 "Inspector George Gently: Complete Series 1–6 " 4 August 2014 "George Gently – Der Unbestechliche, Volume 1" 19-June-2009 EAN: 4029758960882 PAL Format in Germany Edel distribution "George Gently – Der Unbestechliche, Volume 2" 20 May 2011 EAN: 4029759044284 "George Gently – Der Unbestechliche, Volume 3" 10-June-2011 EAN: 4029759067931 4 "George Gently: Series 1" 17 September 2009 EAN: 9397910797498 PAL Format in Australia REEL DVD Australia "George Gently: Series 2" 4 March 2010 EAN: 9397911012293 "George Gently: Series 1 & 2" 5 May 2011 EAN: 9397911120899 "George Gently: Series 3" 7 July 2011 EAN: 9397911102291 "George Gently: Series 4" 1 May 2013 EAN: 9397911234497 "George Gently: Series 5" 1 May 2013 EAN: 9397911246995
References and notes