Jericho

Jericho is a middle-aged over-achieving Scotland Yard detective, tormented by witnessing the death of his father as a child. This may sound somewhat formulaic, but that would be unfair to this tremendous series. The evocation of 1950s London is superb: even down to details like a "blink-and-you-miss-it" sign in a window advertising for tenants stating "no Blacks, no Irish" (A common sight in post-war Britain: I can vouch for this - my parents were Irish and told me about it).

The performances are superb, and the cast includes the cream of British acting: Robert Lindsay of course, but also Peter Bowles, James Wilby, Jane Horrocks, among others.

Anyonewho has seen "Foyle's War" will appreciate the sense of period and the way the stories intelligently explore contemporary issues. Highly recommended.

I just saw the first two episodes of Jericho, and I can't believe this show never made it to a second series! I read that the audience was smaller after the first episode aired, but it seems like there are definitely shows that keep getting made even if they're insipid & nobody watches them, so why does a genius program like this get canceled? Jericho's definitely as compelling as Foyle was, and the 50's style is so wonderfully atmospheric, so well-done, I felt like I was watching something made in that decade. The plots are powerful, the acting's great, and the cinematography gorgeous -- what's the downside? There isn't one -- so who do I petition to get them to pick it up again and make more episodes? I'm looking forward to seeing Eps. 3 and 4, but already sad that there aren't any more after that!

In my home, we are long time "Mystery" and "Masterpiece Theater" fans. And, I absolutely loved Robert Lindsay in all of the "Hornblower" series.

My only beef with "Jericho"--which we are currently viewing in the States, now--is that the program format seems too choppy, too breakneck and--dare I say it?--too "Americanized" in its filming style.

For example, some of the traditional blisses of watching British television over American television are the LACK OF: overly-numerous, screechy, noisy car chases/crashes/explosions; characters emoting choppy, stale love/hate dialogues about as spontaneous and mature as Saturday night in dead bar, and the endless "bedhopping" on American television shows that seems to come (no pun intended) into play every ten minutes. On British television, intimate relations do appear to occur because they are ESSENTIAL to a plot; and when they do happen, British television is surprisingly honest in hiding nothing and revealing everything (Good Show, I Say!).

These having been stated, one of the joys of watching "Foyle's War," for example, is the almost subconsciously-leisured pace of each mystery. Even when explosions do occur, Inspector Foyle takes his own time to ruminate upon all of the evidence, the suspects and the motives for the crime. If Inspector Foyle has to visit London, nothing changes--he continues his proved thought-processes, even while the city's activities roil around him. And, he takes you along for the ride...at a good digestive pace.

However, I do understand that Inspector Jericho is a "high-energy" character. Like Inspector Foyle, he has very little supervisory support, very little time--and probably funding--for his constabulatory efforts, and he appears to be in an uphill battle to continually prove his investigatory worth to the outside world. In personality, he certainly is very extroverted...not an Inspector Foyle, at all. Hence, the rush-around pace of things on the show.

Fine. Almost...

But, as we "Mystery" fans know, even extrovert/introverts like Hercule Poirot, or Sherlock Holmes, never abandoned that "thought process" link with their viewers, in exchange for overly-clipped scenes and a high speed chase--even when our heroes were forced to really "hoof it" through London streets. There was always time for the viewer to ABSORB the facts and ENJOY the absorption: to soak up conflicting character reactions; taste the atmosphere of a crime scene and ponder any family crises/relationships that might wreak effect upon "the criminal act." In short, television viewers were allowed the luxury of thought with time.

That's the problem with "Jericho." The plot is sound, the atmosphere--what I have time to see and feel of it--is very accurate for the period that it's depicting and--yes--the empathy is there to care about Inspector Jericho, both publicly and privately. But, that's about all that there is time for. Main characters and supporting characters are not allowed the time to really SHOW their emotional and physical depths. So, by the time the program's over, you feel like you rode 300 miles with Michael Schumacher at a steady 395 miles per hour.

Which brings me to a final plea: if there are writers and producers of British television reading this, you do not have to Americanize/"short attention span" my British programming; if I liked the former, I wouldn't bother watching the latter. I know all of the Aaron Spellings of America would disagree with me, but that's why I don't watch their shows in my own country! If traditionally-paced British television wasn't my sort of style, I wouldn't be pleading and critiquing with this letter! That having been said, if you were forced to speed through the production of a program because of a deadline, or lack of funding...well that's out of everyone's control, isn't it? Just ask Inspector Jericho.

Jericho's name alludes to THE classic Scotland Yard detective, Gideon. Gideon's Way was the best cop show on British television before the Sweeney. The main reason was the excellent writing and the great characters. Jericho picks these high standards up and develops them further by giving the series a dark touch. Also in terms of cinematography Jericho looks more like neo-noir than TV. So all in all it's a very classy production. Robert Lindsay proves to be not only one of the best actors of his generation but in the UK. He does high brow and entertainment with the same ease and elegance. After about 10 minutes you don't evcen remember that there ever was a series called My family. His Jericho is dark and brooding. The other great performance in this series comes from Peter Bowles. We know him as suave man about town from many TV productions but here he gives the performance of a life time as dark, menacing crime lord. Perfect!

Another reviewer has compared Jericho unfavorably with Foyle's War. I, too, am a fan of Foyle's War, but Jericho appears to be striving much more for LA Confidential.

Robert Linsday is a wonderful, Tony Awarding-winning actor and one of the best new TV detectives I've seen in a while. The casting of the secondary and guest roles is very fine. I generally hate conspicuous music tracks, but I was immediately sucked into the first episode by the theme music, which also seems to owe a debt to the LA Confidential sound track.

I know nothing about London in the 1950's but I enjoyed this imagined version of it very much.