If you’ve found yourself here because you’re tired of searching for a half-decent detective series to watch, we’re about to answer your prayers with one that gets a solid 10/10. The Last Detective is the remarkably good detective drama with an iconic cast (hello, Peter Davison) and an ingeniously plotted story that’s available to binge right now – and if you’re a Midsomer Murders fan, we’re confident you’re going to love it.
The series, which earned itself quite the following when it first aired more than two decades ago, revolves around Detective Constable ‘Dangerous’ Davies (Davison) whose nickname is something of an ironic joke as he’s about as far from dangerous as you could imagine. And yet, despite being seen as a liability by his superior, DI Aspinall (Rob Spendlove), and just about everyone around him, he’s determined to prove everybody wrong – one case at a time.
With all four series available to watch now on U, here’s everything you need to know about The Last Detective before you tune in, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is The Last Detective about?
The long-running detective drama, which first aired in 2003 and ran for four series, is based on Leslie Thomas’s popular ‘Dangerous Davies’ books. The show’s main character is Detective Constable ‘Dangerous’ Davies who works for the North Willesden CID. His nickname isn’t, as you might expect, a result of him being the sort of detective you’d be afraid of but rather because his superior, DI Aspinall (Rob Spendlove) considers him to be the last person he’d assign an important case to. How charming.
That doesn’t, however, stop Davies from stumbling upon some pretty major cases and, well, doing a pretty good job of cracking them. Think an armed robbery, the murder of a former lottery winner and the mysterious death of a medical researcher.
Over the course of the four series, we also get plenty of insight into Davies’ personal life, namely his relationship with his estranged wife Julie (Emma Amos), friend Mod (Sean Hughes) and landlady Mrs Fulljames (Elizabeth Bennett). It features a perfect blend of personal and professional drama, which makes for a series that’s as charming as it’s compelling.
Who’s in the cast of The Last Detective?
The main cast of The Last Detective includes:
- Peter Davison (Campion) as DC ‘Dangerous’ Davies
- Rob Spendlove (A Taste for Death) as Ray Aspinall
- Sean Hughes (Sean’s Show) as Modesty ‘Mod’ Lewis
- Emma Amos (Goodnight Sweetheart) as Julie Davies
- Elizabeth Bennett (Calendar Girls) as Mrs Dorothy Fulljames
- Charles De’Ath (Help) as Phillip Pimlott
- Billy Geraghty (No Child of Mine) as Darren Barrett
- Michele Austin (Hard Truths) as Cheryl Holmes
- Natasha Williams (The Bill) as Yvonne Clarke
- Vineeta Rishi (Collateral) as Maya ‘Zsa Zsa’ Kapoor
Is The Last Detective any good?
Yes – if you’re looking for the sort of series you can binge for hours on end, The Last Detective is it. Much of the enjoyment comes from the relationship between Davies and his team who ridicule him for his lack of aggression – and Davies’ ability to succeed anyway. Whether you loved Midsomer Murders, enjoy an underdog story or are simply the mood to watch something comforting, we think you’ll like The Last Detective.
How can I watch The Last Detective?
All four series of The Last Detective are available to watch now on U. You can also catch up on Channel 4.
What other detective dramas can I watch now?
If you fancy watching a detective drama in a glamorous setting, we’d recommend Murder in Provence. Set in the historic Aix-en-Provence in the South of France, the series follows investigating judge Antoine Verlaque (Roger Allam) as he solves murder cases with his criminal psychologist girlfriend Marine Bonnet (Nancy Caroll). You can watch Murder in Provence now on ITVX. For a series that’s set slightly closer to home, we’d suggest Rose and Maloney. The British detective drama stars Sarah Lancashire and Phil Davis as the titular Rose Linden and Marion Maloney who work for the fictional Criminal Justice Review Agency and take claims of miscarriages of justice. Think brilliant chemistry, superb acting and cases you’ll want to try and crack yourself. You can watch Rose and Maloney now on Prime Video.
