I never really watch anything British. I've mentioned in the past that the television industry there for the most part fails to really capture my attention, but sometimes something manages to fall through my little defence and I decide to check it out. Detectorists came to my attention through a recommendation from my older sister, and while we don't talk that much, I do tend to respect her recommendations. We seem to have similar preferences when it comes to silly little television shows and generally the same type of humour, so I figured this would be something I'd likely enjoy. I was surprised to see that it was a show that came out twelve years ago now, first airing way back in 2014. I had never seen or heard of this show before! And it managed to run all the way until 2022, albeit with just three seasons to show for that time.
What sold me mostly was the premise: two metal detector enthusiasts run around the countryside of England in attempt to strike literal gold. Their aim is to get rich from their little hobby while searching for the artifacts of forgotten eras. Naturally, the likeliness of this is unlikely. They are driven by their passion and the chances of finding anything genuinely rare are quite far off. This as a setup for a show seems stupid, and it is! But it's done in such a delicate and low budget manner that it ends up being really enjoyable. It's a show that has a lot of silliness and charm to it despite being simple in its approach. A show that seems like it has next to no budget, but that's what makes it so good. Watching two idiots running around fields and discussing nonsense, mixed with the little snippets of drama from their small town lifestyle makes for a show that is really unique.
While the humour isn't always a direct joke, it's more that it sets up an odd atmosphere. Where people within this rural location are just a bit odd. The main characters have their little groups, their little rivals which are displayed in rather cartoonish ways, but the world around them is mostly normal. Their little bubble of oddities heightens the dramatic effect as we see that it's really nothing big. A small group of metal detector enthusiasts, coming to just seven members in the club. Their rivals basically being Simon and Garfunkle. This rivalry making digs in certain areas more of a drama that is often perceived with severity despite at the same time never approached with much seriousness. For example, they're desperate to find something in an area before the others do, but they're always letting their work lives get in the way. A desperate attempt to dig and find something will take them a week to plan a meeting together despite the dialogue being fast and eager.
Some might recognise on of the main actors in the show. And to much surprise he doesn't look too different over the years: Mackenzie Crook. Who many may remember for his role as one of the cartoonishly stupid pirates in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. His performance is great. Often as a generally wholesome character that is incredible naive and doesn't quite know what he wants. Studying archaeology and trying to get by with a girlfriend that doesn't really understand him and his interests. A lot of the show's drama handles this side of things: where those around them just don't really get them. They're motivated, connected by a mutual interest. While society at large generally just thinks they're a bit dumb. This brings in more character development as we see more into their personal lives. How they get by. And how roaming empty fields and sitting beneath the trees actually brings them some peace. Often displayed alongside b-roll or very relaxing music. It's a peaceful show in that regard. The simplicity of their lives and hobby. The enjoyment of being out in the wild and discovering the past piece by piece.
I'm surprised to have only just discovered this now thanks to that recommendation. It's a little gem that remains simple but with plenty of charm and soul. I do wonder where it is going though. As the story could easily get a bit tiresome after a while. Though English shows are known for being relatively short for a reason!