Martin Shaw found the new series of Inspector George Gently, which starts on Wednesday on BBC1, even more of a trip down memory lane than usual.
“Nostalgia is important in drama and Inspector George Gently does that perfectly,” says Martin of the Durham-set series.
“This time we have the moon landing in 1969 and use real news footage. I remember the landing very well.
“It was exactly a week before my oldest son Luke was born. We watched it on a 12-inch black and white TV and it seemed like an impossible miracle.
“Suddenly there were men on the moon and not only that but pictures.
“For Gently, it’s a lovely moment as he’s on the street alone and a young lad comes out and asks if he wants to come and watch the event.
“It’s that long-forgotten camaraderie community spirit of just coming out on to the street and inviting a complete stranger into your home to watch the TV which actually did happen.
“When I was a kid, my next-door neighbour was the first to get a TV in the street and all the kids on used to queue up at her door to watch Watch With Mother in the afternoon.
“It was just accepted you would do that and it’s not that long ago, really.”
The detective duo of Gently and Bacchus (Lee Ingleby) are joined again for this new run of four episodes by Lisa McGrillis’s feisty WPC Rachel Coles.
“Lee and Lisa are very talented and such extraordinarily nice people,” adds Martin.
“Gently is very progressive and liberal in encouraging Rachel to rise up the ranks of the police at a time when women were not highly regarded in the force.”
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