Antiques is a lovely but murderous business, filled with love, fear, greed, death, loathing and ecstacy.
Lovejoy

Okay; now I'm a confirmed Lovejoy fan. When A&E used to show promos back in the '90s for The Lovejoy Mysteries (their title for the series), I tuned out. I'm not sure why; maybe it was their advertising campaign that sold Lovejoy as a too-quaint-for-words "quirky" British mystery in the vein of Murder, She Wrote. Or maybe it was because those promos always ran right after I saw Jack Perkins' over-eager, unctuous delivery on some Biography special. Whatever the reasons, I never caught Lovejoy. But after watching BBC Video's three-disc boxed set Lovejoy: The Complete Season One, I'm now a total convert to the roguish, ever-so-slightly criminal antiques dealer and his charming adventures in the sometimes dicey world of British antiques.

I've never read the Lovejoy novels by Jonathan Gash (John Grant), so I can't compare the fidelity (or lack thereof) of the British TV series to the literary character. The whole Lovejoy experience is new to me. And a delightful one, at that, I discovered. Lovejoy: The Complete Season One tells the story of Lovejoy (Ian McShane), a "divvy" of an antiques dealer (someone who has a supernatural ability to spot priceless antiques - and worthless forgeries -- as well as possessing a true, romantic love of the idea of antiques, of their beauty) living in East Anglia, whose dodgy deals always keep him just ahead of the law and the bill collectors. Often spotting gold among the dross of estate sales and local auctions, Lovejoy isn't above switching lot numbers on items he wants for himself, thereby cheating others out of the opportunity of bidding. And if a forgery (usually crafted by Lovejoy himself) will aid a scheme to get one over on a shady business rival, Lovejoy has no qualms about putting the fake into play. And as an acknowledged expert in antiquities, Lovejoy is often sought out by others who find themselves embroiled in a mystery involving a precious object d'art, which Lovejoy can't resist chasing. A charmer who has a close-knit network of associates and friends who help him in his antiquity endeavors, Lovejoy (no first name ever; not even "Mr.") romps his way across the flatlands of Eastern England like a modern-day Tom Jones, constantly hustling for a quick buck and living by his quick wits.

Furthering the notion of a lower-class, Fielding-type hero battling a corrupt world (and coming out at least even), Lovejoy's chief ally and financial patron is Lady Jane Felsham (Phyllis Logan), the local aristocrat who enjoys a strictly platonic - but deliciously flirtatious - relationship with Lovejoy (Lovejoy frequently offers to step up their relationship, but to no avail). Lady Jane, who's obviously attracted to Lovejoy, as well, is more than willing to part with money and time to help Lovejoy's various schemes, but not so willing to cheat on her often absent husband, Lord Alexander Felsham (Pavel Douglas), an indulgent yet stuffy noble who can't fathom what his wife sees in the commoner Lovejoy. Helping Lovejoy with his operations is loyal "barker" (one who sniffs out possible deals on undervalued pieces) Tinker Dill (Dudley Sutton), the boozy, cynical veteran who has zero scruples when it comes to helping Lovejoy make money for both of them. Apprenticing Lovejoy is Eric Catchpole (Chris Jury), a polytechnic drop-out, rocker, and a bit of a git whose father pays Lovejoy to teach his wayward son a craft. Most often, though, Eric's duties include driving getaway cars for Lovejoy's grifting, or warding off the various criminals who cross paths with the slightly dodgy antiques' dealer. Chief nemesis for Lovejoy's unfettered business opportunities is successful antiques dealer and Lovejoy's landlord, Charlie Gimbert (Malcolm Tierney), a vengeful, at times almost homicidal (he even pulls a shotgun on Lovejoy when his rent is overdue) businessman who enjoys nothing more than beating out Lovejoy in an auction, even if he doesn't particularly want the offered piece.

I love continuing novels and TV series that create cozy, escapist little worlds where a family of eccentric, witty individuals operate outside the mundane restrictions of our own prosaic world, and Lovejoy: The Complete Season One certainly fits that bill. Living by his wits to keep some coins in his pocket and more importantly, living the breezy, irresponsible lifestyle he wants to live ("It keeps me ahead of the game, nose in front. That's all I ask of life."), Lovejoy is that same romantic yet shrewd fictional hero that pops up in so many other genres (private detectives like Travis McGee comes to mind). He's a fantasy figure whose life appears to be one big lark (finding valuable antiques for peanuts and selling them for a profit seems so easy, doesn't it? Yeah, seems); a "Boy's Own" life filled with sudden windfalls, comical setbacks (he may be in physical danger throughout the series, but nothing serious happens to him this first season), and gorgeous women who immediately fall under his charming spell.

For escapism like that to work, we need a hero we like (certainly, Lovejoy the character is roguishly charming and attractive), as well as consistently clever, witty writing. Frequent episode writer this season Ian La Frenais (who penned two of my favorite "forgotten" British crime flicks: Otley and Villain) has a real knack of not only keeping the mysteries rolling along nicely, but also providing plenty of witty, fun throw-away moments that keep the audience tickled, and which further flesh out the characters (when Lovejoy pleads with Charlie Gimbert to explain why he hates him so much, Gimbert replies, "Since my wife died, I need someone to hate."). I also like how the producers and writers give insight into the world of antiques with each episode, explaining the lingo and some of the practices of fraud in antiquing that's always fascinating. I always enjoy it when a show takes the time to give me a peek - with plenty of jargon and technique - into a world I'm not familiar with, and Lovejoy: The Complete Season One does that often, and well. The producers of Lovejoy are always careful to keep things light, but never deliberately "quaint" or "kooky" as some British comedy/mysteries can track.

Star Ian McShane deserves a lot of credit for the success of Lovejoy: The Complete Season One. Having perfected an air of the charismatic anti-hero years before (I remember first being impressed by McShane in the comedy If It's Tuesday, This Must be Belgium, where he plays a similar type role), McShane admirably plays it straight (even when he breaks the fourth wall, and addresses the audience), thereby making the more humourous elements of Lovejoy: The Complete Season One come off cleanly and not overblown. He's ably assisted by a stand-out supporting cast, with Tierney getting special mention as the frequently furious Charlie, and veteran Sutton, who can do more with a weary glance than most actors can do with a page of dialogue.

DISC ONE

The Firefly Cage

The Axeman Cometh

The Sting

Friends, Romans & Enemies

DISC TWO

The Judas Pair

To Sleep No More

The Real Thing

The March of Time

DISC THREE

Death and Venice (Parts 1 & 2)

The DVD:

The Video:
It's a shame that the video masters used for this Lovejoy: The Complete Season One boxed set are so compromised. Faded, muddy colors, plenty of grain, and a soft picture indicates that not much was done to clean up the full frame picture.

The Audio:
The English mono soundtrack for Lovejoy: The Complete Season One accurately reflects the original broadcast presentation. Dialogue is clear, and English subtitles are available.

The Extras:
On disc three, there's a short (seven minutes) featurette where Ian McShane discusses the series, and his input in its production (evidently, it was considerable). The short is labeled Part I , but if there's a Part II anywhere, I couldn't find it on the discs here.

Final Thoughts:
Sophisticated, charming, witty comedy/drama Lovejoy: The Complete Season One is a delight, with Ian McShane engaging as the perennially broke antiques "divvy" who loves works of art more than a stable income or a steady love interest. Superlative British supporting actors, and droll, sharp writing keep the playful Lovejoy: The Complete Season One interesting from start to finish. I highly recommend Lovejoy: The Complete Season One.