Detective Constable Davies (Peter Davison), "Dangerous" to his friends and foes alike because he isn't, is a middle-aged man who doesn't quite fit in his job.  He's just doesn't seem to be rugged and tough person who could handle being on the police force, and he's not. Because he's not callous and hardened like the rest of the squad, and not particularly outstanding at his job, he's not well liked.  The fact that he has turned in a fellow officer for a capital crime earns him the enmity of the rest of the squad and especially his Inspector.  He's known as The Last Detective, the last one who will get a good assignment or will ever be called to work an important case.

Not only is his professional life not going well, his private life is in a shambles too.  He's getting divorced from his wife, though he's not really sure it's the right move, and his only friend is Mod (Sean Hughes), a younger man who jumps from job to job.

Even being at the bottom of the heap, Dangerous manages to grab a case for himself every now and again, stumbling on an old murder here or a missing persons case there.  Of course, he can't really tell his boss when a case starts getting juicy though, or he'll just be taken off of it, so he has to do most of his work without the help or assistance of his fellow detectives (who probably wouldn't help him in any case.)

This series is a nice change of pace from the gritty and bloody police dramas that are often broadcast these days.  DC Davies doesn't rely on the latest scientific breakthrough or a detailed crime scene analysis to solve his cases, he just goes out and talks to people, following up weak clues and slowly solving the puzzle.  The stories are interesting because the viewer isn't sure where things are going, any more than Dangerous is.  Sometimes things that look like a they are the coverup for a gruesome slaying have a simple, ordinary explanation.

Not as heavy as other crime shows, this program has a fair amount of humor and not every case ends in a murder.  The show is driven as much by Davies personality as by the crimes themselves, and you find yourself rooting for the perpetual underdog, hoping he stumbles on to something good.  The fact that Davies isn't a Columbo like genius only adds to the character's charm.  He's an everyday guy who just isn't well liked because he still has a bit of compassion, and someone that most people can relate to.

The acting is very good.  Peter Davison play Dangerous Davies with just the right amount of sadness so the character gets your sympathy but doesn't become pathetic.  He usually has an upbeat attitude but sometimes his situation gets the better of him.  Sean Hughes is also good in his role of Mod, bringing a nice touch of humor to lighten up Davies rather pathetic life.

This is a show that the will appeal to mystery fans as well as anyone who enjoys good storytelling.  While the plots aren't intense and serious as modern crime drama, the show does have a cozy feel to it.  It's like a pair of well worn tennis shoes, comfortable even though it's not flashy.

These for shows, which run a bit over an hour each except for the pilot that last an hour and a half, come on two DVDs which are housed in a pair of single width keepcases.  The cases fit into a nice slipcase.

Audio:

This show has a stereo soundtrack with no optional subtitles.  I really wish that Acorn would put subs on their BBC discs, some times the British accents are a little hard to understand and some translations would be nice.  Aside from that, the audio portion is fine.

Video:

The widescreen anamorphic image (1.78:1) looks good for a British TV show.  The image is just a tad soft and there's a slight red push, but these aren't big defects.  The level of detail is fine, and the black levels, while not outstanding, are acceptable.  Digital defects are very minimal, a little aliasing in the background is all.  A nice solid image.

Extras:

The only extras included are a photo gallery and a series of actor filmographies.

Final Thoughts:

I rather enjoyed this show.  Though it isn't gripping and tense as a lot of modern crime shows, the character of DC Davies will quickly pull viewers in.  It's nice to see a show about an everyday man who is struggling with the problems that life throws at him.  The mysteries themselves are interesting too, and I was never sure where things were leading until right near the end.  A quality show that has a good acting and well crafted scripts, this show is strongly recommended.