ib011f9545i I have watched Bergerac on and off since it was first on tv. I did not see every episode but just consumed a huge dvd boxed set. It went on too long and there was too much of Charlie Hungerford and the Ice Maiden. But John Nettles was a great lead and there were some great episodes. The final episode (All For Love) should be studied by tv writers to learn how to do that job.

lawrenceconwayvulcan Bergerac ran for 10 years, at the start UK cop shows tended to be tough guy oriented (e.g The Sweeney and The Professionals) and it ended in the year that Prime Suspect heralded the grim and gritty take on the genre that is prevalent today. Bergerac featured many takes on the genre including the 2 mentioned. A perfect example of a tough guy entry would be 'The Last Interview' which has Jim going up against the Mafia while 'Holiday Snaps' is a much more psychologically based episode that revolves round the brutal murder of a Jersey resident on a French holiday camp. There were also episodes which dealt with political issues such as 'Love and War' which dealt with Aperthied South Africa and episodes that had a supernatural bent like 'Fires in the Fall' which seemed to have a rational explanation until a last minute twist. To sum up Bergerac gave the viewer all kind of stories which is more than could be said for today's crop of cop shows

sith_suzie I felt, after reading the ONE other review that I had to stick up for this show.I remember reading that this show was coming to our screens and really wanting to watch it and absolutely adored it from the first moment, the beautiful locations, the gorgeous car (Triumph Roadster) and totally fell in love with John Nettles! (I was only 13) I even begged my folks to take me to Jersey - and we found a good deal and went! I read about other reviewers commenting on the ridiculously high body count but please remember that Jim worked for the Bureau Of Strangers, and most of the fatalities were visitors, course, he also appeared to investigate a lot of local crime...Anyway, I loved this show and happily watch it during UKTV Gold re-runs and yes, its dated, but for me it brings back the old magic. Wonderful stuff.

Scooby-57 Before (and in some cases after) Bergerac BBC dramas were pathetically low budget and often set in over-lit and wobbly studio-sets that were a throwback to a theatre tradition that television needed to take a step, a cinematic step indeed, away from.Bergerac was instrumental in changing that. What makes it take this leap is that every scene is outside broadcast. If the scene is in an office in a police station, then it is filmed in an office. It may seem a small thing, but compare it to other BBC dramas of the time, like Juliet Bravo, and you will see how Bergerac stands the test of time and they fail.John Nettles is superb in the lead role, but as ever, for a series like this to work, it is the supporting actors that make the difference and these are in two categories. Firstly, the regulars who are good and fun, especially Charlie Hungerford, a more subtle and plausible Arthur Daley character, and Barney Crozier, one of the world's most grumpy men, but one who you still are able to have a little time for. Secondly, the guest actors, and these read like a checklist of British dramatic talent, either classic stars making guest appearances (Beryl Reid, Sir Norman Wisdom, Richard Griffiths) or a host of younger actors who were on the cusp of being household names (Ray Winston, Resse Dinsdale, Louise Jameson, Lisa Goddard).A decade is a long time, but the quality of Bergerac never failed throughout its ten years (which almost mirrored Mrs Thatcher's term as PM; it makes the series interesting social history for that golden decade as well as drama). Outstanding.