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Sydney Morning Herald
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Reboot of 1980s British crime classic is gripping, but it struggles to move on from the past
Bergerac ★★★ The darkness is no longer on the edge of town. This reboot of the British crime drama about a hardened police detective on the Channel Island of Jersey, which ran for nine seasons between 1981 and 1991, begins at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Jim Bergerac (Brassic 's Damien Molony) painfully offers something his job celebrated: a confession. A widower for six months, drinking has become his means of forgetting. It's a quiet, defiant monologue, which Bergerac undercuts by reaching for his hip flask as soon as he's alone. There's no easy middle ground when it comes to the tone of a reboot. Lightening a show up can be classed as cowardice, embracing the grimness gets labelled predictable. The creator of the new Bergerac, Toby Whithouse, has done a thorough if somewhat, well, predictable job with this six-part series. Bergerac is something of a mess, his reputation in tatters and his teenage daughter, Kim (Chloe Sweetlove), drifting towards his formidable mother-in-law, Charlie Hungerford (Zoe Wanamaker). There's a suggestion Bergerac needs a case more than the case needs him. He pleads for his leave to end when a high-profile murder shakes the island community: the daughter-in-law of mogul Arthur Wakefield (Philip Glenister) has been murdered at an otherwise empty family compound. Bergerac has great instincts, but he acts rashly. His replacement and nominal supervisor, the insecure Barney Crozier (Robert Gilbert), is keen for him to make a public blunder. Bergerac appears keen to comply. How you'll view this sturdy six-part mystery obviously depends on your memories of the original. Mine are vague. I recall the stark landscape of Jersey, and Bergerac's vintage car – a burgundy 1947 Triumph Roadster; it was a show that somehow always seemed to be on when I got home from a gig (Bergerac aired here on Channel Seven, which helped fund the series). Devotees of the original, with John Nettles in the title role, might question the changes. Loading The case of the week has become a season-long arc, and the Triumph Roadster is up on blocks in Bergerac's garage – a symbol of his failing life. It's not like there weren't bleak tinges to the original series. In the 1980s, Bergerac was something of a functioning alcoholic, and the cases didn't always wrap up easily. But Molony is very good as a man struggling to stay afloat, and there are intriguing undercurrents in his rush to solve a complicated murder case with the suggestion that some of his prior successes were, in fact, flawed. One strong plus in the give and take of reboot realities is Wanamaker as Charlie. The veteran actress brings a quiet jolt to every scene she shares with Molony. 'We're cellmates,' Charlie tells Bergerac, united by their loss, but Charlie expects more of Bergerac, particularly as a father, than he's capable of. She always speaks very poorly of Piers Morgan, so bonus points there.
The Age
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Reboot of 1980s British crime classic is gripping, but it struggles to move on from the past
Bergerac ★★★ The darkness is no longer on the edge of town. This reboot of the British crime drama about a hardened police detective on the Channel Island of Jersey, which ran for nine seasons between 1981 and 1991, begins at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Jim Bergerac (Brassic 's Damien Molony) painfully offers something his job celebrated: a confession. A widower for six months, drinking has become his means of forgetting. It's a quiet, defiant monologue, which Bergerac undercuts by reaching for his hip flask as soon as he's alone. There's no easy middle ground when it comes to the tone of a reboot. Lightening a show up can be classed as cowardice, embracing the grimness gets labelled predictable. The creator of the new Bergerac, Toby Whithouse, has done a thorough if somewhat, well, predictable job with this six-part series. Bergerac is something of a mess, his reputation in tatters and his teenage daughter, Kim (Chloe Sweetlove), drifting towards his formidable mother-in-law, Charlie Hungerford (Zoe Wanamaker). There's a suggestion Bergerac needs a case more than the case needs him. He pleads for his leave to end when a high-profile murder shakes the island community: the daughter-in-law of mogul Arthur Wakefield (Philip Glenister) has been murdered at an otherwise empty family compound. Bergerac has great instincts, but he acts rashly. His replacement and nominal supervisor, the insecure Barney Crozier (Robert Gilbert), is keen for him to make a public blunder. Bergerac appears keen to comply. How you'll view this sturdy six-part mystery obviously depends on your memories of the original. Mine are vague. I recall the stark landscape of Jersey, and Bergerac's vintage car – a burgundy 1947 Triumph Roadster; it was a show that somehow always seemed to be on when I got home from a gig (Bergerac aired here on Channel Seven, which helped fund the series). Devotees of the original, with John Nettles in the title role, might question the changes. Loading The case of the week has become a season-long arc, and the Triumph Roadster is up on blocks in Bergerac's garage – a symbol of his failing life. It's not like there weren't bleak tinges to the original series. In the 1980s, Bergerac was something of a functioning alcoholic, and the cases didn't always wrap up easily. But Molony is very good as a man struggling to stay afloat, and there are intriguing undercurrents in his rush to solve a complicated murder case with the suggestion that some of his prior successes were, in fact, flawed. One strong plus in the give and take of reboot realities is Wanamaker as Charlie. The veteran actress brings a quiet jolt to every scene she shares with Molony. 'We're cellmates,' Charlie tells Bergerac, united by their loss, but Charlie expects more of Bergerac, particularly as a father, than he's capable of. She always speaks very poorly of Piers Morgan, so bonus points there.
West Australian
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
What To Watch TV reviews: Bergerac, Strife season two, Jock And Me, The Piano and the return of Poker Face
Bergerac's back — but not as you know it. The Jersey-set British crime series which ran for 10 years from 1981 and starred John Nettles in the title role of Jim Bergerac is back on screens. But this time Brassic star Damien Molony is stepping in to play the troubled DCI, and things look very different indeed. Those vintage enough to remember this popular crime drama the first time around may be disappointed to note a few key changes, chief among them the updating of the accordion theme tune — it's now a much darker, moodier affair, setting the tone for the series as a whole. This time around Bergerac emerges as a recently bereaved father of one, on stress leave and hitting the bottle after his wife's untimely death six months earlier. But when a member of one of Jersey's wealthiest families is murdered, police call back their No.1 man, and it's up to him to piece together what happened. But is he up to the job? Joining Molony is a great ensemble cast, which includes the reliably great Zoe Wanamaker, who plays Jim's mother-in-law, begrudgingly helping as Bergerac battles to get his life back on track. He's struggling to contain his grief and put on a brave face for his teenage daughter — Wanamaker's on hand to set him straight. This time around the series takes on a different format: instead of a case-of-the-week, it follows Bergerac as he investigates the wealthy woman's murder. But it's not necessarily a bad thing — there's still much to like about this darkly reimagined crime drama. Oh, and good news: Bergerac's leather jacket and burgundy 1947 Triumph Roadster remain! A win for fans. This is great Sunday night fare. Asher Keddie returns as women's publishing powerhouse Evelyn Jones, a character clearly based on real-life maven Mia Freedman. This season sees our hero (is she though?) besieged on all sides as her media empire is set upon by rivals, including a new women's website launching with Eve's old colleague at the helm. Mary Coustas, Nathan Page, Dylan Alcott and Tim Minchin join the cast. One to watch. Liz Hayes is popping up for the first time on 7NEWS Spotlight with this exclusive sit-down with Jock Zonfrillo's wife, Lauren. This is the first time Lauren has spoken publicly about the death of her high-profile husband, who was found dead in a Melbourne hotel room in May 2023. His cause of death has never been released. This is sure to be fascinating — Liz is an icon and it's great she's back on screens over at Seven. Get the tissues ready, this one will have you welling up — in the best possible way. Amanda Keller hosts this six-part series, which gives ordinary people who love the piano the opportunity to perform publicly in places like train stations and shopping centres. The twist? Watching on are Harry Connick Jr and concert pianist Andrea Lam, who will pick out performers to join them at a special concert. This is lovely, life-affirming television. Everyone's favourite human lie-detector is back, and no porky pie is safe! Natasha Lyonne returns as unintentional super-sleuth Charlie Cale, an ex-casino worker with an uncanny ability to sniff out an untruth. This season she's on the run, with nothing but her wits and trusty Plymouth Barracuda to keep her company. Keep an eye out for Wicked's Cynthia Erivo who pops up in episode one — she's a delight.
Telegraph
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Bergerac, episode 1, review: you'll recognise the name, setting and car – but you'll miss the Eighties fun
So there's this new TV show called Bergerac (U&Drama). It's about a detective on the island of Jersey. Wears a brown leather jacket and owns a Triumph Roadster. Great idea. If only someone had thought of it before. Yes, the 1980s series has been reborn, rebooted, reimagined, or whatever they're calling it. Obviously, this is a good marketing ploy, because you will spot the name, be hit by a wave of nostalgia, and tune in. And what you will find is a competent, well-acted series with a good leading man. But it's not Bergerac. John Nettles was a heartthrob who could hold his own in an action scene. His Bergerac was a recovering alcoholic but had a twinkle in his eye. The new Jim Bergerac, Damien Molony, is far less rugged and extremely miserable, grief-stricken over the recent death of his wife (Nettles's character was divorced and had a succession of gorgeous love interests). Old Bergerac cruised along the coast in that beautiful car. New Bergerac has the car on bricks in the garage, and travels by taxi. In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Nettles generously said of his successor: 'I was like Cliff Richard. He's more Clint Eastwood,' but in fact it's the other way round. Meanwhile, the character of Charlie Hungerford, once Bergerac's roguish father-in-law played by Terence Alexander, has been transformed into a no-nonsense mother-in-law played by Zoë Wanamaker. She swoops in to take care of Bergerac's 14-year-old daughter while he sorts out his drink problem. The original show made Jersey seem thrillingly glamorous; I remember it always being bathed in sunshine, but perhaps that's a false memory because I dipped into an episode the other day and the skies were grey (to be fair, Bergerac launched in the same year as Triangle, a drama set on board a North Sea Ferry, so Jersey really was glamorous by comparison). The new version doesn't promote the island in the same way. Jim does live in a house perched enviably above the beach, so it's not all bad. The police force is lovely and diverse, and run by a female chief, which I suspect may not be a facsimile of real-life Jersey. Molony is the best thing about this new iteration, quietly impressive in the starring role, while his rivalry with fellow officer Barney Crozier (Robert Gilbert) sparks nicely. The murder mystery – which spans the whole series, rather than the old crime-of-the-week format – is serviceable, featuring Philip Glenister as a businessman whose daughter-in-law is found dead at their home. But it's lacking any sense of fun. What they've done here is taken the name, the location and the car, and attached them to another detective drama. And the theme tune? It has survived, but only just, in such a wishy-washy form that they shouldn't really have bothered.
BBC News
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
New Bergerac series pays homage to original, star says
The star of a re-imagined version of Jersey-based TV show Bergerac said the new series would "pay homage to the original".Set to premiere on Thursday 27 February, the new series stars Damian Moloney as title character Jim Bergerac alongside Zoë Wanamaker and Philip rights to the first season have been sold to nine countries ahead of its UK said when his friends and family found out about his starring role, they wanted "to know about the car" - the red Triumph Roadster. He said: "One big difference about this new version of Bergerac is that we have one big case that Jim investigates across all six episodes, instead of it being a case a week like the original."It's great that we get to follow this huge journey, not only Jim's emotional rollercoaster, but also this gripping, edge of your seat, criminal investigation."John Nettles - the original Jim Bergerac - said he was offered a cameo role but turned it original BBC series, created by Robert Banks Stewart, ran for nine series between 1981 and 1991. Scenes for the season were shot in Jersey, showcasing some of its coastal said the locations created "natural tension by being surrounded by the sea".He said: "There are huge, vast, windswept beaches that, on a rainy day, look dark, brooding, foreboding and dangerous. "Within a 20-minute drive, you can be in the city or an immense countryside full of natural beauty. It's incredible." Moloney said he particularly enjoyed filming at the beaches in the west of the said: "I loved filming in the gorgeous St Brelade's Bay, where we lucked out with some lovely August weather and we could swim at lunchtime and have ice cream."We had another great day on Gorey pier, and in the Driftwood Café on Archirondel Beach, I loved that place."The government, which committed £1.2m to the reboot, said it hoped the series would boost tourism in the added: "I think fans of the original series will love seeing Jersey back on their screens." Zoë Wanamaker, who plays Charlie Hungerford, said she could "see why people love it in Jersey".She said: "The buildings are gorgeous, and I found out that a lot of them were constructed in the same way as Devon was built on hills in the 1800s. "I also got to visit St Brelade's Bay Hotel, which is right next to another stunning beach - it was a busy summer's day when we were there, and I loved seeing so many families spending time in the sun."Wanamaker said she had "many friends" who had featured in the original and that the new series was "an emotional, challenging ride". Writer Tom Whithouse said Jersey and Bergerac were "utterly indivisible"."If you were setting it anywhere else it would have to be a different show. What is interesting about it is that it's a fascinating, strange, incredibly beautiful and very welcoming island," he said he hoped fans would enjoy the said: "We've taken the fundamental elements from the original show - the rich John Nettles version of the character had a complexity and a darkness to him."He was always in the tradition of the maverick cop who found himself at odds with the system around him and found that frustrating, because underneath there was a pure drive to do his job and do it well." 'Distinctive feel' Executive producer Clare Alan said in August that Jersey was "a character within the series".Director Colm McCarthy said keeping the show based in Jersey made sense: "Jersey, both as a location and a character in the story are a big part of what gives Bergerac its distinctive feel."It's very near to France, so it has this different feel to anywhere else in the UK, it's got a luxurious quality to it."But also, people come with their own baggage about the ideas of Jersey... all of those different facets give it a place, a feeling that is familiar because it's still British to a British television audience."
