Detectorists Series 1 (2014, Mackenzie Crook, Toby Jones, Rachael Stirling): SPOILER Episode 45

“Tea without sugar is just vegetable soup”

This week we’re watching the first series of Mackenzie Crook’s 2014 sitcom ‘Detectorists’ and, perhaps predictably, it’s a complete love-in. With no-one willing to criticise such a brilliant series just for the sake of it, Andy talks about how the show made him almost glad to have a cold, Rachael tells of how she overcame her initial misgivings about where the romantic subplot was heading and Paul once again proves that his aversion to recommendations is doing him more harm than good. The team discuss an encouraging trend towards more progressive attitudes in modern sitcoms and how ‘Detectorists’ refusal to undercut moments of genuine sentiment make it a truly adorable series. Meanwhile, Paul manages to get in another reference to ‘Horrible Histories’. And just what is a “Detoctorate”? Find out by downloading this episode.

Elsewhere, Andy takes an epic look at the more experimental side of sitcoms with reference to ‘I Love Lucy’, ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show’, ‘MASH’ and ‘The Young Ones’.

This week’s scale: A gold dance or a year’s subscription to Ringpull Monthly