Thanks to Acorn Media, I’ve been exposed to all sorts of television I wouldn’t have gotten to see otherwise. Touching Evil. Hope Springs. Life on Mars. They’re all great pieces of television, and they’re all very, very British.
But that’s the interesting thing about all of them; they don’t fit the American viewer’s usual stereotype of British television. You know what I’m talking about: the grainy film, the monochromatic sets, the hairsprayed men with toothbrush mustaches — the stuff you usually see on public television. Those were all absent from the aforementioned series, mostly because they were all made within twenty years ago — long after the PBS triteness evolved.
Mr. Palfrey of Westminster, however, is a television series that was made in 1984 and 1985, remaining delightfully stuck in that quaint phase of crime-solving septuagenarians. I say “delightfully,” because it’s almost old enough to be a period piece — it’s one of those rare occasions where a show ages enough that it becomes almost historical.
Mr. Palfrey is a spy for the British government, and he’s exactly how you’d imagine him to be. He wears a fedora and a long black coat and carries an umbrella with him. He’s played with gusto by theater actor Alec McGowan, whose experience in the theater shines through so much that what is perhaps overacting can also be considered just general quirkiness on Palfrey’s part. His dramatic expressions and movements fit the character brilliantly, for the most part (although there are occasions where it grows very tiresome).
Like Prime Suspect, there’s a powerful woman in a position of authority — this time it’s “the Coordinator,” played by Caroline Blakiston, a hardheaded official who Palfrey clashes with over issues — and Palfrey is usually right. Unlike Prime Suspect‘s Jane Tennison, however, “the Coordinator” is a character so stubborn she is hard to respect (even from a viewer’s standpoint), and she ends up being just an annoyance rather than a well-developed character.
Of course, that lack of development can be attributed to the show’s short run of ten episodes, which were spread out over two seasons. As a procedural drama (each case only lasts an episode), the characters aren’t really fleshed out. Even Palfrey remains only a fascinating caricature and not much more.
But despite all the negatives, Palfrey is thoroughly enjoyable. The series, contained in this comprehensive collection over three discs, is minimally packaged, but that is perhaps appropriate for the sensible Mr. Palfrey. The show is enjoyable on many levels, and is, if nothing else, perfect popcorn viewing for even the most casual anglophile.
Mr. Palfrey of Westminster will be released on DVD on Tuesday, September 21. It’s retailing for $39.49 on Amazon, and you can pre-order it here.
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