Detectorists

In Jerusalem’s fields two middle-aged men comb the land. In one hand stalks an oscillating detector; in the other a sentinel trowel. A machine's beep causes a Pavlovian going to ground: will this be the day their prayers are answered? Moving through the soil, there is anticipation of what is to come: is this the day the land coughs gold?  Lifted from the womb of the earth, the dirt is washed clean, enabling them to determine what it is: the realisation that- instead of treasure -a discarded ‘Jim’ll Fix It’ medal has been found is met with a wry smile. It doesn’t matter. The joy comes through being out in the open air, away from life’s pressures, able to breathe out after a week of breathing in. The beauty is in the search; the discovery can wait.

Detectorists is the brainchild of former star of The Office, Mackenzie Crooks. In a recent interview with The Guardian he explained how his father inspired him to write the show. His dad was a man of niche pastimes: dark evenings were spent holed up in lamp-lit sheds, poring over coins and other crafts that his young son failed to see the fascination with. Now a father himself, Crooks shares his father's fascination, realising a dormant love for the esoteric. His show then is a homage to men like his father who wile away hours on hobbies that are at best defined eccentric; at worst weird.

Crooks as Gareth Keenan in The Office.

Lance (Mackenzie Crooks) and Andy (Toby Jones) are the eponymous detectorists; land pirates navigating Suffolk’s green seas in search of nature’s plunder. Andy’s wife, albeit supportive of his pastime, can’t countenance why he spends so much time looking for the past when he should be searching for a future. With his toilsome job and recreational activity, Andy’s life - literally and figuratively - is looking down. Moreover, she is frustrated that he spends more time with Lance than her. This is understandable: Lance on the surface is a pompous bore: a car enthusiast, all too happy to play smug with specialist knowledge, but a lift under the bonnet would reveal the intricacies of his character. Like Andy, Lance is dissatisfied with life: his job shifting pallets is hardly the stuff of dreams; further his beloved Maggie’s desertion has left him heartbroken.  Lance and Andy, therefore, are linked by a shared love of the earth and a frustration with the world around them.

“See University Challenge last night?”

“Yeah.”

“Anything?”

“No.”

“Nearly got Benjamin Britten.”

“You can’t nearly get an answer.”

“I had it in my head. Didn't say anything though. Chickened out.”

“Were you on your own?”

“Yeah.”

“But you were still too scared to say it out loud.”

“Yeah.”

The offering above illustrates how naturalistic and perfectly judged the conversation is. It is clear why Lance can't move on from his ex-wife when he can't even pluck up the courage to answer a quiz show answer. Lance and Andy are so risk-averse they wouldn't take the gamble on a quiz show, even if they were playing at home. They are caught in arrested development, wanting to progress in life without having the spine to do so; consequently, more of their dialogue is spent on petty concerns of how people celebrate on University Challenge (“I hate the ones who have a sip of water and frown as if it’s no big deal") as opposed to how they can fix their love lives.

Although Lance and Andy are the focal points, there are wonderful secondary characters too. The pair are part of the DMDC (Danbury Metal Detecting Club), a seven-strong band of brothers – and sisters- that meet weekly to show and tell their troves. Other than exhibiting their spoils, there are special Q&A’s on subjects as riveting as ‘the history of buttons.’ (Andy: Are you going? Lance: Fuck that! Later scene: Andy and Lance seated for ‘button presentation.’) The club in many ways resembles Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights with its group of outsiders trying and failing to get more people through the door. Other favourite characters are rival detectorists, ‘Simon and Garfunkel,’ so called because they physically resemble the songwriting duo. When the teams cross path, a merry skirmish of wits ensues with DMDC usually coming out on top.

Rival detectorists: Simon and Garfunkel,

The first series of the show earned Crooks a BAFTA for writing; it is easy to see why. In an age of loud obnoxiousness, the sitcom is a quiet work of finesse; it doesn't shout its virtues at you, instead like a good painting it makes you stand back and revel in its artistry. When asked in a recent interview if he wanted the BBC4 show promoted to BBC2, Crooks replied that he felt like the channel was its natural home, that only BBC4 would have allowed him to create the kind of sitcom Thomas Hardy may have enjoyed. Far from the madding crowd is where his baby belongs.

So readers, leave the mainstream terrestrial rat-race by taking a jaunt with The Detectorists. Let your lungs breathe in that comedy goodness. I promise you'll feel better for the walk.

Detectorists Season 1 is available on DVD. Series 2 is available on iPlayer.