We’ve followed DCI George Gently and DI John Bacchus through the 1960s, and their swansong brings them to 1970. For Gently himself, it heralds the end of his career.
“When George’s chief says, ‘We need to discuss your retirement’, he realises that it is time for him to leave,” reveals Martin Shaw, who plays Gently. “But police work and justice are his life.”
In the first episode of the series, a body is found in a chemical waste tank, and Gently discovers that the victim’s wife was convicted of his murder eight years ago. But Gently’s decision to re-open the case meets resistance from Bacchus, who was involved in the original investigation.
“Bacchus worked on it before George arrived up north,” explains Martin. “And to his horror, George finds that…