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Wycliffe: The Complete First Series (TV)
R2 - United Kingdom - Network Review written by and copyright: Paul Lewis (27th July 2009). |
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The Show
 
One of ITV’s popular regional detective dramas, Wycliffe (HTV, 1994-8) is based on the novels of Falmouth-born author W. J. Burley. The series is set in Cornwall, focusing on the work of Cornish Detective Superintendent Charles Wycliffe (Jack Shepherd). Making strong use of its Cornish locations, Wycliffe is however in contrast to a dark and gritty regional crime series like A Mind to Kill (Lluniau Lliw, 1994-2002): where A Mind to Kill depicts Wales as a dark and threatening place, with its protagonist DCI Noel Bain (Philip Madoc) under near-constant threat (see our review of A Mind to Kill), Wycliffe offers a more conservative brand of crime drama, with the character of Wycliffe offering a reassuring presence who rarely finds himself under direct threat. The series also offers a travelogue-esque view of Cornwall, and is largely filmed in the South-West of Cornwall, in and around Falmouth. 
This first series of Wycliffe was broadcast in 1994. As The Cambridge Companion to Crime Fiction (2003) notes, Wycliffe was one of a group of 1990s crime dramas that ‘contrasted the styles of older detectives with their younger colleagues who are more familiar with political correctness and new technologies’ (241). Other series that evidenced this trend included Midsomer Murders (Bentley Productions, 1997- ), A Touch of Frost (YTV, 1992- ) and Dalziel and Pascoe (BBC, 1996- ). All of these regional crime dramas also ‘reinstated intuitive old-school detection and were based on crime novels that had specific scenic locations’ (ibid.). In Best of British: Cinema and Society from 1930 to the Present (1999), Anthony Aldgate and Jeffrey Richards suggest that these dramas are in opposition to the ‘social realist police dramas’ (such as Cracker, Granada 1993-2006, and Prime Suspect, Granada 1991-2006): the regional crime dramas outlined above are feature ‘more traditional, civilized, intuitive and reflective senior officers […] all of them provincial rather than metropolitan’ (145). These series arguably developed out of the popularity of the Oxford-based series Inspector Morse (Central, 1987-2000), which contrasted the attitudes of the stubborn Detective Inspector Morse (John Thaw) with his younger colleague Lewis (Kevin Whately). Likewise, in Wycliffe Wycliffe often finds his attitudes under the scrutiny of his younger colleague Detective Inspector Lucy Lane (Helen Masters). 
Jack Shepherd portrays Wycliffe as a dour and largely affectless man: a contemporary television review in The Independent (1994) states that one particular episode of the series ‘confronted its Cornish detective (Jack Shepherd, looking drab) with two shootings in two days. He reacted to this murderous surge in his local crime figures with less consternation than a traffic policeman contemplating a double- parked mini [….] This was in keeping with the programme itself, a passionless affair in which the dramatic honours were taken by the Cornish weather. Wycliffe went through the motions, but not too fast just in case your pulse-rate went up’ (Sutcliffe, 1994: en). It is true that although the series makes excellent use of its Cornish locations, it is (like its lead character) relatively cold and affectless, especially in comparison with a series such as Cracker. However, Wycliffe has a strong following, so the ‘cold fish’ clearly has some appeal: where The Daily Telegraph complained of the pilot episode’s ‘cheaply made’ qualities and The Sun noted that the series has ‘all the speed of a tortoise on downers’, The Daily Mail suggested that the series was ‘a worthy successor to Inspector Morse’ (quoted in The Independent, 1993: en). 
Episodes: Disc One: Pilot: ‘Wycliffe and the Cycle of Death’ 1. ‘The Four Jacks’ 2. ‘The Dead Flautist’ Disc Two: 3. ‘The Scapegoat’ 4. ‘The Tangled Web’ 5. ‘The Last Rites’ 6. ‘Wycliffe and the Pea-Green Boat’
Video
The episodes are presented in their original broadcast screen ratio of 4:3. The episodes seem to have been wholly shot on 16mm film; as noted above they make excellent use of their Cornish locations. These DVDs contain an excellent presentation of the episodes: colours are natural, and the image is crisp and clear.  
The original breakbumpers are intact.
Audio
Audio is presented via a two-channel track. This is clear and always audible, without any problems. There are no subtitles.
Extras
Network have included the series’ original feature-length pilot episode, ‘Wycliffe and the Cycle of Death’.
Overall
Wycliffe seems to split viewers, and I have to confess that although I am an avid fan of television crime drama, I find Wycliffe too cold and remote and Jack Shepherd’s characterisation of the titular character too drab. But then, I have a preference for the social realist trend within British television crime drama. However, without doubt the series makes very good use of its Cornish locations, and this DVD set contains an excellent presentation of the episodes from the first series of Wycliffe. For fans of the series, this DVD release will be a must-buy. However, those who haven’t seen Wycliffe before may wish to seek out an episode or two before committing themselves to buying the series. References Aldgate, Anthony & Richards, Jeffrey, 1999: Best of British: Cinema and Society from 1930 to the Present. London: I. B. Tauris Priestman, Martin, 2003: The Cambridge Companion to Crime Fiction. Cambridge University Press Sutcliffe, Thomas, 1994: ‘Television Review: When the only thing we have to fear is fear itself’. The Independent (25 July, 1994): en The Independent, 1993: ‘Television: Critical Round-Up’. The Independent (12 August, 1993): en For more information, please visit the homepage of Network DVD.
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