The Last Detective is a British crime-comedy drama that offers a gentler and more character-driven alternative to the darker detective series that dominate television. Originally broadcast on ITV from 2003 to 2007, the show stars Peter Davison as Detective Constable “Dangerous” Davies, an unfashionable, accident-prone and fundamentally decent policeman who repeatedly finds himself assigned the cases nobody else wants.
Based on the Dangerous Davies novels by Leslie Thomas, the series combines mystery, dry British humor and an unexpectedly emotional look at an ordinary detective trying to put his professional and personal life back together. Across four series and 17 episodes, Davies investigates missing-person cases, suspicious deaths and other seemingly minor crimes, often uncovering much more complicated stories along the way.
What Is The Last Detective About?
At the center of The Last Detective is Detective Constable “Dangerous” Davies, a policeman whose nickname is deliberately ironic. His colleagues do not regard him as a brilliant investigator or a particularly impressive officer, and his superiors routinely give him cases that have little prestige or seem unlikely to lead anywhere.
Davies, however, possesses qualities that gradually prove more valuable than professional swagger. He is persistent, compassionate and genuinely interested in people, allowing him to notice details and human motives that more cynical detectives sometimes overlook.
The show’s central formula involves Davies being handed an unwanted investigation and slowly working his way through it. What initially appears to be a routine disappearance, suspicious death or minor crime can eventually reveal a much larger story, giving the series its distinctive balance between traditional mystery plotting and character comedy.
At the same time, the detective’s private life is almost as important as his professional one. Davies is separated from his wife, Julie, and much of the series follows his attempts to repair their damaged relationship while continuing to deal with the frustrations of his career.
Peter Davison as Dangerous Davies
The biggest reason The Last Detective works is Peter Davison’s performance as Davies. Best known internationally for playing the Fifth Doctor in Doctor Who, Davison brings an understated warmth to the detective, avoiding the larger-than-life personality often associated with television investigators.
Davies is not presented as a genius who can solve a murder through one brilliant observation. Instead, he is a persistent policeman who keeps asking questions, follows apparently insignificant clues and treats victims and suspects with a level of humanity that sets him apart from many of his colleagues.
That approach makes the character unusually sympathetic. Davies can be awkward, unlucky and occasionally inept, but the audience is encouraged to root for him because his motivations are fundamentally decent.
Davison also handles the show’s humor without turning Davies into a caricature. The comedy frequently comes from the detective’s circumstances, his interactions with colleagues and his complicated personal life rather than from exaggerated slapstick.
The Last Detective Cast
The ensemble of supporting characters adds much of the charm and personality that defines the series. Sean Hughes plays Modesty “Mod” Lewis, Davies’ eccentric best friend and one of the most important recurring figures in his life.
Mod provides comic relief but is more than simply a humorous sidekick. His conversations with Davies often become informal reflections on relationships, work and the cases they encounter, giving the series some of its most memorable character moments.
Emma Amos plays Julie Davies, Dangerous’s estranged wife, while Rob Spendlove portrays Detective Inspector Ray Aspinall, one of the detective’s superiors. Charles De’Ath appears as Detective Sergeant Phillip Pimlott, and Billy Geraghty plays Detective Constable Darren Barrett.
Vineeta Rishi, Elizabeth Bennett, Colin MacLachlan and Michele Austin also appear in recurring roles, while the series features a number of guest performers. The ensemble helps create the atmosphere of a small London police station where professional rivalries, personal frustrations and reluctant friendships develop alongside the investigations.
The Story and Detective Cases
One of the show’s strengths is the way it turns apparently ordinary cases into engaging mysteries. The first episode, for example, follows Davies investigating the disappearance of a teenage girl, with the case becoming more serious when evidence suggests that she may have been murdered.
Other early episodes involve a missing man whose wife appears strangely unconcerned, connections between seemingly unrelated investigations and the death of a local character known for collecting discarded pieces of paper.
The cases are generally less focused on graphic violence or relentless suspense than many modern crime dramas. Instead, the series relies on observation, conversations and the gradual accumulation of information.
That makes The Last Detective particularly appealing to viewers who enjoy British mysteries in which the personality of the investigator matters just as much as the crime itself. The show is more interested in people than spectacle, and its mysteries frequently become opportunities to explore loneliness, marriage, aging, friendship and professional frustration.
The Relationship Between Davies and Aspinall
The relationship between Davies and DI Ray Aspinall becomes one of the show’s more interesting long-term character threads. At first, Aspinall represents the institutional attitude that has marginalized Davies: he is not viewed as the detective who should be trusted with the most important cases.
Over time, however, Aspinall begins to recognize that Davies’s seemingly old-fashioned methods have real value. A grudging professional respect develops between the two men, even though their personalities and approaches to police work remain very different.
This relationship gives the series a useful dramatic counterpoint. Davies is not simply trying to solve crimes; he is also trying to prove that his style of policing has value in an environment that tends to reward confidence, status and conventional ideas about what makes a successful detective.
Davies’ Personal Life
Unlike many procedural dramas, The Last Detective does not treat the detective’s personal life as a minor subplot. Davies’s separation from Julie is woven into the story, giving the series a melancholy undercurrent beneath its comedy.
He continues to have connections to Julie through everyday responsibilities and their shared dog, while simultaneously attempting to recover some of the respect and affection that have disappeared from their marriage. His professional difficulties and personal disappointments frequently overlap.
His friendship with Mod provides another important emotional outlet. Their conversations, often taking place during ordinary moments rather than dramatic confrontations, reinforce the show’s interest in everyday life.
This combination of crime, comedy and personal drama is what distinguishes The Last Detective from a conventional police procedural. The cases matter, but so do the people trying to live with the consequences of their decisions.
How Many Seasons of The Last Detective Are There?
The Last Detective ran for four series between 2003 and 2007, with a total of 17 episodes. The first three series contained four episodes each, while the fourth series expanded to five episodes.
The episodes were substantially longer than the typical modern 45- or 60-minute television drama. The first three series were approximately 70 minutes without advertising, while the fourth series contained longer installments.
The final episode aired on May 31, 2007. The program was ultimately discontinued after its fourth series, with falling viewing figures reported as the reason the show was not continued.
The Last Detective Review: Is It Worth Watching?
The Last Detective is worth watching if you prefer character-led British mysteries over high-intensity crime thrillers. Its greatest strength is its unusual protagonist: Davies is not glamorous, ruthless or exceptionally charismatic, but his decency and persistence make him an appealing detective to spend time with.
The series also benefits from its balance of comedy and drama. The humor can be understated and distinctly British, while the mysteries provide enough intrigue to keep the episodes moving.
It is not the ideal choice for viewers looking for fast-paced action, elaborate forensic investigations or dark serial-killer storylines. The pace is deliberately relaxed, and the emphasis is frequently on conversations, relationships and the gradual solving of a case.
For viewers who enjoy older British television, however, that slower pace can be part of the attraction. The Last Detective has the feel of a traditional television mystery while giving its central character considerably more emotional depth than the title might initially suggest.
Where to Watch The Last Detective
Streaming availability varies by country, but current U.S. listings show The Last Detective available through several services. JustWatch currently lists Amazon Prime Video, BritBox and related channel options, while ad-supported availability has also been reported through services including The Roku Channel and Plex.
Tubi currently lists all four seasons, with the service describing the program as a comedy, crime and drama series starring Peter Davison, Sean Hughes and Emma Amos.
Pluto TV also lists the first season as available to watch for free in the United States, including the opening four episodes.
Availability can change depending on location and licensing, so viewers outside the United States should check their local streaming catalog. Netflix also has a listing for the series, although its current page indicates that the title is not available in every country.
Is The Last Detective on Netflix?
The Last Detective has a Netflix listing, but it is not currently available in every region. Netflix’s current page identifies the series as a British drama starring Peter Davison, Sean Hughes and Rob Spendlove, while availability depends on the viewer’s country.
For viewers who cannot find it on Netflix, Prime Video and BritBox are among the more consistently listed alternatives in current U.S. streaming guides. Free ad-supported platforms may also provide another option depending on the territory.
The Last Detective IMDb Rating and Reception
The series currently carries an IMDb rating of around 7.8/10, according to current streaming and entertainment listings. That score reflects the show’s enduring appeal among viewers who appreciate its unusual combination of crime, comedy and character drama.
Critically, the show has not generated the volume of review coverage associated with major modern prestige dramas. Rotten Tomatoes currently has limited professional review data for the series, making audience and viewer reactions more useful when assessing its overall reception.
Its strongest selling point remains Peter Davison’s central performance. Davies is deliberately ordinary, and that ordinariness gives the show a distinctive identity at a time when many television detectives are designed around extraordinary intelligence, trauma or eccentricity.
Final Verdict
The Last Detective is a warm, quirky and quietly compelling British mystery series built around an unconventional police detective. Peter Davison’s Dangerous Davies is the heart of the show, combining persistence and professional instincts and 17 episodes, the series offers a substantial collection of mysteries without becoming overwhelmingly long. Its mix of crime, comedy and relationship drama makes it particularly suitable for viewers who enjoy traditional with personal vulnerability and a genuinely humane approach to policing.
With four series and 17 episodes, the series offers a substantial collection of mysteries without becoming overwhelmingly long. Its mix of crime, comedy and relationship drama makes it particularly suitable for viewers who enjoy traditional British detective stories with a softer and more character-focused tone.
If you are looking for a detective series that emphasizes personality, dry humor, human relationships and gradual investigation rather than violence and spectacle, The Last Detective remains an appealing choice. The show may not have the intensity of modern crime dramas, but its understated style and Peter Davison’s performance give it a distinctive charm that continues to attract viewers years after its original ITV run.
