Pilot (11 Dec. 2010)

Eccentric private eye Dirk Gently uses 'holistic' methods,believing everything in the universe to be connected. When hired to trace elderly Ruth's missing cat,Dirk,with down-trodden ... See full summary »

Director:

Damon Thomas

Writers:

Douglas Adams (based on "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detecive Agency" by), Howard Overman (written & created by)

Stars:

Stephen Mangan, Helen Baxendale, Darren Boyd

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Stephen Mangan	...	Dirk Gently
Helen Baxendale	...	Susan Harmison
Darren Boyd	...	Richard Macduff
Doreen Mantle	...	Ruth Jordan
Jason Watkins	...	DI Gilks
Lisa Jackson	...	Janice Pearce
Anthony Howell	...	Gordon Way
Miles Richardson	...	Doctor Gerstenberger
Billy Boyle	...	Harry Jordan
Elliot Sutherland	...	Tom
Gary Pillai	...	Doctor
Alisha Bailey	...	Reporter
Joe Hall	...	Newsagent
Leona Walker	...	Receptionist
Alex Parry	...	Barman

Storyline

Eccentric private eye Dirk Gently uses 'holistic' methods,believing everything in the universe to be connected. When hired to trace elderly Ruth's missing cat,Dirk,with down-trodden sidekick MacDuff,investigates a warehouse,which houses a strange contraption,which blows up. A connection is made to a missing billionaire,Gordon Way,who has been besotted with MacDuff's girlfriend Susan for over a decade. Dirk connects the dates when Ruth acquired her cat and when Susan threw over Way to solve a puzzle involving time travel and homicide,accounting for the missing cat and billionaire as well as the disappearance of Ruth's husband.

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Plot Keywords:

detective | england

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Sci-Fi

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Details

Official Sites:

BBC [uk]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 December 2010 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Bristol, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

ITV Studios, Welded Tandem Picture Company, BBC Cymru Wales

Technical Specs

Runtime:

58 min 58 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Before Dirk paints over his white board in his office, you can see various references to characters and locations in the actual books.

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Goofs

At 10:26 when the unpaid receptionist is in a hurry to leave she packs her framed picture twice.

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Connections

Featured in Breakfast: Episode dated 15 December 2010 (2010)

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Soundtracks

"Stay Another Day"
(uncredited)
performed by East 17

User Reviews

A waste of everyone's time.

This thing was made by people who never read the Dirk Gently books, but were told the plot by someone who only vaguely remembers it, and then decided that they didn't like it much and could do better anyway.

The actors look and behave nothing like they are described by Douglas Adams, some of the best parts are cut out, and there's no trace of the general eerie - quirky feeling that is so great in the books.

I admit that I didn't manage to watch more than fifteen minutes of the thing, it was depressing to me, since I'd been waiting and hoping to see my favorite Douglas Adams books dramatized for ages. But the little i did manage to endure was an insult to Adams' memory and talent. I wish they could've resisted the temptation to ruin Dirk Gently for everyone.