Jericho (2005) User Reviews

Jericho benefits from the casting of truly great actors.

[gregoryjhughes2002 · 8/10 · 13 June 2006]

Robert Lindsay is one of the best actors of his generation. For those who don't know his work or are only familiar with the safe BBC comedy "My Family"; have a look at "Oliver Twist", "A Very Social Secretary", "Citizen Smith" or his multi-award winning performance as Michael Murray in "GBH". Then you'll realise how good he is.

Jericho is another in a long list of brilliant performances from Lindsay, who makes the whole production sparkle into life. Here he is supported by David Troughton, another remarkably talented actor at the peak of his profession.

The production values are high; the story-telling intriguing. It's not the best TV drama ever made but it is far above average. Watch it yourself and enjoy the fine acting.

All the Proper Props...But at What Speed?

[rushfan74 · 7/10 · 9 May 2006]

In my home, we are long time "Mystery" and "Masterpiece Theater" fans. And, I absolutely loved Robert Lindsay in all of the "Hornblower" series.

My only beef with "Jericho"--which we are currently viewing in the States, now--is that the program format seems too choppy, too breakneck and--dare I say it?--too "Americanized" in its filming style.

For example, some of the traditional blisses of watching British television over American television are the LACK OF: overly-numerous, screechy, noisy car chases/crashes/explosions; characters emoting choppy, stale love/hate dialogues about as spontaneous and mature as Saturday night in dead bar, and the endless "bedhopping" on American television shows that seems to come (no pun intended) into play every ten minutes. On British television, intimate relations do appear to occur because they are ESSENTIAL to a plot; and when they do happen, British television is surprisingly honest in hiding nothing and revealing everything (Good Show, I Say!).

These having been stated, one of the joys of watching "Foyle's War," for example, is the almost subconsciously-leisured pace of each mystery. Even when explosions do occur, Inspector Foyle takes his own time to ruminate upon all of the evidence, the suspects and the motives for the crime. If Inspector Foyle has to visit London, nothing changes--he continues his proved thought-processes, even while the city's activities roil around him. And, he takes you along for the ride...at a good digestive pace.

However, I do understand that Inspector Jericho is a "high-energy" character. Like Inspector Foyle, he has very little supervisory support, very little time--and probably funding--for his constabulatory efforts, and he appears to be in an uphill battle to continually prove his investigatory worth to the outside world. In personality, he certainly is very extroverted...not an Inspector Foyle, at all. Hence, the rush-around pace of things on the show.

Fine. Almost...

But, as we "Mystery" fans know, even extrovert/introverts like Hercule Poirot, or Sherlock Holmes, never abandoned that "thought process" link with their viewers, in exchange for overly-clipped scenes and a high speed chase--even when our heroes were forced to really "hoof it" through London streets. There was always time for the viewer to ABSORB the facts and ENJOY the absorption: to soak up conflicting character reactions; taste the atmosphere of a crime scene and ponder any family crises/relationships that might wreak effect upon "the criminal act." In short, television viewers were allowed the luxury of thought with time.

That's the problem with "Jericho." The plot is sound, the atmosphere--what I have time to see and feel of it--is very accurate for the period that it's depicting and--yes--the empathy is there to care about Inspector Jericho, both publicly and privately. But, that's about all that there is time for. Main characters and supporting characters are not allowed the time to really SHOW their emotional and physical depths. So, by the time the program's over, you feel like you rode 300 miles with Michael Schumacher at a steady 395 miles per hour.

Which brings me to a final plea: if there are writers and producers of British television reading this, you do not have to Americanize/"short attention span" my British programming; if I liked the former, I wouldn't bother watching the latter. I know all of the Aaron Spellings of America would disagree with me, but that's why I don't watch their shows in my own country! If traditionally-paced British television wasn't my sort of style, I wouldn't be pleading and critiquing with this letter! That having been said, if you were forced to speed through the production of a program because of a deadline, or lack of funding...well that's out of everyone's control, isn't it? Just ask Inspector Jericho.

Jericho (The Killing of Johnny Swann episode)

[uroskin · 8/10 · 7 August 2007]

Now I always wanted to be cabin boy to Robert Lindsay's Captain Pellew aboard HMS Indefatigable in "Hornblower", but now Robert Lindsay is even more terrific in "Jericho", a marvelously atmospheric series set in 1950s Soho London. It only took till the second episode for the underground gay world being the story, complete with "speakeasy" type back street gay bars featuring tragic drag queens and effeminate stagehands. Having Mancunian athletic but pretty boy William Ash (from "Burn It") playing the closet queen was inspired casting despite the storyline being a bit cliché and dodgy: the closet queen is of course the murderer, he can't live a happy life and ultimately has to die too. How very "Celluloid Closet"!

Atmospheric, and some great performances

[ANeary · 6 November 2005]

Jericho is a middle-aged over-achieving Scotland Yard detective, tormented by witnessing the death of his father as a child. This may sound somewhat formulaic, but that would be unfair to this tremendous series. The evocation of 1950s London is superb: even down to details like a "blink-and-you-miss-it" sign in a window advertising for tenants stating "no Blacks, no Irish" (A common sight in post-war Britain: I can vouch for this - my parents were Irish and told me about it).

The performances are superb, and the cast includes the cream of British acting: Robert Lindsay of course, but also Peter Bowles, James Wilby, Jane Horrocks, among others.

Anyonewho has seen "Foyle's War" will appreciate the sense of period and the way the stories intelligently explore contemporary issues. Highly recommended.

LA Confidential, Not Foyle's War

[charlotteford · 9/10 · 16 June 2006]

Another reviewer has compared Jericho unfavorably with Foyle's War. I, too, am a fan of Foyle's War, but Jericho appears to be striving much more for LA Confidential.

Robert Linsday is a wonderful, Tony Awarding-winning actor and one of the best new TV detectives I've seen in a while. The casting of the secondary and guest roles is very fine. I generally hate conspicuous music tracks, but I was immediately sucked into the first episode by the theme music, which also seems to owe a debt to the LA Confidential sound track.

I know nothing about London in the 1950's but I enjoyed this imagined version of it very much.

Another hit for the Mystery! series

[tommymax · 10/10 · 2 January 2007]

Mystery! has done it again with this series, which is quite different than most of what's gone before. And that helps to make this one another hit.

I'm a long-time fan of the Mystery! series and a particular fan of Inspector Morse. Anyone familiar with that series knows the high quality product that long-running series consistently put out. So I'm not an easy audience, given my perspective.

But Robert Lindsay has made DI Michael Jericho his own. He IS Jericho. In the same way that the late great John Thaw made Morse his own character, Lindsay has grabbed Jericho by the throat and taken his identity from him. I haven't read any of the books so I don't know how the character comes across there, but Lindsay's interpretation is "spot on" from a television perspective.

I'm currently in the midst of re-watching the first episode on DVD (thanks for that) after having caught at least 2 of the original airings last Fall (Ragged Claws and Johnny Swan). I was hooked from the start; and like Morse, Jericho holds up well on repeated re-watchings. So even after you know who done it, you're nevertheless caught up in the drama.

The musical score and overall style of this series do indeed make it unique. It's all a bit "X-Files-esq," but I find both quite enjoyable and fitting, and, in my humble opinion, they help make the series stand out.

Like Morse, Jericho has a solid side-kick who compliments his character perfectly. It seems they have an endless supply of fine "character actors" over there in the UK, and I'm thankful I get to see them when I can. Even the "bit parts" get solid treatment from fine British actors. One of my favs in the first episode is Shorty. He's a hoot -- and he's not even around all that long.

Lindsay is currently also on my TV in his "My Family" series, but I refuse to watch him in that. I'm sure he's good (and I have seen some of it) but I don't want to lose that Jericho edge that I'm currently working on with him.

I've given this series a 10, which is not to say it's an equal to Morse. But 10 to me means it's a standout with little or nothing to criticize. Beyond that, it's simply a matter of taste. I only hope they keep this series going for quite a long time.

Thanks Gawd for Mystery! and all the rest of the great Brit shows. And, of course, also PBS. And thanks Gawd also for DVD so's I can have something to watch (and re-watch) when the mood moves me and PBS is into something else less enjoyable to me. Because if I had to live with only American TV, I'd give the medium up completely.

Mediocre

[de3206 · 6/10 · 7 October 2016]

I am a big fan of U.K. (and Scandinavian) copper shows. The characters seem to have more depth and the British producers seem to realize that most of the population does not look like fashion models or magazine covers, unlike my US shows, where only the bad guys are not physically attractive. I like that, it makes the characters feel more real.

My favorite shows of all time are from the U.K. Foyle's War, George Gently, Midsommer Murders, Inspector Lewis......

But this one leaves me flat. It is slow paced, and the investigations seem to wander about, and at the end I don't get the "Aha!" moment, where it all comes together, and you finally put the pieces together along with the show detective(s).

I'm really disappointed, because US TV has gotten SO bad and so predictable, I can't even watch the old US shows that I enjoyed.

No offense to those that enjoyed it, but I can see why there is only one season listed on IMDb. And I'm not watching PBS, I'm watching via Acorn, which I've never known to resort to crass editing for the sake of time or some imagined inappropriate content.

Deserved a longer run. It's excellent.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 30 December 2017]

ITV spent a few years seeking a replacement for Inspector Morse. I firmly believe if they'd kept with Jericho it would have developed into something rather special. Only four episodes to judge, and on the whole I'd say the standard was excellent, each story had a unique case, but there were multiple threads which spanned the series, and would have been developed.

Each episode is intriguing, my personal favourite was The Killing of Johnny Swan, such a quality episode. Superb production values, great atmosphere, most notable in the concluding episode.

The acting was fantastic throughout, Lindsay and Troughton were a fantastic duo, and played off eachother particularly well, both great in their respective roles. Shout outs for Brendan Coyle, Peter Bowles, Williams Ash and Jane Horrocks.

Such a shame the series was cut short early. 9/10

Middle-aged and still single

[ctomvelu-1 · 6/10 · 11 April 2009]

Caught an episode involving a serial killer using a garrote, and the killer is likely a woman, for various reasons not worth going into here. Inspector Jericho, an aging detective with no home life, traces the possible killer to a lonely hearts organization, and meets with two of the five women who most recently dated the two murder victims, one of whom was a nuclear scientist and the other a postman. The ending is very tricky, to say the least, especially since Jericho begins to hit it off with the most likely suspect and fights about this constantly with his fellow coppers. Jericho's life is further complicated by the fact that his latest girlfriend is a hooker, and an illegal alien to boot. His adversaries in the department use her and one of Jericho's informants to try to set Jericho up for The Big Fall. Will it happen? Watch and see. The show is very British. so it takes a minimum of two viewings to figure out who's who and what they're saying. And for reasons best known to the show's makers, JERICHO (a really bad choice for a title on this side of the Atlantic) is set in the 1950s or thereabouts. Robert Lindsey stars, and I hope his performance is a hit with the Brits, because he just seems tired and confused all the time, and probably should be retired. MONK, he is not.

Rave Review

[gilliann · 10/10 · 1 November 2009]

I just saw the first two episodes of Jericho, and I can't believe this show never made it to a second series! I read that the audience was smaller after the first episode aired, but it seems like there are definitely shows that keep getting made even if they're insipid & nobody watches them, so why does a genius program like this get canceled? Jericho's definitely as compelling as Foyle was, and the 50's style is so wonderfully atmospheric, so well-done, I felt like I was watching something made in that decade. The plots are powerful, the acting's great, and the cinematography gorgeous -- what's the downside? There isn't one -- so who do I petition to get them to pick it up again and make more episodes? I'm looking forward to seeing Eps. 3 and 4, but already sad that there aren't any more after that!

Outstanding Mystery Series

[pmartin-14 · 10/10 · 3 August 2006]

There have been only a few television shows (and movies) that have compelled me to recommend them highly to others - "Foyle's War", "The Sandbaggers," and "Horatio Hornblower" come quickly to mind. I'm adding the Jericho series to the list, based on the two installments that I've thus far been able to view, "A Pair of Jagged Claws" and "The Killing of Johnny Swan".

Both episodes were well-crafted and very atmospheric. The acting, as expected given the actors involved, has been outstanding, and the mysteries themselves - both of which touch upon key social issues - have been intriguing. I do agree that the music can distract attention and cover over the dialog. However, for me it was a minor nuisance. Overall, these two episodes have been wonderful to watch, and I wish more television series and movies were as well-constructed and well-acted. I am waiting rather impatiently for the US versions of "To Murder and Create" and "The Hollow Men" to become available, and hope there will be even more installments of this excellent mystery series available in the near future.

Not the greatest

[ejbleendreeble · 5/10 · 15 May 2006]

This series invites a direct comparison with Foyle's War, and Jericho definitely comes off second-best. It's clear that from a production point of view the creators of Jericho threw all they had at their disposal. There is an overdone music soundtrack which verges on the annoying. There are all the props to re-create the 1950's feel, including even two period London double-decker buses, and the costumes are first-rate, but somehow it seems to go wrong so much of the time. There is an attempt to relive film noir, but that's hard when you shoot in color. There are even typewritten subs for each location in the episodes -- a cliché long before this series was made.

As DI Michael Jericho, Robert Lindsay seems to be lost, and he's not much helped by the scripts. Is Jericho supposed to be confident media hero, maverick detective, harried cop just doing his job, or neurotic failing to come to terms with the death of his father (which he relives far too often in flashback)? Even his dyed hair looks wrong -- only men of a certain orientation dyed their hair in the 1950's; and he's not enough of an actor to persuade us to forget that he plays a comic dentist in the series "My Family." In short, this is no Foyle's War, and Lindsay is no Michael Kitchen.

Love the show, the stars, the pace, the period, and the "noir"!

[papyrus beetle · 10/10 · 15 October 2007]

Absolutely love JERICHO and all the cast, it's like seeing a TV-series out of the Michael Powell movie PEEPING TOM, the crumminess of Soho in the 1950's, the grungy NIGHT AND THE CITY bars and clubs. This is a gripping show, with tons of depth and so many great back stories and characters I watch the episodes again and again just to enjoy the details. I'd never seen Robert Lindsay before this, and he IS the role. I love the way he moves--he's a blast to watch. So many movies and movie-genres have slid downhill in the last decades---but television series are now serious cinema art, and JERICHO is a super example of the detail and emotion an audience deserves. 1950's noir, British noir as it was meant to be!

Perfect!

[Thorsten-Krings · 10/10 · 27 April 2008]

Jericho's name alludes to THE classic Scotland Yard detective, Gideon. Gideon's Way was the best cop show on British television before the Sweeney. The main reason was the excellent writing and the great characters. Jericho picks these high standards up and develops them further by giving the series a dark touch. Also in terms of cinematography Jericho looks more like neo-noir than TV. So all in all it's a very classy production. Robert Lindsay proves to be not only one of the best actors of his generation but in the UK. He does high brow and entertainment with the same ease and elegance. After about 10 minutes you don't evcen remember that there ever was a series called My family. His Jericho is dark and brooding. The other great performance in this series comes from Peter Bowles. We know him as suave man about town from many TV productions but here he gives the performance of a life time as dark, menacing crime lord. Perfect!

Brilliant!

[icebreather · 10/10 · 29 November 2010]

I have just seen the last episode here in Sweden. A pity they did not continue with a second season. I especially thought it was interesting not only because he solves crimes in the late 50's but also that he has to battle corrupt policemen in Scotland Yard and at the same time wants to have an relation with a prostitute (witch would end his career in the force); this adds multiple dimensions to this drama and sets it, in my opinion, apart from other British TV-detective stories.

You get a feel for the atmosphere of 1950's London. My mother lived there for a number of years in her youth, in the beginning of 1960's and I have heard many stories about life in that city. The buses you could catch in the middle of any street, the thick fog that made it impossible to be outside etc.

It is a "must see" for all who like dramas like Midsomer Murders and Foyle's War. I can only hope they resurrect the series in the future, but sadly I do not think this will happen. This should however not discourage others from seeing it since all episodes ends with a conclusion of "who done it".

A real lead balloon

[blake-36398 · 2/10 · 14 September 2017]

We just finished watching the four episodes of this series. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew that I had watched this before. Certain scenes seemed familiar. I would say that because it was not up front with my recollection of other series like Foyle's War, Midsomer Murders, Inspector Lewis and yes, even The Last Detective. All of whom are worth watching over and over again with characters and actors that we really like. Jericho is forgettable. Robert Lindsay played a character that was dull and absorbed with the memories of his father's assassination. Understandable, but the flashbacks concerning the death were getting to be tiresome and did he carry his father's watch with him when he showered and went to sleep? It seemed to be always in his hand. The man needed therapy. It was a puzzle that he became such a hero, because there was no indication that he had any special detecting skills. From what we could see, he was mediocre at best. His two assistants were better detectives. The introduction of his mother in the last episode had no real value. The scenes with Jericho and his mother seemed like their lines were made up as they went along. I guess the writers try to be clever, but there are so many twists and turns I liken it to a bowl of cooked spaghetti. After awhile you don't care "who done it". There was no real chemistry between Jericho and the hooker. I guess because he had been obsessed with his father's death for all of his life, he could not handle any meaningful relationships. As has become the norm, at the end of each episode, there are more unanswered questions then there are answers. It is as if you have to write the ending yourself. All in all, not really worth watching.

Robert Lindsay plays detective

[studioAT · 3/10 · 30 June 2015]

You can't blame Robert Lindsay. After 5 years on sitcom 'My Family' he probably wanted to stretch his legs a bit,and this drama about a detective in the 50's would have been just the escape he wanted.

And to his credit he's good in his role here and supported by some decent scripts. The problem this show faced was that it was shown on the wrong night. It was too complex in terms of plots for people to grasp on a Sunday night when they want something easy going to just wash over them ahead of going back to work on Monday.

On any other night I think this show would have succeeded, but as it was ITV stuck it on at the right time, the ratings didn't hold up and then we were saying goodbye to Jericho as quick as we'd said hello.