I stumbled across a little six-part 1967 British crime series called The Big M, courtesy of YouTube. Brisk half-hour episodes, well performed, a mixed bag in the writing. The exteriors were shot on location in the coastal town of Torquay. The passage of the years has given a nice time capsule feeling to the production.

The lead is compellingly played by the distinguished stage actor Michael Bryant, who right around that time was also shooting The Deep for Orson Welles, opposite Laurence Harvey, Jeanne Moreau, and Welles himself. Bryant’s character is interestingly conceived as a private detective who just isn’t into it, although even so, screenwriter Lester Powell has him make some moves that would be rather idiotic even for the extremely unmotivated.

Despite such flaws, I watched the show with attention all the way through. The last half-hour doesn’t quite stick the landing, but overall I was certainly happy with the viewing experience.