British Crime and Punishment Series starring Martin Shaw. Based on the 1960s novels by Alan Hunter, but moving the setting from Norfolk to Northumberland and County Durham, this crime series set in The Sixties involves two detectives, Detective Chief Inspector George Gently and his trusty sidekick Detective Sergeant John Bacchus. The 2007 pilot and 2008 first season (just called George Gently) were rather dark affairs. The second season is somewhat lighter in tone- the stories are still fairly dark, but there are new "Sixties-style" opening titles and more comedy.