What’s Worth Watching: ‘The Detectorists’ on Acorn TV for Monday, August 17

Detectorists, Episodes 1-6 (available Monday, Aug. 17, Acorn TV)

Have metal detector, will travel. Such is the modus operandi of Mutt-and-Jeff treasure hunters Andy and Lance, members of a forlorn little club in rural Essex. They scour the ancient countryside mostly in vain, hoping to unearth something more special than a tarnished Matchbox car. Turns out Detectorists, a gently whimsical winner, is the real find.

Written and directed by and starring Mackenzie Crook (Pirates of the Caribbean) as obsessive oddball Andy, and Wayward Pines‘ Toby Jones as lovesick Lance, this altogether original six-episode series charms with its mild and shambling pathos. It won BAFTA Awards for best scripted comedy and comedy writing, an impressive feat for such a purposefully low-key series. Binge-watching sounds much too urgent an approach for a show so quietly offbeat, but once you get a taste of Andy and Lance’s endearing bromance, you just might find yourself sitting through all six highly amusing episodes—Acorn is making the entire first season available for instant streaming—and wishing for more.

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