Bergerac (television)
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Bergerac was a British television show set on Jersey. It starred John Nettles as the title character Sergeant Jim Bergerac, a detective in the fictional Bureau des Etrangers.
The series lasted from 1981 to 1991 and was perhaps inspired by the Thatcherite feeling of that time. The crimes to be solved invariably involved rich people being murdered, blackmailed, or thieved from, and rarely portrayed ordinary people. More exotic storylines included the tracking down of a Nazi war criminal, and apparent intrigue amongst Freemasons.
Other characters included Charlie Hungerford, Jim's ex-father-in-law and a local tycoon, (played by Terence Alexander, well-known as having played Monty in the BBC adaptation of The Forsyte Saga), Deborah, his ex-wife, and his boss, Chief Inspector Barney Crozier.
The show is still regularly repeated on channels such as UKTV Gold and BBC ONE.
Lead Character
Jim Bergerac is supposed to be a complex character. Although sometimes his past was interesting, it was all too often cliched. Bergerac was supposed to be a recovering alcoholic, and to have gone through an unpleasant divorce. This was often referenced in subplots. His relationships with women were often dealt with, and this was not a strength of the show.
As is par for the course, Bergerac often displayed "insubordination" when in the Jersey police force. Due to personal differences, and increasing "independence", he becomes a private detective by the end of the series. Thankfully however, Bergerac lacks the self-righteous indignation of say, Quincy and some other tv detectives.
Location
The series played heavily on its Jersey location, and its supposed 'Frenchness' even in its theme tune. The early storylines were usually in and around Jersey, with short scenes shot in England and France. In later episodes however, the action strayed further and further away from Jersey, and was increasingly based in France -- introduced in part through a French girlfriend.
As Jersey is a small island, the locations there can be tracked down with ease. However, they were often "glued together" in a haphazard fashion, meaning that sometimes a car would turn a corner and end up at the other end of the island.nl:Bergerac (televisie)