TV review

DIRK GENTLY (BBC 4)

Based on characters created by Douglas Adams; series created by Howard Overman; directed by Damon Thomas.

Do you believe in the fundamental connectedness of all things? Dirk (Steven Mangan) does, and by the use of this and other concepts such as chaos theory, (which involves , for example, following the first person he sees from the window on the grounds that they must be cosmically linked to the case)somehow, miraculously perhaps, solves cases referred to his detective agency. I've been a fan of Douglas Adams since HGTG days, and this new series on BBC 4 has been a positive delight. Hilariously written and finely acted, this is a fitting tribute to Adams, who died tragically young of a heart attack in the 1980s.

I've liked Steven Mangan since his performance in the British comedy "Festival", based on the notable Edinburgh event. His supports, including Darren Boyd as McDuff, Gently's long suffering sidekick and Helen Baxendale, McDuff's GF, are excellent. I look forward to the next series with some anticipation.