If anyone has ever read Douglas Adams books will understand, it’s a bit complicated and, honestly, just a bit weird. It doesn’t necessary mean it’s bad. On the contrary, Adams books are an international phenomenon and have been celebrated for decades. It doesn’t mean it should be adapted into a film or series, but I do give props for people trying. Fortunately, BBC America’s Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency isn’t a direct adaptation from the books – Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency and The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul. Instead, it’s writer and creator Max Landis’ interpretation of Dirk Gently and his story. For fans who have read the books, there are a lot of changes, but for those who have never read the book, this may be a lot to take in.
Whenever people see a cute British guy who plays a detective, they assume a Sherlock Holmes type of character. In the story of Dirk Gently (played by Samuel Barnett), our detective doesn’t believe in clues or have his own ‘mind palace’, instead, his approach to solving the mystery is believing the universe will lead him to the answers. This holistic way of thinking is what makes Dirk a brilliant detective – he’s just damn lucky that the universe is on his side. Of course, this connection with the universe brings him to Todd (Elijah Wood), a down-on-his-luck lonely guy who is just struggling to make ends meat. Dirk takes Todd under his wing, despite the protest from Todd, and together, they become a team to solve a really confusing crime which involves a mass murder, a black kitten, cult-like bald men, and some supernatural weirdness. While Dirks is a bit strange, Todd is the straight-arrow character who, like the audience, is trying to make sense of it all.
The storylines are completely jumbled and confusing but as the episodes moved on, it becomes a bit clearer. Everything is truly connected in some way and it blows your mind. When you let go of logic and begin to accept the oddities of the show – which involves psychic predictions, random characters that destroy things, and souls being devoured, you start to see the beauty of it, especially for the Adams (and Landis) fan.
Although Dirk and Todd are presumed to be the main characters of the series, the real heroes – or possibly anti-hero – comes in the form of a psychopathic holistic assassin named Bart (played brilliantly by Fiona Dourif) and her newfound assistant Ken (Mpho Koaho). Their interactions and performances stand out from the other characters because of their chemistry and they may have the funniest conversational dialogue. It’s obvious that relationship between Bart and Ken seem to mirror that of Dirk and Todd, so this will prove interesting if and when those holistic teams will meet.
After viewing the first three episodes, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency may take time getting used to but should be given a chance. Like on the show, just let go of common sense and enjoy the series. There is a purpose for everything happening in the episode and isn’t weird just for the sake of “being weird”.
from Nerd Reactor
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