The heart of the show is the dynamic between the veteran Gently—an "old-school" detective with strong moral ethics—and his young, ambitious, and often undisciplined partner, John Bacchus.

Episodes tackle controversial issues of the time, including racial prejudice, the abolition of the death penalty (1965), feminism, class division, and police corruption.

While based on the novels by Alan Hunter, which are set in East Anglia, the TV series relocated the action to the North East.

The series is set against the backdrop of the "Swinging Sixties" and early 1970s, meticulously recreating the era's social and political landscape.

Martin Shaw (DCI George Gently) and Lee Ingleby (DS/DI John Bacchus). Total Episodes: 25 feature-length episodes across 8 series.