--- title: "Detectorists: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/detectorists/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/detectorists" critics_score: 88 critics_reviews: 8 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Detectorists (2014): what the critics said Critics' score 88 from 8 reviews: 8 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews are unanimous, and unusually so: eight in, every one positive, and the praise sits in the same place each time. Critics describe Mackenzie Crook’s comedy about two metal detectorists in rural Essex as gentle, wistful and unhurried, and most of them reach for the word quiet. The writing and the central double act draw the warmest notices, with Toby Jones’s downtrodden Lance singled out more than once. Several reviews also note the folky score and the rural settings. There is almost nothing to report on the other side. The spread is narrow, the lowest score is still a strong one, and nobody files a reservation of substance. The Guardian sits lowest and observes that the show is really about the characters’ private lives rather than the hobby, which reads as description rather than complaint. The later American notices treat it as a hidden gem discovered late, while the British press liked it from the start. ## Radio Times — Mark Braxton Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). The review calls Detectorists a breath of fresh air, naturalistic and gently funny with memorable sadness, celebrating its rural settings and the characters’ gentle lives. It singles out the central duo’s spoddish charm and the show’s sunny virtue. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/programme/b-3aj5p9/detectorists-season-1/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Tim Goodman Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 15 January 2018. The review hails Detectorists as one of the better hidden gems on TV, a lovely slice-of-life comedy refined over three seasons with enough drama to invest viewers in the characters. It singles out the show’s ability to make small stories passionately engaging. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/detectorists-review-1074827/) ## The i Paper Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 8 November 2017. The review praises Mackenzie Crook’s understated take on hapless male friendship in this final series of the comedy about two metal detectorists. It singles out the tender, musical exchanges and silences between characters as a highlight. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/detectorists-bbc4-review-metalhead-comedy-full-tender-moments-102689) ## The Times — Andrew Billen Rating ****. 3 October 2014. Mackenzie Crook’s delightfully poignant comedy about metal-detecting is a rare and beautiful treasure, beautifully acted and written with Jones excelling as the downtrodden Lance. It stands out for its subtle humour and depth amid more flashy contemporaries. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/tv-review-detectorists-peaky-blinders-phnw66th68s) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 4 December 2014. Mackenzie Crook and Toby Jones are a delightful double-act as bickering friends in this wistful, subtle comedy about metal detecting in rural Essex. The series excels in its gentle tone, folky score and focus on the characters' personal lives and eccentricities rather than the hobby itself. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/dec/04/detectorists-toby-jones-mackenzie-crook-box-set-review) ## The Ringer — Ben Lindbergh Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 15 January 2018. The critic praises Detectorists as a gentle, charming cult classic that stands out for its quiet focus on ordinary lives and a niche hobby. He singles out the show's compassionate, uncynical tone and its loving depiction of the two leads' friendship and metal-detecting passion. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2018/01/15/tv/detectorists-mackenzie-crook) ## Collider — Allison Keene Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 25 January 2019. The critic celebrates the series as a Peak TV treasure for its quiet loveliness, sincerity, and focus on small, meaningful moments in ordinary lives. They single out the gifted storytelling and believable quirky characters brought to life by Mackenzie Crook and Toby Jones. [Read the review](https://collider.com/detectorists-hulu-mackenzie-crook/) ## Paste — Shane Ryan Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 7 August 2020. The critic calls Detectorists a dose of quiet minimalism and artistic brilliance, praising its unhurried rhythms, humanity, and emotional depth. They single out the masterful performances of the leads and the nostalgic, poignant use of setting and theme song. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/detectorists/detectorists-streaming) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/detectorists.md