Bergerac (1981–1991) User Reviews

Good show

[blanche-2 · 8/10 · 6 March 2019]

I have to agree with one of the reviewers here who said: "... the fact remains that John Nettles as Jim Bergerac was and is a surprising success story. I like it and so do millions of others but i feel that no one has really ever explained quite why."

I did like it - how could I not, it has John Nettles. What was interesting to me is that this series made him the European Telly Savalas, but while Bergerac is a good show with beautiful Jersery scenery and Nettles, there isn't anything about its stories or characters that screams "megahit." It's much more low-key than something like Kojack, and his character has no 'who loves ya baby' or lollipops in his mouth, he isn't hard up for cash like Rockford and living in a trailer and dealing with crazy Angel, he's not a brilliant slob like Columbo - If you're expecting some big, flamboyant show, this isn't it.

Throughout the years, the Bergerac character goes through quite a few girlfriends. In the early seasons, he never seemed to like or get along with his ex-father-in-law Charlie Hungerford, portrayed by Terence Alexander. He and his ex-wife Deborah (Deborah Grant) are civil to one another, but then in another season it looked like they might get back together. Later on she and the daughter are basically off the show and Bergerac and his father-in-law are good buddies. Characters come and go, with the regulars being Sean Arnold as Bergerac's boss, Bergerac himself, and Charlie. Later on, Louise Jameson enters as Bergerac's love interest, Susan Young.

I think the secret is Nettles - attractive, with a great voice and a wonderful presence, he was captivating as DCI Barnaby in Midsomer Murders and charming and no-nonsense as Bergerac. He radiates a sexy warmth. I don't know what I was expecting from Bergerac, but when I read it was a huge hit and starred Nettles, I had to see it. I thought to myself, why was this a huge hit? But I kept watching.

I loved this show - in the early years

[sith_suzie · 8/10 · 10 July 2006]

I felt, after reading the ONE other review that I had to stick up for this show.

I remember reading that this show was coming to our screens and really wanting to watch it and absolutely adored it from the first moment, the beautiful locations, the gorgeous car (Triumph Roadster) and totally fell in love with John Nettles! (I was only 13) I even begged my folks to take me to Jersey - and we found a good deal and went! I read about other reviewers commenting on the ridiculously high body count but please remember that Jim worked for the Bureau Of Strangers, and most of the fatalities were visitors, course, he also appeared to investigate a lot of local crime...

Anyway, I loved this show and happily watch it during UKTV Gold re-runs and yes, its dated, but for me it brings back the old magic. Wonderful stuff.

A good start for John Nettles

[TheJiveMaster · 8/10 · 11 February 2008]

Nowadays most younger television viewers would think of DCI Barnaby solving murders in the fictional yet dangerous Midsommer whenever the name John Nettles is mentioned. However his rise to fame came in the 1980's series Bergerac. Nettles played Detective Seargeant Jim Bergerac, a detective with Jersey's Bureau Des Etrangers. The background to this character was that he was a recovering alcoholic who had returned to his native Jersey following a serious accident whilst on duty and the breakdown of his marriage.

The background to Jim Bergerac was complex but was skillfully played by Nettles. His appearance was as a charismatic generally amiable character. His hardness usually came out when dealing with criminals or attempting to get information. His approach to solving crime is often unorthodox and usually against the wishes and orders of his superiors.

The most notable supporting character of the series is the cigar toting Charlie Hungerford played by Terence Alexander. The initial sniping between the two characters and the later friendship that develops between them is a nice diversion. Alexander also provided a slight comedic element to the show due to his money making schemes and other slightly shady dealings.

Bergerac was a good series for the 1980's and is still of a high quality today. It portrayed a seedy world under the glamour of tax exiles living in Jersey. It was filmed in a 50 minute format popular until 2000 which allowed it to be easily sold to commercial channels and as such it lacks a bit of substance compared to modern dramas. This does make it easy to watch as the crimes are easy to solve for the armchair detective. One thing that is grating though is the lack of conclusion to each episode or recrimination afterwards.

In general the series is still well worth watching even after nearly 30 years of debuting on television.

The series that brought the BBC into the modern era.

[Scooby-57 · 31 July 2000]

Before (and in some cases after) Bergerac BBC dramas were pathetically low budget and often set in over-lit and wobbly studio-sets that were a throwback to a theatre tradition that television needed to take a step, a cinematic step indeed, away from.

Bergerac was instrumental in changing that. What makes it take this leap is that every scene is outside broadcast. If the scene is in an office in a police station, then it is filmed in an office. It may seem a small thing, but compare it to other BBC dramas of the time, like Juliet Bravo, and you will see how Bergerac stands the test of time and they fail.

John Nettles is superb in the lead role, but as ever, for a series like this to work, it is the supporting actors that make the difference and these are in two categories. Firstly, the regulars who are good and fun, especially Charlie Hungerford, a more subtle and plausible Arthur Daley character, and Barney Crozier, one of the world's most grumpy men, but one who you still are able to have a little time for. Secondly, the guest actors, and these read like a checklist of British dramatic talent, either classic stars making guest appearances (Beryl Reid, Sir Norman Wisdom, Richard Griffiths) or a host of younger actors who were on the cusp of being household names (Ray Winston, Resse Dinsdale, Louise Jameson, Lisa Goddard).

A decade is a long time, but the quality of Bergerac never failed throughout its ten years (which almost mirrored Mrs Thatcher's term as PM; it makes the series interesting social history for that golden decade as well as drama). Outstanding.

Great Actor but shows a bit dated now.

[bishopmart · 6/10 · 23 March 2019]

I grew up with Bergerac and like your first love you have fond memories of it.

But it's very much of its time with poor mediocre scripts and poor picture quality ( due to probably being filmed on tape )

That said I continue to watch them on Drama channel becuse they are a time capsule of the 1980s when I grew up and nothing beats nostalgia!

John Nettles is a very fine actor and a very pleasant man to meet and he was a great ambassador to jersey where it was filmed and a great historian writing about the occupation of the Channel Islands.

Watch them for the memory's if nothing else.

The car's the star

[arowlands-85400 · 7/10 · 5 July 2020]

What makes this show so special is Bergeracs car.Also the locations are really beautiful and make you long to visit Jersey.Terence Alexander also does a marvelous turn as Jim's roguish ex father-in-law-always looking for a lucrative business opportunity and not too bothered weather it's within the law or not?

Very entertaining cop show

[ChristianLeFeuvre · 10/10 · 18 February 2019]

This was a very entertaining cop show filmed on the beautiful island of Jersey. John Nettles was terrific in the title role and keep a lookout throughout each series for some really famous faces including Ray Winstone, Michael Gambon, Art Malik and even Norman Wisdom. The locations and views of the island really helped the tourist trade for the island and as I am originally from Jersey I was lucky enough to be an extra in a couple of episodes. The storylines and characters are a tad far fetched but this was the 80's after all, so look past that and Bergerac is actually a fun and enjoyable watch. I recommend it.

Enjoyable and Gotcha

[vintagegeek · 7/10 · 3 October 2021]

We get a real kick out of the Bergerac episodes. They chug along jumping from scene to scene for 50 minutes until the final chase scene, or fist fight in the water and then abruptly end with gotcha. Then no wrap up. It's great how the bar is "command central" so to speak.

So brilliantly quaint and nostalgic

[Dr_Coulardeau · 9/10 · 8 November 2017]

This series was a long appreciated TV event in its own days. It lasted nine years and had a strong unity in its geographic center: It was Jersey, the most famous of all Channel Islands, best known today for its status as a tax haven in Europe. And in the time of the series, it was already that in many ways, a channel for all kinds of traffic and illegal export and import activities, not to speak of drugs and even human trafficking.

Bergerac starts as a simple little small local Police Constable in the Bureau des Etrangers which is nothing but the local name of the police. He will eventually become a sergeant detective, but he will then leave the service to have some private life, mostly with the daughter of a winemaker in Vaucluse, France, but he will come back to Jersey as a private investigator under the authority of Charles Hungerford, the rich businessman who is the most influential member of the Law and Order Commission.

The first interest in the series is its length and the evolution of the cases dealt with in the various episodes, from petty crimes and petty traffics at first to international political situations and international illegal activities to be taken control of for the benefit of the authorities in what could be called institutionalized corruption. But the one case per episode kind of dilutes the force of the evolution. It is in a way cut up into thin baloney slices. In other words, it lacks unity and perspective.

The second interest is Bergerac himself as a police constable, detective, sergeant or not, and private investigator. He is the type of person who cannot abide by a set of rules that should be very clear for everyone including him of course and are systematically overlooked, by him particularly. That's often dangerous for him or other people but it has the great charm of being effective because the shortcuts used by Bergerac surprise the criminals or delinquents and they are easier to trap and catch. Bergerac's interviewing technique is always fast, brutal, pressurizing more than empathetic. The one he considers as the culprit has to go through a rough time but that leads to quick results. This is of course totally unrealistic.

The third interest is to explore the relations between the States of Jersey and two neighboring countries, namely France and England. The relations with France are often courteous, at least with French cops. But with Bergerac having an affair with the daughter of a winemaker in Vaucluse, we are taken down south quite often in the last seasons to harvest grapes and make wine and at the same time to solve some criminal attempts there always connected in a way or another with Jersey. The affair will end up in the last episode of the last season with a "Dear Jim letter" and the immediate consequence of Bergerac who is an alcoholic falling back into the barrel of whiskey.

The fourth interest is the strongly sexist overtone, not undertone at all when we consider the various women with whom Bergerac has affairs after his divorce with his wife, Charles Hungerford's daughter, that took place before the very beginning of the series. For Bergerac, women are always secondary entertaining characters who are always shown as wanting a normal regular life without any fear and anxiety. To be the wife or girlfriend of a cop is to be the slave of any phone call in the middle of any one hour of the twenty- four hours a day normally counts. So Bergerac cannot have any normal and stable relationship with a woman because of his job.

To bring the series to an end, first he gets the "Dear Jim Letter" I have already mentioned and in the last case of the last episode where he is the private investigator of Charles Hungerford to make some art deals secure, we learn that he is going to be promoted to some kind of administrative job that will both satisfy him, use his competence in police work and take him away from the everyday life of simple cops, constables or policemen who both complain about and are thankful for Bergerac's meddling in their business. His promotion is a typical Peter Principle recognition of competence and promotion to a position where he will be incompetent but also inoffensive: all his underlings will do the work and he will vaguely overlook the general picture.

Altogether, this series is really entertaining and even maybe rather fascinating, and anyway a real testimony about the 1981-1990 period in Jersey, France, England and even Europe. That time has completely vanished in our modern times of Brexit and vast international migration.

Dr. Jacques COULARDEAU

Bergerac is A Fab' TV Detective Series.!!!

[carmenjulianna · 5/10 · 6 June 2019]

An enjoyable experience for the avid tv detective fans.! Bergerac is still a fantastic series to watch in this day and age; as it brings back those nostalgic memories when we were young fashionable and good lookin'..back in the day.😉 As was A younger and much better looking John Nettles...Still though I believe he is as interesting an actor now as he was back then playing 'Inspector Barnaby' in 'Midsummer Murders' Great TV.....👌

Bergerac - a fine series

[safenoe · 10/10 · 8 October 2017]

John Nettles has had an outstanding career, and he was impressive in Bergerac and of course later on in Midsomer Murders. I loved the opening theme, the location, and of course John and the rest of the cast. Bergerac deserves a reboot and maybe John can make a cameo, especially with Brexit and the impact on Bergerac.

Great scenery ruined by Bergerac

[vxcdaeiz · 3/10 · 15 October 2021]

The setting is fabulous, the early episodes were good, however the later ones were ruined by the over acting and self centred attitude of Bergerac. Charlie Hungerford and the other stalwarts deserve praise supporting that wooden actor Bergerac (John Nettles). I've watched most of the episodes purely for the scenery and the supporting cast.

Why Bergerac Was What it Was

[fussgangerzone · 18 June 2001]

At 16 years old, I am probably the youngest serious Bergerac fan currently in existence. I used to watch it when I was really young, and have watched the repeats ever since. I have recently been enjoying the selected episodes being repeated on BBC 1 which ended today with the penultimate Christmas Episode and will miss watching it after coming home from a morning GCSE, especially since I break up in four days and do not have Bergerac to look forward to. I think that the series' strong points are many but there are some which really made it the great Laviathan of a programme that it was, the predominant example being its guest appearances.

Over the course of the entire saga, celebrities were made and broken, and most appeared in Bergerac. The guest stars made each and every episode immediately watchable and different from the rest, the most memorable episodes being 'Almost like a Holiday' starring the ineffable Norman Wisdom (who bumps his knee on a table within the first two minutes of the episode) and 'My Name is Sgt. Bergerac' with none other than Frank from the Vicar of Dibley, and Tony Robinson, sporting a hilarious perm and chest wig. However, on a personal level, my favourite episode was the one where Bergerac investigates a drug smuggling ring where the main villain is played by none other than Jack Galloway, father of my brother's best friend!

Watching Bergerac, it is easy to let yourself believe that it is a stereotypical police drama, but the beauty of it is, that Bergerac MADE this stereotype. The fact that one knows who the crook is almost from the start may seem to make the show pointless, yet, conversely, it does in fact raise the enjoyment as you shout 'NO, IT'S NOT HIM, IT'S THE OTHER ONE' frantically at Le Crozier.

If anyone can name a better police drama, or indeed, a better BBC drama than Bergerac, post it here and I will happily disagree.

watch it again or get to know it,it is underrated sometimes great.

[ib011f9545i · 8/10 · 12 March 2018]

I have watched Bergerac on and off since it was first on tv. I did not see every episode but just consumed a huge dvd boxed set. It went on too long and there was too much of Charlie Hungerford and the Ice Maiden. But John Nettles was a great lead and there were some great episodes. The final episode (All For Love) should be studied by tv writers to learn how to do that job.

Fairly Original and Entertaining Show

[redram91 · 9/10 · 23 June 2007]

I am 15 years old and have been watching Bergerac for only a few months. Nevertheless I have given the show a lot of thought and have formulated a few ideas. It is quite entertaining to say the least. There is no episode (that I have seen) that is completely boring, but I'm sure some exist.

Its roots definitely exist in Secret Agent starring Patrick McGoohan. The cinematography, the acting, the direction, the writing, and certainly the music. In fact, most of the writers and directors were Secret Agent veterans. However, the writing is still crisp, and the show always has fresh twists that you won't be able to guess.

The filming is wonderful. Although the first few seasons are a bit low budget, the scenery of Jersey makes up for this fact. The music, especially the piano and the end music where "John Nettles" is credited is wonderful. I particularly love those ominous or poignant endings which freeze and turn to the creepy music where the credits are given.

John Nettles, whom I enjoy watching on Midsomer Murders, is not wonderful in the first few episodes, but he quickly picks up the role. The guest stars are also superb. The scripts, as I mentioned before, are really original. I won't give too much away but be sure to check out episodes like House Guests, S.P.A.R.T.A., Last Chance for a Loser, Campaign of Silence, Fires in the Fall, or Ice Maiden.

Previous viewers have commented on the lack of reality due to the high body count. OK, who cares? Do you really think James Bond, Secret Agent, Miami Vice, or even Law and Order maintain reality ALL the time? Absolutely not. But, the show is much more intelligent than most of the TV shows made nowadays or even during the 80s. Although somewhat dated and somewhat poorly produced during the first couple seasons, this show will always be one of my favorites due to its creativity, witty dialogue, and plot.

One of the best crime shows UK TV has known

[lawrenceconwayvulcan · 10/10 · 29 April 2017]

Bergerac ran for 10 years, at the start UK cop shows tended to be tough guy oriented (e.g The Sweeney and The Professionals) and it ended in the year that Prime Suspect heralded the grim and gritty take on the genre that is prevalent today. Bergerac featured many takes on the genre including the 2 mentioned. A perfect example of a tough guy entry would be 'The Last Interview' which has Jim going up against the Mafia while 'Holiday Snaps' is a much more psychologically based episode that revolves round the brutal murder of a Jersey resident on a French holiday camp. There were also episodes which dealt with political issues such as 'Love and War' which dealt with Aperthied South Africa and episodes that had a supernatural bent like 'Fires in the Fall' which seemed to have a rational explanation until a last minute twist. To sum up Bergerac gave the viewer all kind of stories which is more than could be said for today's crop of cop shows

The watchability of this show

[gharedsu · 7 August 2002]

Bergerac is one of the few shows which, on many occasions, had unique plots or plots that had unique twists. It resisted the temptation to jump on any particular bandwagon. The 'hero', Bergerac, was neither hero nor the still-popular anti-hero. The writers often back-referenced with regard to the ongoing arc which took Bergerac from recovering alcoholic to lucky in love, unlucky in love, lucky in his job, unlucky in his job, and eventually back to the bottle again, without twisting him out of character to do it.

In my opinion, this show still stands the test of time and is more watchable than too many of the newer shows on TV today.

Timeless story

[ard31 · 10/10 · 14 August 2021]

Love John Nettles. A tv series to be treasured. So many seasons, wish there was more.

Bergerac TV Series 1981

[fenderred · 10/10 · 25 March 2023]

I enjoyed the Shoestring TV Series which was also written by Robert Banks Stewart also with a theme tune by George Fenton.

When Shoestring abruptly ceased, Bergerac came into being. The iconic Sweeney TV series on ITV had just need after 4 years and Bergerac was likely being brought to television to fill the BBC's slot with the recent demise of its own Z Cars Police drama series.

Bergerac was quite different, the scripts were tight and the drama was good. With great acting, scripts, cast and crew in a location unused in a long term Police drama, it became an instant hit.

The Z Cars series had been around since 1963 and Bergerac was a breath of fresh air. The series had future length Christmas special episodes in some series and these were really good.

Sometime there would be guest actors such as David Schofield who appeared as different characters in different episodes, Schofield in two episodes and played the criminal mastermind in Second time around, a Christmas Special where he had a larger role.

Watching any of the episodes across the collection, you'll fid some really top drawer household name actors as well as players who would find greater fame in years to come.

Like the Sweeney, Bergerac was around 45 minutes per episode and the story and drama was fast moving, tightly acted, well written and had a great variety of storylines.

Its no wonder that it is still something that I can go back to again and again to watch, like any classic and well made television.

Later episodes perhaps suffered towards the end of the run of programs, but it is likely after a decade that some of the players wanted to move on to other roles, as John Nettles did to Midsomer Murders, again he stayed in this series for some years.

Some of the film quality may look a bit grainy now, in the days of 4K HD filming, but the backdrops, locations and now old fashions and vehicles are interesting to look out for.

I don't think you would be disappointed in watching any of the episodes some 30+ years after the last was made.

series review

[mnb-123 · 8/10 · 19 October 2021]

My review is for the end of series 8 & the complete series 9 with xmas special ie the end of the Bergerac series. The story lines were better, lovely scenery in France but Charlie Hungerford steals the show!

great TV

[richbaillie · 4 February 2006]

I really love watching old episodes of this and think it's a shame that UKTV are not showing every episode. I think the first series was great and although the show lost its way a bit for the next few series, it did pick up again in the late 1980s with a few standout shows. I agree with a previous reader that the episode with the mercenary is good, as is the flashback one to WW2, and the one where he goes to London and has a great scene in St paul's cathedral with that Scottish actor who used to be in everything. Also good are the later episodes in France. Strange to see Bergerac's girlfriend from series 1 turning up nearly 20 years later with Sean Bean in Sharpe! Also the production values in the later series were so much higher. All in all great nostalgia and interesting social history of the 1980s, Jim always wakes up with Terry Wogan's breakfast show for example, possibly the only detective to do this. But the fact remains that John Nettles as Jim Bergerac was and is a surprising success story. I like it and so do millions of others but i feel that no one has really ever explained quite why.

Well-made detective series.

[johdousha · 1 June 2001]

This is probably the last comment I'll write from England, as I'm flying back home to America after a year here in a couple of days. Unfortunately, that also means I'll be flying away from Bergerac on the BBC. I discovered this marvelous old detective show a short time ago, and since then I've enjoyed every episode of the programme I've seen. John Nettles is so cool and calm in the title role, and the cast of regulars is fun to watch and full of life. The plots are interesting, though not overly contrived. As much as I enjoy reading Agatha Christie books (and watching BBC adaptations of them), I sometimes find her plots a little too twisty for their own good. Bergerac's plots don't suffer this [ever-so-slight] malady. The scenery on the island of Jersey is beautiful, though I don't know whether it was filmed there or not. One might suspect (and hope!) that the crime-rate is somewhat less than represented in the show, but since watching Bergerac, I seriously want to visit the island and find out for myself. Also, if I do manage to visit Jersey sometime down the road, I have reason to believe I'll be able to pick up the BBC signal and watch re-runs of Bergerac to my heart's content! I recommend this police detective show to anyone who enjoys British television drama or detective shows. One last thing: I really love the tune they play at the end of the show. Hope I can get a recording of that sometime!

not just for wet afternoons

[jamescredmond · 20 February 2006]

I agree with other readers who felt that Bergerac outlived his shelf life, but isn't this typical of the BBC when they realise they've got a hit on their hands? instead of letting a good idea run its natural course they flog it to death, detracting from the originality, which the earlier series certainly had. for all that, Bergerac is a well-crafted piece of TV. there was only one episode which I found truly awful, centring on a faded singer with a drink problem who meets up with his old duet-partner. cue jealous husband, dreadful singing, tragic demise and weak twist to the plot.the rest were either good or outstanding. I have no problem in recommending bergerac. watch, regardlessof the weather. bergerac is available on DVD from may 06 from the bbc shop.

more comments

[808state · 25 September 2001]

as a long time bergerac fan i am pleased to find this site and would like to add to the previous comments.it was painfully obvious in the first series that it was shot out of season as at times the light is appalling.it was a very well written series from the creator of shoestring robert banks stewart the choice of jersey being a master stroke, it was responsible for the increase in holiday business once established .it was a bit long in the tooth and making bergerac a private detective was a bit lame.characters were good and bad charlie being longest running ,debs his wife/charlies daughter was exceptional but was not in every series.his first girlfriend francine was a bit wooden,how could a travel rep know so much.celia imrie was superb and well replaced by louise jameson who was sadly killed off at the start of a new series .to sum up , a well written adult series with picturesque locations good cast a very rare car but went on to long series wise.>

Certainly John Nettles' finest hour

[matthew-58 · 22 May 2005]

Bergerac established John Nettles as one of the most famous television actors in the 1980s, something that he has continued to this day, although more recently in the considerably more pedestrian Midsomer Murders.

Bergarac certainly benefited from some excellent input from a remarkably broad range of quality TV figures like Robert Banks Stewart, Robert Holmes, Tristan DeVere Cole, Chris Boucher, Dennis Spooner, Tony Dow, Matthew Robinson, Bob Baker and Geoffrey Sax etc, and location filming on Jersey was regarded as rather exotic at the time.

I think I ought to correct Scooby-57's comment that this show made Louise Jameson famous. She was already very famous from her regular role in Doctor Who when the show regularly attracted about 13 million viewers and also her role in Tenko.