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In an episode of David Renwick's sitcom One Foot in the Grave (BBC,
1990-2000), Victor Meldrew (Richard Wilson) infuriates his wife by revealing the
solution to the detective novel she is reading. The book in question is The
Judas Window, a classic 'locked room' mystery, a subsection of the impossible
crime genre and the speciality of its author John Dickson Carr (here using his
'Carter Dickson' pseudonym). In Jonathan Creek, Renwick celebrates this genre,
combining it with the complex comic plotting and split-second timing that give
his comedies their recognisable stamp.
In the pilot episode, 'The Wrestler's Tomb' (tx. 10/5/1997), the pugnacious
investigative journalist Maddy Magellen (Caroline Quentin) tries to break a
seemingly unbreakable alibi. She turns to Jonathan Creek, a designer of
illusions for stage magician Adam Klaus (played by Anthony Head in the pilot,
Stuart Milligan thereafter). Although a number of established actors, including
Nicholas Lyndhurst, were considered, the part eventually went to stand-up
comedian Alan Davies, making his acting debut.
Most episodes split the focus between the mystery, Klaus' comic mishaps and
the will-they-won't-they romance between the hard-boiled, strictly urban Maddy
and the cerebral Creek, whose country residence is in a windmill (actually in
Shipley, West Sussex). The two eventually end up in bed together in 'Miracle in
Crooked Lane' (tx. 28/12/1999), but the romance is soon off again.
In 'Jack in the Box' (tx. 17/5/1997), Creek admonishes that "we mustn't confuse
what's impossible with what's implausible", before explaining how an apparent
suicide in a sealed underground bunker is in fact murder. In other stories the
pair investigate how a man could be in London and New York at the same time, how
someone could walk on snow without leaving any footprints, and other intriguing
riddles.
Renwick's dense and complicated plots often work best in feature length
editions like 'Black Canary' (tx. 24/12/1998) and 'The Problem at Gallows Gate'
(tx. 14-21/2/1998), emphasising spooky and grotesque situations. The balance of
drama and comedy, however, usually tips in favour of the latter, evidenced by
guest appearances by such comedy stalwarts as Brian Murphy and Bob Monkhouse, as
well as The Young Ones (BBC, 1982-84) stars Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer and Adrian
Edmondson.
When Quentin became unavailable for the 2001 Christmas special 'Satan's
Chimney' (tx. 26/12/2001), Renwick introduced the neurotic Carla Borrego (Julie
Sawalha), who replaced Maddy in the subsequent series.
Sergio Angelini
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1. Scene of the crime (3:44)
