Vincent: TV Series (2005)

The daddy of all private investigators! Ray Winstone (The Departed Sexy Beast) stars in this exciting offbeat thriller series as workaholic private eye Vincent Gallagher whose clients often have problems uncannily similar to his own. Vincent's hardcore dedication and struggle to keep his emotions separate from his work sometimes have him stepping outside the law-- and into dangerous underworld territories. And these unexpectedly nasty turns force him to conquer some of his deepest darkest fears. A top-notch cast rounds out this fast-paced multilayered British series available for the first time in this complete collection of first-series episodes the riveting British answer to quirky crime favorites like Monk and the CSI series.System Requirements:Running Time: 274 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 014381365023 Manufacturer No: ID3650GKDVD Product Description

Shining jewel of a British crime series

I'm only just starting to watch the second episode of this series, and I'm already in love with it. Not just for Ray Winstone who usually shines in everything he does but for the entire cast. Winstone's title character is the star of course but this is an enjoyable team driven private detective drama about very real characters with flaws you can relate to. August 20, 2008

Not a Typical English Gentleman

I found " Vincent " to be a little " darker " than the English Mysteries to which I have become accustomed. My first inclination was that it was leaning toward becoming "Americanized ", what with tedious car following, tapping, some murder scenes, etc. Maybe, at age 78, I am beginning to show my age? July 21, 2008

I applaud this Brit series. Do not expect this to be your normal Brit TV series.

If you are a viewer who likes a detective series involving a team using high
tech devices, awesome acting, well written plots, top rate directing and
cutting, this is a series for you. Still I will warn that the
emphasis is not on the gadgetry but upon the acting and well
written plots.

This is not a typical British TV production. It is much faster paced and all characters, clients, criminals, and the supporting actors and their parts are not "Brit" TV stereo-typical.

Vincent has character development as well as top rate plots. At
times it's rather deep and reveals plot twists. The lead
character is most complex and totally well acted by the very
convincing Ray Winstone. Perfect!

Ray Winstone has quite a film history.
Check it out and then realize that an actor of his quality would
not play in a weak TV series. (Hint: Ray Winstone has a part
in "Indiana Jones: The Crystal Skull)

Sometimes the accent does get in the way of understanding and there are not subtitles, but don't let that push you away from this series.

Brew your coffee or tea; breathe and enjoy Vincent!

(This post is similar to one I wrote on another site. I wish to support this series and promote it as an a-typical British detective series.) June 2, 2008

Charisma Personified: Ray Winstone

Based on what I'd heard, plus my deep appreciation for the Brit crime genre, and finally for the presence of Mr. Winstone, I purchased this four-episode set, and just finished watching them all with my wife. My first reaction is sadness that there are no more episodes to watch! Each one is like a mini-movie which will thoroughly entrance, entertain and enthrall.

One of my all-time favorite movies is the '70's Coppola masterpiece, The Conversation; there were so many great things about it but some of the best were Gene Hackman's performance as the conflicted surveillance man Harry Caul, and the endlessly intricate glimpses we'd get into his shadowy world of cameras, microphones, recorders and technology. The scene at the Surveillance Product Fair is one of the best things I've ever seen in any film. The entire movie was just so smart and so complex, as were the characters. Vincent goes over similar territory, but of course, it's set in modern-day England.

Winstone the actor is a magnetic kind of guy; I would assume he's popular both with men and women. With ex-cop, private dick Vincent Gallagher, he's created a fascinatingly complicated portrait of the type he does best: a brooding, volatile, blunt force object with a tender heart, who's brutal and tactless on the one hand, yet surprisingly literate, sophisticated and sensitive on the other. In the midst of an agonizing marital breakup, he's liable to explode with outrage or break down in tears at any time. It's gotten so bad he's let it cloud his judgement, much to the chagrin of his capable staff, a diverse, richly interesting set who are all living and breathing human beings, and not cardboard cutouts.

Vincent is speaks full-on Cockney, and so Americans will have to listen carefully to catch the language. You'll be richly rewarded. The dialogue is wonderfully textured and nuanced, full of both laugh-out-loud humor and deliciously subtle irony.

I hear there is a season two; I can hardly wait. February 5, 2008

Vincent is Top of the Crime Series

There are two trends in crime series right now: The fast-edit, over-anxious, grim style complete with blue light effects and bad literary quotations; and the quirky, character-driven show featuring a detective who may have to stand on his head to solve the crime. Vincent is neither of these. Refreshingly free of morose moments and filled with fascinating people whose experiences ring true, Vincent stands above the standard crime drama thanks to fine writing and terrific acting. Ray Winstone won a much-deserved International Emmy for his role in this series. And Brit drama doesn't get any better than Winstone. So, if you love crime drama (as I do) and your grownup brain cells demand coherence, depth, engaging dialogue, and engrossing stories, you want Vincent. July 6, 2007

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