The lowdown: 'Mayo' is a British detective series which stars Alistair McGowan in the title role of Gil Mayo.
He leads a small team of police officers who investigate crimes in Warwickshire. Mayo is an intellectual 
who tends toward pedantry and enjoys the challenge of solving mysteries, and is rather reminiscent of
John Thaw's Inspector Morse (but is always ready with a witticism). His backstory plays a major role in the
series, as his wife had disappeared without trace three years earlier, leaving him to raise a teenage daughter
alone. Mayo's team comprises the laddish DC Martin Kite (Huw Rhys) and Harriet Tate (Loo Brealey), the
scene of crime officer, who goes by the unlikely nickname of Anorak. DS Alex Jones (Jessica Oyelowo) 
joins the team in the first episode, and turns out to be Mayo's ex-lover. The team travels to crime scene's 
in a police van that is equipped with the latest computer and forensic technology. Mayo was broadcast on
BBC1 between 12 March and 30 April 2006. Only eight episodes were made, and a second season will not 
be commissioned. The series is based on the novels by Majorie Eccles.

Episode Four was broadcast on 2 April, 2006, and while the show has no individual episode titles, this
episode was based on a novel called "Late of this Parish". It features Sylvester McCoy as Reverend Beaver,
a vicar with huge sideburns and buck teeth, who is interviewed by Mayo's team after finding the body of Cecil
Willard in his church. Willard is the owner of Serenity Lodge, a residential care facility, and has been confined
to a wheelchair since a recent stroke. As usual in these shows, there are a number of suspects, including 
animal rights activists who were angered by Willard's killing of a badger, and Janet Reece, the care home's
head nurse, who Willard has annointed to succeeed him as managing director. Meanwhile, Mayo still hopes
to find his wife, and has made contact with the missing persons officer who initially investigated the case,
with a view to making a fresh appeal to the public.

The Verdict: 'Mayo' is very different to the usual British crime dramas. It is much more quirky and humorous,
and tends toward comedy-drama than traditional shows like Morse and A Touch of Frost. Indeed, it is similar
in style to shows like the BBC's remake of 'Randall and Hopkirk (deceased)'. It is aimed at a pre-watershed
family audience, and thus has no swearing and little violence or gore. 'Mayo' is an enjoyable series that did
not receive the reception from critics and audiences that it deserved.
Quote:
Reverend Beaver: Thank you, Inspector Mayo. Huh!  What an odd name!

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