Genre Character of the Week: Dirk Gently

Earlier this week I got a copy of the 2010 BBC series Dirk Gently from my library, which features a detective called Dirk Gently who bases his detection method on the "fundamental interconnectedness of all things" mostly meaning that his methods seem (to the outside observer) as insane, or like he isn't actually doing any work at all.

Interestingly, I read the original two Dirk Gently novels back in the sixth grade, when, after having finshed the author's more famous novels, I was exploring his other works, which lead me to crime and mystery novels which are one of my current favourite genres (especially mystery novels involving time travel - which are rarer than you think.) 

The television series, which starred Stephen Mangan (pictured left) as Dirk, only lasted for four episodes but really captured the bizarre and strange cases which appeared in the original novels, as well as Dirk's strangely mercenary view on changing his clients (and sometimes taking payment after they have died, from their wallets, before the police arrive).

Overall, a very fun show based on two great books and I wish it had lasted longer than four episodes.

Genre Character of the week: Greg Preston

As much as I love a good show about zombies (why won't October come sooner The Walking Dead?) I  am a fan of all sorts of post-apocayptic set ups, and today I'm thinking specifically of the pandemic scenario, wherein a fast moving disease drops the world's population by a huge amount.  In books like The Stand and Earth Abides, or television shows like Survivors.

Which brings me to this week's genre character, Greg Preston.

Before the influenza virus wipes out most of the world in the story, Greg was a systems analyst, not necessarily what you would expect when you think of post-apocalyptic survivor, but what sets Greg apart almost immediately is his initial quick thinking, leaving a city filled with the dead but making sure to stop at a Camping supply store first.

Played by Paterson Joseph Greg comes across as a man doing his best under extreme circumstances.  Initially he plans to go it on his own, but after meeting with a woman named Abby Grant, he joins a small band of survivors, trying to make their way in this strange new world.

If you haven't checked out the show yet (which itself is a reboot of a series of the same name from the 70s), it's well worth the watch, very intense, and leading to a lot of self examination, if almost everyone around you had died, what would you do?