George Gently proves to be a critical and ratings success

Shaw's Gently is an excellent and convincing character - diligent and thorough, but with the requisite troubled past and just a hint of a mean streak which comes out in his teasing of sidekick DS Bacchus, played, also excellently, by Lee Ingleby. Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

Thanks to Flannery’s script, the perennially watchable Shaw, and the understated period detail, the inspector is a worthy addition to TV policing. Tim Walker, The Independent on Sunday

Yesterday’s episode proved dark, thoughtful and shot through with a real interest in history – as maybe you might expect from a drama written by Peter Flannery… More surprising still for a programme set in the good old days, the usual sense of nostalgia was replaced by the daring suggestion that some things are better now. James Walton, The Daily Telegraph

The credible storyline, serious actors and excellent sets make the 90 minutes fly by. The Mail on Sunday 

[Gently] offers a fascinating insight into the difficulties that the police faced investigating and trying to solve crimes without the help of modern technology. The Times

The performances are assured while the script doesn’t flinch from tackling dark material. JW, The Guardian

Martin Shaw is on good form as the eponymous copper and Peter Flannery’s script cannily taps the shifting mores of 1960s Britain. Neville Hawcock, Financial Times

Martin Shaw’s Gently, all lugubrious meditation and unillusioned patience, contrasts nicely with his eager, puppyish sergeant. It is yet another, but pleasant, variation on the theme of teacher-pupil that tends to run through these series. John Lloyd, Financial Times