Already brimming with time travel and eccentric characters, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency had a particular type of strangeness to maintain when going into the second season.
At the helm of Max Lendis, Dirk Gently is finally back on our screens in an addictive second season – currently screening on Netflix – that features a brand new case and ventures into a bold narrative direction that’s literally worlds away from season one. It’s quintessential Dirk Gently – an outlandishly brilliant detective series that defies your expectations.
Last season’s cliff-hangers are immediately resolved in episode one as we discover Dirk (Samuel Barnett) is imprisoned inside Operation Blackwing’s facility and tested daily for his holistic abilities. Meanwhile, Todd (Elijah Wood), Farah (Jade Eshete), Amanda (Hannah Marks) and Bart (Fiona Dourif) are on the run with their names listed on every Most Wanted list across the country.
The first three episodes (Space Rabbit, Fans of Wet Circles and Two Broken Fingers) progressively set up the remainder of the season with the detective team eventually reunited and a case to crack. So far they don’t know much and have little to go on. In usual Gently fashion, this is perfect to see where the “interconnectedness of all things” will lead them.
The clever subplots occurring all at once requires the audience’s focused attention but the eventual payoff is worth it. Beginning with Dirk ambiguously told to, “Find the boy”, many mysterious ‘unrelated’ events are happening in the town of Bergsberg, Montana.
Unrelated they may seem but where Dirk Gently is concerned, “Everything is connected. Nothing is also connected.” This includes a decades-old cold case, an abandoned house behind government gates and the fantasy land of Wendimoor. It will surely get more absurd as the case develops.
The three episodes prompted more questions than answers but showcased the season’s overall potential.
Alongside the fantastic existing ensemble cast, the new characters (particularly the enthusiastic Bergsberg Sheriff’s Sherlock Hobbs and Tina) are welcome additions and guest star Alan Tudyk as Mr. Priest, a psychopath on a mission to capture the loose Blacking subjects, is a highlight.
I’m excited to see where the introduction of the fantasy genre – including a pink haired prince from another dimension – mixes within the show’s already weird universe and existing holistic mythology. It’s a fascinating dynamic that’s instantly introduced in the first episode’s cold open when a scared medieval Knight exclaims, “Find Dirk Gently!”
I was impressed with the interesting character development, Todd’s particularly. Now suffering from pararibulitis (a disease shared with his sister Amanda), he’s evolving from being Dirk’s long-suffering assistant/best friend to actively embracing his method of detective-ness, even humourously using it himself when trying to find the captured Dirk.
Dirk Gently season two has set the bar for original storytelling and deserves repeat viewing. With seven episodes to go, it will be thrilling to see where the universe (and the case) guides our favourite holistic detective.
Seasons 1 and 2 of Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency are now streaming on Netflix
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