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Lovejoy, played by Ian McShane of
Deadwood, is the epitome of a lovable rogue. Even over Christmas he remains his irascible, greedy, lustful self, eyeing attractive women and contemplating how much money he can get for a questionable antique. In
The Prague Sun, Lovejoy, his flunky Eric Catchpole (Chris Jury), and the lovely Lady Felsham (PhyllisLogan) travel eastward to solve the mystery of hidden diamond--a story that features Nazis, a secret policewoman in a leopardskin hat, and a Communist dealer in "acquired" art (played by Donald Pleasance,
Halloween). The direction is unusually evocative, getting a lot of atmospheric mileage from a moth in a lighting fixture and other images.
The Lost Colony takes Lovejoy in the opposite direction as he travels to North Carolina, where he discovers distant relatives and a host of Deep South cliches (including a yokel policeman and someone getting eaten by an alligator). Despite some overacting and bad Southern accents, McShane carries things along with a wry glance to the camera and a sly turn of phrase. This second special features the series' later supporting players, including Diane Parish as young protégé Beth and Caroline Langrishe as love interest Charlotte, but Dudley Sutton remains as Lovejoy's tippling friend Tinker and Sir John Gielgud (
Arthur) adds a touch of class with a guest appearance. To sum up: Two strong episodes that no fan of the series should be without.
--Bret Fetzer
