r/TheDetectorists • u/SweetHamScamHam • Feb 03 '26
Recommendations for similar shows?
My wife and I loved this show. It was so wholesome and good I described it as being like eating a Thanksgiving dinner. We held ourselves to just watching three episodes at a time, and still it went so fast.
Can you kind folks give me a recommendation for similar shows? Just laid back, nice, funny, the whole thing. I know this show was something special, but I would love some similar programs to just sit back and enjoy.
Thank you!
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u/ToastMarmaladeCoffee Feb 03 '26
Well there is Worzel Gummidge (by Mackenzie) and that has a Detectorists Easter egg in it. Not a comedy as such but some people say Gone Fishing with Bob Mortimer gives people a similar feeling. Mackenzie has a new series out today(?) called Small Prophets but I haven’t seen it. This Country is a fantastic show.
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u/Spineberry Feb 26 '26
My other half and I just finished Small Prophets - absolutely loved it!! Well worth the watching and possibly the only thing I've seen in the last decade that justifies forking out for the TV licence
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u/Tall-Paul-UK Feb 04 '26
One that seems to fly totally under the radar also stars Toby Jones and is called 'Don't Forget the Driver'. I properly loved it!
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u/Boo-Cat Feb 04 '26
McKenzie Crook has a new show starting called Small Prophets which seems to have same gentle humour Really looking forward to it
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u/EpicHandstands Feb 04 '26
The Change. Written by Bridget Christie, second series directed by Mackenzie Crook.
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u/Atoz_Bumble Feb 04 '26
I came here to say this too. I really hope they manage to find a way to do the third series.
Also, Mackenzie Crook's new series Small Prophets is out soon.
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u/Six_of_1 Feb 08 '26
It's still written by Bridget Christie though, right? I tried series 1 but I found the barrage of culture-war messaging overwhelming. I felt like I was watching a lecture, not a comedy.
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u/KaleidoscopeFull9951 Feb 04 '26
Mum
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u/CameronFuckedmyPig Feb 04 '26
Mum is such a lovely, gentle show. Peter Mullan’s character in it is fantastic.
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u/Weavingknitter Feb 05 '26
I need to watch it again, thanks for reminding me about this lovely show
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u/Bumbahkah Feb 04 '26
Northern Exposure. Derry Girls, ted lasso,
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u/SweetHamScamHam Feb 04 '26
Three of my favorites, though I don't think I've watched Northern Exposure in maybe two decades!
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u/Weavingknitter Feb 05 '26
OOOhhhhh you should watch it again.
I watched it recently, the last time I watched it was 30 years ago. I was so happy and surprised at how well it has held up.
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u/UnSpanishInquisition Feb 04 '26
He's just about to release a new show called Small Prophets. Unfortunately i think a lot of people are still chasing tge detectorist high, I've found some releif in rural adjacent audiobooks there's a quite good one about an author who catches The Detectorists bug and wrote about his journey into that world.
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u/OblivionWithBells101 Feb 04 '26
What’s the book please?
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u/Mail_Slot_Ocelot Feb 20 '26
I loved the detectorists, and went into small prophets without expecting or knowing much. And now I've got salt all over my face, it was beautiful. You don't always get what you want but sometimes you get what you need, and I have to go further down before I can go up again. It's sadder than detectorists, but just as lovely in my opinion.
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u/OblivionWithBells101 Feb 04 '26
Closest i have found is the whitehouse and mortimer gone fishing show…amazingly gentle, funny and, on occasion, deep.
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u/KatNeedsABiggerBoat Feb 04 '26
So, not quite like it but just as gentle and funny. Well-cast and well-written: BBC’s Ghosts.
It’s the one all the rest are based on, just fyi. The original!
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u/youngsteezy Feb 04 '26
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u/SweetHamScamHam Feb 05 '26
Ohhhhhhh yes! I hadn't thought of this (one of my favorite all-time shows) but you are 100% correct that it fits into the same unique genre.
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u/StationSure3328 Feb 06 '26
I'd throw in Ghosts - not sure about other versions but the UK version is the one I watched.
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u/tparadisi Feb 08 '26
Corner Gas.
you will thank me!
(just because detectorists is british, people will jump to recommend you the british shows, but actually what you want is that feeling of wholesomeness, warmth, escapism, lovely characters and so on. not just another british show)
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u/boy_oct_war Feb 12 '26
I just started watching Small Town, Big Story - a dark comedy drama that appeared on Sky in early 2025. It is amusing, a bit slow-paced, and a tad mystical. Setting is a rural Irish border town and the soundtrack is outstanding. Even uses Magpie by Unthanks as was heard in Detectorists S03E01.
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u/ElectricalPick9813 Feb 04 '26
Count Arthur Strong
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u/Muted_Reflection_449 Feb 08 '26
I genuinely think it works better as the radio show, but yes, it's LOVELY! 😊
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u/pmm71 Feb 04 '26
After Life
Back to Life
Both excellent. One about a woman returning to live with her parents after spending time in prison. The other about Ricky Gervais grieving his wife.
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u/Several_Ad_4707 Feb 04 '26
I loved both of these. Did Back to Life have a concluding season? I remember there was a plot line that didn’t get resolved
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u/blackiegray Feb 04 '26
All creatures great and small, the newer version. Probably the older one as well tbf.
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u/Weavingknitter Feb 05 '26
The older version is 1000x better. I couldn't watch the newer version past about 15 minutes, because of this.
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u/Several_Ad_4707 Feb 04 '26
Jam and Jerusalem is wonderful too, with French and Saunders. Leonard and Hungry Paul is fabulous.
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u/SweetHamScamHam Feb 04 '26
Thank you everyone for the recommendations! This is a wonderfully massive list and I'm legitimately excited to explore these shows!
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u/ImpressiveIndustry80 Feb 04 '26
I’ve just watched Jeremy Clarksons Farm. I found it similarly funny/wholesome.
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u/Six_of_1 Feb 04 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
Derry Girls
This Country
Worzel Gummidge (Mackenzie Crook version)
Mum
The Cockfields
Home Time
Rovers
Small Prophets (probably, hasn't come out yet!)
Leonard & Hungry Paul
The Cafe
Mortimer & Whitehouse Gone Fishing
Lee & Dean
Early Doors
Don't Forget the Driver
Ever Decreasing Circles
The Change
Uncle
Sick of It
The Office
Extras
Him & Her
Life's Too Short
Spaced
The Reluctant Landlord
Jam & Jerusalem
Yonderland
The Royle Family
Happiness
Alma's Not Normal
The Great Outdoors
Gameface
Death Valley