5 thoughts everyone has while watching Jonathan Creek

With its combination of comedy, drama, and gore, Jonathan Creek is a detective show like no other. Here's the thought process you're guaranteed to go through while watching the weird but wonderful series...

Alan Davies: I don't enjoy playing Jonathan Creek now

'It's the filming schedules, I don't like, the 12-hour days, six days a week, which are not very family friendly,' says Alan Davies, 48, who has a daughter Susie, four, and a son, Robert, two, by his writer wife, Katie Maskell.

Jonathan Creek's return was a clunky dull waste of time

The whole series felt incredibly pedestrian and small-scale compared to the newer, more up to date BBC shows.

Jonathan Creek, Ep. 5.3: Love, lamps and ladies' tights

Again Jonathan Creek starts the final episode, The Curse of the Bronze Lamp, out to dinner with more of their many village friends. This time they are an elderly trio with an interest in ornithology and gastronomy, or gastroenteritis for unfortunate Jonathan. Still it's not long before his belly has subsided and he's back on a case.

Review: The final instalment of this lacklustre series

It's fair to say that this current run of Jonathan Creek hasn't delivered in terms of quality or consistency.

Jonathan Creek once again tops Friday night ratings

Jonathan Creek was Friday's (March 14) highest-rated TV show outside of soaps for the third week running.

Jonathan Creek series 5 episode 3 review

Jonathan Creek concludes its fifth series with a satisfying, comic noodle-scratcher.

Jonathan Creek's mind meets its match in the problem-solving brilliance of a kidnap victim, held chained in a locked room. Strands of what appear to be separate storylines weave into a neat reveal as we follow the fortunes of a horny cleaner, a corpse in a nice hot bath, visiting twin sisters and party balloons. Josie Lawrence joins Alan Davies and Sarah Alexander for this final jaunt, along with June Whitfield - who puts in a delightful double appearance as the bickering twins.

Radio Times review

Yes, the good news is that June Whitfield appears in this final episode, not once but twice, playing twins Heidi and Laurel (note the names - they prove significant). Unfortunately, their storyline turns out to be something of a sideshow, in an episode that offers another rattle-bag of curiosities.

Writer David Renwick has reached the point (if he didn't years ago) where all connection to reality has been severed and we're left with tales driven purely by puzzles, puns and misunderstandings.

So Jonathan's wife Polly, for instance, does something rash that you feel sure she would never do. The point of her character is that she's sensible and sane, if inclined to overreact to things, as she does when Jonathan greets an old acquaintance - an attractive weather presenter - a little too warmly.

The main mystery involves the wife of a government minister who is kidnapped, then forgotten about for half the episode as we detour into the world of the Creeks' eccentric cleaner (Josie Lawrence). A priceless watch, a heron, lousewort, tights and an Aladdin's lamp are also involved.

Jonathan Creek quiz

Do you know your Maddie from your magician? Test your knowledge.