Based on the cult mystery novels by author, journalist and royal biographer Tim Heald, this quartet of light-hearted whodunits stars David Horovitch as a bungling but diligent Department of Trade investigator.

 

Featuring guest performances from Patrick Troughton, John Le Mesurier, Glynis Barber, Peter Jeffrey and Elizabeth Spriggs, among many others, this set contains all four stories: Unbecoming Habits, Deadline, Let Sleeping Dogs Die and Just Desserts.

 

In the 80’s there was a push towards the everyman, sometimes bumbling and accident prone hero. Here in Bognor we have that in Horovitch’s Bognor. He’s not particularly athletic and he makes mistakes that others in his position of ‘hero’ wouldn’t dream of, but he still gets the job done all the same. 

 

For modern viewers the structure, pacing and even the cinematographic techniques of Bognor made lead to a slightly dull watch. The structure and pace of the stories is slow, (very much of its time) and it usually feels like there’s too much space between all the happenings. That being said if one sticks with it Bognor, along with its guest stars, is still an entertaining watch. 

 

Despite its slower pacing and structure due to its age, there are still moments of entertainment to be found in Bognor.