'Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency' Worth a Second Look

BBC America's science fiction show Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency is based on a pair of novels by Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Science fiction author Tom Gerencer loves the idea of Dirk Gently--a detective who trusts in fate and leaves everything up to chance. "He's not a brilliant detective," Gerencer says in Episode 281 of the Geek's Guide to the Galaxy podcast, "but in a way he's making these other brilliant realizations that step completely off logic and go into the realm of'let go of all that stuff and get into the flow of things, and you're going to find that things work out a lot better for you that way.'" The show has a lot going for it, including an original voice, brilliant writing, and complex characters, but it's failed to connect with many viewers. Writer Leah Schnelbach loves how the show's many mysteries slowly come together, but acknowledges that Dirk Gently can be a challenge for newcomers.