Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

Not a show for people with small attention spans, this is a serious piece of comedy that (in the true spirit of the Douglas Adams novels) hinges on plot points of purest "coincidence" that are not, in fact, coincidence at all. Holistic theory, as put by the title character, is that all things are fundamentally interconnected. The character, and in turn the show itself, uses the concept to drive the plot - someone without focus could, as an audience member, miss small-seeming but important connections that elevate the show from light science fiction to a more inspired work; it does not retread the plot of the source novels but it is still a more effective adaptation than any other Douglas Adams visual media attempt I've seen. It isn't for everyone, and I'm sure many of the negative reviews are simply people without the time, attention span or focus to keep them invested in the quite fast moving plot and dialog. Lighthearted but not light, it's a show that defies its genre. It can get quite dark at times, but under a veneer of bright colorful comedic ridiculousness - a must watch for anyone who is truly a fan of absurd comedy. Elijah Wood is a perfect audience stand in everyman protagonist. I recommend watching the show alongside someone else you truly respect intellectually so that you can discuss it after (or during) episodes; I would not have gotten half as much satisfaction without my girlfriend, as discussing it with her helped both of us understand and keep track of things. Definitely rewards rewatching, very dense. Many clever visual notes. Ambitious and creative. I'm really looking forward to season 2.

This show is one of the most original and brilliant I've ever watched. The writing is captivating and interesting (and at times, also very ironic and funny). The acting is wonderful and the sets are amazing too. Easily my favorite show right now. You won't find anything like it. I also love that you have to watch every episode in a season for it to make sense-- it keeps me watching and is so intriguing that I have to watch it a second time around too.

The plot seems a little convoluted at first but, if you like puzzles, stay with it. It is very much in the vein of the source material with a modern take. And, I feel like it's far more accessible for people who don't necessarily like Sci-Fi, which will cause "real & true" Sci-Fi fans conniptions.