Ep 3. Gently Among Friends

George Gently season 7 episode 3, titled "Gently Among Friends," sees Detective Inspector George Gently and his team investigating the death of a wealthy businessman. The episode is set in 1970s England, and is full of the era's fashion, music, and social attitudes.

The episode begins with the discovery of the body of Charles Hanson, a prominent businessman who has been found dead in his office. Gently is called in to investigate, and quickly discovers that there are many people who would have wanted Hanson dead. As the investigation unfolds, Gently finds himself drawn into a web of greed, jealousy, and betrayal.

One of the key suspects in the case is Hanson's business partner, a man named Malcolm Ford. Gently and his team are quick to suspect Ford, but they soon find that there is more to the case than meets the eye. As they dig deeper, Gently and his team uncover a complex web of business deals, secret affairs, and hidden agendas.

As the investigation continues, Gently finds himself drawn into the lives of Hanson's friends and associates. He discovers that many of them were unhappy with their lot in life, and that they saw Hanson's success as something to be envied and resented. Gently must navigate this complex web of relationships in order to uncover the truth behind Hanson's death.

Throughout the episode, Gently's investigation is complicated by his own personal life. He is struggling to come to terms with the recent death of his wife, and is trying to find a way to move on. At the same time, he is trying to maintain a professional distance from the people he is investigating, while also sympathizing with their struggles.

The episode is full of the period detail that fans of the show have come to expect. The fashion, music, and social attitudes of the 1970s are all on display, and the setting is used to great effect to create a sense of time and place. The characters are also well-drawn, with complex motivations and relationships that evolve over the course of the episode.

Overall, "Gently Among Friends" is a strong entry in the George Gently series. It combines a compelling mystery with well-drawn characters and a vivid sense of time and place. Fans of the show will not be disappointed, and newcomers will find much to enjoy in this episode.