Ian McShane: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

4. Lovejoy - Lovejoy (TV, 1986-94)

When most people hear the word 'antiques', they probably think of one of two things: either a bunch of middle-aged people standing around old objects telling dull stories, or the surviving cast of Last of the Summer Wine. But back in the 1980s and 1990s, as the Antiques Roadshow was finding its feet, there was a more exciting series which made antiques suddenly cool. That series was Lovejoy, and it made McShane a household name in the UK. Lovejoy is based on the series of picaresque novels by John Grant, and was co-written for the screen by Ian La Frenais, one half of the team behind Porridge and Flushed Away. Its lead character (McShane) is an unorthodox but lovable antique dealer, whose skill for spotting fakes or forgeries is second-to-none. Over six series and numerous specials, Lovejoy and his dim-witted assistant Eric Catchpole (Chris Jury) pull off numerous successful deals across East Anglia, exposing copious con artists along the way. Lovejoy is very much a product of its time, but it has aged pretty well compared to other comedy dramas from that period. Despite professing no love of antiques himself, McShane is clearly at ease in the part, cultivating great chemistry within the central cast and making much of the jargon accessible to a modern audience. While purists of the novels may complain about how much was toned down, there can be no denying McShane's charisma. He owns the screen for every second he's on it, effortlessly shifting from passionate anger to a winning smile.