Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency is a BBC America science-fiction detective series, taking place after the Douglas Adams novel series of the same name. Created & primarily written by Max Landis, it stars Samuel Barnett as the detective Dirk Gently and Elijah Wood as his reluctant sidekick Todd. A trailer for the series debuted at San Diego Comic Con 2016. The series is a co-production between BBC America and Netflix, with episodes commencing airing on BBC America in the United States on October 22, 2016, and all episodes available to stream on Netflix worldwide outside of the United States on December 11, 2016. The first season was filmed almost entirely in Vancouver, British Columbia.
On November 21, 2016, BBC America renewed the series for a 10-episode second season set to premiere in 2017.
The series follows the adventures of Dirk Gently (Samuel Barnett), an eccentric "holistic detective", and his reluctant sidekick Todd Brotzman (Elijah Wood).
Samuel Barnett as Dirk Gently, an eccentric "holistic" detective, who understands everything in the universe to be interconnected. He does not solve cases by conventional means, but rather by following fate. It is revealed that he was part of a government organization studying people with 'special' abilities, as he is mildly psychic.Elijah Wood as Todd Brotzman, Dirk's reluctant sidekick/assistant. He was formerly a musician and was until the events of the first episode a bellhop. His parents bankrupted themselves helping him with a fictional disease called Pararibulitis and now he is desperate for money to help his sister, Amanda, afford her Pararibulitis treatment.Hannah Marks as Amanda Brotzman, Todd's sister who suffers from the fictional illness, Pararibulitis, which causes her to suffer hallucinations and feel them as if they were real. Amanda later joins the Rowdy 3, who help her manage her hallucinations.Jade Eshete as Farah Black, a neurotic but tough security officer to a millionaire. After her boss is killed and his daughter kidnapped, Farah is determined to solve the case alongside Dirk and Todd. She makes every attempt to keep the group safe, even if she herself isn’t so sure she’s capable of doing so.Fiona Dourif as Bart Curlish, a "holistic" assassin who feels that the universe leads her to people she has to kill. She claims that the universe won't allow her to die. She feels that she must kill Dirk, despite not knowing who he is. She and Dirk are surprisingly similar, one scene even devoted to them both explaining their psychic powers using the exact same words to their respective assistants. She is also one of those observed by the agency. Mpho Koaho as Ken, a criminal hacker whom Bart kidnaps and forces to travel with her.Aaron Douglas as Gordon Rimmer, a desperate man obsessed with power, prolonging his life, retrieving his dog, and is the main antagonist during the first season.Alison Thornton as Lydia Spring, the heiress of Patrick Spring. She spends most of the show with her soul inside Rapunzel, Rimmer's corgi.Miguel Sandoval as Col. Scott Riggins, a government agent that is tracking Dirk.Dustin Milligan as Sgt. Hugo Friedkin, a dimwitted government agent working with Riggins.Richard Schiff as Det. Zimmerfield, a missing persons detective, and Estevez's partner.Neil Brown Jr. as Det. Estevez, a missing persons detective, and Zimmerfield's partner.Michael Eklund as Martin, the leader of an anarchist group called the Rowdy 3. Notably, the Rowdy 3 is composed of four people, and later five, and are some of the people studied by the government organisation tracking Dirk.Christian Bako as Ed, a key member of the Men of the Machine.Michael Adamthwaite as Zed, a key member of the Men of the Machine.Osric Chau as Vogle, a member of the Rowdy 3.Viv Leacock as Gripps, a member of the Rowdy 3.Zak Santiago as Cross, a member of the Rowdy 3.