Detective and Mystery Shows

[abbyzenn]

I've watched all 3 episodes of Murder in Provence.  I liked it - beautiful scenery (which they show alot even the scenes of Aix are gorgeous.  I thought the mysteries were fine.  I don't like the lead actor, the first time I saw him was on an episode of Foyles War and he was an awful man and that's clouded my view of him so when I see him I think of that character.  However, I like that the lead couple is older.  I would recommend watching this.

I also watched the first episode of the second season of Van der Valk.  I really like this series and especially enjoy seeing Amsterdam.   

I finished watching The Chelsea Detective and I really liked it.

All three of these shows only have 3 episodes (although each episode is 90 minutes) and I find that just too few for a season.

[mledawn]

Okay, I rescind my comment about S2 of Traces. I’m now watching E4 and it is like some of the plots are assembled out of order. Ugh. I think I will wait until all the episodes are out and then try again. I was glad to

Spoiler

be free of Emma’s storyline for a while.  

Edited to add that after I did a quick scan it’s apparent Britbox released an episode out of order last week. It’s now fixed. How frustrating but also makes me laugh that I thought the sped up timeline was better. Heh. 

Edited March 9, 2022 by mledawn

[LisaM]

On 2/10/2022 at 2:55 PM, abbyzenn said:

Just watched the first episode of The Chelsea Detective which I liked surprisingly since the chelsea detective is an actor I've seen in other shows like Midsomer Murders, Death in Paradise and he always played a whiney annoying character.  The show takes place in the Chelsea area (I know surprising) and I found the scenery interesting.  He actually lives on a houseboat.  I've never seen the rest of the cast except for the woman playing his aunt and it's driving me crazy as to where I've seen her since she isn't listed in this show in IDMB.

The aunt (Frances Barber) plays the lead character's mother on Whitstable Pearl. She has also been in a ton of other British mysteries. 

I also just watched the first episode of Chelsea Detective and really liked it - especially the easy friendship between the male DI and his partner, the female DS who just had a baby. Looking forward to seeing more. Both characters seem to have interesting layers. 

ETA: Just watched the first episode of Murder in Provence on Britbox. Quite good - although it is a bit weird to be set in France and have all British actors. 

 

Edited March 14, 2022 by LisaM

[wanderingstar]

On 3/6/2022 at 9:42 AM, abbyzenn said:

I finished watching The Chelsea Detective and I really liked it.

 

What was the tone of The Chelsea Detective - light or more gritty? I like Adrian Scarborough, so I want to check it out, but I'm not looking for anything too dark or dour.

[Irlandesa]

3 hours ago, Gillian Rosh said:

What was the tone of The Chelsea Detective - light or more gritty? I like Adrian Scarborough, so I want to check it out, but I'm not looking for anything too dark or dour.

From the one episode I've seen so far-in between.  

It's not as light as Agatha Raisin or My Life Is Murder but it's also not depressing.   It's serious but with a touch of whimsy. Maybe along the lines of Grantchester.

Edited March 15, 2022 by Irlandesa

[LisaM]

9 hours ago, Gillian Rosh said:

What was the tone of The Chelsea Detective - light or more gritty? I like Adrian Scarborough, so I want to check it out, but I'm not looking for anything too dark or dour.

Definitely not too dark. More in the Midsomer Murders range. I did not have to FF any scenes. The male detective is a bit quirky and there is a nice relationship between the two lead detectives. 

[J-Man]

Season/Series 3 of "The Bay" popped up on Britbox today. 

[LisaM]

Just finished season 3 of The Bay. I thought it was just okay but I did like the new lead actress. The story dragged a bit and the murderer seemed to come out of left field. 

[mledawn]

Just finished series 2 of Traces and I can’t imagine it will get a 3rd. What a mish-mash of plots. Michael Nardone was the only reason I stuck with it. Neil and Safi were a good team but the rest of the show fell apart. Particularly the uni/lab stuff. 

[LisaM]

I just subscribed to MHz Choice - which has a ton of foreign mysteries and detective shows with subtitles. The first one I am watching - and enjoying - is Tandem - which is in the Candice Renoir style (and coincidentally stars one of Renoir's lead actors). It is set in the French police world with a Commander and Captain who were formerly married with kids. Light and watchable. 

[Daff]

On 3/12/2022 at 10:44 PM, LisaM said:

The aunt (Frances Barber) plays the lead character's mother on Whitstable Pearl. She has also been in a ton of other British mysteries. 

I also just watched the first episode of Chelsea Detective and really liked it - especially the easy friendship between the male DI and his partner, the female DS who just had a baby. Looking forward to seeing more. Both characters seem to have interesting layers. 

ETA: Just watched the first episode of Murder in Provence on Britbox. Quite good - although it is a bit weird to be set in France and have all British actors. 

 

Thursday, Lady Felicia, Mrs. Pomphrey, and Flambeau all decided to vacation together! I liked them well enough. Wonder if they’ll do any more? 

[LisaM]

Finished Chelsea Detective tonight. I really enjoyed it and hope they are renewed. The mysteries are not overly gruesome and the lead detectives have a very nice relationship. 

[J-Man]

I just finished bingeing all five seasons of "Suspects" on Acorn. It's a little unusual in that most of the dialogue is improvised, but while that makes it more realistic, it's also somewhat difficult to get used to.

Now I'm starting "Hope Street" on BritBox. It's a police/detective drama set in Northern Ireland.

[Irlandesa]

Season 4 of Candice Renoir was advertised as coming out on Monday but just like last month, it didn't happen.  Grr.

I also liked Chelsea Detective.

Edited March 31, 2022 by Irlandesa

[LisaM]

17 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Season 4 of Candice Renoir was advertised as coming out on Monday but just like last month, it didn't happen.  Grr.

I also liked Chelsea Detective.

Candice Renoir Season 4 is now coming on April 11. Harry Wild (starring Jane Seymour) debuts on April 4. Tandem (on MHz Choice) is very similar to Renoir and even stars one of Renoir's main actors. 

[Irlandesa]

I just saw that today.  And a new Balthazar is coming later in April but with a new female lead.  And it's not like she chose to leave either.  They just decided they wanted to "shake things up."  It's so bizarre.  Season 5, apparently, will be the last.

[LisaM]

12 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

I just saw that today.  And a new Balthazar is coming later in April but with a new female lead.  And it's not like she chose to leave either.  They just decided they wanted to "shake things up."  It's so bizarre.  Season 5, apparently, will be the last.

I'm almost finished with Season 3 but was spoiled. Not sure that I want to continue. I thought that I read that it was the actress's choice to quit?

[Irlandesa]

I watched the first two episodes of Harry wild today.  So far, I think I like it.  Each episode is a self-contained mystery so far.  The mysteries have been rather meh because they're not traditional whodunnits where we get tons of suspects and guess who committed the crime.  It's mostly the deduction that there has been a crime. 

But Jane Seymour is awesome as the retiree who dates younger men, drinks a bit and is kind of brazen.  There was something she said to her son and daughter-in-law in the second episode that made me gasp.

She and her sidekick have a great dynamic.  He'll be an actor to watch, I think.  The only downside is that I wish Amy Huberman had more to do rather than somewhat small daughter-in-law role. I still miss Striking Out. Oh and I hope they drop the dynamic so far where she'll tell her son about a murder she thinks happened and he ignores her.  That will get old fast.

On 4/1/2022 at 6:28 AM, LisaM said:

I thought that I read that it was the actress's choice to quit?

Not really.  Here's an article in English about the departure.  There are S3 spoilers there and some S4 spoilers about how it's handled.  It translates a quote I saw at the the original French source which is how I learned of it in the first place.  I'll put it behind tags but it's just talking about the reasoning.

Spoiler

“A lot of people thought it was me who left but it wasn’t my decision. It’s a decision that was taken at many levels: the screenwriters, the producer, TF1… We all agreed concerted. The idea was for them to start writing again, because once the two main characters were together, it was less interesting. There was an idea of renewal, and as it is called Balthazar, if he there was one that needed to be renewed, it was more Tomer than me”.

 

[BlackberryJam]

I am also enjoying Harry Wild.

[mledawn]

Just finished all three series of The Bay. I liked both the leads, but was completely thrown for a loop when Zach from Longmire showed up as the partner. I had no idea he was English. Anyway, not a bad show and a couple of other HITG! actors just for fun. 

[LisaM]

Annika starring Nicola Walker as a marine homicide office in Glasgow starts streaming on PBS Masterpiece on April 17. 

[SunnyBeBe]

I sure would like to watch The Bay….seems it’s only available through Britbox.

[LisaM]

Candeece!! Season 4! 

[mynextmistake]

On 3/23/2022 at 9:41 AM, mledawn said:

Just finished series 2 of Traces and I can’t imagine it will get a 3rd. What a mish-mash of plots. Michael Nardone was the only reason I stuck with it. Neil and Safi were a good team but the rest of the show fell apart. Particularly the uni/lab stuff. 

I agree, which is sad because it has potential. Laura Fraser and Michael Nardone have excellent chemistry and I like their characters, but the romance angle seemed to come from out of nowhere and I would have liked them to have had more than a handful of scenes together

Spoiler

before they have sex, declare their love for one another, and decide to leave their spouses.

And Kathy’s subplot was boring and just fizzled out.

I’m wondering if this is an editing issue? The episodes of some of the British series that are aired or stream here in the US are significantly edited for time. I wondered if we were getting edited versions of the shows and that was why so much of the context seemed lacking. If the originals are an hour that’s a lot of deleted scenes. 

Edited April 14, 2022 by mynextmistake

[mledawn]

@mynextmistake I was absolutely thrown that Neil had a wife - and then that Sarah did!? I didn't remember those key bits of info from S1 and I was like "why is she upset he's married - SO ARE YOU!?" after the first ep or two in S2. 

 

I'm watching DCI Banks just now and Annie drives me up the wall.

[mynextmistake]

7 hours ago, mledawn said:

@mynextmistake I was absolutely thrown that Neil had a wife - and then that Sarah did!? I didn't remember those key bits of info from S1 and I was like "why is she upset he's married - SO ARE YOU!?" after the first ep or two in S2. 

 

I'm watching DCI Banks just now and Annie drives me up the wall.

Yes. I’m not sure either of the spouses were mentioned last year. I guess looking back at the episodes I can kind of see the progression of the relationship…

Spoiler

They’re mutually attracted, he thinks she’s going to die when she’s stuck on campus with the bomb, he realizes his feelings, they kiss, they both look like they’ve been hit by tractor trailers, he leaves his wife, they hook up, they both look like they’ve been hit by tractor trailers, he tells her he loves her, she freaks out, she thinks he’s going to die when he takes down the bomber, she realizes her feelings, she tells him she loves him, they agree to be together.

But I do wish it had been more explicitly laid out. I shouldn’t have to put this much thought into a TV romance. 😂

Annie is SO ANNOYING. And I find the actor playing Banks a little wooden. But the stories are good. 

[LisaM]

Started binge-watching Imma Tataranni on MHz Choice - female Italian deputy prosecutor with a great memory who solves crimes while tossing out wise-cracks. So far, so good.

Also started bingeing Lupin on Netflix - which has its own forum here and has acquired a lot of great reviews. I watched two episodes so far and it deserves all of the acclaim. Very watchable, smart and well-done so far. 

Looking forward to Annika with Nicola Walker on PBS, which is supposedly available today. 

[dleighg]

2 hours ago, LisaM said:

Looking forward to Annika with Nicola Walker on PBS, which is supposedly available today. 

we just watched the first episode; it was good! kind of modern in "breaking the fourth wall"

[LisaM]

5 hours ago, dleighg said:

we just watched the first episode; it was good! kind of modern in "breaking the fourth wall"

I am in the middle of the second episode. I agree - the first was good! I am a big Nicola Walker fan so I was predisposed to like it. The "breaking the fourth wall" is interesting; I was not sure how I would like it but it is different. Interesting cast and having the action tied to the water is a bit different. 

ETA: Binged all 6 episodes tonight. Recommended. I hope they make a second season. 

 

Edited April 18, 2022 by LisaM

[Irlandesa]

I just finished the 4th season of Candice Renoir.  Just a head's up for those who haven't started it or are behind, I think the 8th and 9th episode were switched around. It's not always noticeable with this show but given the events taking place, it was pretty noticeable this season.  (Should I start a thread for this show?)

I also saw the first episode of Annika. The talking to the camera stuff just felt weird to me.  It almost felt like River in a way.  But I will still watch the rest of the episodes.

[TaraS1]

I don't suppose it truly fits into the mystery category, but I binged all of Anatomy of a Scandal on Netflix this weekend.  It wasn't awful, but it wasn't great.  And it did have an enormous plot hole that made me think, "Oh, COME ON!" Still, if Michelle Dockery is in something, I'm watching it no matter what, and she was good, as always.  (It still pains my soul that her brilliant show Good Behavior got canceled after only two seasons on TNT a few years ago.)

[Minivanessa]

On 4/19/2022 at 7:14 AM, TaraS1 said:

I don't suppose it truly fits into the mystery category, but I binged all of Anatomy of a Scandal on Netflix this weekend.  It wasn't awful, but it wasn't great.  And it did have an enormous plot hole that made me think, "Oh, COME ON!" Still, if Michelle Dockery is in something, I'm watching it no matter what, and she was good, as always.  (It still pains my soul that her brilliant show Good Behavior got canceled after only two seasons on TNT a few years ago.)

I tried, but could barely get through the first episode. Agree about Michelle Dockery, and if I manage to watch any more of this miniseries it will be to see her.

For me, this is another of those "rising Brit politician and his family hit with a scandal" miniseries. It's been done more than once before now - and better. The best of the lot IMO was The Politician's Wife, in which Juliet Stevenson just owned the screen. Now that I've written this I may watch that one again, and leave Anatomy of a Scandal among the also-rans on my "continue watching" list on Netflix. 

[J-Man]

The new series of "Shakespeare & Hathaway" is available on Acorn. 

[dleighg]

1 hour ago, J-Man said:

The new series of "Shakespeare & Hathaway" is available on Acorn

do you mean Britbox? I don't see it on Acorn.

[khyber]

1 hour ago, dleighg said:

do you mean Britbox? I don't see it on Acorn.

 

2 hours ago, J-Man said:

The new series of "Shakespeare & Hathaway" is available on Acorn. 

Thanks for the heads up.

[J-Man]

Yes -- sorry, it's on BritBox, not Acorn.

 

[LisaM]

I've been exploring different shows on MHz Choice - all of which are foreign with subtitles. So far, I've enjoyed Tandem (French) about a divorced couple who are both cops, Imma Tataranni (Italy), a wise-cracking deputy prosecutor, and Art of the Crime (French) where a cop teams up with an art historian to investigate art-related crimes. I've also started watching Beck (Sweden), a well-known series about a Swedish detective. 

The jury is still out on Captain Marleau (French) and Cherif (French) - both quirky police dramas. 

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Even though its overall tone is a lot more lighthearted than the fare I usually prefer for my procedural detective shows, I'm wondering if The Mallorca Files got a renewal or is it dead?  After watching all previous 16 episodes, I could watch more if there is to be any.

I've searched the net and can't find anything near definitive for an answer, either way.

Edited April 29, 2022 by iRarelyWatchTV36

[J-Man]

7 minutes ago, iRarelyWatchTV36 said:

Even though its overall tone is a lot more lighthearted than the fare I usually prefer for my procedural detective shows, I'm wondering if The Mallorca Files got a renewal or is it dead?  After watching all previous 16 episodes, I could watch more if there is to be any.

I can't find anything definitive, but it is not showing up as a "completed" series in my JustWatch app, and it shows that the premiere date of future episodes is "TBA."

[dleighg]

I probably heard about it in this thread, but I just started watching Rebecka Masterson (Swedish with subtitles, on Acorn). I quite enjoyed the first season, but wow what a dark season finale. Still haven't gotten used to the actress swap for the lead in the second season.

[EyewatchTV211]

Add me to those who enjoyed Harry Wild. The mysteries got a little deeper, although still not as complex as some other mysteries. But I love the characters and humor, and it's a generally enjoyable show to watch. Also agree that the actor who plays Fergus has a great future ahead of him. He's excellent.

[LisaM]

My friend is really enjoying Hidden Assets on Acorn. The finale is tonight so I will likely try that next. 

[abbyzenn]

I too liked Harry Wild.  It was a nice idea to match up Harry with Fergus.  I could listen to Harry's son talk all day - loved his voice/accent.

I hope some new shows start soon because I'm at a loss as to what to watch.  I just finished Slow Horses which is more spy/thriller.  I wasn't that enamored with the first episode but finally watched the rest of the series just for lack of anything else and ended up liking it.

[Enigma X]

I want to like Harry Wild more than I actually did but don't. I loved Slow Horses.

[mojito]

Harry Wild is just okay. It's fun seeing Jane Seymour in a kerchief, bent over, and walking with a cane, and hearing Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman exclaim, "I shit you not!" 

Her character is humorous and annoying at the same time. 

Is she not a terrible influence on her granddaughter? 

I was surprised to see Amy Huberman cast in such a tiny part. But I know, there are no small parts, only small actors.

[Irlandesa]

21 hours ago, EyewatchTV211 said:

Add me to those who enjoyed Harry Wild. The mysteries got a little deeper, although still not as complex as some other mysteries. But I love the characters and humor, and it's a generally enjoyable show to watch. Also agree that the actor who plays Fergus has a great future ahead of him. He's excellent.

I enjoyed the first episodes but think it got better as it went on so I hope they renew it.

10 hours ago, LisaM said:

My friend is really enjoying Hidden Assets on Acorn. The finale is tonight so I will likely try that next. 

I got bored.  I might try again but Balthazar comes first.

[J-Man]

Have we ever discussed Silent Witness? There are 24 seasons available (and it's still running!) I just started with the first episode, which ran in 1996. Many of the earlier seasons are available for free on Hoopla, or free with ads on FreeVee (formerly known as Amazon's IMDB streaming service.)

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

On 4/14/2022 at 1:38 PM, mledawn said:

I'm watching DCI Banks just now and Annie drives me up the wall.

Maybe I absolutely need to read the books first, but after watching the first 90 minutes (Aftermath, pilot episodes), I feel like I have whiplash - at least on the Banks/Cabbot front.

I knew from a brief summary that Banks & Cabbot would be a thing, but not that fast!   Maybe I am just too used to American TV series, and their insistent need to drag the WT/WT on and on and on and on between the lead characters, but this was crazy quick.

All in the opening ~45 minutes, the two went from a seemingly difficult first meeting, unhappy working relationship at the beginning, then she almost runs him down in the parking garage, they go for drinks, end up at his house and would have banged if not for the phone & case news interrupting.

Felt like I was watching abbreviated opening episode, the 'relationship' moved that fast.

Seemed weird and disjointed, but maybe just me.    *shrugs*

[Irlandesa]

On 4/26/2022 at 12:32 PM, LisaM said:

The jury is still out on Captain Marleau (French) and Cherif (French) - both quirky police dramas. 

I watched the first season of Captain Marleau when it was available for free on Prime and even though she's quirky, I found myself really liking it.  In fact, there are so many shows on MHZ I'm curious about.

I watched Acorn's newest, Signora Volpe, and I really found myself liking it.  The scenery is gorgeous and I like her character.

[LisaM]

17 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

In fact, there are so many shows on MHZ I'm curious about.

 

Me too. I feel as though I have hit a treasure trove.