Detective and Mystery Shows

[mledawn]

Little late on this Deadline article that says Dalgliesh S3 is currently filming in Northern Ireland.

Quote

 

Produced by New Pictures (The Long Shadow) for Acorn and C5 in association with All3Media International, the third run will include lead actor Bertie Carvel making his directorial debut.

Another three P.D. James novels will be adapted for the season over two hour-long episodes each, in which Commander Dalgliesh is seen with Margaret Thatcher on the cusp of power in the UK.

 

The article contains episode descriptions so if you'd like to remain spoiler-free, perhaps avoid.

[LisaM]

On 5/21/2024 at 8:43 AM, Milburn Stone said:

Based on your reco, I watched the first fifteen minutes of the very first episode last night. My reason for stopping wasn't dislike--I was engrossed. But what I saw contained the most disturbingly violent scenes I believe I've ever seen in anything made for television. And Mrs. Stone was coming downstairs and I knew she wouldn't go for that. I plan on returning to the show for segments of time in which she's not in the room. :)

Are all the episodes like that? Or just the series opener so they could addict everyone on the adrenaline? (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

 

Sorry for the late response. From memory, the later seasons are not nearly as violent as the original few episodes. In later seasons, the team became more of an ensemble and had much less of the cringe-factor. 

[wanderingstar]

Season 3 of Harry Wild has been great! I particularly loved the episode where Orla was pretending not to be obsessed with the soap opera Harry was investigating. Jane Seymour remains a delight in this show.

[dleighg]

I like Harry Wild, but I think the show does a worse job than most of catching us up on characters we saw awhile ago. I just watched the "murder in a locked room" episode, and I'm like "who the hell is Ray" and "who is this dark haired woman named Vivian?"

Maybe I'm just worse at remembering things from previous seasons than most, but I think most other shows give us a LITTLE help in saying who these people are. Google was my friend, but I still didn't really remember these people very well.

[giovannif7]

According to TVLine, all 8 episodes of Season 3 of BBC/UK series The Mallorca Files will begin streaming on Prime Video starting Thursday August 8, 2024. Seasons 1 and 2 are currently streaming on FreeVee, but will be moving to Prime when FreeVee shuts down later this year.

[Irlandesa]

Darby and Joan was just renewed for a second season.  The first season aired way back in 2022.

Does this mean I can hold out hope for Mrs. Sidhu Investigates? 

[wanderingstar]

Loved episode 6 of Harry Wild, Dead Man's Trigger. I think this was the finale based on the ending. I actually liked the quasi-bottle show nature of this case, even though I'm not a big fan of hostage episodes. I also loved Orla being involved in the sleuthing. I really enjoyed seeing more of her this season. 

 

ETA: I absolutely LOVED Fergus' Mom, Paula, being aghast at Petra's rhapsodizing about Glenn ("Glenn?!?!?") 😆

Edited June 12 by wanderingstar

[LisaM]

Harry Wild currently filming Season 4 in Dublin. 

[sempervivum]

I might have misheard, but I just watched episode 5 of Harry Wild (the one about the beautiful village competition), and I think Fergus said he's 16 years old. Seriously, he was supposed to be 13-14 when he first meets Harry? Note, Rohan Nedd (who plays Fergus) will be 30 in November.

[dleighg]

yeah I keep doing a double take when he orders a lemonade or soda instead of a beer. He certainly looks old enough for adult beverages!

[LisaM]

My Life is Murder dropped the first two episodes of its next season (4) today. 

Edited to add: Watched the first episode of My Life is Murder Season 4: quite good - with Madison getting her share of the action. 

Also watched the last episode of this Season 3 of Harry Wild (Glenn's wedding) which was terrific. TPTB managed to bring their entire cast into this last episode. 

ETA: Signora Volpe Season 2 premieres on Acorn on July 29. I really enjoyed Season 1. 

Edited June 20 by LisaM

[Milburn Stone]

I don't know if there are enough Beck fans here to constitute a conversation...but after watching S5 as my starting point, I went back to watch various episodes from S1 through S4, and noticed a major difference in Peter Haber's performance. In all 4 of those preceding seasons, he played a ton of moments for comedy. (Not just the ones with his next-door apartment neighbor.) He goes through the episodes expressing a subtle, restrained amusement in response to his team members' peculiarities, or else a mildly comedic befuddlement. As of S5, he is much more serious--and I like that so much better. I think it's no accident that S1-4 had one director, and he was gone as of the first episode of S5. Either new show runners came in, or the same show runners realized a change in tone was necessary. Did anyone else notice that?

Edited June 29 by Milburn Stone

[LisaM]

Interesting observation. I haven't watched the early episodes in awhile but I seem to remember Beck responding with exasperation at some of Gunvald's actions. I don't seem to recall comedic expressions. What season are you up to? I don't want to spoil anything. 

[giovannif7]

New trailer for Season 3 of The Mallorca Files, which begins streaming on Prime Video starting Thursday August 8, 2024

 

[LisaM]

I just finished Season 2 of Blue Lights on Britbox. Highly recommended. It is about 3 Belfast police constables. Very well done. Seasons 3 and 4 have already been filmed. 

[Milburn Stone]

I just finished the final episode of the final season (so far) of Beck, and I'm bereft. It sure felt like a Series Finale and not just a Season Finale. Please tell me there will be a Season 10! IMDB says there is one but has no details at all. Maybe they're shooting it now?

[giovannif7]

Acorn TV has renewed Jane Seymour's Irish mystery/detective series Harry Wild for a fourth season.

[Milburn Stone]

I'm revising upward (to some extent) my opinion of the earlier seasons of Beck. S1 is the one I still can't stand. Gratuitous ultra-violence combined with gratuitous 90-minute-long shaky-cam. S2 is watchable, however. The woman boss and Alice are both good characters. In the first half of the season Gunvald is such a pig that it's hard to believe even in 2001, but he becomes less of one. (His transition from Total Pig to Staunch Ally of Women is a little much to happen so quickly--all within episode 4, basically--but not a dealbreaker.)

[giovannif7]

Wrapping up my binge of The Mallorca Files Season 3 on Prime Video, and thoroughly enjoying it - a perfect 8 episode summer treat, set on the picturesque Spanish island. The show features endearing main characters in UK detective Miranda Blake, German detective Max Winter and their boss Inez Villegas (Elen Rhys, Julian Looman and Maria Fernandez Ache, respectively), as well as Season 2's returning forensic pathologist Roberto Herrero (Alex Hafner), sporting a cool new buzz cut. I'm also enjoying the addition of the new recurring blue-eyed bearded Spanish Detective Mancuso from Barcelona (David Mora), who, while butting heads with them, begins to forge a bromance with Max and a complicated connection with Miranda.

Numerous gorgeous location shots of the stunning Mediterranean island/ocean scenery, storylines that are very European in tone and avoid getting overly dark or graphic while remaining engaging, plus interesting one-off characters that have kept me involved and guessing. Highly recommended as a fun summer watch.

 

[sempervivum]

Another 'cozy' detective series (which I'm sure has been mentioned here) is Madame Blanc Mysteries', set in the south of France. I usually detest this kind of thing, but in addition to the scenery, I appreciate the unfiltered/aging actors. The mysteries are basic at best, but the characters are so appealing that I enjoy watching them bumble around.

Anyway, the show has been renewed for a fourth season: Season 4

[mledawn]

Season 5 (!?) of The Bay airs on Acorn Sept 18th.

[LisaM]

New season of Slow Horses premieres today on Apple+. 

Season 10 of Candice Renoir on Acorn September 16. 

[krankydoodle]

The fourth season of Wisting is on AMC+ now. It took me a whlie to get used to the lead actor when I first started watching the show because he's quite stoic, but I soon found him a refreshing change from a lot of other detectives in crime dramas. The mysteries are interesting and I appreciate that they've mostly been able to keep the same cast together so the ongoing storylines with their personal lives has more of an impact. I thought there was too much going on in this latest season, though, and it could've used another episode or two.

[LisaM]

I finished Signora Volpe Season 2 on Acorn, which I thought was good - not great. The scenery is gorgeous and the mysteries are fine. I would watch a third season - especially since there are only 3 90 minute episodes per season. 

[krankydoodle]

I've been watching HIP - High Intellectual Potential, the French crime-comedy series on Hulu that the upcoming Kaitlin Olson-Daniel Sunjata series High Potential is based on. How much you enjoy it may depend on your tolerance for the brash lead character who can be a bit much. She's a single woman with three kids and while working as a cleaner at a police station, points them in the right direction on one of their cases and ends up consulting for them. It's a ridiculous premise, but Audrey Fleurot makes it work much better than I expected it to. I like it, but am not a fan of some plot developments at the end of season 3. 

[Milburn Stone]

On 9/8/2024 at 4:21 PM, krankydoodle said:

The fourth season of Wisting is on AMC+ now. It took me a whlie to get used to the lead actor when I first started watching the show because he's quite stoic, but I soon found him a refreshing change from a lot of other detectives in crime dramas.

Thanks for the tip. I started watching it (S1) the other day and am into it. Smarter than many shows of its like.

[LisaM]

On 9/14/2024 at 11:29 AM, Milburn Stone said:

Thanks for the tip. I started watching it (S1) the other day and am into it. Smarter than many shows of its like.

Thanks for posting this. I was considering starting to watch and now I am definitely going to check it out. 

[krankydoodle]

I like The Bay but it's funny that I find the personal and professional conflicts more tense than the murder mystery. I also noticed that the first episode of season 5 was directed by Shaun Evans (Morse on Endeavour).

[mledawn]

Acorn has announced that S3 of Whitstable Pearl starts on October 21!

[LisaM]

Watched the last episode of Candice Renoir Season 10 on Acorn. It is basically the end of the series although there are apparently 2 or 3 more episodes with only Candice and Antoine. They did a lovely sequence of screens showing faces from the past 10 years - former police colleagues, Candice's children and her current police squad. Wonderful way to end the series. 

Watched the first 2 new episodes of Ridley Season 2 (PBS). I didn't love the show last year but decided to give it a shot this year. Nope - no improvement. Would much rather have seen more Annika than this. 

[abbyzenn]

I was surprised to see they did a second season of Ridley but I find it watchable but never on my must see list.  I think I might like it better than Anika because I just hate the way see talks to the camera.

It's hard to figure out which shows get another season.  I liked Murder in Provence but so far no word on a second season and i think that show was probably 2 years ago.  I really liked Darby and Joan and finally after 2-3 years it was announced they're doing a seond season.

 

[LisaM]

I started watching Hidden Assets on Acorn last night. So far, it's very good. The protagonist is the head of a unit at the Ireland Criminal Assets Bureau charged with grabbing assets which are obtained via a crime. She gets involved with a Belgian detective after discovering connections to one of her cases. There are 2 seasons thus far. 

[CharlizeCat]

I found Season 1 of Hidden Assets to be better than Season 2. Angelina Bell made all the difference in the lead. 

[LisaM]

2 minutes ago, CharlizeCat said:

I found Season 1 of Hidden Assets to be better than Season 2. Angelina Bell made all the difference in the lead. 

Completely agree. I really did not like the lead in Season 2. 

[mledawn]

The BBC has picked up BritBox's new Lynley series based on the Inspector Lynley books by Elizabeth George. The series will air on BritBox in North America, and on BBC One and iPlayer in the UK. I'm looking forward to this.

https://deadline.com/2024/10/bbc-lynley-britbox-cast-first-look-daniel-mays-1236117302/

[dleighg]

11 minutes ago, mledawn said:

new Lynley series

That's great! I tried to watch the old one, but the low res was too much for me.

[mledawn]

Season 3 of Dalgleish starts December 2 on Acorn in North America

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DB93QS2imcU/

[Milburn Stone]

Fantastic news!

[LisaM]

New show on Acorn called Inspector Ellis starring Sharon D Clarke just dropped. About a DCI who is called into various police stations to solve difficult crimes. Has received good reviews. 

[dleighg]

On 11/7/2024 at 8:23 AM, LisaM said:

New show on Acorn called Inspector Ellis starring Sharon D Clarke just dropped.

I just watched the first episode. It moves slowly but is quite good. And as usually I keep recognizing actors from the other Brit stuff I watch :) 

[wanderingstar]

On 11/7/2024 at 8:23 AM, LisaM said:

New show on Acorn called Inspector Ellis starring Sharon D Clarke just dropped. About a DCI who is called into various police stations to solve difficult crimes. Has received good reviews. 

I'm LOVING this show. The first episode was fantastic. As Ellis, Sharon D. Clarke has so much talent and charisma, she just draws me in. And she and Andrew Gower's Harper play nicely off one another. I also love the filmmaking - the sweeping shots of the countryside, the closeups (so many closeups-LOL). 

The show is a slow burn, but I like that. 

Edited November 13 by wanderingstar

[mledawn]

On 11/7/2024 at 8:23 AM, LisaM said:

New show on Acorn called Inspector Ellis starring Sharon D Clarke just dropped. About a DCI who is called into various police stations to solve difficult crimes. Has received good reviews. 

Just watched the first ep today and really enjoyed it. Definitely recommend.

[dleighg]

I just finished Blue Lights (Britbox) and really enjoyed both seasons (I binged). Apparently it's been renewed for two more seasons.

[LisaM]

On 11/12/2024 at 8:30 PM, wanderingstar said:

I'm LOVING this show. The first episode was fantastic. As Ellis, Sharon D. Clarke has so much talent and charisma, she just draws me in. And she and Andrew Gower's Harper play nicely off one another. I also love the filmmaking - the sweeping shots of the countryside, the closeups (so many closeups-LOL). 

The show is a slow burn, but I like that. 

I just came here to post the same thing. Watched both episodes last night and loved them! Sharon D Clarke is so formidable. I also like the relationship between her and Harper. Fun to see so many Irish actors who I recognize from Blue Lights and other shows. 

[mledawn]

Just finished the second ep of Inspector Ellis and wow, what a gut punch! Are there only 3 episodes? That's all I have seen reference to in my wanderings. 

[LisaM]

5 hours ago, mledawn said:

Just finished the second ep of Inspector Ellis and wow, what a gut punch! Are there only 3 episodes? That's all I have seen reference to in my wanderings. 

Yes, there is one episode still to come. Have not seen any news about a renewal yet. Terrific show. 

[dleighg]

20 hours ago, LisaM said:

Fun to see so many Irish actors who I recognize from Blue Lights and other shows

At least two from Blue Lights in the second episode, right? Her fellow female constable was that internal investigator, and the husband of the victim was a senior cop in both seasons (though in two different positions). I joke to my husband that there seem to be only 100 different actors in detective shows in the UK/Ireland

[LisaM]

On 11/16/2024 at 5:10 AM, dleighg said:

At least two from Blue Lights in the second episode, right? Her fellow female constable was that internal investigator, and the husband of the victim was a senior cop in both seasons (though in two different positions). I joke to my husband that there seem to be only 100 different actors in detective shows in the UK/Ireland

YES!!!

[LisaM]

Astrid Season 4 on PBS in early January 2025. Finally some good news.