By Margaret S. Hamilton
It’s been a
whirlwind holiday season so I’ll take a break from book reviews to discuss
recent British crime TV shows I’ve enjoyed.
“Dalgliesh”
series 3, Acorn. Set in 1979, Bertie Carvel plays Scotland Yard detective Adam Dalgliesh
in six episodes based on three P.D. James books: Death in Holy Orders, Cover
Her Face, and Devices and Desires. Of the three actors who have
played Dalgliesh—Roy Marsden and Martin Shaw were in previous productions--Carvel
does the best job portraying a detective with a passion for justice while
displaying sensitivity and empathy for the friends and family of the deceased.
Dalgliesh always gets his man—or woman.
Devices
and Desires is one
of my favorite books. James creates a remote Norfolk coastal setting which
assumes the role of a major character. She ably populates the headland near a
nuclear power station with a small group of inhabitants. The current TV version
slashes the subplots, including the portrayal of a local family, and Dalgliesh’s
grief over his aunt’s recent demise.
“Black
Doves,” season one, Netflix. Starring Keira Knightley, Ben Whishaw, and Sarah
Lancashire, this six-episode thriller is set during the Christmas season in
London. Despite some gratuitous violence and sex scenes, and a ridiculous plot not
based on a book, the lead actors manage to carry on in good form. Sarah
Lancashire plays a formidable information broker, selling to the highest
bidder, with Knightley and Whishaw as her agents.
“Shetland,”
season nine, Britbox. DI “Tosh” McIntosh (Alison O’Donnell) teams up with DI
Ruth Calder (Ashley Jensen) to investigate the disappearance of a local woman
and her son. Plenty of suspects, red herrings, and a whiff of terrorism to keep
things interesting. “Shetland” isn’t the same without Jimmy Perez, but Tosh and
Ruth, who are of equal rank, manage to work together to produce results.
“Vera,”
season fourteen, Britbox, January 2nd and 9th. Brenda
Blethyn returns for her last two Vera episodes. Wearing her trademark green
raincoat and hat, and driving her growling vintage Land Rover, Blethyn owns the
character of Vera Stanhope, much as Alec Guinness owned the character of George
Smiley. She will be missed.
“Signora
Volpe,” season two, Acorn. Emilia Fox plays a retired British spy turned local
Italian detective in this cozy series, filmed in Lazio and Umbria. It features
a wonderful setting, charming main character, enough local crimes to keep her
busy, and a romance with a member of the Carabinieri.
“The Chelsea
Detective Christmas Special,” Acorn. DI Max Arnold (Adrian Scarborough) and DS
Layla Walsh (Vanessa Emme) investigate the death of former pop star Chloe
Carmichael. Max, a tenacious detective, lives on a houseboat and rides a bike
around Chelsea. An engaging traditional British police procedural with little
or no violence.
Readers and
writers, have you watched any British crime shows recently?
Alas, with only 24 hours in the day, my choice is to watch very little television.
ReplyDeleteEvery once in a while, I get the urge to watch a TV show. Assuming I can find my remote control reasonably quickly, a British crime show is usually my choice.
ReplyDeleteI just started the Moonflower Murders. It’s a bit jumpy in the first episode, but I’m willing to stick with it a while longer. I’m going to have to look into Acorn - love the Dalgliesh series, and the PBS adaptations. Looking forward to the Acorn version.
ReplyDeleteOK, off to explore the costs of Acorn and Britbox! Also, if you like reality TV at all, The Traitors on Peacock is fabulous. Set in Scotland, and gotta love Alan Cummings.
ReplyDeleteI haven't and I miss them. Thanks for the suggestions!
ReplyDelete