I Love a Mystery - Mystery TV Shows (1 Viewer)

[Matt Hough]

I haven't seen Riverdale since the end of season two, but the first two seasons were mystery-oriented along with a lot of teen angst and melodrama on a hyped-up scale thrown into the mix. There's a mystery element at work in The X-Files, too, though, of course, the sci-fi/supernatural wonderment of the stories is the prime attraction.

 

[Mysto]

I haven't seen Riverdale since the end of season two, but the first two seasons were mystery-oriented along with a lot of teen angst and melodrama on a hyped-up scale thrown into the mix. There's a mystery element at work in The X-Files, too, though, of course, the sci-fi/supernatural wonderment of the stories is the prime attraction.

It's always a problem to decide what is what Matt. A lot of Sci-Fi/Thriller shows have a mystery core (Lost). I'm not so sure it makes a lot of difference but it sometimes makes it difficult to find the kind of shows I most want to see as the descriptions are so muddled.

ADDED: I think one of my problems is you can't solve a supernatural mystery because they can make up their own laws of the universe.

There are a lot of sub-genres. Some of my most favorites are "how dunnit" mysteries (locked room type) that you find in shows like Banacek, Jonathan Creek, and Death in Paradise. Other's favorites are more of the classic "who dunnits" like Murder She Wrote. Still there is the group that favors procedural thrillers like NCIS or even True Crime like True Detective.

 

[Mysto]

Murder She Wrote 1984/96

Well it’s time to address the elephant in the room. Love it or hate it, Murder She Wrote is an amazing body of U.S. mystery programming with 264 episodes (plus four TV movies) in the can. The show was conceived by Peter S. Fischer and his collaborators Richard Levinson and William Link. Richard and William were the fathers of the Ellery Queen tv show and often said that Murder She Wrote used the same basic structure. This show gave us a new type of female mystery solver. Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) was not quirky but intelligent, self-sufficient, and comfortable in both country and urban settings. It was no problem for her to be planting daisies in her garden and then a few minutes later calling a senator friend for a favor. Jessica almost always did the “right thing” sometimes too much so but offered a positive role model. She also was one of the oldest TV leads at the time.

The role originally was created for Jean Stapleton who turned the role down. I can’t help but think the show might have had an entirely different feel had she been at the lead. You can see Jean in a mystery in the 1986 Agatha Christie made for TV movie Dead Man’s Folly with Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot.

MSW was cast in the fictional town of Cabot Cove Maine (actually Jaws Lake on the Universal Lot tour).

The shows themselves had cozy mysteries ranging from O.K. to excellent. They usually gave us solid clues during the show for those that wanted to try to solve the murder. At the end, almost all ended with an exposition and confession.

During the shows run there were a lot of great guest stars including some early rising stars but what we waited most for was the inclusion of “stars past”.

There was also a crossover episode with Magnum P.I.

Angela Lansbury was 58 when she started the MSW series and by the time she hit her early 60's she was working very hard and actually negotiated for less screen time. For some shows she would introduce the episode and close it but the show would be about someone else. Only one of these would be successful (a little) as a spin off. The video below shows some of them.



The numbers started to drop and Angela made a commitment to do all of the shows while becoming executive producer and taking charge. The numbers came back up putting MSW in the top viewed shows once again.

By then, pretty much everyone in Cabot Cove was dead or in jail so Jessica moved out into the world heading to the big apple to teach.

Then CBS decided that MSW brought in an older audience than their desired Sunday demographic so they moved it from Sunday to Thursday night. That put the show against Friends and it didn’t fare well. As ratings dropped CBS moved it back but it was too late. The final shows on Murder She Wrote made fun of the situation with a show Murder Among Friends and then the final show, Death by Demographics.

A lot of people make fun of the show. It is called naïve today because of the positive characters without much guilt, angst or mental problems. Can't have that today. Binged watched, the formula becomes a bit obvious along with the required reaction shot at the end of each episode. Having said all that I enjoyed the show and our family looked forward to each episode. I don’t watch it much anymore because it was/is ubiquitous in re-runs and I have seen most episodes enough times to recite the dialog.

There were four more made for TV movies and that ended its run but the show continues in re-runs and has been syndicated in over 40 countries. It is currently being shown in the US on many streaming channels and on cable TV on the Great American Family Network.



Here is some info about the show with some comments from the grand lady herself.

 

[Matt Hough]

During the period when the show ran, I was heavy into a relationship, working two jobs, and doing theater as a sideline, but there was one show that my partner and I would never miss - Murder, She Wrote. I saw every episode the night it aired, recorded the show on the VCR and rewatched the episodes to study how clues were planted and how the formulas were established. By the middle of its run, it was a rare episode where I wasn't able to spot the murderer before he/she was unmasked.

I loathed most of the episodes where Angela merely introduced them. The writing was usually weak, and there was less enjoyment to be had. Those two seasons where she appeared in only half the episodes in each year were abysmal. I understood she was getting older and was physically a wreck from the long hours and demanding schedule for her being in almost every scene. But without her, the show DIED.

I have all 12 seasons (and the four TV-films) on DVD and when I get into a MSW mood, I'm happy to binge watch three or four back-to-back. I recognize its weaknesses, but it's still a marvelously entertaining show for me.

 

[Mysto]

Sherlock 2010-

I found it interesting that in the lists of mysteries so far, neither of the two modern takes on the Sherlock Holmes character were mentioned. The British series Sherlock did, I think, a wonderful job in showing how Sherlock Holmes and Watson might have been had they been living in the 21st century.

Each of the stories shown are a re-imagining from the original Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original stories. Sherlock Holmes played by Benedict Cumberbath and his sidekick Doctor John Watson played by Martin Freeman ran for an all too short 13 episodes.

The two characters are so faithfully represented that when they did a one-off episode putting them in original Victorian times they fit right in.

Each episode was carefully crafted as though they were movies and they play well on a big home theater screen. Beautifully designed mysteries keeping with the spirit of the source material make these a “must watch” for mystery fans, not just Sherlock Holmes fans.

IMDB agrees with a 9.1 rating.

Here’s a video with (arguably) the Top 10 moments in the series.

 

[Matt Hough]

Though I enjoyed many of the early episodes, I found the plotting with Mrs. John Watson rather absurd, and I didn't enjoy the later episodes featuring her.

 

[Mysto]

Matt, as I recall, I liked them all. It has been a while since I've watched the bunch. We are so behind. With some of the recommendations in here (including some of yours) - I have a bunch of stuff cued up. My wife also requires we put in a spacer of some RomCom every so often.
It appears to be just you and me. I'm really hoping we get some more discussion going. Some of these guys have to be watching mysteries right now.

 

[Matt Hough]

Overall, I prefered Elementary for a modernized Holmes and Watson that didn't go out of its way to be other-worldly. I watched all seven seasons and reviewed them on DVD here. But it was a meat-and-potatoes show whereas Sherlock was more like an elaborate sundae.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Hey there, Marv and Matt! While I haven't been posting, I've been reading along and enjoying your conversation...and of course, watching some mysteries - mainly catching up with S1 of Dark Winds, last year's successful adaptation of Tony Hillerman's series featuring Navaho policemen Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. Quite a few cosmetic changes from the books, but a well-done and atmospheric police procedural overall. Recommended.

Re: the discussion upthread about what exactly constitutes a mystery...well, IMO a show like The X-Files (which I love as a supernatural/sci-fi drama), while certainly having a mystery component, doesn't qualify as a "proper" mystery in my book. To me, what makes a story a proper mystery is a strong focus on someone (either professional or amateur) investigating - and hopefully solving - a crime. It's a matter of tone and focus. A lot of recent crime dramas, from the U.K. and otherwise, emphasize the suspense and thriller elements quite a bit...which is fine, but my preference will always be for works that focus on the detective(s) detecting stuff.

Don't have much to say about Murder, She Wrote, as I have barely watched it. Perhaps unfairly, I've always considered it a pale American imitation of Miss Marple. Someday I might give it another chance, as it does have many fans. My "cozy mystery" threshold is limited. Perhaps you guys can recommend some of your favorite MSW episodes and I'll try to check a few out and see if I like the show more now that I'm verging on that dreaded "older" demographic.

I also don't really care much for either Sherlock or Elementary. I've seen about half of the Sherlock episodes and while the first few were clever enough, and the two leads quite good in their roles, the show became too overwrought, convoluted and precious for my tastes as it went on. Guess I'm just a purist...give me Jeremy Brett or Peter Cushing stalking around gaslit Victorian London over these modernizations any day of the week.

 

[Mysto]

Overall, I prefered Elementary for a modernized Holmes and Watson that didn't go out of its way to be other-worldly. I watched all seven seasons and reviewed them on DVD here. But it was a meat-and-potatoes show whereas Sherlock was more like an elaborate sundae.

About a year or so ago Elementary was running on our cable. My wife leaves the TV on as "wallpaper" and that was the show running. I found that it was hard to walk by without giving attention. At any point in the performance it seemed to suck me in. I think that's high praise.
Jeff - watching either of these requires that you take the deerstalker off. I don't really try to compare to Sherlock Holmes and rather let them stand on their own. Besides, even if you don't like them we still like you. (Remember my favorite Sherlock is Basil)

 

[Mysto]

Hey there, Marv and Matt! While I haven't been posting, I've been reading along and enjoying your conversation...and of course, watching some mysteries - mainly catching up with S1 of Dark Winds, last year's successful adaptation of Tony Hillerman's series featuring Navaho policemen Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. Quite a few cosmetic changes from the books, but a well-done and atmospheric police procedural overall. Recommended.

Re: the discussion upthread about what exactly constitutes a mystery...well, IMO a show like The X-Files (which I love as a supernatural/sci-fi drama), while certainly having a mystery component, doesn't qualify as a "proper" mystery in my book. To me, what makes a story a proper mystery is a strong focus on someone (either professional or amateur) investigating - and hopefully solving - a crime. It's a matter of tone and focus. A lot of recent crime dramas, from the U.K. and otherwise, emphasize the suspense and thriller elements quite a bit...which is fine, but my preference will always be for works that focus on the detective detecting stuff.

Don't have much to say about Murder, She Wrote, as I have barely watched it. Perhaps unfairly, I've always considered it a pale American imitation of Miss Marple. Someday I might give it another chance, as it does have many fans. My "cozy mystery" threshold is limited. Perhaps you guys can recommend some of your favorite MSW episodes and I'll try to check a few out and see if I like the show more now that I'm verging on that dreaded "older" demographic.

I also don't really care much for either Sherlock or Elementary. I've seen about half of the Sherlock episodes and while the first few were clever enough, and the two leads quite good in their roles, the show became too overwrought, convoluted and precious for my tastes as it went on. Guess I'm just a purist...give me Jeremy Brett or Peter Cushing stalking around gaslit Victorian London over these modernizations any day of the week.

I like your definition Jeff. It seems that most of the so called mysteries that are currently coming out are of the sci-fi thriller variety. Or some combination of them. Last night we watched an episode of Houdini & Doyle. Even tougher to decide as the mix runs back and forth.

IMHO Murder She Wrote is not a Marple copy. Angela did not want it to be - she had already done that ( and although I love much of her work - I didn't care for her Marple). MSW are simple stories but each has a nice puzzle with real clues and always gets solved at the end. Not the gourmet meal that Marple is more of a bag of crisps to enjoy. YMMV

I'll have to add Dark Winds to my ever growing list.
Cheers

 

[Matt Hough]

Jeff - watching either of these requires that you take the deerstalker off. I don't really try to compare to Sherlock Holmes and rather let them stand on their own. Besides, even if you don't like them we still like you. (Remember my favorite Sherlock is Basil)

That's the best idea. The modernized Holmeses are fun but not for strict purists. Even the brilliant Basil indulged in a modernized Holmes (though they were only a couple of decades ahead of the last Doyle stories) to good effect. He is also my favorite. I greatly appreciate Jeremy Brett's series and how faithful the episodes were to the canon, but my heart belongs to Basil.

 

[Mysto]

Houdini & Doyle - 2016

Seeing as I mentioned it in a previous post I thought I’d talk about this mystery. Something not quite as well known.

The lead characters are Harry Houdini, the internationally famous escapologist played by Michael Weston and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle , famous creator of Sherlock Holmes played by Stephen Mangan. The two work together solving mysteries of the x-files kind. Houdini was a great de-bunker of the supernatural while Sir Arthur was a strong supporter of spiritualism in real life and they were friends, that much of the show is true. Other than that they play fast and loose with the facts. Houdini is a player in this, but he was married and watched pretty closely by his wife. Houdini and Doyle were actually only friends until Houdini called out Doyle’s wife’s spirit writing from Houdini’s mother. The writing was in pretty good English and at the end of the message it ended with a cross so Houdini pointed out that his mothers English was terrible and as a devout Jew there would never be a cross. At that point they became enemies and stopped speaking to each other.

The Real Houdini & Doyle

This is a mystery with a supernatural content but not exactly. As one reviewer on imdb described it “ this is Scooby-Doo for adults”. A mystery of a strange nature is brought to light and the duo goes after it. Doyle wants to prove it is supernatural and Houdini wants to prove it is not. These are action/thriller type mysteries with wonderful views of Victorian London that move swiftly along. In the end the mysteries are solved and are not supernatural but there is always some lingering unexplainable component. Just maybe…



These are lots of fun and play well on my big screen. When you want a little more action in your mystery, they might be a good choice.

For those interested – here is the real story of Houdini and Doyle.

 

[Keith Cobby]

Good thread. My favourite US shows are:
Banacek (great theme)
Ellery Queen (great theme)
Nero Wolfe (sadly missing in widescreen on blu ray)

Inspector Morse (great theme)
Endeavour
Campion (great theme)
Miss Marple (Joan Hickson, Christie's choice)
Marple (Geraldine McEwan)
Father Brown (Mark Williams)
Jonathan Creek (favourite episode The Grinning Man)

 

[Mysto]

Mr. & Mrs. North 1952-54

Richard Denning as Jerry North
Barbara Britton as Pamela North
Francis De Sales as Lt. Bill Weigand

From IMDB:
“Jerry and Pamela North live in Greenwich Village in New York City. Jerry is a mystery magazine publisher who thinks he is a good amateur detective. He and his wife investigate various crimes and solve them before the police do.”

Following in the footsteps of the Thin Man Movies, and well before Hart to Hart, this series has a husband and wife team in the middle of the mysteries.

Before the TV series it was also a movie and a radio program.

Another half-hour quickie with all the quirks of an early 50’s TV show. If you sometimes enjoy vintage TV (I do) these are worth the watch and are all available in various sources including Youtube.

 

[Mysto]

Good thread. My favourite US shows are:
Banacek (great theme)
Ellery Queen (great theme)
Nero Wolfe (sadly missing in widescreen on blu ray)

Inspector Morse (great theme)
Endeavour
Campion (great theme)
Miss Marple (Joan Hickson, Christie's choice)
Marple (Geraldine McEwan)
Father Brown (Mark Williams)
Jonathan Creek (favourite episode The Grinning Man)

Hey Keith - Welcome aboard. It appears we have a lot of readers but not so many posters.
Good to have yet another Nero Wolfe fan and one looking for widescreen (why can't we get them)

I've asked Jeff to post something on the Hickson Marples but he is not a fan of the others. Anybody else in here a McEwan fan?

I've never spent much time with the Morse series and probably should.

Have you watched the new Father Brown spin off the Sister Boniface Mysteries?

 

[Keith Cobby]

I haven't caught up with the Sister Boniface series, currently watching FB season 10, although with some of the previous regular cast gone, I think the show should finish.

Inspector Morse is probably the high water mark of British mystery television, and Endeavour is also very good with Shaun Evans playing the same character in his early days of policing.

Personally I prefer the Christie Marple character to Poirot (with the exception of the Margaret Rutherford films).

Really like the Mr & Mrs North and Thin Man tv shows, more of these need to be released on blu ray.

 

[Matt Hough]

Thanks for the tip on North. Always looking for something "new" to watch.

Much preferred Joan Hickson to McEwen or Julia McKenzie (I reviewed her three disc sets) as Marple. And Hickson's were much more faithful to the books than the others.

 

[ponset]

I have been watching MSW. As I got the Seasons 1-6 on DVD rather cheap, $19.99.
My favorite episodes on set in or around Cabot Cove.
Since Tom Bosley played "Sheriff Amos Tupper", I decided to Check out FATHER DOWLING MYSTERIES.
It's been a decent show so far.

 

[Mysto]

I have been watching MSW. As I got the Seasons 1-6 on DVD rather cheap, $19.99.
My favorite episodes on set in or around Cabot Cove.
Since Tom Bosley played "Sheriff Amos Tupper", I decided to Check out FATHER DOWLING MYSTERIES.
It's been a decent show so far.

View attachment 174572

20 bucks sounds like a deal. I got the Father Dowling Mysteries very cheap. I bought them used - (I think they were from an Amazon seller) a long time ago. As you finish them we'd love to hear your comments. Scott.