PBS Mystery!

Everything I needed to know in life I learned in Kindergarten—from Diana Rigg.



My foot pushes down the pedal in a black Bugatti.
My mind is held by the knitting of a dame from St. Mary Mead.
My soul is warmed by Ludwig von in green Oxfordshire.
My spirit draws comfort in the cool, damp stone of the abbey, Shrewsbury.
All of these things do make me whole,
But my heart it belongs to Jeremy Brett.



And because you made such a wise choice in coming to this page, here are four wonderful sound clips from Murder By Death.

Come In * Pansy * Pronouns * Number One

And a couple from John Cleese and Graham Chapman






Poirot (David Suchet) A+
These mysteries are fantastic, perhaps the best ever. It's like a vacation to England and a journey back into art deco (depicted above and below in surreal) all rolled into one. Also, Poirot is an impeccable role model for any aspiring egotistical yet sensitive snob. He is my hero. [get videos] [ms. lemon]

Miss Marple Investigates (Joan Hickson) A+
Great. [get videos]

Inspector Morse (John Thaw) A
Wonderful. Also a vacation to England. Morse is an excellent example of the driven man seeking out justice and a high moral standard. Morse's taste in music and literature enriches the script and soundtrack alike. [more]

Cadfael (Derek Jacobi) A
Derek Jacobi rules like Caesar in this excellent Mystery series. Highly recommended. Cadfael is as comforting as Poirot is Poirot. Never a bad episode and never one in which herbs don’t play a role. [get videos]

P.D. James Mysteries (Roy Marsden) A-
These mysteries are solved by Scotland Yard detective Adam Dalgliesh. Very good. Very intellectual. Fantastic theme music.
In The Heat of the Sun (Mobil Masterpiece Theatre, 1998) A-
Another great mystery production I saw on PBS. Set in Kenya during the 1920s or other. It's got all the scenery of the English Peanut without the overdrama. [get it]
Touching Evil (PBS Mystery, 1997) B+
All dark blue and black colors with some orange and red highlights. Very dramatic and intense. A mystery for the modern audience. Robson Green has great appeal, and the supporting cast are also good. [get it] [discuss]

Foyle's War (PBS Mystery, 2003) Not Yet Rated
Good color. Good setting (London, WWII). Good music. The story do seem a bit jam packed for ninety minutes—if that is, your name really is ninety minutes. [get it]

An Unsuitable Job For A Woman (Helen Baxendale, 1998) B-
Being a woman is obviously not an unsuitable job for Helen Baxendale, but these mysteries are more drama than intellectual stimulation. The problem with some of these new mystery series is that they're too preoccupied with developing and moreover, getting into the psyche of their characters. The writers need to focus more on the story and let the characters develop themselves. In short, better than American television dramas, but cannot hold a candle to Poirot. Of course, not everything can be written by Agatha Christie. [make sure they fix the tape problem if you're getting it]

Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (Patricia Rutledge, 1999) B-
The mystery plots are not at all developed and the show is light, but it's worth a look if you're interested in culture spotting in British countryside. I like Patricia Rutledge well enough too.

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