Posts Tagged ‘Drama’

TitleIt’s 1965 and a teenage schoolgirl from Oxford has disappeared and is presumed dead. A very young Constable Endeavour Morse, who dropped out of Oxford, is temporarily assigned to the Oxford branch to support the investigation.

The story opens with Morse typing up is resignation letter, ready to leave law enforcement. But he soon discovers that police work is what he’s made for. Though he’s not readily accepted by the more experienced police officers on the case (he ends up working alone for the most part), they soon discover that he knows what he’s talking about. His superior, Detective Inspector Fred Thursday, recognizes Morse’s talents and takes Endeavour under his wing.Morse and Thursday

Unfortunately, I have yet to see any episodes of Inspector Morse, the series of feature-length TV shows produced from 1987 to 2000 starring John Thaw. Not that I don’t want to, it’s just that there are so many British TV shows to write about, I just haven’t gotten to it yet. But after watching this prequel, I’m certainly interested in checking them out.

This show apparently contains a lot of references to Endeavour’s future self, including his love of opera and passion for crossword puzzles, both of which help him solve this case.

Since I had no preconceived ideas about the character of Endeavour Morse, I was able to watch this without comparing Shaun Evans’ portrayal to John Thaw’s. Although, even if you are a fan, the early Morse would be and should be very different from his older self anyway.

MAIN CAST:
Shaun Evans – Endeavour Morse
Roger Allam – Fred Thursday
James Bradshaw – Max DeBryn
Abigail Thaw – Dorothea Frazil

Total Seasons: 1 episode (90 minutes)
Seasons Available on US Formatted DVD: 1
In Production: 2012
Viewer Discretion: Violence

Title

Lovejoy is a divvie, a person with the extraordinary ability to recognize genuine antiques from fakes or forgeries. But even though Lovejoy is very skilled at his profession, he doesn’t seem to be able to keep himself afloat. He’s always strapped for cash, but his love for the hunt keeps him in the game. He says, “Among the bric-a-brac and tacky trinkets, there’s a gem.” And sometimes those gems have a mystery attached to them that Lovejoy cannot help but solve.

Lovejoy - Ian McShaneLovejoy, played by Ian McShane, is an exceptional forger, conniver and liar, but a totally likeable guy. He loves women and antiques, but not necessarily in that order. With the help of his friend, Lady Jane Felsham, his dim assistant Eric, and often intoxicated buddy Tinker, Lovejoy scours the countryside for hidden treasures.

The show was adapted from the novels by Jonathan Gash and was apparently created to take advantage of the great popularity of Antiques Roadshow. What’s a bit unusual about the show is that in every episode Lovejoy “breaks the fourth wall” and talks to camera, revealing his thoughts. I found it kind of odd, but it Castseemed appropriate for his character.

My first experience with Ian McShane was as the foul-mouthed brothel and saloon owner, Al Swearengen, on HBO’s Deadwood. To see him earlier in his career is entertaining. But the best part of the show for me was seeing a young Phyllis Logan as Lady Jane. She plays Mrs. Hughes on Downton Abbey.

In my opinion, this isn’t British TV at its absolute best. I’ve only watched the first two seasons, mainly because it really hasn’t grown on me. I’ll keep giving it a try. The show lasted 6 seasons, so it must have either gotten better, or at the time there wasn’t much else to watch!

MAIN CAST:
Ian McShane – Lovejoy
Phyllis Logan – Lady Jane Felsham
Dudley Sutton – Tinker Dill
Chris Jury – Eric Catchpole
Diane Parish – Beth Taylor
Malcolm Tierney – Charlie Gimbert

Total Seasons: 6 (71 episodes)
Seasons Available on US Formatted DVD: 6
In Production: 1986, 1991 – 1994
Viewer Discretion: Language, adult situations, brief nudity

Title

It’s 1889 and six months after Jack the Ripper’s crime spree in London’s East End Whitechapel district. H Division is the police precinct in charge of Whitechapel, one of the poorest sections of the city, home to factories, brothels and pubs. H Division failed to catch Jack the Ripper and when the series opens and more women are murdered in Whitechapel, it is thought that the Ripper has returned.

Edmund Reid - Matthew MacfaydenDetective Inspector Edmund Reid is in charge of H Division. He’s a man with a troubled marriage, due to the disappearance, and possible death, of his young daughter. He blames himself for this situation and it has taken a toll on his wife, Emily, and their relationship. Reid is joined by Detective Sergeant Bennet Drake and an American, Homer Jackson. Jackson is a former US Army surgeon, a man who seems to know his way around dead bodies. Together they police the Whitechapel district, trying to keep some semblance of Male Castlaw and order.

Ripper Street is dark, dirty, gritty and nasty, not unlike HBO’s Deadwood, of which I am a big fan. But I gather it’s an accurate representation of London’s East End at that time in history. It’s also a show that investigates the early days of forensic pathology. Many clues are gleaned through Jackson’s autopsies and experiments in his “lab.”

As I’ve said in previous posts, I adore Matthew Macfayden. And he’s the reason I tuned into the show. But I have to admit, though the production is excellent, writing and acting more so, it isn’t a “can’t wait until the next episode” kind of a show for me. I do look forward to the second series, which is scheduled to air in 2014, just to see how the show and the characters evolve.

MAIN CAST:
Matthew Macfayden – Edmund Reid
Jerome Flynn – Bennet Drake
Adam Rothenberg – Homer Jackson
MyAnna Buring – Long Susan
Charlene McKenna – Rose Erskine
Amanda Hale – Emily Reid

Total Seasons: 1 (8 episodes)
Seasons Available on US Formatted DVD: 1
In Production: 2012
Viewer Discretion: Violence, adult situations, language

Title

I have to say that the British have been good at coming up with different ways to tell stories. And Accused is a new way of telling stories of law and order.

Christopher EcclestonEach episode is a different story of an ordinary person awaiting trial for a crime. (The last two episodes are linked with the outcome of one story leading into the next.) Each episode opens with the main character being lead to the courtroom and portions of the trial are intercut with the backstory of how this person got there.

A man at the end of his tether finds a bag of cash that can get him out of debt. A mother loses her son in a workplace accident she considers suspicious and she needs someone to blame. A taxi driver becomes obsessed with one of his fares. How far will he go to have her? A father believes his daughter has been molested and takes the law into his own hands. What circumstances would compel you to commit Andy Serkisa crime? Would you go to such extreme measures?

Accused features many well-known UK actors including Christopher Eccleston, the ninth Dr. Who, Juliet Stevenson (Place of Execution), Olivia Colman (Peep Show), MacKenzie Crook (The Office) and film actors Andy Serkis and Sean Bean. I enjoyed seeing Olivia Colman in a seriously dramatic role, quite the opposite of anything else I’ve seen her in previously. And if you’re a fan of Sean Bean, his role in Accused is quite a surprise.

This is not in any way a feel-good show. Sometimes it’s quite sad, and definitely serious. I had a bit of sympathy for some of the accused, but others not so much. I thought the first six episodes were the best.

MAIN CAST:
Christopher Eccleston – Willy Houlihan
Juliet Stevenson – Helen Ryland
Olivia Colman – Sue
Andy Serkis – Liam Black
Sean Bean – Simon
Mackenzie Crook – Alan Buckley

Total Seasons: 2 (10 episodes)
Seasons Available on US Formatted DVD: 0
In Production: 2010 – 2012
Viewer Discretion: language, violence, adult situations, brief nudity

Title

William Shawcross is looking for love. He’s a widower with two teenage daughters. But he’s also an undertaker, which makes meeting woman difficult. Mary Gilcrest is also a single parent with two teenage sons. She’s a very busy midwife who’s not necessarily looking to find love, even though her meddling mother keeps pushing her towards an old boyfriend.

William and Mary2William and Mary join a dating service. When William lays eyes on Mary, he’s immediately smitten and wants to meet her. Though their first date doesn’t go as well as planned, they end up getting together, falling in love, and dealing with all the complications and the challenges life throws at them. Their work lives are just a part of it. They’ve got even more to contend with when they blend their families. The Brady Bunch it isn’t.

I thought the idea of these two people hooking up, one who deals with the beginning of life and the other with the end, was pretty interesting and a different take on the comedy/drama/romance genre. And not all the funerals are sad nor are the births all happy. Both William and Mary experience a wide range of emotions throughout the series from elation toWilliam and Mary despair.

I respect and admire Martin Clunes as an actor. He has great range, can play a wide variety of characters. If you’ve only seen him as Doc Martin, you’re in for a surprise here. I have to say, though, that Martin is not what I would call a handsome man, not your traditional romantic lead type. But he plays William so brilliantly – he’s sweet, charming, affectionate – you can’t help but fall in love with him. And the first time I saw Julie Graham in Bonekickers, I didn’t like her at all. She’s totally different in this series, much more likeable.

I was only able to see the first 12 episodes of the series. I hope to see the last 6 at some point.

MAIN CAST:
Martin Clunes – William Shawcross
Julie Graham – Mary Gilcrest
Cheryl Campbell – Molly Gilcrest
Michael Begley – Rick Straud
Clair Hackett – Doris
Peta Cornish – Kate Shawcross
Ricci McLeod – Brendan Gilcrest
Dominick Baron – Terence Gilcrest
Georgina Terry – Julia Shawcross

Total Seasons: 3 (18 episodes)
Seasons Available on US Formatted DVD: 2
In Production: 2003 – 2005
Viewer Discretion: Adult situations, nudity, language

Strictly Confidenttial castLinda Nelson quit her job as a police officer to become a sex therapist. She shares a practice in Leeds with her brother-in-law, Greg. She’s desperate to have a child, but finds out that her husband, Richard, is infertile. She asks Richard’s brother, Greg, to be a sperm donor, much to the dismay of Greg’s wife, Penny, as well as Richard.

Linda used to be involved with Greg before she married Richard. And if that wasn’t complicated enough, Linda is asked to consult on a murder investigation with her ex-lover, Detective Sergeant Angie Morton, who still has strong feelings for Linda. The case involves auto-erotic asphyxiation and could be linked back to her and Richard when a second victim is Suranne Jones as Linda Nelsonfound and she’s one of Linda’s patients.

I found this show kind of odd in that it really is two shows in one. Why bring the murder case into it? It’s enough of a show without it. How do you successfully integrate the story of a sex therapist with that of a murder investigation? I guess because the case has a sexual angle.

The rest of the show centers around Linda’s and Greg’s various patients with sexual dysfunctions. These stories are almost like comic relief compared to the serious storylines of the murder and Linda’s desire to have a child.

Linda and GregAnd unfortunately, rather than sympathize with Linda, I didn’t care much for her. She blames Richard for their inability to conceive, which is out of his control. This pushes her into the arms of her brother-in-law, whom she guiltlessly has an affair with.

Is this show worth watching? Depends. Some viewers will be put off by the strong sexual content. But some of the acting is good, especially by Kate Isitt, who might be best known for her role as Sally on Coupling.

MAIN CAST:
Suranne Jones – Linda Nelson
Cristian Solimeno – Richard Nelson
Tristan Gemmill – Greg Nelson
Eva Pope – Angie Morton
Kate Isitt – Penny Nelson
Stacey Roca – Claudie

Total Seasons: 1 (6 episodes)
Seasons Available on US Formatted DVD: 1
In Production: 2006
Viewer Discretion: Strong sexual content, language, nudity

Title

Archie MacDonald is in the process of opening up a restaurant in London, when his mother, Molly, begs him to return to his childhood home, Glenbogle, in the Scottish Highlands. Molly claims his father, Hector, is on his deathbed and Archie must return home. Upon arriving, Archie discovers his father is not even close to dying, but that Archie is now the Laird and it’s his responsibility to get the huge debt-ridden family estate back on its feet.

The series is loosely based on Compton Mackenzie’s Highland Novels which take place in the same location as Monarch of the Glen. And the title of the show comes from both the first book in Mackenzie’s series and a famous painting of a stag.

CastThroughout the series, the family tries many schemes to raise money to make the estate turn a profit like making Glenbogle a bed and breakfast, marketing its spring water and making it a healing center. And I suppose it can get very tiresome in that every episode the family is looking for a new income stream to save the estate, but the characters are very likeable and you want them to succeed. And sometimes the show can be a wee bit corny, but it’s still one of my favorites for so many reasons, one of which is the gorgeous locations in Glenbogle Housethe Scottish Highlands.

The show also has a bit of a soap opera element to it. Archie finds himself in love triangles and even squares. When it comes to women, Archie is just clueless.  He’s totally inept at reading signals. But Alastair Mackenzie is such a cutie, especially in his kilt, so I can see why all the women in the show want to be with him.

The lovely Susan Hampshire plays Molly and she is delightful. Richard Briers, who many know from his work on The Good Life, plays Hector. Fans of Downton Abbey will enjoy seeing that show’s creator, Julian Fellowes, as Lord Kilwillie, Hector’s friend, neighbor and sometimes nemesis.

MAIN CAST:
Richard Briers – Hector MacDonald
Susan Hampshire – Molly MacDonald
Alastair Mackenzie- Archie MacDonald
Dawn Steele – Lexie McTavish
Alexander Morton – Golly Mackenzie
Hamish Clark – Duncan McKay
Lorraine Pilkington – Katrina Finlay
Julian Fellowes – Lord Kilwillie

Total Seasons: 7 (64 episodes)
Seasons Available on US Formatted DVD: 7
In Production: 2000 – 2005
Viewer Discretion: Suitable for all audiences

Title

Dapper detective Joseph Chandler is a novice when it comes to murder, yet he’s been assigned to investigate one. A woman has been murdered in Whitechapel, her throat cut, the crime scene mimicking that of Jack the Ripper’s first kill.

CastBelieving East London to have a Jack the Ripper copycat on its hands, Chandler and his team of detectives, accompanied by Ripperologist, Edward Buchan, seek out the killer using the clues from the original 1888 case, along with modern technology and investigative techniques. If this killer is copying Jack the Ripper, they should be able to predict his every move and stop him before he kills again. At first, newbie Chandler receives little or no support Rupert Penry-Jonesfrom his squad of veteran coppers. But they soon learn that Chandler’s ideas seem to be spot on, leading them to the killer.

At first I thought this whole series was going to be about a modern day Jack the Ripper case, but that’s only the beginning. Whitechapel is more like several mini-series, each three episode series dealing with a different case. Series 2 and 3 cover other copycat cases: the Ratcliffe Highway Murders, the Thames Torso Murders, and the crimes of the Kray twins in the 1960s.

Like most British crime dramas, Whitechapel has well-developed characters, a suspenseful script and exceptional performances by the entire cast.

MAIN CAST:
Rupert Penry-Jones – Joseph Chandler
Phil Davis – Ray Miles
Steve Pemberton – Edward Buchan

Total Seasons: 3 (12 episodes)
Seasons Available on US Formatted DVD: 1
In Production: 2009 – 2012
Viewer Discretion: violence, adult situations

Blue Murder

TOP PICK

Janine Lewis has just been promoted to Detective Chief Inspector, but her excitement is quashed when she comes home to celebrate and finds her husband in bed with another woman. Janine now has to juggle her career and her three children – with a fourth on the way – all on her own.

DVD CoverJanine and her team of homicide detectives investigate the most gruesome crimes in Manchester. But even though the stories are dark and gritty, the show still has a touch of humor in it. The characters really click with each other and Janine’s team seems like a second family to her. She’s sometimes like a mother hen, keeping everyone in line and on task, while averting Janine and Richardconflicts between the detectives.

There are a lot of UK crime dramas with female leads and I like that. Shows like New Tricks, Vera and Prime Suspect have women in the role of commander. And in Blue Murder, the portrayal of a high ranking female police officer balancing her work life and full family life is nicely explored. What do you do when you’re trying to catch a killer, but your children need you at home?

I really like Caroline Quentin. This was the first show I saw her in. There are a couple of others she is equally great in that I have yet to write about: Jonathan Creek and Life Begins.

MAIN CAST:
Caroline Quentin – DCI Janine Lewis
Ian Kelsey – DI Richard Mayne
Nicholas Murchie – DS Tony Shap
Paul Loughran – DS Ian Butchers

Total Seasons: 5 (19 episodes)
Seasons Available on US Formatted DVD: 5
In Production: 2004 – 2009
Viewer Discretion: violence, language

Title

Jack Mowbray is a dedicated police officer in Bristol, England. He’s been able to balance his work life and home life easily, until he gets involved in the case of a sadistic serial killer who has taken the lives of several women in England and Wales. This case affects Jack deeply, but affects his wife even more, putting a strain on their relationship. The series contains some unexpected plot twists that will surprise you and keep you guessing about “Who done it.”

Ross Kemp-Jack Mowbray          Victim's family

This is the first UK crime drama that I’ve seen that deals with just one case over the course of the whole 12 episode series. The inquiry goes on for months and months before someone is finally caught and charged with the crime. Without Motive is also one of the few crime dramas to take an in-depth look at the personal as well as the professional lives of police officers and how the “job” can take a toll on their personal lives.

I also found it unusual that this was a show that featured many actors I had never seen before, and I like to think that I’ve seen quite a few British TV shows. Ross Kemp did appear in East Enders. And Karl Johnson, who was so brilliant as Twister in Lark Rise to Candleford, plays one of the suspects in Without Motive.

MAIN CAST:
Ross Kemp – Jack Mowbray
Jamie Foreman – Jim Boulter
Hazel Ellerby – Sally Mowbray
Kenneth Cranham – Derek Henderson
Karl Johnson – Robert Jackson
Ian Bartholomew – Ronnie Stocks
Jane Hazlegrove – Margaret Walkinshaw

Total Seasons: 2 (12 episodes)
Seasons Available on US Formatted DVD: 2
In Production: 2000-2002
Viewer Discretion: violence, language