INSPECTOR ELLIS: New series

I really enjoyed Episode 1 of Inspector Ellis, a new series, on AcornTV. Put it on your list. Great acting, interesting plot, new twist. 3 Episodes (1 1/2 each), being dropped weekly. Hope there's a Season 2 in the future.

Acorn TV’s new three-part series Inspector Ellis (Ellis in the UK) challenges our preconceptions of a female detective. DCI Ellis (Sharon D Clarke) is a Black woman, no longer young, whose long black coat and brightly colored scarf are a statement of strength and power. She is neither pleasingly eccentric nor eager to reveal a softer side, although we know she has an estranged daughter. She is not to be messed with. Her toughness and tenacity make her the ideal candidate for a new position; a senior officer sent to handle cases that have stumped the local team. 

CANDICE RENOIR OCTOBER SPECIALS

I really like Candice Renoir, the French police show. I'm so caught up in the characters, not to mention the scenery and plots. AcornTV has brought us all 10 seasons, and on Monday, October 28th, AcornTV, two Candice Renoir specials (Corsica & Halloween) will drop. These two specials make up what was previously billed in France as Season 11, although it's only two full length programs. Hopefully, we'll see more 'specials' in the future, but I wouldn't count on it. 

Spoilers in descriptions. Read at your own peril. 

Candice Renoir Corsica Special - Acorn TV Exclusive
Following their non-proposal, Candice and Antoine go on a honeymoon in Corsica. They spent their savings on a dream stay in a luxurious hotel on a beach with turquoise waters. During dinner, a man notices Candice in her pretty flowered dress and her bright laugh - but perhaps the attention is a little too much? Antoine gets into a fight with a man he thinks is a flirt, and the couple spends the night apart, deciding to go home. But the next day, the pseudo flirt is found dead in the trunk of the car.

Candice Renoir Halloween Special - Acorn TV Exclusive
Now a financial investigator, Candice is bored out of her mind. With Halloween approaching, she accompanies Antoine to pick pumpkins on a farm with his daughter, Suzanne. Attracted by a marmalade shop run by a witch, Candice forgets to watch over Suzanne and, a few seconds later, the child is kidnapped by Jack O' Lantern, the scarecrow from the field. There are numerous tracks but Candice, frustrated to no longer be a field investigator, can only act in secret.

WHITSTABLE PEARL, Series 3 Premiere

Acorn TV's Whitstable Pearl returns after a long absence. Whitstable Pearl, Series 3 will air exclusively on Acorn TV. The new season will premiere on Monday, October 21 with Episode 1, then weekly on subsequent Mondays. 

Kerry Godliman (Trigger Point) returns as Pearl Nolan, retired-detective-turned-restauranteur and crime-solving enthusiast, teaming back up with Howard Charles (Top Boy) as DCI Mike McGuire for six new adventures. More info to come.

Pearl Nolan appears to be more casual this season, having settled into Whitstable life, while McGuire has been getting healthier with a new style to match. Here's a look "Behind the Scenes."

MONSIEUR SPADE NOW STREAMING ON ACORN

NOW STREAMING:  Monsieur Spade, a limited series starring Clive Owen as the iconic Dashiell Hammett PI Sam Spade,is now streaming on AMC, AMC+ and Acorn.  

Spade is a retired ex-pat in the 1960s. Monsieur Spade has six episodes, each running  40-60 minutes. It premieres  today, January 14, 2024 with new episodes streaming weekly on Sundays, at 9 pm ET/PT, on AMC, AMC+, and Acorn TV, until its finale on February 18, 2024.

Dashiell Hammett’s Sam Spade remains one of the most popular American sleuths of the 20th century. This famous private eye makes his first television appearance in AMC’s Monsieur Spade. Set in 1963, the plot follows the famous private detective during his retirement days in the tranquil French community of Bozouls. But the return of an old adversary and the murders of six nuns in the town spoils his serene life. 

Monsieur Spade is based on the detective created by Hammett and his novels. Monsieur Spade is created, written, and executive produced by Emmy-winning Scott Frank of The Queen’s Gambit fame and Tom Fontana from City on a Hill. Monsieur Spade was shot in France.

I haven't seen it yet. Stay tuned for a review, or let me know what you think. Make a comment below.

Monsieur Spade: New limited TV series

January is certainly shaping up for good TV viewing. I'm looking forward to Monsieur Spade, a limited series starring Clive Owen as the iconic Dashiell Hammett PI Sam Spade, once played by Humphrey Bogart. in this series, Spade is a retired ex-pat in the 1960s. Monsieur Spade has six episodes, each running  40-60 minutes. It premieres January 14, 2024 with new episodes streaming weekly on Sundays, at 9 pm ET/PT, on AMC, AMC+, and Acorn TV, until its finale on February 18, 2024.

Dashiell Hammett’s Sam Spade remains one of the most popular American sleuths of the 20th century. This famous private eye makes his first television appearance in AMC’s Monsieur Spade. Set in 1963, the plot follows the famous private detective during his retirement days in the tranquil French community of Bozouls. But the return of an old adversary and the murders of six nuns in the town spoils his serene life. 

Monsieur Spade is based on the detective created by Hammett and his novels. Monsieur Spade is created, written, and executive produced by Emmy-winning Scott Frank of The Queen’s Gambit fame and Tom Fontana from City on a Hill. Monsieur Spade was shot in France.

I haven't seen it yet. Stay tuned for a review, or let me know what you think. Make a comment below.

MIDSOMER MURDERS, SEASON 24, starts today!

Just a Reminder: Midsomer Murders, Season 24 Starts Today!!! Enjoy. Alas, only 4 episodes. 

I love Midsomer Murders, and I confess that I've seen the entire series at least twice, probably more. Midsomer Murders is a quirky series with  imaginative murder scenes and weapons. If that sounds dark, I will tell you it isn't. I think of this series as one of the best mystery series on TV..not gritty, not scary.. just great acting, lovely scenery, and plots. Of course, I wouldn't want to live in the county of Midsomer. Way too many murders for my taste. It's  Cabot Cove on steroids. 

Midsomer Murders, Season 24, premieres on AcornTV on December 4. 

Midsomer Murders is one of the longest-running mysteries currently still airing. It first aired in 1997 (first with John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby, then with Neil Dudgeon as DCI John Barnaby). The series is based on Caroline Graham's Chief Inspector Barnaby novels. The series is set in the fictional Midsomer County, and follows two different DCI Barnabys as they solve quirky murders occurring in lovely small villages. It's mystery 'lite',  and the murders often require some suspension of disbelief. I'm o.k. with that. 

MIDSOMER MURDERS: Season 24 premieres December 4

I love Midsomer Murders, and I confess that I've seen the entire series at least twice, and probably more. Midsomer Murders is a quirky series with  imaginative murder scenes and weapons. If that sounds dark, I will tell you it isn't. I think of this series as one of the best mystery series on TV..not gritty, not scary.. just great acting, lovely scenery, and plots. Of. course, I wouldn't want to live in the county of Midsomer. Way too many murders for my taste. It's  Cabot Cove on steroids. 

Midsomer Murders, Season 24, will premiere on AcornTV on December 4. No news on when it will air in the U.K. (All series are still available in the U.S. on AcornTV).  Update: Season 24 has only 4 episodes.

Midsomer Murders is one of the longest-running mysteries currently still airing. It first aired in 1997 (first with John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby, then with Neil Dudgeon as DCI John Barnaby). The series is based on Caroline Graham's Chief Inspector Barnaby novels. The series is set in the fictional Midsomer County, and follows two different DCI Barnabys as they solve quirky murders occurring in lovely small villages. It's mystery 'lite',  and the murders often require some suspension of disbelief. I'm o.k. with that. 

So be sure and tune in to AcornTV on December 4 for Midsomer Murders. I know I will!

CANDICE RENOIR, SEASON 7 will drop on October 2

UPDATE: CANDICE RENOIR, SEASON 7, WILL AIR ON OCTOBER 2 on AcornTV.

It's been a long wait with no explanation about why the release date was  postponed, but now we have a solid date! Season 7 will drop next week -- October 2!!! Yay!!!

I love this series about French police detective Candice Renoir.  Cécile Bois stars as Candice Renoir, a mother of four who took a decade-long hiatus from her role as a Parisian police detective to accompany her husband on job assignments around the world. Newly divorced, she returns to the force while also learning to manage as a single mother. She’s out of practice and her new colleagues find her maternal ways and love of pink a bit annoying – but she’s a clever detective with a strong drive for justice, and she’ll eventually win them around. They often call her Barbie. Lots of relationships, crime, setting, and justice in this fast paced French series. In French with subtitles.

There are 10 seasons and a feature length special of Candice Renoir. I'm so glad that we will have Season 7, for now. I hope we don't have to wait as long for the other seasons and the long feature. 

And, an FYI, there are 10 episodes in Season 7. 

In the meantime, if you haven't seen this series before, or if you just want to rewatch, AcornTV has the first 6 seasons here.

MRS SIDHU INVESTIGATES: September on AcornTV

MRS SIDHU INVESTIGATES premieres Monday, September 18, on AcornTV with a new episode weekly on Mondays. 4 episodes total.

Mrs. Sidhu (Meera Syal, The Split) is a high-end caterer with her own Indian Aunty brand of crime solving AKA nosiness.

Recently widowed, she juggles her new catering business with encouraging her wayward son Tez (Gurjeet Singh, Ackley Bridge) to find his passion, all while serving up justice to those who believe they are above the law. Her forays into sleuthing see her form unofficial partnership with long-suffering divorcee DCI Burton (Craig Parkinson, Line of Duty) who reluctantly accepts that together they’re an unbeatable crime fighting duo, much to the bemusement of his partner, DS Mint (Naana Agyei-Ampadu, Industry).

WPC 56: SEASONS 2 & 3

WPC 56 continues with Seasons 2 & 3 in June on AcornTV. This is a period crime show that follows Gina Dawson (Jennie Jacques), the first Woman Police Constable (WPC) at the Branford Police Station (West Midlands) in the 1950s. Seasons 1 & 2 focus on her struggles to gain acceptance in the male-dominated police world. Third season follows her successor at the station.

You can catch up on Season 1 on AcornTV

Season 2: Premieres June 12

Season 3: Premieres June 26 

Midsomer Murders: Season 23 premier date!

Good News!

Midsomer Murders: Series 23 premieres in North America on Acorn.tv on December 12th. 

Homicide, blackmail, greed, and betrayal: just a taste of what goes on behind the well-trimmed hedges of Midsomer County in this deliciously sinister series. But the culprits are no match for DCI Tom Barnaby (John Nettles, Bergerac); his successor upon retirement, DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon, Life of Riley); and their assistants.

I can't wait. I love this series. I've seen it all the way through at least twice..some episodes more than twice. Just an FYI: I saw the Series 23 premiere date on Acorn.tv and one other place, but I haven't found much out about the series itself. I'll update if this information proves wrong. 

ACORN TV - FALL HIGHLIGHTS

Just a heads up for Fall. AcornTV has some great new shows.

September TBD

DOC MARTIN, Series 9 (Exclusive U.S. and Canadian Premiere)

*A new episode will premiere weekly on Acorn TV the day after it premieres on ITV in the UK

One of the most popular UK series worldwide returns with eight new episodes. BAFTA winner Martin Clunes (Manhunt, Arthur & George, Men Behaving Badly) returns in his uproarious lead performance as a tactless, self-centered, and uptight doctor in the charming town of Portwenn, where he clashes with the village's quirky inhabitants. Co-starring Caroline Catz (Murder in Suburbia) (8 EPS, 2019)

Monday, September 16

TAKEN DOWN, Series 1 (Exclusive U.S. and Canadian Premiere)

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fONspoMVO6Y&feature=youtu.be

In Dublin, a young Nigerian girl, Esme Lukasa, is found dead at a bus stop opening an investigation into her violent death. This leads Inspector Jen Rooney (Lynn Rafferty, Love/Hate) and her team of investigating detectives to a Direct Provision Centre for asylum-seekers. It is soon discovered that another girl from the center has disappeared. The police enter a murky underworld of slumlords and traffickers to find out who killed Esme and rescue the missing girl before she suffers a horrific fate. Also starring Brian Gleeson (Phantom Thread, Logan Lucky). (6 EPS, 2018)

Monday, September 30

BACK HOME (Exclusive U.S. Premiere, Foreign-Language, La Strada Di Casa)

This is the story of a second chance that life offers to Fausto Morra (Alessio Boni), a family man who owns and runs a large farm near Turin. Fausto, involved in a car accident, fell into a coma. When he wakes five years later, he discovers that everything has changed: his wife is now in a relationship with his best friend, his children have grown up and his business is on the verge of bankruptcy. He also discovers that there are shady aspects to his life that he can’t remember at all, but if he wants his life back he has to fight to recover his memory and come to terms with his past, only then he will start to find his road… back home. Co-starring Lucrezia Lante della Rovere and Sergio Rubini. (12 EPS, 2017, Italy)

Monday, October 28, 2019

AGATHA RAISIN AND THE HAUNTED HOUSE (third series premiere, Acorn TV Original)

This Halloween-themed special is the third series premiere of the popular Acorn TV Original mystery series starring Emmy®-nominated actress Ashley Jensen (Catastrophe, Extras, Ugly Betty) and based on MC Beaton’s best-selling novels. The series follows Raisin, a London PR whizz turned amateur sleuth, who becomes entangled in mischief, mayhem, and murder when she opts for early retirement in a small village in the Cotswolds. Drawn into various mysteries, Agatha attempts to solve the crimes… often in rather unorthodox and amusing ways. In Series 3, Agatha Raisin is on the verge of a new era; reconciled with James Lacey and launching her own detective agency. However, when the agency fails to attract any clients, James suggests they investigate a legendary haunted house as the perfect opportunity to drum up business. No one was expecting their first case to be quite so spooky.

Monday, November 11, 2019

GOOD KARMA HOSPITAL – SERIES 3 (U.S. Exclusive, on Acorn TV)

In the third season of this humorous and heartbreaking medical drama, this hospital located in a colorful coastal town in southern India is busy as ever, with several big new arrivals causing a stir. The team faces their most shocking case yet when one of their own nursing team survives a violent attack. Dr Ruby Walker faces a tricky dilemma over where her home lies – with her new found Indian family, or at the bustling hospital? It’s made all the more difficult by her simmering relationship with Dr Gabriel Varma.  Series three also introduces us to a visiting Brit, Ted Dalrymple, an older man on a mission to find a love from his past. The series goes to darker places than ever before, but it is through the bonds of family and friendship – rekindled and strengthened over the series – that the team weather their biggest challenges yet. The series’ cast includes Amrita Acharia (Game of Thrones), Amanda Redman (New Tricks), and Neil Morrissey (Striking Out, The Night Manager).

CRIME SEEN: What to Watch Where? by Kate Derie

If you're like me you're overwhelmed with choices of Mystery TV series to watch but you're never sure quite where, what, or how to watch. Kate Derie, associate editor of Mystery Readers Journal, has a column in each issue called Crime Seen. In the latest issue (Mystery Readers Journal: Big City Cops II), she addressed the multiple platforms and shows for streaming video. Reprinted here is her column: Crime Seen: What to Watch Where? 

KATE DERIE:
CRIME SEEN: WHAT TO WATCH WHERE?

Decisions, decisions… Which streaming video services have the most for mystery fans? As in so many existential questions, the answer is, “It depends.” If all you want is to binge on Poirot and Marple, you can get them almost anywhere. But the original Miss Marple with Joan Hickson (beautifully remastered in high definition) is only on Britbox. So here’s a guide on where to find your favorite series. To save space, I have listed only shows that have more than two seasons or twenty episodes. For additional information, see my chart at https://tinyurl.com/myst-vid-sheet.

Acorn.tv ($5/mo.) specializes in British mysteries, some of which have never been broadcast in the US. They include 19-2, Agatha Christie’s Marple, Agatha Christie’s Poirot, Brokenwood Mysteries, The Broker’s Man, Foyle’s War, George Gently, Hamish MacBeth, Lord & Master (Dutch), McCallum, Midsomer Murders, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Mr. and Mrs. Murder, Murder in Suburbia, Murdoch Mysteries, Rebus, Republic of Doyle, Trial & Retribution, Vera.

Amazon Prime offers free streaming video to those who already pay a $99 yearly fee for unlimited shipping. They produce several original series such as Bosch, and have a franchise on recent PBS series, along with some “golden oldies.” Boardwalk Empire, Bosch, Endeavour, The Good Wife, Grantchester, Grimm, Inspector Lewis, Mike Hammer, Monk, Peter Gunn, Psych, Roba (Finnish), Route 66, The Sopranos, Whitechapel, The Wire, Yancy Derringer.

Britbox.com ($7/mo.) is just what it says on the tin—all British, all the time, including some fondly remembered classic series. Agatha Christie’s Marple, Agatha Christie’s Poirot, Blue Murder, Cadfael, Cracker, Dalziell & Pascoe, Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Inspector Morse, Jonathan Creek, Ka-vanagh QC, The Last Detective, Miss Marple (Joan Hickson), Prime Suspect, Ruth Rendell Mysteries, Scott & Bailey, Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett), A Touch of Frost, Vera, Waking the Dead, Wycliffe.

Hulu.com ($8–12/mo.) leads the pack in sheer quantity of mostly US series. Like Amazon, they show several vintage shows that may or may not be as good as you remember. Adam-12, Agatha Christie’s Marple, Beck (Swedish), Blue Bloods, The Bridge (Danish/Swedish), City Homicide, Cold Squad, CSI, DCI Banks, Dexter, Dragnet 1967, Elementary, Flashpoint, I Spy, Ironside, Kojak, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Miami Vice, Murdoch Mysteries, New Tricks, Numbers, Prime Suspect, Rebus, Remington Steele, Republic of Doyle, Rizzoli & Isles, The Saint, Saving Grace, Scott & Bailey, The Shield, Silk Stalkings, Simon & Simon, Southland, Spiral (French), Taggart, Vera, Wallander (Swedish). 

MHz Choice ($8/mo.) is the place for international crime. They have several dozen shows from Scandinavia, Germany, France, Italy and other European countries. All have easy-to-read English subtitles. Most of them are one “season”, which in some cases is really a single mini-series. For longer runs, look at Baantjer Mysteries (Dutch), Beck (Swedish), Maigret (French, not the PBS series), and Tatort (German).

Netflix ($8–14/mo.), like Amazon, has a variety of recent prime-time series plus original productions such as Longmire. Their lineup currently includes Blue Bloods, Broadchurch, Criminal Minds, Death in Paradise, Dexter, Dicte (Danish), Doctor Blake Mysteries, Father Brown, Hawaii Five-0, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Longmire, Luther, Midsomer Murders, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, NCIS, Person of Interest, Republic of Doyle, Ripper Street, Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch), Shetland, The Sniffer (Ukrainian), Wallander (Kenneth Branagh), White Collar.

These services all have free trials of 7–30 days, so you can try them out for yourself. In sum: If you like British shows, try Acorn for current series, Britbox for older series. (Acorn is also the best value for money.) For a variety of current US series, plus original productions, plus movies, both Netflix and Amazon have great lineups. Hulu has the largest number of series, although not many of them are current. Hulu and Amazon both have several vintage (pre-1980) series, but be warned: the oldies can look pretty bad on a large HD screen. 

So which channels do I personally get? All of them, of course. Any one of them is less than the price of a single movie ticket each month, and provides a great deal more entertainment. The only catch is that we have to have a list next to the remote to tell us where we are watching each series!

Don't forget to check out this Chart of Shows and Where They Appear:
https://tinyurl.com/myst-vid-sheet

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