Takin a break from politics threads for a while. Let's talk about something fun! These kinds of shows are my main weakness, after pretty girls and soft cats. Of course shows like Sherlock and Broadchurch are known all over the world (Broadchurch has an American remake, I think?) but I'm not talking about those kinds of detective dramas (high budget, high-brow, you get me). I'm talking the shows that are almost always an ITV production. You know, those. Procedural dramas, often involving a subplot thread about the personal lives of the main characters, and sometimes cheesy as shit, and other times so, so good. A basic rundown for the uninitiated:
Midsomer Murders. Not the oldest, but still the granddaddy of them all, somehow.
Look at those haircuts. LOOK AT THEM. Midsomer Murders is a very apt title. The show is set in the English county of Midsomer which, despite what even some British people think, is not actually a real place. Midsomer is filled with little old ladies who are also ruthless serial killers. Midsomer has a murder rate of 32 per million people. That's a higher murder rate than Syria. SYRIA! The Queen of England herself once asked the producers why anyone would move to Midsomer, since they're only going to get murdered. My favourite part of the show is the first-person cold opening following a pair of Black-Gloved Hands of Death as they go to enact their nefarious deeds, usually driven by such compelling motives as joining the village social club, winning the local regatta, and, occasionally, incest. It's that kind of show. 11/10, everyone should watch this. Your life will be enriched for it, I promise you.
Inspector Morse
I'll be honest, I haven't watched this show. I've tried so many times to get into it, but I just can't. I find old!Morse an unlikable old coot. However, the success and popularity of this show gave rise to not one, but TWO spinoffs, both of which I love, so I can't hate it too much.
Spinoff 1: Lewis (known as Inspector Lewis in the US)
Set some twenty years after the end of Inspector Morse, Lewis follows the adventures of Morse's former sergeant, Robbie Lewis, now a tired and world-weary detective inspector. Lewis is a straightforward simple dude, but his own sergeant, James Hathaway, is a former priest-in-training who is intellectual and sarcastic and vulnerable, and their differing personalities lead to all sorts of wonderful drama, but THEY LOVE EACH OTHER SO MUCH OK. Their banter and father-son relationship gives me life. I cry every time. 10/10, would recommend.
Spinoff 2: Endeavour
Endeavour is a prequel to Inspector Morse, following a young, fresh-faced Morse in his early days as a copper under the tutelage of gruff-but-fair Fred Thursday (played by the spectacular Roger Allam). Lots of delicious drama and angst and some intriguing mysteries, and it's set in the swinging 60s to boot. 10/10, would recommend.
And if you like stuff set in the 60s, check out...
Inspector George Gently
This show is set in the 60s, but in the grim grey hellscape that was County Durham in the 60s as opposed to genteel Oxford. Compared to Endeavour's more idealised depction of the 60s, Inspector George Gently does not shy away from portraying the bigotry of the time, and addressing it in a critical light. The show has tackled homophobia, racism, Islamophobia, sexism, all in a very effective manner. It's often dark and bleak as hell, but man it is SO. GOOD. 11/10, everyone needs to watch this.
Inspector Lynley Mysteries
The tale of a posh, upper-class detective inspector and his working-class, loud-mouthed sergeant, and the oodles of sexual tension between them. Just KISS ALREADY. 10/10, would recommend.
And finally, but far from least, my own personal fave:
Vera follows Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope, a jaded old woman with a whole host of issues, and her young sergeant Joe Ashford, who slowly draws her out of her shell. This is the mother-son relationship we need but don't deserve. It's so beautiful okay. SO. BEAUTIFUL. THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. i can't handle this. fuck. 112456787654567876/10. Everybody watch this show. fuck im cryin again
Midsomer Murders. Not the oldest, but still the granddaddy of them all, somehow.
Look at those haircuts. LOOK AT THEM. Midsomer Murders is a very apt title. The show is set in the English county of Midsomer which, despite what even some British people think, is not actually a real place. Midsomer is filled with little old ladies who are also ruthless serial killers. Midsomer has a murder rate of 32 per million people. That's a higher murder rate than Syria. SYRIA! The Queen of England herself once asked the producers why anyone would move to Midsomer, since they're only going to get murdered. My favourite part of the show is the first-person cold opening following a pair of Black-Gloved Hands of Death as they go to enact their nefarious deeds, usually driven by such compelling motives as joining the village social club, winning the local regatta, and, occasionally, incest. It's that kind of show. 11/10, everyone should watch this. Your life will be enriched for it, I promise you.
Inspector Morse
I'll be honest, I haven't watched this show. I've tried so many times to get into it, but I just can't. I find old!Morse an unlikable old coot. However, the success and popularity of this show gave rise to not one, but TWO spinoffs, both of which I love, so I can't hate it too much.
Spinoff 1: Lewis (known as Inspector Lewis in the US)
Set some twenty years after the end of Inspector Morse, Lewis follows the adventures of Morse's former sergeant, Robbie Lewis, now a tired and world-weary detective inspector. Lewis is a straightforward simple dude, but his own sergeant, James Hathaway, is a former priest-in-training who is intellectual and sarcastic and vulnerable, and their differing personalities lead to all sorts of wonderful drama, but THEY LOVE EACH OTHER SO MUCH OK. Their banter and father-son relationship gives me life. I cry every time. 10/10, would recommend.
Spinoff 2: Endeavour
Endeavour is a prequel to Inspector Morse, following a young, fresh-faced Morse in his early days as a copper under the tutelage of gruff-but-fair Fred Thursday (played by the spectacular Roger Allam). Lots of delicious drama and angst and some intriguing mysteries, and it's set in the swinging 60s to boot. 10/10, would recommend.
And if you like stuff set in the 60s, check out...
Inspector George Gently
This show is set in the 60s, but in the grim grey hellscape that was County Durham in the 60s as opposed to genteel Oxford. Compared to Endeavour's more idealised depction of the 60s, Inspector George Gently does not shy away from portraying the bigotry of the time, and addressing it in a critical light. The show has tackled homophobia, racism, Islamophobia, sexism, all in a very effective manner. It's often dark and bleak as hell, but man it is SO. GOOD. 11/10, everyone needs to watch this.
Inspector Lynley Mysteries
The tale of a posh, upper-class detective inspector and his working-class, loud-mouthed sergeant, and the oodles of sexual tension between them. Just KISS ALREADY. 10/10, would recommend.
And finally, but far from least, my own personal fave:
Vera follows Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope, a jaded old woman with a whole host of issues, and her young sergeant Joe Ashford, who slowly draws her out of her shell. This is the mother-son relationship we need but don't deserve. It's so beautiful okay. SO. BEAUTIFUL. THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. i can't handle this. fuck. 112456787654567876/10. Everybody watch this show. fuck im cryin again
