My Word with Douglas E. Welch

TV Worth Watching is a new series highlighting my favorite television viewing. I am a big fan of UK television, so you are sure to see many UK shows and movies featured here. — Douglas

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (Australia)

Watch Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries on Netflix

Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries books and DVDs from Amazon.com

As Summer vacation arrives, we have had a bit more time to relax and watch a little television. Poking around in Netflix, I found Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries as a suggestion since I tend to watch lots of mysteries and police procedurals like Miss Marple, Poirot, Inspector George Gently, Endeavour and more. I was pleasantly surprised with what I found in this series.

Set in Melbourne in 1928, the show is a fairly standard period detective show, but it then reaches out to address the issues of the day (and our day) like women’s rights, drug abuse, political strife and more. The acting is top notch, especially Essie Davis’ portrayal of the protagonist. The writing is also quite good, with several twists catching me off guard in the first 7 episodes we have watched.

It is refreshing to watch television from other countries and see the world through their eyes and their art. I have always loved UK television (and watch a lot of it), and it is great to see that Australia has some great, entertaining shows to offer, too. 

If you are a mystery love and looking for a good romp, you should check out Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. I think you will enjoy it quite a bit.

From the ABC web site…

Get ready to immerse yourself in the opulent, exciting world of Australia’s leading lady detective Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis), in ABC1’s new 13-part drama series Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. Phryne (pronounced Fry-nee) is a glamorous and thoroughly modern woman of the 1920s. Our lady sleuth sashays through the back lanes and jazz clubs of Melbourne, fighting injustice with her pearl-handled pistol and her dagger sharp wit.

After many years abroad, Phryne returns to Melbourne, in part to start a new life in her home town, but to also ensure that Murdoch Foyle (Nicholas Bell), the man thought to be responsible for her younger sister’s mysterious disappearance, never gets out of jail. But before her very proper Aunt Prudence (Miriam Margolyes), a well-known society matriarch, can drag Phryne off to attend her first soiree, Phryne finds herself embroiled in a murder.

She befriends the most unlikely of murder suspects – an innocent Catholic girl, Dot Williams (Ashleigh Cummings). Phryne takes Dot under her wing, employing her as a maid. Over time, Dot becomes one of Phryne’s closest companions; with Dot’s natural intelligence in all things domestic and catholic she is often an unexpected asset in Phryne’s murder investigations. From illegal abortions to union disputes, exploited workers and missing girls, Phryne finds justice for those who can’t help themselves.

As she delves deeper into the murky world of murder, Phryne crosses paths with the local constabulary, befriending the handsome Detective Inspector Jack Robinson (Nathan Page). Despite being married, Jack finds himself drawn to Phryne’s vibrant personality and seeks to ensure that she is kept out of harm’s way as they endeavour to solve the cases.

They come to rely on each other, Jack for the information he gets through diligent police procedures, and Phryne for the information she obtains using her charms and daring. When Jack won’t give Phryne the information she needs, she can easily manipulate Jack’s trusting deputy, Constable Hugh Collins (Hugo Johnstone-Burt), to keep her informed even if he is not aware he is doing so. Leaving a trail of admirers in her wake, our heroine makes sure she enjoys every moment of her lucky life and along the way she unlocks the truth of her own dark history.

The Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher began life in 1989 as the daring lady detective protagonist of a series of 18 crime books written by Australian author, Kerry Greenwood. With an acquired taste for the best, but impeccable working-class origins, Phryne was an instant success with readers and still shows no sign of hanging up her pearl-handled pistol or giving up her ‘adventurous’ love-life for just one man.

More information on Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (Australia):

• ABC Web Site
• Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries on IMDB
• MIss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries on Wikipedia

• A Very British Renaissance
• Death in Paradise
• Pilgrimage with Simon Reeve
• All Creatures Great and Small
• BBC Who were the Greeks? (3 episodes)
• Poirot
• Shock and Awe – The Story of Electricity
• Time Traveller’s Guide to Elizabethan England
• Mechanical Marvels Clockwork Dreams
• Springwatch 2013
• Torchwood
• Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery Course
• Hamlet starring David Tennant
• Zen
• I, Claudius
• Foyle’s War
• Wreck-It Ralph
• The Story of Science from BBC (6 parts)
• Inspector Montalbano (Il Commissario Montalbano) – Italy

It’s Summer Vacation and time to catch up on some of the shows and movies we have been meaning to see. Life during the school year can be quite busy with both a college professor and a high school student in the house, so it is nice to settle in for an hour or more over dinner and enjoy a movie all together as a family.

Tonight’s movie was TinTin, directed by Stephen Spielberg,  produced with Peter Jackson and written by current Doctor Who producer, Steven Moffat. I was interested in the movie for a variety of reasons. There is the style of animation, which I can only describe as comic realism, the writer, director and producer involved and the fact that it looked like a fun romp. It was indeed that, although the ending was a bit unsatisfying, setting up for a possible sequel more than truly ending the film.

TinTin, and his creator, Hergé are much more well known in Europe, where they are a cultural phenomenon in most countries. There is an excellent documentary called “TinTin and I” that explores the history and impact of TinTin, too, if you can locate it to watch.

Where to Watch TinTin:

• EpixHD.com (FREE)
• Buy The Adventures of TinTin from Amazon.com (Download)
• Buy The Adventures of TinTin from Amazon.com (3d/Blu-ray/DVD)
• Buy The Adventures of TinTIn from Amazon.com (DVD)
• Buy TinTin books at Amazon.com

More on TinTin, the original comics:

“The Adventures of Tintin (French: Les Aventures de Tintin) is a series of comic albums created by Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi (1907–1983), who wrote under the pen name of Hergé. The series is one of the most popular European comics of the 20th century, with translations published in more than 50 languages and sales of more than 200 million copies as of 2003.[1]

The series first appeared in French on 10 January 1929 in Le Petit Vingtième, a children’s supplement to the Belgian newspaper Le XXe Siècle. The success of the series saw the serialised strips published in Belgium’s leading newspaper Le Soir and spun into a successful Tintin magazine. In 1950, Hergé created Studios Hergé, which produced the canonical series of twenty-four Tintin albums. The Adventures of Tintin have been adapted for radio, television, theatre, and film.

The series is set during a largely realistic 20th century. Its hero is Tintin, a young Belgian reporter. He is aided by his faithful fox terrier dog Snowy (Milou in the original French editions). Later, popular additions to the cast included the brash and cynical Captain Haddock, the highly intelligent but hearing-impaired Professor Calculus (French: Professeur Tournesol), and other supporting characters such as the incompetent detectives Thomson and Thompson (French: Dupont et Dupond). — Wikipedia.org

More information on TinTin:

• The Adventures of TinTin (Movie 2011) on Wikipedia
• TinTin.com
• The Adventures of TinTin (Orignal Comics)

TV Worth Watching is a new series highlighting my favorite television viewing. I am a big fan of UK television, so you are sure to see many UK shows and movies featured here. — Douglas

TV Worth Watching: Foyle’s War

“Foyle’s War

Combining uncompromising historical accuracy with compelling mysteries, this acclaimed PBS series continues with three feature-length episodes. Michael Kitchen (Out of Africa) stars as DCS Christopher Foyle, investigating wartime crimes in an English coastal town. With the end of World War II slowly but inevitably approaching, Foyle and his fellow citizens learn the price of victory and face a peace that will transform their lives in unexpected ways.

Now in it’s 8th series (the latest not yet shown here in the US), Foyle’s War is an excellent series and we have watched since the very beginning. The concept of trying to go about normal police operation during war time bring a unique viewpoint to the show. Michael Kitchen is perfect as DCS Foyle — low key, but relentless in his pursuit of the truth and his own morals. You will see many of your favorite UK actors in these episodes including a pre-Doctor Who David Tennant and others.

The series is well-written, with intricate story lines and the acting is subtle and realistic, You begin to feel quite deeply for Foyle, his female drive, Sam and Millner, his sergeant — wounded in the war, but still making a large difference on the home front.

Each series spans a time during World War II, each with their unique challenges. Early on there is the threat of invasion to consider. Later series bring the fears of The Blitz and finally the coming end to the war.

More information on Foyle’s War:

• Foyle’s War on Wikipedia

Where to watch:

• Foyle’s War  on Amazon Instant Video
• Foyle’s War DVDs on Amazon
• Foyle’s War on Netflix
• Foyle’s War on YouTube

Previously on TV Worth Watching…

• Wreck-It Ralph
• The Story of Science from BBC (6 parts)
• Inspector Montalbano (Il Commissario Montalbano) – Italy

# 8 The Princess Bride

One of our favorite movies. From “as you wish” to the “rodents of unusual size” to “that word you keep using — I don’t think means what you think it means” — phrases from this film have ingrained themselves into our family’s conversation shorthand.

A great cast, sparkling dialog and an amusing fairytale weave themselves into one of the few movies I can watch again and again.

All Gift Guide Recommendations:

• # 7 Cucina Rustica
• # 6 The Italian Slow Cooker cookbook
• # 5 Bestselling slow cookers from Amazon.com
• # 4 Moleskine Ruled Notebook Large
• # 3 Handy Farm Devices And How To Make Them (1909)
• # 2 The Summer of 1787
• # 1 KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixer