Thursday, November 25, 2021

Thursday Movie Picks: TV Edition- Mysteries

 


Every day is a bit better and Friday I see my Doctor to get my results from the biopsy and to see how I am doing. You can look at my next post which is all about Girl's Week too...if you want :) Wandering Through The Shelves picked a biggie this week because it's all about TV mystery shows and I narrowed it down to not choosing cop or PI shows. I know my mom loved all of these shows. I hope she brings this back next year. Also, are you just as gob-smacked (Love that word) as me that it is the end of November!? OK, here are my 4 picks because, I lied and chose one cop show.

1. QUINCY, M. E. -1976-1983


Jack Klugman stars as a Forensic Pathologist (medical examiner) who must look at all the dead bodies brought into his lab. He talks to the cops, often at odds with him, that it is not an accident or suicide but possible murder. The inept cops bellow as Quincy goes to crime scenes, talks to suspects etc.. you know, doing their job and he is not doing his but all is ok because he has trusty Kato..oops...I mean, Sam Fujiyama (played by the wonderful Robert Ito), to hold down the fort as he goes looking for more clues. This is actually a fun show well acted by the cast and is a precursor to all the CSI shows that came on much, much later. 

2. MURDER, SHE WROTE-1984-1996


Tell me, if you saw Angela Lansbury coming towards you would you run in the other direction? She played Jessica Fletcher for 12 seasons (and a few TV movies afterwards) as a mystery writer for a penchant in solving real crimes. That little town of Cabot Cove is the murder capital of the world since anywhere Jessica goes a murder is sure to follow. She could always deduce who the killer was by finding the right details and having an excellent memory. Many detectives and cops would, initially, be bothered by her meddling ways (no relation to Scooby-Doo) but they would always ask her for help near the end or, at least, be willing to listen. This was such an excellent show that it was still in top form when it got abruptly cancelled angering Angela Lansbury, quite rightly, for the network wanting to go more youthful. Actually, Angela Lansbury helped many old actors and actresses by giving them parts on her show when they could not find work including many people who worked behind the scenes. James Coburn, after he got Rheumatoid Arthritis and could not find work, after he "got better" (he went totally naturalpathic and stated it helped more than any drugs the doctors gave him). Angela gave him a part in one of her shows and this revitalized his career where he won an Oscar later on. He never forgot what she did for him as well as many others. Angela is still working at 96 years old.

3. MATLOCK-1986-1995


My mom loved this show because she loved courtroom dramas. I actually think this show was somewhat based on the short-lived, but acclaimed, Jimmy Stewart TV Show called Hawkins. Andy Griffith, without an Opie anywhere, plays Ben Matlock an expensive defence attorney who loves hot dogs and wears the same old suit. He is ably supported by his daughter (in the first season) and a PI who works for Matlock. He is hired, sometimes he gets the money, often he works for pro-bono or a much less rate, for a person falsely accused of murder. He sets about getting the evidence needed to help find reasonable doubt with the jury. It usually ends up that he secures the real killer while he is cross examining the culprit. If only it would be this easy. This is an enjoyable show with Griffith clearly the star shining as the folksy country lawyer. Later on, Don Knotts shows up and becomes a semi regular which is fun because those 2 worked so well together from the Andy Griffth Show to this one.

OK...Here I broke my rule and am showcasing a cop show that I love...

4. UNFORGOTTEN-2015-PRESENT


This is an amazing British TV show starring Nicola Walker as the head detective who gets called in for "bodies" that get turned up. Her right hand man is played by Sanjeev Bhaskar, a wonderful actor who knows, instinctively, what his boss needs. Her team start investigating by first trying to find out who the person was. We also meet the 3 or 4 suspects as they go about their daily lives. There are only about 6 episodes, per season, which sucks because I always want more! You find out the lives of each suspect and they are well rounded people with lives but are haunted by their past and all are, somehow, connected. You also learn about the head detective, her son and her dad plus the growing strain the job has on her. Let me tell you, it leaves you riveted and the third season still gives me chills.

Which TV mystery come to your mind? 

20 comments:

  1. Hi, Birgit!

    Today is Thanksgiving Day down here "Soused of the Border," and I want you to know how thankful I am to have you as one of my best friends ever, and to know that you are feeling better each day. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a positive (negative) report from the Doctor when you see him tomorrow.

    In your salute to TV mysteries, you featured two of my favorites and two shows I didn't watch regularly. Mrs. Shady has a thing for medical examiner shows. She and I watch Rizzoli & Isles with Sasha Alexander and Body of Proof, the series starring Dana Delany. Mrs. S and I both get a kick out of Klugman as Quincy. In these Quincy and Matlock clips, we can see how long the opening title sequences of TV series used to be compared to today. Mrs S also watches St. Elsewhere, and I swear there should be an intermission in the middle of that long, drawn-out show opener to give viewers a chance to run to the potty. I also love (there's that word again) the opening montage of Quincy in which we catch glimpses of the famous M.E. seemingly examining a dead body, but the kicker at the end when the camera zooms out reveals that it is the body of a very much alive, bikini clad woman, 1/100th Quincy's age, with whom he is having drinks on a yacht. (I'm going to look into that line of work!)

    Angela Lansbury's Jessica Fletcher character rubs me the wrong way (I get enough of that at home) and therefore I did not watch very many episodes of Murder She Wrote, nor did I watch Andy of Mayberry showing up as a country lawyer in Matlock.

    The biggie here is the series you recommended to me and Mrs. S and I watched and love (there's that word again) - Unforgotten. Nicola Walker is a wonderful British actress whom we came to know in her earlier series, Last Tango in Halifax. Nicola's pairing with Sanjeev Bhaskar is inspired casting. Unfortunately, after watching the first three seasons of Unforgotten free with our Prime subscription, the pirates now want $$$ for us to watch season 4. Mrs. Shady says "no," so I guess we will miss it.

    For my picks, in addition to the above mentioned Rizzoli and Body of Proof, I suppose I'll fall back on Monk and Psych, two mysteries that double as comedies.

    Have a nice Thursday and a safe and happy weekend, dear friend BB!

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    1. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your wife. You are dear to my heart and I will let you know my outcome. I love St. Elsewhere and Rizzoli was fun to watch when I could see it. You are not kidding with some long intros. I think the one that beats them all is Quantum Leap. I am re-watching these episodes and the into is very, very long. We are spoiled with no intro now. They need to find a happy medium.

      So you would run away, for sure from poor Angela since the plague of death seems to follow her :) I am so glad you watched Unforgotten and wasn't the 3rd season a chiller at the end. Great performances. Og I hope season 4 comes on for you, maybe on PBS where we watch it. It is quite good but very sad.
      Monk is such a fun show, I love Tony Shalhoub (I hope I got his name right). I never watched Body of Proof or Psych. I have to check them out.

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  2. Hi Birgit...hope you are doing well and not overdoing it again...unforgotten is just brilliant....I have not been able tocomment on your blogs this week as blogger has been playing up again...take care xxx

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    1. Oh that's a bummer about not being able to blog. I hope it works itself out. I am doing my best to take it easy. I am glad you love Unforgotten-brilliant show. I can't wait to get back to making cards again.

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  3. Glad day by day you're seeing little improvements! When you step back and look at it dispassionately that's how recovery works but it gets frustrating sometimes and we do to much and were back in the same boat we started in. Keep up the little gains.

    Before I start on your picks I have to say I'm very excited to read you other two Girl Week posts but being Thanksgiving here in the States I've been run off my feet and am stealing a few minutes to read this Thursday Three post. I don't want to rush through the others so I'll be back to read and comment on them after the festivities are over and done with!

    Now to the matter at hand. Love the way you went with this and we have a match!

    I wasn't a regular Quincy watcher but saw enough to know the idea and I love Jack Klugman. I'll have to binge watch it some time.

    Matlock didn't really do much for me but again I like Andy Griffith so I'll still watch an occasional episode if I run across it.

    I'm unfamiliar with the last but it sounds intriguing and I'm also on the hunt for a good mystery series. I'll have to investigate.

    We match on Murder, She Wrote!! LOVE that show. Angela drives it with an effortless flair. She understood who Jessica Fletcher was and never let the show deviate from her vision of what it should be. A great chance to see stars of yesteryear and those on their way up. I remember how surprised I was when I watched a rerun and there was baby George Clooney!!

    My three this week are all Girl Week inspired:

    Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries (2012-2015)-Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis) is a modern young woman of means who sets herself up as a private investigator for cases that catch her fancy in 1920’s Melbourne, Australia. With her faithful companion Dot (Ashleigh Cummings) by her side and cloaked in one drop dead outfit after another Miss Fisher manages to suss out the villain time and again, sometimes with the help of Detective Jack Robinson (with whom she shares an unrequited flirtation as does his deputy Hugh with the fair Dot) and sometimes by butting heads with him. Fantastic series loaded with wit and style and the always assured heroine taking charge in a time when women were far less able to.

    Mrs. Bradley Mysteries (1998)-Famed, somewhat notorious criminologist and author Mrs. Adela Bradley (the late, great Diana Rigg) with her loyal chauffeur George (Neil Dudgeon) at the helm of her Rolls Royce tosses off bon mots to the camera as they find intrigue and murder wherever they journey in 1920’s England. Like Miss Fisher Mrs. Bradley is a fashion plate albeit sporting a more mature but no less stylish look.

    Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996)-Retired schoolteacher Mrs. Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) writes a mystery novel as a form of therapy after the recent death of her husband Frank. Unbeknownst to her her nephew Grady (Michael Horton) submits it to a publisher. It becomes a runaway bestseller and suddenly she is one of the most acclaimed authors in the country traveling worldwide week after week but always returning to her cozy Maine hometown of Cabot Cove. There’s just one small thing, wherever she goes murder happens!! And that cozy town has more deaths by foul play per capita than New York City! But fret not Jessica with a mixture of observation, common sense, intelligence and intuition is on the case to save the day!

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    1. Yeah to matching with Murder, She Wrote. I have great respect for Angela Lansbury who had the strength to stand up to the execs to keep her shows format and bring in many old stars. I remember george..I just saw this episode earlier this year and I saw Politically Incorrect guy, Bill Maher. Unforgotten is excellent and hope you find it and like it. Quincy is fun even when Jack Klugman gets excitable. Andy Griffith could be a cantankerous person and would rub people the wrong way. I have to try and find Miss Fisher. I know it has been on but never watched it. I'd love to see the Diana Rigg show as that would be great..love her!

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  4. My mom loved Murder, She Wrote, so I used to watch that with her as a kid. I have fond memories despite not really understanding what was going on all of the time. The rest I haven't seen.

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    1. Yes, funny how we love something because it reminds us of someone we love.

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  5. Birgit,

    I was glad to read you're feeling better. That's great news! I remember watching some of these mysteries when they aired with the exception of the British TV series. One of my all-time favorites was Columbo. Peter Falk was fabulous! Thanks for visiting this morning. Have a wonderful day. Stay safe and warm! ;)

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    1. I am feeling better and no cancer! The British show is excellent and hope you can see it one day. I love Columbo which was so good because of Peter Falk and how he slowly ensnared the killer.

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  6. Oh! I've seen Murder She Wrote and Matlock! I really enjoyed those shows! Great list!

    Check out my Thursday Movie Picks!

    Ronyell @ The Surreal Movies and TV Blog

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    1. Glad you like my picks. I will visit shortly.

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  7. Hi Birgit, well for once I've seen all of these, and liked everyone of them. Unforgotten is a brilliant drama and both lead actors are outstanding.
    I hope your appointment goes well and your biopsy results are good, take care, Kate x

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    1. I have no cancer!! I’m so glad you saw all of these and Unforgotten is brilliant.

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  8. I saw Quincy in reruns in the '90s. Good show. Murder, She Wrote I did watch when it was on, but not for the full run. I still remember the Mad Magazine send up of it. It's funny that they cancelled it to go younger, as the network it was on is still known as skewing older. (I think that's the network it was on.)

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    1. You are right about the Network. I love Mad Magazine.

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  9. Hi Birgit - I hope all goes well today ... I just enjoy those sort of tv programmes - one can switch off ... take care - Hilary

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    1. Everything went well! No cancer..Yahoo!! Yes, you can switch off and still follow the show...all except Unforgotten which you must watch.

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  10. I've sort of seen Murder, She Wrote...I was a little too young to comprehend anything.
    I like Unforgotten. It really goes into the characters lives.

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    1. Murder is a good show but run if you see Jessica Fletcher..you might die...hahahaaa. Unforgotten is brilliant.

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