Christmas Viewing

As predicted, the festive period has not produced a great deal of detectiving. I didn't get the Morse boxset, but I did get the first series of Remington Steele, which I've just taken a break from watching to write this post.

So what else did I watch?

The Fall Guy - an episode featuring Richard Kiel, best known as Jaws in a couple of James Bond movies. Colt and Howie go undercover in prison where they need to gain the confidence of Animal (Kiel). Unfortunately, the only person in authority who knows they are undercover, the prison warden falls into a coma while they are in there, cue an elaborate escape plan. It was pretty good actually and I remembered why I liked it so much as a child.

Rosemary and Thyme - ahh yes the gardening detectives! An episode about a restaurant critic murdered in a hotel he is about to give a 5 star review to, and a weed attacking a grape crop. It also had a slight Christmas theme in that Thyme's children were both spending Christmas out of the country.

Hetty Wainthropp Investigates - I can't believed I stooped so low as to watch this. Possibly the least convincing detective ever, that old woman from 'Keeping Up Appearances' aided by the hobbit who want onto Lost. The crime - an Ecstasy tablet was planted on Hetty's nephew, so she investigated and uncovered a case of bullying and drug dealing. This involved going undercover as a dinner lady and then asking her nephew what happened - not exactly requiring the most detectiving skills ever.


Not really detectiving, but I did also received from my beloved a book by Richard Belzer about the conspiracy theories surrounding JFK, UFOs and aliens.

Insomniac's Complaint

For some unknown reason, I always suffer from insomnia when I stay at my mother's house and this Christmas was no exception. So to try to lull myself back off to sleep in the small hours, I would watch a bit of television. But these days it seems nearly every station just has a phone in quiz once it gets past midnight. Not just cheap television, but presumably a money-spinner too.

So what is a detective loving non-sleeper suppose to do? Well one night I was fortunate enough to come across 'Karen Sisco'. I'd not seen or heard of this show before but it turns out it is based on the character created by Elmore Leonard and portrayed by Jennnifer Lopez in 'Out of Sight' a film I did rather enjoy. This series however doesn't feature J-Lo presumably had better things to do, although judging by the reviews her later films received, I wonder if she may have been better off in this.

So I saw about half an episode, which involved a transexual and dentistry. It seemed pretty good but I'm back at home now where I sleep plenty.

TV Star Bites Homeless Man

So read the newspaper billboards across London yesterday.

One of the few detective shows that I've never seen a single episode of is Jonathan Creek, the BBC show about a crime-solving magician. Judging by that headline, I'm relieved I didn't watch it because the TV Star was none other than Jonathan Creek star, Alan Davies.

And what provoked him into this assault? The man called him Jonathan Creek. And Alan did not like it.

(Presumably the man hadn't been homeless for that long, otherwise he probably wouldn't be so familiar with stars of Saturday night television).

All I Want for Christmas is SVU

I look forward to time off work at Christmas but am always disappointed when regular daytime television (i.e. crime shows aplenty) are forced off the schedule in favour of family films and Christmas specials. So it makes it an ideal time to watch some DVDs instead.

Here’s a list of what I’d like from Father Christmas (or anyone else this year)

1. Remington Steele Season 1
I loved Pierce Brosnan in this when I watched it one summer holiday about 12 years ago. I haven’t seen it since though, so I’m hoping I still like its corniness. I know I’m getting this off one of my sisters but I only asked for the first series in case I don’t like it.

2.. The Complete Morse
We saw this once a few years ago in special edition where it came in a wooden box. It cost £200, which is a lot of money. I did suspect that the OH may have bought me this for Christmas this year, perhaps not in the wooden book edition, but I’ve seen the small gift box he claims contains my presents, so I’m beginning to think it might not be this.

3 Homicide Life on the Street Season 4 onwards
Seasons 2 and 3 were released in quick succession but no sign of Season 4 getting a release in the UK yet. I want to see it and I want to see it now (or sometime after 25th December anyway).

4. Law & Order Special Victims Unit Season 5 onwards
As above – release them on Region 2 DVD pronto.

5. A New Year Schedule of Intelligent Crime Dramas
I would like the BBC and HBO to make something new, exciting and challenging. I can’t survive on Law & Order alone.

6. Sam Waterstone to leave Law & Order
He is dull and rubbish and has been there forever. I demand a new District Attorney.


Ok so the last two aren't strictly speaking DVDs, but I'd still like them. Please.

Surprise Sleuth

Yesterday I watched an episode of Monk and Law & Order SVU, but on top of that, we watched an episode of Fraiser that turned out to involve a bit of sleuthing. Not what you'd normally expect. The episode involved Frasier's father going over an old unsolved case. Frasier takes a look at the evidence too and comes to the conclusion that the monkey did it. Confident that he has solved the riddle, he decided that he should encourage his father's line of thinking in the same direction. As you would expect with Frasier, it doesn't work out exactly as planned and suffice to say, Frasier is not going to become a detective anytime soon.

(although to be honest, his theory made sense to me!)