The Cozy Mystery List Blog

Cozy Mystery (and Other Favorite) Books, Movies, and TV

Murdoch Mysteries Television Show

There are actually two Murdoch Mysteries series – both are Canadian productions and both are based on author Maureen Jennings’ Murdoch Mystery Series. Both series are set in the late 1890s and feature a police detective (William Murdoch) – who is an avid reader of scientific findings and inventions. This entry will be about the Murdoch Mysteries television series, not the Canadian made-for-TV movies.

Murdoch’s interest in modern (for the times) theories enables him to make gadgets that help him solve cases. He is years before his time… in some cases,  over one hundred years before his time. Murdoch makes gadgets that are quite similar to today’s – a “circumscope” (periscope) using opera glasses, a lie detector using who knows what types of tubes with blue liquid, etc. There are many sly references to today, as well. Sergeant George introduces Murdoch to a very new beverage -coffee. Murdoch states he doesn’t see coffee as something that will catch on, when they already have tea.

Not only is Murdoch ahead of his times. Apparently the entire police force is made up of very modern thinking men. They totally accept the beautiful female forensic pathologist. And, the female doctor is also way ahead of her time: She speaks easily about finding sperm in a corpse, and uses a substance very close to today’s Luminal.

The first Murdoch Mysteries series was a movie series… sort of like the old movies-of-the-week. The second Murdoch Mysteries is a Canadian CityTV television series. This television series stars Yannick Bisson as Inspector Murdoch, Hélène Joy as Dr. Julia Ogden, Jonny Harris as Constable George Crabtree, and Thomas Craig as Murdoch’s boss. (Thomas Craig is a stand-out for me.)

I first started watching this Murdoch Mysteries series after I watched the original series. The first “movie” series was grittier and less obsessed with what I will call “the forensic gross-out” details. Since the first series was from 2004 and this one is more current (four years later) I will blame this on shows like CSI Miami, CSI Anchorage, CSI Topeka, in short, CSI!

I guess you might call these Murdoch episodes sci-fi mysteries. You have to “go with it” >>> These are not for everyone. And, of course, what Victorian, sci-fi mystery would be complete without real historical characters? Enter Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Prince Alfred, Buffalo Bill Cody, Nicola Tesla, etc..

I have to admit that I found the previous Murdoch Mysteries series of movies more believable. This series stars Peter Outerbridge as Murdoch, Colm Meaney as his boss, and Keeley Hawes as the doctor. However, as I stated above, they are grittier.

PS>>> I have not read any of Maureen Jennings’ Murdoch Mysteries. This television series does show certain biases, which for me, is not a problem. I am able to just “go with it” and totally disregard the “politically correct” views the series clearly endorses. I do not know if Jennings’ mystery novels do the same. Also, the show is named The Artful Detective in some areas, rather than the Murdoch Mysteries.

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The Thin Man Movie Series

The Complete Thin Man Collection (The Thin Man / After the Thin Man / Another Thin Man / Shadow of the Thin Man / The Thin Man Goes Home / Song of the Thin Man / Alias Nick and Nora) Even though The Thin Man movies were made way before I was born, I have seen every one of them at least twice. I believe these films are the reason I am such a William Powell fan. (He is a permanent fixture on my Sage queue – as well as my DVR.)

These films follow Nick and Nora Charles as they solve mysteries, and charm the world. Nick (William Powell) is a retired private investigator who is accompanied by his gorgeous, beautifully dressed, pent-house-rich wife, Nora (Myrna Loy). Even Asta, their darling little Fox Terrier, helps solve some crimes in his own special way. (Nothing too cute – more like wandering off, into an important clue-gathering setting.)

The Thin Man movies are based on Dashiell Hammett‘s The Thin Man mystery book. The dialogue runs at a clipped pace. There is a lot of smart banter, the most obvious between Nick and Nora.

Nora, having grown weary of her silver-spoon existence, is fascinated by the world of private investigation. It seems to thrill her, even though Nick is not quite so enthralled by it. I have not read Dashiell Hammett’s mystery, so I cannot comment on how close The Thin Man movies are to it. I can say that these movies are comedies — even though their “business” is murder and death.

The Thin Man Movies:

  1. The Thin Man  (1934)
  2. After the Thin Man  (1936)
  3. Another Thin Man  (1939)
  4. Shadow of the Thin Man  (1941)
  5. The Thin Man Goes Home  (1945)
  6. Song of the Thin Man  (1947)

As an extra bonus, you will be able to see the other “stars” of Hollywood’s heyday: Jimmy Stewart, Cesar Romero, Maureen O’Sullivan, Donna Reed, the list goes on and on.

This movie series is definitely better if watched in its chronological order. You will meet characters who become “regulars” in Nick’s and Nora’s lives. Also, you learn how they, as a couple, become involved in the world of mystery-solving.>>> a world you wouldn’t expect to be as funny as it appears to be!

PS>>> I do have a warning of sorts: As with most movies from the 1930s and 1940s, there are several… “martini scenes” scattered throughout the movies… They don’t bother me – I just consider the times the movies were made – but I thought I should at least mention this to you.

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Doris Day and Rock Hudson Comedy Movies…

The Doris Day and Rock Hudson Comedy Collection (Pillow Talk / Lover Come Back / Send Me No Flowers) As this is a Cozy Mystery site, I know that I really should limit the entries on the Television and Movie page to… Cozy Mystery shows, or at least mysteries. But there are some shows and/or actors/actresses that I enjoy so much, I just cannot imagine not “spreading the word.” Judy Holliday is one such actress, and now, I am adding Doris Day, once known as “America’s Sweetheart”. Actually as much as I enjoy this “feel good” actress, I am devoting this entry to the three comedies she made with Rock Hudson: Pillow Talk, Send Me No Flowers, and Lover, Come Back.

The last time I watched these three comedies was with my daughter who was (and still is) in her early twenties. There are some television shows and movies that, although they were produced way before her time (and some were even way before my time!), I think she “should” see. Some of these movies are: The Little Foxes with Bette Davis, Dodsworth with Walter Huston and Ruth Chatterton, and Lady Eve with Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda.

Getting back to the Doris Day and Rock Hudson comedies:

Pillow Talk (1959) Ah yes, party lines! I don’t personally remember them, but have seen enough “old movies” to know that they were a hassle. Imagine sharing access to your telephone with strangers. Next, imagine having a job that requires your clients to call you at home. Now take it one step further… you share your party line with a womanizing jerk who talks incessantly with bimbettes. Oh, and every time you pick up your phone to use it, you hear this womanizing jerk snow-job this bevy of women. Doris Day is the long-suffering interior decorator and Rock Hudson is the selfish “player.” Tony Randall adds even more fun to this very funny comedy. (If you’re only going to watch one of these three highlighted Doris Day/Rock Hudson movies, I recommend this be your choice.)

Lover Come Back (1961) Doris Day and Rock Hudson are back at it – this time as competing advertising executives. Doris Day is again the “live-by-the-rules” good girl, with Rock Hudson playing a no-good-hound dog sort of guy, with no scruples. He makes his own rules as he goes, and hits a dead-end when Doris makes him come clean, so to speak. Tony Randall, again adds a lot of cute moments. (While I recommend all three of these comedies, I definitely rank this one as my least favorite of the three — although I believe it is way better than a lot of today’s box office hit comedies.)

Send Me No Flowers (1964) This third Doris Day/Rock Hudson pairing has them married. Rock plays a hypochondriac who is convinced he is going to die. He enlists his best friend (played by Tony Randall) to find a good husband replacement for himself so that his home-maker wife won’t be alone… without a “good provider.” Enter Clint Walker>>> a tall, suave, rich, handsome, gentleman from cattle country… a little “too good” of a replacement…

If what you are looking for is a fun movie, that doesn’t require a lot of “yadda-yadda” thinking, that is simply funny and clever, then any one of these Doris Day/Rock Hudson/Tony Randall comedies should fit the bill. However, if you’re looking for a “funny movie” with a lot of twists and turns, profanity, “hidden” messages”, bathroom humor, and/or nudity>>> pass on these three.

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Ellery Queen Mysteries Television Show

Ellery Queen Mysteries What a delightful surprise! I did not know about these shows until a Cozy Mystery reader recommended them to me. And boy am I glad she did!

The Ellery Queen Mysteries aired during the mid 1970s, and starred Jim Hutton as Ellery and David Wayne as his father. The premise of the show is: Ellery Queen is a 1940s best selling author of mystery books. Ellery’s father is a police inspector. They live together as only two bachelors could – Ellery has filled their living room (his writing room) with all sorts of murder weapons – guns, knives, even a snake with its venomous fangs exposed. Also, their kitchen seems to be mostly for making their coffee and morning toast.

Richard Levinson and William Link were the two men responsible for this series, as well as shows like Murder, She Wrote, Columbo, Mannix, and many television movies. The Ellery Queen Mysteries were a predecessor to Murder, She Wrote – a show which also featured many weekly guest stars. The good news, however, about the guest stars in the Ellery Queen Mysteries is this: Unlike Murder, She Wrote, the most famous guest star of each episode didn’t always turn out to be the person who committed the crime. For those of you who plan on watching these really good Cozy Mystery shows, the guest stars are big names from when the show aired as well as from the 1940s and 1950s Hollywood movies. People like Larry Hagman, Joan Collins, Eve Arden, Tom Bosley, Eva Gabor, Ed McMahon, and Betty White. (Oops, I guess she qualifies as a star today!)

Ellery tags along to crime scenes with his police detective father and invariably is attracted to some type of minutia. Some of the time Ellery doesn’t even want to be involved with the criminal investigation. A lot of the time he has an editor’s deadline he must hurry to meet, but something about the crime scene catches his attention. Why did the victim drag herself to the television set’s plug? Why did the comic book author mark a particular item?

Ellery loves to solve the cases with all of the suspects gathered togethrer (à la Hercule Poirot) – but this only happens after Ellery takes a “private moment” with the television audience. He looks into the camera and goes over all of the clues – asking us if we have figured out the solution.

I absolutely love the relationship between Ellery and his father. The chemistry is undeniable… you would think these two are truly related. David Wayne (Ellery’s dad) frets over his son – making sure he wears his coat in cold weather, giving him fatherly advise on taking care of his cold, etc. He is endearing. You don’t see such displays of father-son affection in very many television shows.

I don’t want to end this entry before mentioning that actor John Hillerman plays the host of a mystery theme radio show – “The Casebook of Simon Brimmer.” Hillerman is delightful as he somehow interjects himself into many of the cases. His ultimate goal is to find the culprit before Ellery or the police do, in order to publicly take the credit for the solving of the crime. Usually he “solves” the mystery only to have to amend his solution when he finds that Ellery has once again beat him at finding the correct solution to the mystery. As big a twit as Simon Brimmer is, John Hillerman is able to make him a likable know-it-all!

(PS>>> I have not read the Ellery Queen mystery books, so I cannot vouch for how true to the books these shows are.)

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