The Cozy Mystery List Blog

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

Memphis Beat is Back…

Just a quick reminder for all of you who started watching Memphis Beat last summer… It’s back! It stars Jason Lee (main character), Alfre Woodard (boss), Sam Hennings (partner), DJ Qualls (comic relief/young cop), & Celia Weston (Lee’s mom) — with the wonderful music of Keb’ Mo’.

This is one of the non-British “cop shows” that I truly enjoy. This show has something in common with the other three “cop shows” I watch: It’s on a non-major-network channel. Memphis Beat (TNT), The Closer (TNT), In Plain Sight (USA), and Law & Order: Criminal Intent (USA). ***Yes, I have to finally come clean… I am seriously thinking about dropping Castle from my television viewing. The cliff hangers at the end of the first half of the season (right before the month and a half hiatus) and at the end of the season just aren’t doing it for me any more.  Also, having gone through the mid/late 1980s Moonlighting romantic tension between the two main characters, I find this one absolutely too much. How many times are we going to see Castle tell Kate he loves her… while she is either frozen, out cold from being shot, ETC? Good grief!***

I certainly didn’t mean to go on and on… I just want to remind those of you who enjoy Memphis Beat that it is finally back. And, the good thing about being on a non-major-network-channel is that they repeat shows during the week. If you enjoy the show, or are in the market for possibly picking up a new “cop show”… stay tuned to your TVGuide!

Elizabeth R Television Miniseries with Glenda Jackson

There are a few PBS British miniseries that I believe are classics: Upstairs, Downstairs, I Claudius, The Six Wives of Henry VIII, and the 1970s version of Elizabeth R, starring Glenda Jackson.

Elizabeth R follows Elizabeth, the daughter of Ann Boleyn and Henry VIII as she goes from being a young red-head beauty to the gray-haired (red-wigged) reigning queen of Great Britain. Glenda Jackson stars as Queen Elizabeth I her entire adult life. They did not switch out actresses as she aged.

The make up and costumes showed this royal trend-setting woman age, I want to say, at least sixty years. Glenda Jackson was able to depict the vulnerability, intelligence, and strength of this monarch at every age-stage of her life. Jackson (and her make up) was terrific!

The sets are regal, you can almost touch the deep royal blue and crimson velvet. The magnificent jewels make you wonder why there were poor people suffering under her reign…

The people at the BBC outdid themselves on this Emmy award winning production.

We watch as Elizabeth goes from being the banished “bastard” child of Henry VIII, to a strong queen who must put aside her personal feelings to do what she thinks is best for her kingdom. (Her mother was indeed married to Henry, although he labeled her as being that.) The threat posed by Mary, Queen of Scots must be resolved, she insists on making her won decision about marriage, and she must hold on to (and expand!) her country’s borders.

Elizabeth R is a six-part miniseries, which is actually six plays that have been pieced together. Glenda Jackson takes us seamlessly through the Virgin Queen’s life. Robert Hardy (yes, the same Robert Hardy from All Creatures Great & Small) was delightful as “Robin,” Elizabeth’s special friend.

I strongly recommend this 1970s BBC miniseries.

If you would like to see more TV and Movies suggestions, click here.

Midsomer Murders Television Series… John Nettles Passes the Baton to Neil Dudgeon…

The recent comments on my Midsomer Murders entry (from 2008) made me want to go seek out the information about Inspector Tom Barnaby leaving the county of Midsomer. Yikes! I’ve been able to get used to the different sergeants who work for Tom, but Tom is leaving?!? (And taking Joyce and Cully with him?!?)

Midsomer Murders is (of course) still playing in Great Britain, and, unfortunately we have to make due with being a little behind on the goings-on in Midsomer… a definite case of better late than never! But here’s the scoop:

Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) will be visited by his cousin John Barnaby during the first episode in England’s season 13. Actually, this has probably already happened…

The good news is that John Barnaby will be played by Neil Dudgeon. For those of you who remember the Mrs. Bradley Mysteries (with Diana Rigg), you will no doubt remember George Moody, Mrs. Bradley’s chauffeur (or was he more?!?) Yep, that was Neil Dudgeon. (I loved that series, and I loved the chemistry between Rigg and Dudgeon.)

End of Season 12 (2009-2010):

Small Mercies
The Creeper
The Great and the Good

Season 13 (2010-2011):

The Sword of Guillaume (Tom’s cousin John Barnaby is introduced.)
The Made-to-Measure Murders
Blood on the Saddle
The Silent Land
Master Class
The Noble Art
Not in My Back Yard
Fit for Murder    (Tom Barnaby leaves.)

Season 14 (2011-2012):

Death in the Slow Lane (John Barnaby arrives.)
Dark Secrets
Echoes of the Dead
The Oblong Murders
The Sleeper under the Hill
The Stag

I have enumerated the seasons with the numbers from England. It sure would be a whole lot easier if Amazon would use the same numbers for their seasons as they do across the pond, wouldn’t it?

Maria Bello in USA Prime Suspect…

It’s official! NBC is trying to get its failing ratings up, and will be adding several new shows to their fall line-up. One of these shows is an American version of Prime Suspect. Jane will be played by Maria Bello:

“Other notable new programs include “Prime Suspect,” an adaptation of the celebrated British series that starred Helen Mirren as a tough police detective, with Maria Bello taking on the role;”

(The above quote is from an article in MarketWatch.)

So there you have it. Let’s all hope that Bello can make Jane a messed-up, hard-as-nails person, who the audience actually roots for.

PS>>> Also on the NBC fall line-up is a Steven Spielberg show starring Anjelica Huston. Love her!!! When my children were a whole lot younger, The Witches (Roald Dahl) was a movie we watched over and over… And, of course, who can forget Lonesome Dove, The Addams Family, Prizzi’s Honor, … the Anjelica Huston hits just keep going and going, and going some more!

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