The Cozy Mystery List Blog

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

Rosemary & Thyme…. Thrice is Way Enough!!!!

You may wonder what exactly I mean by the title of this blog. Of course, that is probably not the case if you have watched any of Rosemary & Thyme’s season three shows.

Since my husband and I started watching the Rosemary & Thyme show two years ago, we have invested a reasonable amount of time and money in the series. So, I went ahead and procured the latest season of the show thinking that we were making a wise investment of both time and money…. I have to admit that we have only watched the first five episodes of season three, but I am sure that my husband considers that five shows too many!

One of the things that I most enjoyed about seasons one and two was the beautiful colors that the producers seemed to be able to capture……. not only the flowers in the gardens, but also the clothes of the actresses. It seemed (to me) that the actresses wardrobes would reflect the palette of the flowers they were currently planting. I don’t think that they are at all interested in that aspect of the show anymore. It seems to me that the location of the gardens is now of tantamount importance, rather than the splendour of the flowers.

The last episode that we watched was The Gooseberry Bush. Why the two amateur detectives were not jailed for child abuse/neglect was never dealt with….. Perhaps, since they are such busy gardeners, they have the luxury of leaving a newborn baby in their car all day while they attend to their busy gardening chores, but as a mother of two, I found that part of the plot to be absolutely appalling.  Also, another part of the plot that I found disgusting was the fact that the natural mother of the newborn had left her baby out in the woods so that the father could pick up the baby some time that morning. Unbelievable! Good thing that there were no wild animals…. or even hungry pets rummaging through the underbrush of the “Gooseberry Bush”!!! Was anyone on the set even paying a little attention to these plot developments!?!?

Another question that I have: Why wasn’t one of the amateur detectives jailed for breaking and entering the home of a murder victim? And, here’s yet another question I have: Why weren’t the amateur detectives jailed for deliberately moving a murder weapon because the person who owned it (and who was trying to bury it) said she hadn’t used it to commit the murder… and since they had just met her, they knew she was telling the truth! Need I say more!!!?!!!?!!!?

I was not sure whether I should write this blog or not, but decided to go ahead and write it since I had previously recommended the Rosemary & Thyme series. I still think that the first two seasons are worth  watching, but three times might still mean you’re out….

Comments

  1. I respect your opinion on the show and it was interesting to read something by another couple who watch the show. However, first and formost it is a TV show and has the ability to cross the line of reality on occasion. After all TV is an escape for most people from the duldrums of the day, so if I wanted reality I would’nt turn on the TV in the first place.

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  3. Yeah, I had to seriously suspend my disbelief for this episode and just go with the flow. Leaving a baby in a Land Rover? Not notifying the authorities? Okay…

    I have to agree with you about the clothes. Shamefully, that was one of my favorite aspects of the series.

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    • If you like the clothes try Outlander or Murdock Mysteries –I also loved Miss Marple and Poirot. I love period pieces the best as you can tell.

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      • I agree with NANCY. This series has fuddy duddy busy body older women as protagonists – everything I love in a mystery. (Ala Miss Marple / Poirot and even Murder, She wrote / Monk / and Diagnosis Murder). I enjoy Death in Paradise as well. I’m so sad this series ended so soon, as I only discovered it on Netflix in 2015

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        • It’s these stinking networks that insist on ignoring the many viewers and their comments or opinions on what they watch.

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          • Another good one was Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. As well as Father Brown. I agree, period pieces are lovely.

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  4. Rebekah, I just reread my blog, and can’t get over how negative I was! Even though I still have those sentiments about the show… I would probably go right ahead and watch the fourth season (if they produce a fourth season!)

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      • I found this series a few months ago and I enjoyed every episode. I was very sad to learn that it was canceled and feel it was a big mistake. The lead actresses have a great on-screen friendship, that makes you believe they really are friends. Rosemary explains things about the plants that I never knew, like in the episode called “The Language of Flowers”. As for reality, I agree with you, why can’t we just enjoy the story and the beautiful location.

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        • I agree! I wish Netflix or someone would bring it back! I agree with enjoying scenes from beautiful gardens. There are plenty of people who love gardening and more that appreciate gardens even if they personally don’t keep much of one. Farm to table restaurants are so popular I think they could do even more with storylines. Maybe Hallmark might be interested in bringing them back.

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          • You can find the series on Britbox, as well as many other series to fall in love with. It’s one of the reasons I caved in and subscribed. Between Netflix, Disney+, and Britbox, there’s almost nothing left for me to watch on Verizon. Some news and my beloved hockey, but really little else.

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        • I agree! We absolutely love Rosemary and Thyme‼️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️
          We have been so upset not finding a Season 4 !!!!! TV shows are supposed to entertain you and take you out of the real world and enlighten your life as this one clearly does❣️❣️❣️ You are not suppose to pick it apart for real world reality because that is NOT what it is ‼️‼️
          I sincerely hope they bring Rosemary &Time back as it’s a wonderful show ❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️
          I watch it on Britbox

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          • I agree! Rosemary and Tyme it’s a wonderful series. Most of everything on BritBox is equally well deserving of your time and watching especially Shetland. I think that British TV is far superior than American TV i.e. the actors, the producing the landscaping, the directing everything. American TV is hell-bent on so-called reality TV; mind numbing, where you don’t have to use your gray matter at all. American TV likes imagination, quality and production and actors. Anyone and anything can call themselves an actor or a series in America there is virtually nothing to watch on American TV.

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  5. I agree that Gooseberry episode was appalling with so many unexplained leaps one had to make, but every other episode has been great! I love the scenery and I am always distracted by their clothing too. My favorite is their Christmas one in season three – there is so much humor in it.

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  7. Clothes are OK — my favorite things are Laura’s beads: earrings and necklaces.
    So what IS the story on season 4? Is there one playing somewhere? Will it be for sale?

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  11. I love a particular pair of earrings worn by Laura in “Rosemary & Thyme”….round disks that appear to be flowers under pale blue disks and a small blue turquoise (I think) dangling at the bottom….french wires…just love those earrings…does anyone know if they could be available somewhere?….Thanks

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  12. I must admit, my husband and I took a chance on this series, but after watching the first episode we were hooked. While we enjoyed some episodes more than others, we loved and appreciated them all of them. What a wonderful and natural rapport these two actresses seem to have with one another. We have enjoyed it so much, were thinking of buying the complete series on DVD. Good to cozy up to on a cold, rainy evening. Love their wardrobe, esp Rosemary’s tomboyish look. Wonder what brand of clothes these are, esp the pants… Banana Republic perhaps? Wish there was a way to find answers to the questions everyone seeks.

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    • Heather, as you can see from just here, there are quite a few of us who are unhappy that the Rosemary and Thyme television series came to an end…

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      • I agree. I am enjoying the scenery, clothing and the humorous plays on words – sometimes unrealistic but it’s tv after all. If you want reality, read the newspaper or watch the nightly news

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      • My favorite shows on TV have always been Rosemary and Thyme and the original early episodes of Midsomer Murders.
        Wish there were more series like these…with beautiful homes and gardens as the backdrop to the story.

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    • I hope everyone voiced their complaint to the BBC. In America there have been only 16 times where a show was brought out of cancellation due to customer demand.
      Broken-hearted series fans inundated the Television Channels when hearing about an impending cancellation of their favorite shows. The tv executives actually listened, or a different channel picked up the series.
      One tragedy diverted was the cancellation of the 1980’s classic Designing Women starring Delta Burke and Dixie Carter. It became an iconic show that had high ratings and received critical acclaim.
      I adored it, but don’t supposed it it made its way to England.

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  18. Why oh why was this programme shelved? I watch repeats, repeats and more repeats so I can see the clothes/jewellery in the hope I may see them in the high street!

    Please bring this delightful programme back.

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    • It does seem a shame, Snapdragon, that they stopped making new Rosemary & Thyme shows. I remember watching them and admiring the color-coordinated outfits the two women wore, and their lovely jewelry.

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  19. I too, love, love, love this series! I am going to school for landscaping and cannot get enough of this show. I love Rosemary’s clothing, it almost appears to be Eddie Bauer like, they had all of this kind of stuff back in the early 2000’s, and you can even find the cargo’s, polo’s and tees there too online. I love how comfortable, yet dressy it is as opposed to always wearing jeans and tees. Kudo’s to the costume designer, you did brilliantly!!!

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    • Dani, what a great guess (Eddie Bauer) for Rosemary’s clothes. I just looked at their official site (to refresh my memory) and you’re right about “the look” tje costume designer was going for.

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  20. I was thinking J.Jill or Coldwater Creek for Pam Ferris’ wardrobe. I love her clothes, so earthy and unrestricted. I do agree that Season Three suddenly seemed to change focus to the locale. Agua Cadaver was probably my favorite.

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    • Laura, I just looked at both the J. Jill and the Coldwater Creek sites, and you’re right. It looks like either place could have supplied the wardrobe for the Rosemary & Thyme series.

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  21. I appreciate your ideas but clearly you are expecting too much. I have watched all of Season 3 and where some were not as visually captivating, and some ideas not realistic, overall it is good entertainment. Not bloody gore and physical crud that we get on US TV. I suggest you sit back and sip a good glass of wine and enjoy!

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    • Cynthia, perhaps, because I had really, really enjoyed the first two seasons of Rosemary & Thyme, I was just expecting too much. Don’t get me wrong, I watched the entire season, and my disappointment in the third season doesn’t stop me from recommending the entire series…

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      • Series three is definitely a step down from the first two series. I rewatch these occasionally and I find I skip more than I choose to rewatch these days. That said it is so regrettable that ITV didn’t renew the series for a fourth series.

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    • Lyn, a few days ago, Laura suggested that the wardrobe looks like the type of things you can find at : J.Jill or Coldwater Creek.

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  23. Just watching the show for the first time and am towards the end of Season 2. Am fascinated by the understated elegance of the clothing – despite being gardening clothes, they are definitely pretty. The jewelry is fascinating as I make some of this type…who knew the stuff I have been making for years was TV worthy! 🙂 Looking forward to Season 3 especially the Christmasy one (and not so much the Gooseberry episode).

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  26. I just found this show on BBC America, so I went to Netflix to watch more. I got hooked. I finished all three seasons in three Saturdays.

    What an easy to escape in and lovely show.

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  27. I only started watching Rosemary and Thyme in 2012 and the fact there are only 22 episodes I find very sad. Does anybody know why the show stopped?

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  28. It’s not just you. This episode is easily the worst one I have seen of theirs. It is all very well to argue about TV, escapism, and suspension of disbelief, but I do have the other Rosemary and Thyme episodes to use as a yardstick. This one revolved around an Idiot Plot (a trope which requires main chars to be stupid to advance the plot) where R&T do idiotic things despite previous characterisation and knowledge. Thyme is a former cop, for one, and she would know the trouble you would be asking for by removing evidence. (Specially since a previous episode hinged on moving the evidence.)

    The reveal was forced (by R&T standards) and honestly, didn’t match up with the sudden twist that came just before it. Too many questions arise, like how did Anya hide her pregnancy, if she didn’t and the motive is jealousy then why wasn’t Carlos murdered before now, how did she know it was the sisters who shot him, how did she know where to find the planted gun or that it was even there, and so on. This ep was very rushed and very forced.

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    • Pixelfish, I totally agree with your assessment of this show. I was really disappointed with it.

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  29. I have loved this series and have watched them over and over. I have a bigscreen and always pause during the “Language of Flowers” during the scene where Rosemary visits the neighboring estate to see his waterfall. The view across the lake is ethereal. Am very sad there are no more episodes. Hope someone can tell these two lovely actresses how much we miss them.

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  30. I just found this wonderful series and have gotten 2 & 3 from the library. Haven’t seen season 1 yet. I may not get to as my local library only has one copy. I just love it the color the locations the adventure. I am from the US and I so enjoy British film I am sorry there is not a season 4. I am in the process of purchasing As Time Goes By.

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    • Flo B, as you can probably tell, I really enjoyed Rosemary & Thyme. However, I had quite a few problems with the third season. This is not to say that I didn’t watch it, I just found some things that made me think they might have been rushed in their productions.

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  31. I wrote to the costume designer for Rosemary and Thyme because I so loved the clothes and jewellery which Pam Ferris wore for it. His name is Yves Barre, and he was sweet enough to reply to my email. He tells me that the clothing and jewellery were all designed by him for the last two series, and so none of them are available commercially for sale. I told him he had a lot of fans among the devotees of the programme and that if he ever brings out a line in clothing and jewellery it is bound to be a success! Unfortunately it doesn’t seem likely as he is busy with his main occupation which is costume design.

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    • Fee B, thank you for the information about the costumes in the Rosemary & Thyme shows. Sounds like they won’t be hitting the market any time soon.

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    • Thanks for putting to rest not only my burning desire to know the costume designer, but apparently most who watch! Ahhh…those necklaces…

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    • This is fun to know about the costuming. Thank you for sharing with us.

      I found the show on YouTube. I love how the wardrobe colors often introduce the scene the actors would walk into and then blend perfectly. Very calming and lovely to watch.

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  32. I believe that the show was cancelled due to the TV channel which sponsored it wanting to save money – a problem that a lot of good TV drama in the UK is experiencing. It may be that the third season suffered somewhat from cost cutting.

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  33. I just watched season 2’s episode Swords and Ploughshares and was smitten with the shirt Laura wears toward the end. It was brown and blue, with black sleeves and collar. the pattern of dancing women went around laura’s bosom and back. I LOVE this shirt and wish it were available commercially.
    Alas, Fee B’s previous post dashed my hopes. maybe the designer will change his mind.

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    • Theresa, there’s always hope, although Fee B’s previous post makes it look pretty bleak.

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  34. This is a spot on review. I think the baby neglect episode is well outside what I consider cozy.
    If you worry an infant or child will die because of the actions of the heroes, its just not cozy.
    One of the characters is a mother and former police officer and the other is not usually depicted as criminally insane- so even with full immersion in the story world I would expect the neglect to be a major plot point, or why include it.
    I have to agree the costumes are wonderful.

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    • I know, Maeva, I was really very surprised that the show’s editors let this crazy thing get through to the final product.

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    • Dear Danna,

      I know I’m very ‘late to the party’, but I’m also very glad that your Blog & article regarding the definition if a Cozy Mystery are still available for comment. I found you because I was compelled to comment to the producers of “Rosemary and Thyme”, but found it had been cancelled in 2007! Yikes! I just watched episodes 11 & 12 on PBS, but have been seething at the inconsistencies with the background of the characters & their lapses of sense for a while now. But something funny happened on the way to the Comment button.

      Your Blog, article & the Comments to these made me think long & hard about the internal source(s) of my intended Comment. Before I watched these episodes I spent a lot of thyme 🙂 figuring out why I continue to watch a show which causes me such angst over the major gaffes in it. At that point I had not heard of the ‘Cozy Mystery’ genre, but surprisingly my reasons for continuing to watch included many parts of the definition!

      Suffice it to say that after my second soul search regarding this show, your Blog on the gaffes in one episode adequately expresses my feelings … adequately. Thank you!

      Best regards,

      Marienne

      P.S. Do you edit the Comments of your followers or are they all gifted writers (unlike most Commenters I see on the web)?

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      • Marienne, I’m glad you’re still watching Rosemary & Thyme, regardless of some of the “gaffes”. >>> My husband and I watched the show together, and of course, the inconsistencies caused me to have to stop the recording every time something irritated me. However, the ambiance and the two women were so delightful that they kept us watching… even though I would sometimes have a lot of pauses during the shows.

        P.S. I wonder if the comments are more “gifted” here because all of those who comment are big-time readers.

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        • Dear Danna,

          Thanks for your timely response. I think you’re right about the writing skills of your readers. Thanks also for your cogent & responsive Blog. God bless you & yours.

          Best,

          Marienne

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  35. I haven’t seen this series in awhile but if memory serves, Peter Lovesy, British author of excellent historical mysteries, was a story consultant on the early episodes but not the later ones. That may partly explain the obvious decline in the storyline. It was one of my favorite shows, too, until then. Wish someone would bring back this type of cozy show, the newer ones are too gory and coarse.

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  36. I found this post when trying to discover the name of the stone that makes up the large golden beads in one of Laura’s necklaces. So beautiful!!!!

    I echo all the loving sentiments about this show. I watch and rewatch them frequently.

    AND I have to add to the litany of odd moments in the now “infamous” gooseberry patch episode. It shows the ladies taking great care to find a sturdy basket and comfy lining for their impromptu baby bed that they plan to “safely” hide in their TRUNK and then they decide last minute to tuck a GUN into that same basket with the BABY. Is it just me? Surely no REAL person would put a gun and a baby together?!? 😉 Lol

    And yet, I enjoyed every moment of even this episode. Call me sentimental but I’ll gladly forgive the obsurd moments and enjoy the entire series for the delightful wonderful thing that it is 🙂

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    • Stoneybrooke, I totally agree with you about forgiving a few absurd moments in the Rosemary & Thyme shows. They must have rushed the editing process.

      (I read several years ago that Midsomer Murders actually lost count of one of the corpses in one of their shows. I think it is in the The Electric Vendetta episode, although I could be mistaken.)

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  37. I am thrilled to find others who enjoyed this series as much as I and for the same reasons. I love the clothes, jewelry, and the flowers. I especially love the beginning when the flowers open in the vase as the song Rosemary and Thyme plays. I’m sad about season three as well, but still watch over and over.. I would love to see these two actresses together in something else since there are no more episodes of Rosemary and Thyme.

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    • Lisa, it always baffles me to find really good shows that are cancelled so quickly. (I enjoy Pam Ferris in everything she’s in. I also like Felicity Kendal, although she doesn’t seem to pop up on as many shows as Ferris does.)

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  38. I’m delighted to share my love of these shows and the clothing /jewelery the main characters wear with other cozy fans. I totally agree that The Gooseberry Bush presented a slew of improbable scenarios and plot twists… However this is one of the things I love most about the series in general. The complete break from reality that it is… A show where a couple of women gardeners turn up dead bodies wherever they work and somehow still find no shortage of work? No problem! That they wanted to keep Anyas baby in Goosebury…(well, Rosemary did, anyway) seems a mere trifle compared to the guiding premise of the show, is all I’m saying. And I wish there were 25 more episodes!!! I treat them, too. I have the whole series on DVD. It’s nearly worn out! Haha!

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    • Cozyfantutti, that’s a great point you make about the two women finding “no shortage of work”>>> sort of like Jessica Fletcher not being run out of Cabot Cove!

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  39. I have just seen all the shows of Rosemary and Thyme on YouTube. I think this show was wonderful! I’m so sorry that it isn’t still on. I live in the United States and I think it should be shown here. I know it would gain a following. I’m sad it isn’t still on.

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    • “Rosemary & Thyme” just finished showing on PBS. It and other Cozy type mysteries pop up all the time on PBS & they say they can be viewed online or purchased. In order not to miss these ‘pop ups’ I put the titles in the Reminder & Timer sections of my DVR. Good luck!

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        • Thanks again, Danna, for your thoughtful response. Please, no response to this is necessary.

          I wanted to thank you for pulling my coat to the fact that all PBS stations are not created equal.

          When I first read your blog I was surprised at all the people who spoke of owning movies. I thought that perhaps they were from small towns or rural areas because when PBS offers shows for sale, I can never comprehend why I would buy a show that I can DVR. Now I think I have a better understanding of this and, as w. the 1st Blog I read, I learned something quite valuable.

          I grew up & lived in Chicago for over 60 yrs. & when I left, I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. Other than camp when I was a girl, my only time in a rural area was a nine day visit to the farm of a friend! The other cities in which I lived briefly were New Orleans & Charlottesville, VA (yes, it’s a small town, but it is also quite urbane as the University of Virginia is there). Anyway, it means so much to me to gain a perspective I wouldn’t have dreamed existed! Bless your heart!

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          • Marienne, I live in San Antonio – 7th largest city in the USA – but for some reason, our PBS station doesn’t seem to go with what other cities go with. A few years ago, I found out that each PBS station runs independently, as far as what they choose to air. I wish they all had the same line-up, but I guess there’s a reason they don’t. Perhaps it’s tied up with the money drives they do during the year…

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  40. I am so hooked on to Rosemary and Thyme after watching the 1st episode. I stumbled upon the show on TV when looking for shows to watch and i am glad i did.

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  41. My husband and I watch this show and I also wondered about the clothing. I thought the clothes that Laura wears look a lot like Eileen Fisher styles.

    However I think the show is ridiculous. Not only is there a murder wherever they work all the suspects feel obliged to answer questions asked by two gardener (who landscape palatial gardens all by themselves). The police have very little to do with the investigations.

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    • Dear Harriet,

      Thanks for your Comments about the show (as opposed to the clothes) that echo mine exactly!

      What befuddles me is that I still watch it & since I do I obviously like it!

      I have analyzed this dichotomy as thoroughly as possible several times. The only sense I can make of a non-sensical (sp?) decision is that I just like it – darn it! I liken it to love – the heart wants what it wants (attribution unknown).

      Thanks again for the affirmation & take care!

      Marienne

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    • I agree with the comment about murders occurring wherever they work. However, they don’t do palatial gardens by themselves. If you watch closely, they bring in moving equipment, heavy machinery to dig up the earth, order plants and send off material for analysis, so they use a lot of other people. And, they normally don’t do, but smaller sections in larger gardens.

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  42. I have been hooked on R&T for years now. My favorite of all time sceneS is in the Seeds of Time ( season three) episode the evening when Rosemary and Laura are in the kitchen with candles lit (who ever takes the time to surround yourself with dozens if candles after a hard day if gardening?) and Laura is going on about the hideous wig her husband bought her. The fact that R. can’ get a word in edgewise until the end and then says ‘oh, I forget’ makes me laugh every time. Now, I am a gardener and don’t even like wine so I’m amazed at how they can continue on the next day with a duzy of a hangover. I love and study those clothes and jewelry as well. I have been tucking my pants in my boots forever. Summer brings chiggers and ticks to my area of my gardening world, so seeing Laura with that ‘fashion statement’ made me feel a bit validated in mine the first time i noticed. The thing that also amuses me is how clean these two stay while digging in the dirt! My gardening clothes look like I have rolled on the ground after a couple of hours of heavy digging and planting. It’s all such a fantasy and I love every minute of every episode.
    LOVED reading all your comments.

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    • I LOVE the show, but I have to giggle when I see Laura clearing out an overgrown garden in her pretty outfit complete with necklace and earrings! When I work in the garden the only thing around my neck is a bandana to absorb the sweat!

      I came on here to comment about the baby episode. I just watched it last night and this morning I am still haunted by it. I know it’s a fictional show but it is still completely irresponsible. No woman would leave a baby in the back of a car EVER unless she was mentally challenged or ill. Fiction or not, it’s just plain ridiculous.

      Who knows? That episode may be the reason the show was cancelled. Too bad because it is an (otherwise) enjoyable show.

      I wonder what Sister Evangelina would have to say about Laura leaving a baby in the back of the car or hiding a gun (which she never bothers to make sure is not loaded) in the baby’s carrier! 🙂

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  43. I understand what you all are complaining about, but let’s be honest, it’s fiction. Acting from a script doesn’t always reflect real life. I just take it for the enjoyment it brings. My only 1 complaint is that they only made 3 seasons! Why……….I want more, more, of Rosemary and Thyme …hehehe!

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  44. I just started watching Rosemary & Thyme a few months ago when it popped up on Netflix. Since then, I have watched the entire series dozens of times. I love this show! It somehow manages to make a “murder mystery” almost a comfort food. I love the scenery, the relationship between the two friends, that old Land Rover, and the beautiful English villages. Being from the U.S., I’ve never heard of any of those villages. I’ve looked them up online, and they don’t seem to exist. I would love to know where some of the episodes were filmed. Where is the White Hart of Dowminster, for example? Rowside? Baffington? I’m ready to pack up my belongings and move into Vilma’s cottage.
    Some of the shows were a little “off”, but on a whole, the series is probably one of favorites ever.

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  45. Dear R & T lovers: when you watch fiction, you must “suspend disbelief.” In today’s lingo: go with the flow. I remember the “baby in the bush” story, but I just don’t bother to get critical when watching the show. I’ve had a lot of practice due to years of watching “Murder She Wrote.” Lots of truth stretching their too, but who cares? Heck! I still miss Miss Jane Marple!

    I love R & T and do my best to catch it each Sunday evening on the PBS station in Los Angeles (KCET). They are still showing it at about 10:30 pm. I know that I have certainly not seen all 22 episodes, but I will just have to be happy with what is shown. Maybe 22 is the total of episodes because that’s all the books that were written in the original series?

    For those of you in the U.S. : There is another “cozy” author who now lives in the state of Washington and has written 3 mysteries set in that area. She actually teaches writing at the Green River Community College (we all remember the Green River killer, right?)

    She has also written 2 mysteries set in the small town of Sierra Madre (next to Pasadena, CA), featuring her “local” detective, Giorgio Salvatori. Even though he’s a guy, he’s “cozy.” He has a family + a Basset Hound named Grosvenor…. The author is currently writing the 3rd book in this series. Her name is Lynn Bohart, and she has her own website. Her books are available thru Amazon.com. I am partial to her Salvatori books because I live in that area and recognize the landmarks she mentions, but I think any of you might enjoy her books.

    Keep praying for more R & T!!

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    • Judy, as much as I try to suspend disbelief, every once in a while there is something so utterly unbelievable that I sort of get caught up thinking about it, rather than the show. The baby in the bush is one of those instances! I do wish my PBS channel would show Rosemary & Thyme. I don’t think they ever have. Sounds like you have a good PBS station.

      Thank you for telling us about Lynn Bohart‘s Giorgio Salvatori Mystery Series.

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      • Yes, KCET in Los Angeles is a very good PBS station. I’ve watched many shows there over the years.

        So glad to tell you about the Salvatori mysteries. Author Bohart is working on book #3 in series. Of course, I’m partial because she is writing about my town, but I really enjoyed the first 2 books. Hope you feel that this series is worth adding to your list…..

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  46. I am late to the party as well but I can probably answer why the Gooseberry Bush was different – it was partly written by Pam I believe. When this series first came out there was an ITV website for it..so cute.. with comments and trivia. I recall reading that the actresses had a bit to do with the idea and story.

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  47. Love the show. And love the boots that Rosemary Boxer wears in Season 3, in episode called Agua Cadaver. Anyone seen a pair like them anywhere else?

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    • Andrea, now this is a first! We’ve wondered about their beautiful clothes, beautiful jewelry, and now we can add their beautiful boots to the list. I understand that while the show was on in England, they had a really good Rosemary & Thyme website that helped people find out about some of the things. It’s too bad they took it down. Hopefully someone will know…

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  48. Our local PBS station (Memphis ) never ran “Rosemary & Thyme”, but I found it on Netflix & have just finished watching it for the second time. I am a gardener, flower arranger & afficianado of old-fashioned mysteries. I love this series, especially the gorgeous locations. I have lived & traveled in Europe & I am sure I have been to some of the English gardens featured in this series. I would love to know where the episodes were filmed.
    I agree that one has to suspend belief in reality for some of the plots but this never bothers me. I watch these shows to be entertained & if I happen to learn something about landscaping – great
    Sorry, but I didn’t care for any of the so-called “fashions”. I thought they were dowdy. Loved the scenery tho.

    Reply

    • Thank you, Flowerchild! For your comment about the clothes. I’m still watching the series & I keep looking for what others seem to rave about – without success!

      I’ve tried , also w/o success, to understand why I continue to watch such a lazily written show which absolutely requires one to suspend rational & logical thought in order to enjoy it, but, as I stated, I’m still watching it! It’s got that certain something!

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  49. England is missing a great tourist draw by not providing a Web site for film locations. I would love to stroll through some of those villages & gardens. The Miss Marple & Rosemary & Thyme locations are my favorite…also Poirot.

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    • Donann, what a great idea that would be! I think there might have been a few sight-seeing groups that used to do some sort of Agatha Christie tours. (Of course, I have heard that the little village they shoot the Doc Martin episodes in is now inundated with too many tourists, so some people may be against this idea.

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    • Donann, they don’t publicise locations for privacy reasons. The gardens used are often private property. – Would you want random strangers wandering willy-nilly through your yard / home, whenever they felt like it?
      I’ve been there (Not due to TV exposure, but other reasons) and it’s horrible!

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  50. Thank for your blog. I just finished watching the ‘Rosemary & Thyme’ series on Netflix. I love the show and fashions along with the interactions of the actresses. I couldn’t believe it came to the end and immediately went to search for more on the web. I’ve enjoyed reading all the comments and agree with both sides of the conversation. I still feel sad the series is gone.

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  51. Rosemary and Thyme. Loved the series. Laura’s clothing looks very similar to clothing by Flax, wonderful linen pieces. I have had some pieces for over 20 years.

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  52. Today I was delighted to find this blog post (and string of comments!) about Rosemary & Thyme! Watching a couple of episodes makes my treadmill time vanish. Besides the developed friendship between Rosemary & Laura, the colorful & interesting clothes and jewelry and the fabulous gardens, I like learning about certain types of plants, what is healthy and/or dangerous for plants, etc.

    I am terribly sad there are only 3 seasons. Just “met” Pam Harris recently on “Call the Midwife” and am thrilled to find her in this marvelous series! Thanks for all your comments, Everyone! I enjoyed reading this string very much.

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    • I am going to jump in and leave a comment here even tho it is almost a year since the letter from mj in the U S. i am in Soo, MI and started watching the show on Netflix about this time. Love British shows, especially the comedies and mystery. am so glad i found this and was so disappointed when there were no more, even tho they were getting weird there at the last. OUTLANDER! oh love that show. read all the books and had a fit when i found out it was coming to tv. also love Call the Midwife. Well, if anyone reads this, that will be something! I didn’t even know they had a “site”

      Reply

      • Faerlena,
        I know what you mean about loving British TV. I have been watching it for years. So much better than US TV. I have never been able to travel to England and probably never will so this is the next best thing.
        I would probably be disappointed if I did go to England based on my TV watching but friends who do travel say I would love it.
        BTW…If you haven’t already try Midsomer Murders. wonderful series…and Foles War also.

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  53. I’m a bit behind commenting on this thread 😉 as I just read it. I love, love, love Rosemary & Thyme, all three seasons. I so wish there had been more!

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    • Jenny, I wish there had been more Rosemary & Thyme shows, too. I wonder if they didn’t know they were being cancelled during the third season. It seemed (to me) like it wasn’t edited as well as the two previous seasons.

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  54. I haven’t seen “Gooseberry Bush,” but would probably count it down to “TV detective cozy fantasy.” How else would you explain Jessica Fletcher, the Snoop sisters, etc. getting mixed up in murder all the time (not to mention all those heroines and occasional heroes of cozy mystery books)?

    Also remember Pam Ferris is from an earlier age. When she was young women mothers left their babies in carriages and in cars outside the local grocery or butchers’ shop and there was never any threat from kidnapping or danger. People looked out for each other. Heck, when I was a little girl we didn’t lock our doors and we lived in the suburbs. The British lived in this type of innocent world at least a decade after Americans had to lock up their homes. Since I don’t know the situation with the gun, maybe it was unloaded? But if the safety was on there would be no danger to the baby, whether it was loaded or not.

    Reply

    • you are so right People did use to leave babies in their carriages . My Mom told me she left me in my carriage outside a shop while she went in and also left me with a link of hot dogs to which i was taking apart and throwing on the sidewalk during ww two she had bought with food rations in connecticut.

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  55. I don’t watch R&T for the intricate plots – I watch it for the scenes of the beautiful English countryside, the classic estates and villages, the lovely gardens – and Laura’s “organic” clothes & jewelry! I pay no attention to the plots any more because I’ve seen every episode at least 3x. I escape on a little trip to England for an hour. I also love the classic English folk song theme, played by John Williams, and the fabulous photography – the opening credits with the vase and falling petals. It’s such a lovely, relaxing, soothing show that it can even lull me into a pleasant brief nap. I guess it’s a comfort zone for me – or I’m like a 4 yr old child who likes the familiar routine of having the same book read to him/her over & over.

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  56. Hi Danna:-) I am a huge fan of the BBC series “Rosemary and Thyme” and enjoyed reading your blog. The first two seasons are magical,as the dialogue,scenery and wardrobe compliment each other. The actresses’ performances are as lovely as the flowers. Season 3 has many episodes that I love just as much but a couple feel disconnected;even Rosemary and Laura seem out of place. I don’t enjoy the relationship/family turmoil or oddball storylines that hinder the comradery and comedic adventures of our Daffodil Desperados. I am disappointed about the fourth season and know many fans have inquired about the show’s cancellation.
    Because of the outdoor nature of the show and the brevity of the British summer, it became the practice to set two episodes of each series in overseas locations. Two stories were already set for shooting in Portugal when changes in production personnel caused delays. By the time that shooting was rescheduled, some actors were otherwise committed, and the ITV Network Centre was left with no option but to cancel filming for a fourth series.
    Thank You and Have a wonderful day!

    Reply

    • Tickledpink, I’m sorry they didn’t make the next two episodes in season 4, however, I would have hoped they were up to the first two seasons’ standards. Thank you for filling us in to why they show was cancelled.

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  57. I adore ‘Rosemary & Thyme.’ I didn’t read all the comments, but wanted to let everyone know that you can get all the episodes on YouTube — as often as you want! 🙂 Also, another favorite: ‘Hetty Wainthrop Investigates.’

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  58. What a treasure I discovered in Rosemary & Thyme! I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions in the episodes, and finally realized that there would be multiple murders before things came to an end. All in all, I really enjoyed binge watching all three seasons on Netflix. After the first episode, I was haunted by the familiar face of Laura! When I googled her from the credits, I realized that my other favorite series “Call the Midwife” was where she first came to my attention. Her having worn the habit threw me off!

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  59. Wow, I’m excited to know that so many others were and are enthralled with the Rosemary and Thyme series!
    I agree with Amy’s comments about the “comfort zone” and the familiar routine of watching the show over and over again (which I do almost every Sunday at 5:00 PM here in New Jersey).
    I also agree that The Gooseberry Bush episode was exceedingly inappropriate with regard to the endangerment the baby was exposed to by his mother and R and T.
    Notwithstanding that blunder and other imperfections, the show was extremely enjoyable. English gardens are so beautiful.
    Let’s join together and petition the producers, et al, to bring it back! After all, many television shows, movies and theatre productions are recycled from the originals anyway.

    Reply

    • Patricia, it’s pretty crazy how many of us love this show! The rapport between the two leading women is terrific, and it’s nice to see women who look like “normal” women as the leads. Also, the gardens don’t hurt the show! And, other than a few missteps, it’s an overall good mystery show. (I doubt they’d be willing to reassemble the cast after so many years…)

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  60. Well, you have some issues with the show. I watch it to escape reality so I was not thinking along those lines. I absolutely love the show. I can watch the repeats endlessly. I think what I like about it is that it is about a strong sense of friendship between women and camaraderie. I am an amateur gardener who loves experimenting with different kind of seeds so that’s another part of the show I like. Let’s not forget about traveling in Europe and garden parties.

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    • I’m with you Joan! These are the sorts of shows I watch over and over and over. They’re good friends of mine!

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  62. I just finished watching Rosemary and Thyme on Netflix, and I thoroughly enjoyed the ladies, locales, and storylines.

    I wish there were three more seasons; I would watch them gladly.

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  63. I am slightly embarrassed to admit this, but I watch these shows over and over. I really enjoy the beautiful landscaping and the friendship between the two women. I know they are far fetched (the odds of them being around when so many murders take place are astronomical), but for some reason that never bothers me. I find the shows really calming and overall, just a nice escape.

    I did read that the episodes became too expensive to make and that’s why they eventually ended the series. Because of the weather in England, they had to supplement the series with locations overseas which added to the costs. Also, I someone posted that they had a designer creating clothes just for the series – seems expensive!

    Anyway, I love the series and would love to see Brian Eastman give it another go.

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  64. I ran into a sweet mystery series this past weekend. Though filmed in 2015, it’s new to me. It’s Agatha Raisin. It’s being broadcast on my PBS channel.

    Ashley Jensen plays Agatha Raisin, a Cotswolds-based PR guru turned amateur sleuth in a series of comedic murder-mysteries based on the books by M.C. Beaton.

    Here is a local article I found on the production:
    http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/13492000.Film_crew_descends_on_Lacock_for_new_Sky_murder_mystery_series/

    Reply

  65. Great Series. I was recently told about it a little before christmas on Netflix and now netfilx doesn’t have it :-(. So i am watching episodes on YOUTUBE. Some people have said its not “realistic”. Well what t.v. show or movie is? Its close enough. Good clean show that I can watch with my kids. None of the hollywood garbage. Nice just having a good clean show to watch for a change. Do you know any others I can get into once this is over?

    Reply

    • Alex, I know what you mean about realism – I know that Cozies aren’t exactly realistic, but neither are other mystery genres – always coming to the correct conclusion, and just within such a convenient one hour time frame!

      If you’re interested in more Cozy themed viewing, I’d recommend reading some of the posts from my page on TV and movie Cozies: Cozy Mystery TV and Movies

      In particular, the two “Television Mystery Series… What to Start With” posts at the top of the list are both full of recommendations of my personal favorites.

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    • I love Midsomer Murder. It is on netflix and there are plenty of them.
      Not sure about watching with your kids…depends on the kids and their ages. The villages are beautiful and the characters are wonderful.

      Foyles War is good too. Period show and I think it is on Netfilx also. Set during WWII in England.
      I do love a good English Murder.
      Anybody else got any ideas?

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      • While not Cozy Mysteries, I think you might enjoy Miss Fisher’s Murder Myteries, Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, Pie in the Sky, The Inspector Linley Mysteries and Death in Paradise; all of which I believe are on Netflix. Currently airing on television, usually a PBS station is Agatha Raisin, which unfortunately only ran for 9 episodes.

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      • Yes pie in the sky was good! I watch the Coroner on PBS as well. There use to be one called Lovejoy which s also based on books but haven’t seen it in awhile.

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        • I just watched Pie in the Sky. I agree. It was cozy and lovely. I wish I knew what kind of pepper Chef carried in his pocket.

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  66. My husband and I both love British TV series and have been watching Rosemary and Thyme along with all of our other favorites.For me it is the COLORS, COLORS, COLORS! I love the color combos they pull together in the clothes.

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  67. I’m so glad to see there are others who watch R&T over and over. The ability to see gardens that I will never be able to actually visit is a big part of lt. Being very claustrophobic, I would never make it long enough in a plane to get there. I love everything about the shows and can ignore the things I have to in order to enjoy them. The hardest to ignore , as many others have said, were some details in Under the Gooseberry Bush. Hiding a gun in a basket with the baby? Leaving the baby in the woods alone? No, no, no…on so many levels. I can even ignore the fact that they never seem to get dirty while they garden. Laura got dirty squeegee – ing out a water feature on The Language of Flowers but I don’t think Rosemary ever got dirty. Gardening can be a hot dirty job. But I love the series anyway and do wish it had lasted longer than 3 seasons. I like Agatha Raisin too, but they changed the characters so much from the book, it isn’t quite as good. Still there is the beautiful scenery and the quirky characters. Love the Boggles who finish each others sentences. I wish someone would write a series of books from the R&T tv series thereby, sticking to the characters we have all grown to love from the tv series. I would probably read them while I had the tv on in the background. Putting it all down on paper maybe there would be time to explain some of the things that there isn’t time to on tv. For instance, how can anyone garden while carrying that huge purse that Laura carries? Who can go in and hang wallpaper after working in a huge garden all day? And I hope Laura got 3/4’s of every dime her jerk of a husband had. But they never really said, did they? I enjoy reading the comments from other viewers. Father Brown is another good series. Geraldine McEwen’s Miss Marple is very good too. Another dvd series with beautiful scenery. And a beautiful garden can be seen in the movie The Secret Garden.

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  69. I’ve read every single post and I’m hurt to think after all this time they still haven’t focused on bringing back Rosemary and Thyme season 4. How long has it been? And I pray our leading ladies are happy and healthy. Thank you for the pleasure of Rosemary and Thyme. We miss them, truly. We no longer have good TV like that anymore. Oh Well!

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  70. I love Rosemary and Thyme!!! They are two gardening busy bodies who you will see always hiding behind bushes and peeping around corners:):):)

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  71. Although I generally enjoyed this series, esp. when they showed the gardens, that episode was classic in an appalling way. Thanks for giving me the name. Watch the gun! I know it’s a prop but one of these is even supposed to be a former policewoman. Ah, let’s wave it around in front of the baby. Still it was a hilarious series, esp. the way they always ended up in the same room.

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  72. I wasn’t looking for a “reality” type show, therefore, I found Rosemary and Thyme, a good show to watch. IN modern society with so much..SO SO to much violence, sexual content, and everything is discrimination..I just found this particular show, a nice change..For those of you who want everything “realistic” and “modernized”….this is WHY..I avoid regular TV..and just watch DVDs..Murder She Wrote, Rosemary & Thyme, Midsomer Murders, ..etc. THEY know where they draw the line, and most things are done in good taste. NOT the disgusting perverted WAY to realistic shows on TV now days..thank god..

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  73. I have watched all 3 seasons just loved the t.v. series but it’s very sad that it has ended they need to bring back the t.v. show was good to watch.

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  74. I bought the series, years after I watched the R&T cozy caper on PBS. I can’t get enough of the lovely flowers, the before-and-after scenery, the b&b’s, the camaraderie of two wonderful women making lives after life-changing disappointments…and Rosemary’s wonderful, wild HAIR!!! What’s not to love? I often watch it with a cup of tea, then go outside and work on my own small gardens. R&T is inspiring. It’s also somewhat educating. They talk about hogweed, rose soil, flower messages, passports for plants, all kinds of interesting facts. I say: ignore the errors in the series and embrace the warm-hearted loveliness. It’s fiction.

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    • I am so very late to the party…but…I wanted to add my 2 cents anyway. I love Rosemary and Thyme. I watch it on Amazon Prime. I subscribe to the Britbox channel. Found it on Netflix, then it went away. The episode in season 3, that everyone seems to dislike ..Gooseberry Bush..watched it once. Didn’t like it, so now I just totally skip past it. I have watched and re-watched the rest of the episodes in Seasons 1-3 so many times, I’ve lost count. Love learning about the different types of plants & flowers. Also, since I’m from the US, I dont always understand certain phrases/ words they use, so I’ve learned to google them. Lol I have also googled what a “scotch egg” and a “cornish pasty” are. Food mentioned in Three Legs Good, season 3. Very interesting stuff. I know, the series was cancelled years ago after #3, so there wont be anymore. But I can still enjoy what was.

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  75. I absolutely love the show and am so sad that the series ended. In the baby episode, I loved the bed linens! I wonder who the manufacturer is of the sheets, pillow cases and quilts are? They are so beautiful!!

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  76. Danna, this post is so validating. I love this show and recommend it often to others but always have to add the disclaimer that season 3 is a marked step down in quality. I watched it for the first time many years ago and still the baby episode haunts me. I understand suspension of disbelief — I watch and read a lot of fantasy — but as has been mentioned, those decisions contradict so much of what we came to know about these women. Infuriating in how unsafe it was. I can’t believe anyone in charge greenlit that to air on an otherwise sweet, kind show!

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  77. Absolutely adore this show! It is one that I rewatch frequently regardless of seeing all episodes at least a dozen times. The fabulous scenery and Rosemary’s wardrobe is a big reason I rewatch so often. Also love the interactions between Rosemary and Laura. Such good on screen chemistry between the two actresses! Three seasons is definitely NOT enough!

    Reply

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