Excellent!!! Just finished watching the last in the three-part series, and I'm very happy. Very well done, very entertaining, well thought out. All the characters work, and they managed to convey a little victoriana feel to the modern setting without being ham-fisted about it.
Glad it seems well-received and popular, so hopefully that ensures a new series will be out soon.
ARRRRRGGGGHHHH! Just finished watching most of Wallander's Morkret, and AGAIN....the station froze at the last ten minutes. Gee, caught all the credits, though. Can't find video anywhere legitimate, anyone who's watched it, PLEASE tell us the ending. I promise, I won't publish it public, we'll just read and delete so no-one gets it spoiled for them.
I waited until Part II aired on the 17th so I could watch the whole thing at one sitting. WONDERFUL!!!!!! Have seen it 3 times more since. What an exemplary cast and story. I was a little worried about it not being as good as the original, but no disappointments at all.
Perfect day to re-watch it today, it poured morning between 6:30-9am (I couldn't believe it - just in time for the commute, poor people), then afternoon. Lots of thunder, kitties used to it now. Of course it was sunny and dry just between noon and 2pm when I hauled the catts out, so ironically I had to water everything with a hose. LOL. Oh well. Turned the fan on to help dry them all out, don't want them cold and wet. All buds stalled. Bummer.
On KCSM, starring Trond Espen Seim. A wealthy couple hires Veum, a PI, to locate and return their runaway daughter, Lisa. He promises to take her to the hospital after a brief stop at her parents, but they prevent her leaving. The neighbors then accost him and beg him to find their son.
Despite his refusal, he ends up looking for the kid, and finds him stabbed to death in a hotel room. Lisa seems to have been the last one to have seen him, and the prime suspect. He seems to have a very soft spot for her, and protects her while trying to find the killer. The cops suspect the obvious - he was in deep debt to the local thug, the Mink. But Veum suspects it's a completely different crime, with a deeper motive.
Veum is a real trip! We both liked him. The man has balls, especially during the confrontation with the Mink. Like similar TV characters, he shares a single-minded borderline-obsessive trait for going after the truth despite the cost. He also brings a charming dry wit. We like the Seim actor, but don't know if he's portrayed like the books - no Swedish readers here.
Looking forward to more!
Starring Krister Henriksson. This one was the best to date! Both Hubby and I were guessing the guy's next move, each more sneaky and calculated and freaky. The man was a consummate chess player, 10 moves ahead. It was really cool when the villain was revealed as being a character from a previous case in one of the books, rewarding followers with a tidy bit of insider knowledge.
A series of strange but seemingly insignificant incidents start happening: a call-out for what seems to be a human head but is instead a mannequin's, Wallander's gas tank is drained, Martinsson's tires get slashed. But the last incident - a callout by a neighbor for a domestic disturbance that turns into a discovery of a dead body - announces a deadly game by someone out for revenge. But against whom? And why? The team races to identify the killer before he strikes again, this time too close to home.
What the hell was this piece of crap?! I saved this for a treat for the weekend when I could sit uninterrupted with my tea and cookies and savor it. I was really looking forward to it, and there's an impressive cast to boot. What I ended up seeing rivals a lot of the drivel already available on this side of the pond, which I can well do without!
I've gamely watched the new Miss Marple, who's not working for me in the first place. I liked Joan Hickson, and really liked Geraldine McEwan, but this new one seems judgmental, snippy, and really not the type that one would confide in, which is the whole point of Miss Marple. People overlook her, and spill things to her because she's 'just an old biddy'.
The first two were tolerable, but this one takes the cake. I don't mind if it deviates significantly from the book. I don't mind that it's the darkest Marple I've seen. I don't mind that the Frankie character was really irritating.
I mind that the entire show was fractured with all kinds of scenes just cobbled together with no point to them. There seems no point in Moira constantly racing around outside in her flowing nightie other than for some pretty artsy shots. Same with Bobby and the organ. We won't go on. The whole thing just reeked more of getting interesting and atmospheric camera shots than anything else. And the ending is done so unbelievably preposterously it's like the James Bond series, where the villian always yammers for hours about how they're going to kill Bond instead of just killing him.
And this is the second time (Wallander was first), where the first two episodes are shown in HD, then they don't bother with the third one and show it in regular view. What's with that? Can't tell if it's PBS or KQED.
Yes, I'm just annoyed at the whole thing in general. LOL.
Not bad. A French criminal sociologist's the leading suspect in a murder while visiting Finland, and he insists on having a French policeman as an advocate. The lead Finnish investigator asks for Maigret, whom he's worked with before. Amusing study of approaches between the 'useless' academic who's studying the murder logistics, the provincial Finnish superintendent who just wants a clean and fast wrap-up, and of course, Maigret, who wants to know the actual culprit.
Besides the pain-in-the-ass main suspect, seems that almost everyone had a reason for wanting to bump the guy off, as he'd slept with most of the women in the town, and was planning on running off with his latest. Was also the navigator for the local smuggling operations. But it's the sister-in-law who offs him because he told her he was leaving and he'd only been sleeping with her out of pity since her deformity after an old accident. Gee.
Finished the end of May. I LOVED this 3-parter! Wish there had been more, and apparently Branagh didn't do any last year since he was working on another project. Oh, I hope, I hope, he returns to it, because his portrayal of Wallander was brilliant. The last episode, 'One Step Behind', where he practically has a heart attack while doing a slow jog, his expression was hilarious! "I couldn't, uh, get a glass of water, could I? (Panting heavily)."
As I'm working my way thru the books (just finished White Lioness) it was soooo disappointing to have the spoiler that Svedberg is not only gay (gasp!), but he gets killed?! I was so sad. I was really getting into all the characters, it would have been wonderful to keep Svedberg (in the TV show).
We've seen 'Before the Frost' and 'The Village Idiot' so far, and we're really enjoying this character and series! Had heard of Mankell's books, and meant to try one some time. Will definitely add a couple to my ever-growing pile of books to read on the shelves.
Saw an ad for Branagh's version of this character coming to PBS in English. Very interested to see this! Already aired over there last year, and gotten excellent reviews. Very cool.
Billed in English as "Maigret goes home". Of the series, this was the most enjoyable for me, but that's not saying much. Really watch this just to exercise my French. Never really got enthusiastic about this detective, although these guys are usually right up my alley.
Spoiler: Former employer dies in church exactly at the time stated in a threatening note sent to her. It's the son of the current steward who had an affair with her and was cast aside after she finished.
Hey! This just popped into mind: some time ago, a weird uber-fan (ran a Maigret forum) commenting on behalf of all French people (but my buddy Pierre declines inclusion) blasted me for being 'superficial' simply for saying nothing about the TV show except for some woman's appearance and wondering about French standards of beauty. Then went off on several long rants on all Americans caring about boob jobs and huge lips, but how much more superior the French were cause THEY didn't care about such things. Who said we all cared? Talk about being superficial! No generalizing about us, was there. How pathetic was that? Besides, how serious can a blog on FLOWERS and CATS be?! (Serious stuff's on my other blogs.) OMFG, it was so bizarre and funny I still remember it.
Overall a good episode, except for the ridiculousness of the staged meeting with Montalbano and the heads. A mafia don's son-in-law is found dead at the bottom of a quarry. No accident, his face was blown off before his fall. It seems to have all the signs of a mob hit. Needless to say, it starts a mob war between the Cuffaros and Sinagras. Only Montalbano doesn't think it's a mob hit at all.
Meanwhile, an elderly man reports his young Russian caregiver missing.
Catarella gets a much bigger role in this episode, a lot more character development. First, he's physically out at the quarry taking care of things. As he's searching for snails for dinner, he happens on an abandoned scooter and has the good sense to haul it to the station. As he's heading there with it, he bumps into Mimi and family on the way. And he's crucial to the hunt for the caregiver's kidnapper.
Spoilers in comments section.
Best one to date! Great story, very interesting, somewhat mysterious. Lot more silly comedy, though still ok.
Two parallel stories, both involving beautiful women: Mimi's in charge of finding an embezzler, Tarantino, who ran off with over a million euros. He's convinced the thief isn't far off, because the wife is an unbelievably gorgeous, sexy creature, so he's got her under surveillance for 3 months so far.
But he just got another case, a clear-cut hit-and-run involving an elderly man who may have been drunk. He's ready to write it off. Montalbano, however, gets a tip from the elderly guy's partner that fishy things, like crank calls, had been happening prior to his death. His investigation leads Montalbano to a 20-year old murder of one of the guy's partners by his best friend. He'd been having an affair with the partner's wife, and didn't have an alibi. So he'd spent 20 yrs in jail, and had just been released.
After spending 5 mins at Mrs. Tarantino's flat, Montalbano figures out what's going on. He also figures out the second case, where the wife had put out a hit on her husband and framed her lover. The killer had gone into exile, and had just come back, blackmailing the elderly guy who had set up the hit (wouldn't pay so got killed), and the woman who had ordered it (paid up). The killer's own father killed him because he couldn't believe what a murdering monster he'd spawned.
Not bad. The girlfriend - wow, now she's hot. Hell of a figure, nice legs she flashes at Maigret at the end.
Wheel-chaired felon that Maigret's been trying to put away for years gets shot to death in his apartment. Turns out to be his girlfriend's lover/facing neighbor who wanted to get ahead by taking over as crime head after whacking Manuel. Has very preggers wife, no less. Dovetails with parallel story of jewelry heist which claims the life of a cop, so enormous pressure on the department to solve it.
Real name is Tatort, the long running German series. This one had Behrendt and Dietmar Bar. Really liked them both.
Pretty good story line, a bit overdramatic and contrived, but still very entertaining. Guy gets kidnapped in bed at night with his wife. Ends up with a bomb strapped to him, must rob bank. Guy is above suspicion, as he's very wealthy. Entire thing carried out with military precision. The bank robbery that the cops witness turns out to be not really robbery. Was an elaborate setup by Guy to kill wife's lover - the bank manager. Lots of miscellany around the villian's role in covert ops, and serious interest in Japanese philosophy.
Loved Ken Stott and this series. Too bad it's over. Got them all from the library and did a marathon over the last few nights. Very good distraction. Hubby even enjoyed them. May update with the stories later.
The Falls
Fleshmarket Close
The Black Book
A Question of Blood
Strip Jack
Let It Bleed
Resurrection Men - We both thought this was the best episode. We were still shocked by the end and all the violence.
The First Stone
The Naming of The Dead
Knots and Crosses
Pretty good episode. Blind guy dies, big black guide dog Orlando ends up outside. Montalbano immediately sniffs out something odd. Leads him to a 'vacation' with Livia to outlying island where he uncovers a desperate hotel owner, a fisherman who catches nothing but has state of the art computers and multiple TV setup. Turns out to be a sordid ring of drug smuggling by the blind guys who hide the product in their canes, with a barking seeing eye dog as a distraction. Orchestrated by a very respectable advancing political figure. The scene where Montalbano asks where Orlando is, and gives the guy a choice of 2 guns/scenarios was really good. They find him in an undercave dog fighting ring at the end. Catarella is so cute in his outrage at the dogs' treatment. Nice.
Really liked this one, pretty good. While visiting his in-laws in Belgium, wifey gets ill and ends up in hospital. While there, a mysterious patient, along with a slipped note in Maigret's pocket piques his interest. Sordid tale of doctor, who tried to kill sister-in-law, kills little red-haired girl, and imprisons wife. Maigret steps on everyone's toes while 'not' investigating. Hilarious.
So annoyed the ending was cut off, just as Maigret's turning the screws on the good doctor.
Was I not in the mood? French references we didn't get? Hubby even wanted to watch this with me, mostly to keep me company while we were mourning our boy.
Whatever. This one just plain sucked. Incredibly boring, thin story that was just repetitive. Maigret's in town to check out an "ex-con" now managing a small hotel. Meanwhile there's a candle auction to sell some old lady's house that has a story of hidden treasure in it. Guy gets stabbed to death in bed, all the guests become suspects. Another guy dies. Maigret still investigates even while sick in bed. Turns out to be the 2 cousins.
Man, is Montalbano sexy! This was one of the best episodes I've seen so far: tight story, good pacing, good script. Even the issue of illegal Albanians is nicely woven into the story without sounding preachy.
Montalbano's very popular: everyone's invited him to celebrate New Year's with them. Sadly, he's stuck going to Paris with Livia. Even worse: he'll be missing Adelina's deep fried rice croquettes! Luckily (?!?), an accident with 2 fatalities gives him the perfect excuse to stay and investigate all the way up to New Year's Eve, when he gets to sample his housekeeper's food with her family. Meanwhile, he keeps getting Mimi into hot water with Beba. And he uncovers a tale of revenge where a bastard child (the auto mechanic) screws his dad's wife, sets them both up to die in a 'malfunctioning' car, and frames the legitimate son. When he knows he's been found out, he shoots himself in front of his beloved mother's grave.
Not one of the better ones for me, because I didn't get the whole Sicilian vendetta thing (yeah, yeah, Godfather I/II/III notwithstanding). One brother's elaborately planned revenge against the other for something done decades back when they both liked the same girl. He commits suicide, but makes it look like his brother murdered him.
