We SO wanted to like this show 100%. It has many of our favorite features... gorgeous locations, fun actors, intriguing mysteries, clean vocabulary, MC Beaton, ....
We've watched the first three seasons and it seems to be a mash-up of Psych and Midsomer Murders (two shows we love), but it lacks their mindfulness esp during the silly bits....
...The characters aren't as wise as they should be given their occupations and stations in life. Agatha shows zero PR skills or smarts when it comes to anything but high-profile PR scenarios, instead she's a ditz and an annoying bully. And most of the supporting cast seems to be pushovers who do nothing but sit around all day waiting to be bullied, which makes them often very boring. The story when James goes missing all hinged on characters saying "I've got something to say" rather than saying what they have to say w the few seconds they have. Hugely annoying and boring story tactic.
...Gemma disappeared! She was hilarious and always seemed to have the insight that Agatha lacked and gave it in such a understated way that was, again, hilarious and made us want to shout "You Go, Girl!". Maybe her level of comedy was too clever for this show. At least they've kept DCI Wilkes. He is truly smart funny rather than clown funny.
...It's uncomfortably and unnecessarily raunchy which again makes the characters seem more stupid and childish and makes the viewers squirm depending on who their viewing mates are. And what's with all the casual sleeping around and getting drunk? Again, difficult to care about characters who lack a bit of humanity and self-care even if the show is supposed to be silly and camp. It was extremely difficult to care about James after he treated Agatha so poorly at the end of Season 1. And Sir Fraith just keeps getting more and more attractive the more honorable and healthy he becomes.
Anyway... This wonderful show isn't yet quite as clever as MM or Death In Paradise or Shakespeare And Hathaway or Father Brown, but we're hoping it gets better and better. It's meant to be an alternative to today's myriad dark mystery dramas. Ironically, it leaves us wanting to watch Vera or Lewis or Endeavour (not super dark, but not silly either), to wash away the grade-school humor. It does differ a LOT from the books, which is sad for those would love to see Beaton's Agatha on screen, but okay for those who now have the books to look forward to.
We've watched the first three seasons and it seems to be a mash-up of Psych and Midsomer Murders (two shows we love), but it lacks their mindfulness esp during the silly bits....
...The characters aren't as wise as they should be given their occupations and stations in life. Agatha shows zero PR skills or smarts when it comes to anything but high-profile PR scenarios, instead she's a ditz and an annoying bully. And most of the supporting cast seems to be pushovers who do nothing but sit around all day waiting to be bullied, which makes them often very boring. The story when James goes missing all hinged on characters saying "I've got something to say" rather than saying what they have to say w the few seconds they have. Hugely annoying and boring story tactic.
...Gemma disappeared! She was hilarious and always seemed to have the insight that Agatha lacked and gave it in such a understated way that was, again, hilarious and made us want to shout "You Go, Girl!". Maybe her level of comedy was too clever for this show. At least they've kept DCI Wilkes. He is truly smart funny rather than clown funny.
...It's uncomfortably and unnecessarily raunchy which again makes the characters seem more stupid and childish and makes the viewers squirm depending on who their viewing mates are. And what's with all the casual sleeping around and getting drunk? Again, difficult to care about characters who lack a bit of humanity and self-care even if the show is supposed to be silly and camp. It was extremely difficult to care about James after he treated Agatha so poorly at the end of Season 1. And Sir Fraith just keeps getting more and more attractive the more honorable and healthy he becomes.
Anyway... This wonderful show isn't yet quite as clever as MM or Death In Paradise or Shakespeare And Hathaway or Father Brown, but we're hoping it gets better and better. It's meant to be an alternative to today's myriad dark mystery dramas. Ironically, it leaves us wanting to watch Vera or Lewis or Endeavour (not super dark, but not silly either), to wash away the grade-school humor. It does differ a LOT from the books, which is sad for those would love to see Beaton's Agatha on screen, but okay for those who now have the books to look forward to.