"More so than entertaining a man in your private parlour?"
"A man? I thought you were a police officer. I'll try my best to be less entertaining."
-Phryne Fisher and Inspector John "Jack" Robinson.
To ring in 2015, I'm reviewing a series that is not only one of my wife's favorites, but is set to begin its third season soon.
Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries is an Australian TV series based on books by Kerry Greenwood. The title character (Essie Adams) is a private detective from Melbourne of the 1920s. She is assisted in her exploits by her maid Dorothy "Dot" Williams (Ashleigh Cummings) as well as police inspector John "Jack" Robinson (Nathan Page).
Things start off lively in the premiere episode, "Cocaine Blues." Fisher returns home after traveling for a few years. She then learns that a friend's husband has been poisoned in connection with a cocaine smuggling ring. Once this case has been solved, Fisher decides to begin a new career as a detective.
Another nice aspect of the series is how series creators Deb Cox and Fiona Eagger allowed Greenwood herself to provide input on its development. Cox and Eagger initally planned to simply adapt her novels until they realized that original screenplays could be easier. To that end, they asked Greenwood to go over the scripts with them to ensure they would do her creation justice.
I have yet to read any of the books but the series itself is entertaining thanks to its stars. Adams makes Fisher a witty, charming individual. Unlike other detectives such as Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot, Fisher's adventures have led to romance on more than one occasion (I can't help but think she'd be instant BFF's with the ladies from Sex and the City). She even has flirtatious moments with Robinson.
In addition, Fisher also has occasional clashes with her Aunt Prudence (Miriam Margolyes), who disapproves of her care-free lifestyle.
Dot herself is in a relationship with Robinson's right-hand man Hugh Collins (Hugo Johnstone-Burt).
One of my favorite moments is in the episode "Ruddy Gore" when Fisher meets businessman Lin Chung (Phillipe Sung). The two become intimate but not before his grandmother (Amanda Ma) voices her disapproval to him in her native Chinese. Fisher then surprises her by thanking her for her words in the same language.
Here's hoping Season 3 retains the charm of the previous two seasons.
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