Netflix Discovery: Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries

Have you tried playing Netflix’s “Max,” their quiz program that is supposed to help you decide what to watch when you’re at a loss? I have…

And it tends to recommend rubbish. Or at least things that don’t fit my mood. I think I told it I liked Mulan once (who doesn’t?) and suddenly all it would recommend to me was Eddie Murphy movies, and not even the good ones. It’s a fantastic idea, just usually poorly executed.

I generally have more luck reading the descriptions and saying, “why not?” Based on the description for Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, which combined the terms “flapper” and “lady detective,” I figured this was a show I would love. I was right!

Set in late 1920’s Melbourne, the show focuses on the Honourable Phryne (pronounced fry-knee) Fisher, who has returned to her hometown of Melbourne for good after over a decade in Europe. Almost as soon as she arrives, she stumbles upon the apparent murder of her friend Lydia’s husband, which leads to a cocaine smuggling ring and also an illegal abortionist. Along the way, she meets Detective Jack Robinson and his Constable Hugh Collins, who resist her help and yet, as with any good amateur detective show, they start working together over the series.

Minority Report: Pilot Episode Review

Note: Minority Report aired in the UK before the US, so here is Melissa’s review of the pilot – which airs tonight in the US!

Minority Report is one of my favourite movies, so when I learned there was to be a television programme I was understandably intrigued. If you haven’t had the pleasure, the movie is set in the future. Basically, thanks to three siblings (Agatha, Arthur and Dash) – precognitives who can predict the future, a special police unit known as Precrime is able to arrest murderers before they commit the crime.

The pilot episode, set ten years after the end of Precrime, focuses on Dash, one of the three precogs. Dash is alone in the city, and tormented by his premonitions of murder. Without his siblings, these visions are unclear. He only gets bits and pieces of the crime (mainly faces), which he draws compulsively in a notebook.

Stark Sands as Dash.

Understandably, Dash becomes obsessed with preventing the murders and, until he meets Det. Lara Vega, all his attempts at intervention fail. Miserably.

I enjoyed Stark Sands’ portrayal of Dash; a man tortured by his abilities, and his past. Since he’s spent most of his life in isolation, his social skills are underdeveloped and this makes for some awkward, and often amusing interactions. It was refreshing to get to know one of the brothers, especially as the movie focused on Agatha.

Meagan Good as Det. Lara Vega.

It’s an interesting twist too, the fact that his abilities are more of a hindrance than a blessing. As his visions are incomplete, he has no choice but to fumble through and try to fit the pieces together. This makes for a great dynamic between Dash and Vega. She’s an experienced detective with technology on her side, and together they can solve the crime before it even happens. In theory.

Eat. Prey. Love?: NBC’s Hannibal

Guest post by Leah, who writes at I’ll Make It Myself!, a food blog about gender, geekery, and vegetable alternatives to humans; and The Lobster Dance, a blog about Japan, gender, media, and culture.

[breaks into your house] YO LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT HANNIBAL. Via Hanigrahmy

Warning: spoilers will be very mild and images will be safe for work, but there’s some discussion of gore, violence, and sexual harassment.

Thanks to the wonders of video-on-demand services, I don’t often watch TV shows when they air, but every Saturday morning I launch myself out of bed to watch Hannibal over my morning coffee. I am not a Silence of the Lambs fan.

This is my design.