Sunday, October 15, 2017

Favorite British Cop Shows? What Should I Watch?

I'm now back after a week of conferencing and other good stuff (and the return of my car!).  This was a fascinating topic, mainly on the issue of how to advocate for refugees from all countries and religions and encourage consideration of higher annual refugee numbers. As a part of this, we learned a great deal (some of it admittedly repititive) about how this country has treated refugees and immigrants throughout it's history (not so great, as my Irish friends may know on the European side), as well as statistics, as well as how to have conversations and share personal experiences. 

I met a man who was in an African refugee camp for fifteen years, where he could not go to school, work, or leave until he was approved to come to this country. I also met a man who was in a concentration camp during the Bosnian War (down to about eighty pounds) and then in a refugee came before resettling in the US-and those were just a few of the histories. I have been looking for a single issue with which to become totally involved, and this may be it.

However, if I  may say so, I have been retired way to long. I'm used to sewing for awhile, then doing something else, then doing something else.  Nine hour days with two fifteen minute breaks and a long lunch are no longer in my wheel box-if only because at this point in my life my body NEEDS to move more often to keep it working. I have a sedentary retirement lifestyle if I don't push myself, but never have I sat so long in recent memory. That plus the piles of mental input left me exhausted after last week. Meanwhile..

Since I got home from my conference on Friday, I have been mainly decompressing. Knitting, cooking, doing a bit of house stuff that got left aside, and yes, watching TV. Specifically, the new TV show Mindhunter-which I have had trouble walking away from. In fact, except for one avoidable violent scene in the beginning of the first episode, this show is almost charming-not what you'd expect from the guy who did movies like Seven and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.  I'm hooked.  


Put simply, it's cerebral and personal, which is a perfect segue into British crime shows on Netflix. Because for me at least, a primary reason for my attraction is that they are more mind than muscle-if you will. However, another reason I like English crime shows is that they fully develop characters, the good and the bad. You know them, rather than hear little hints about their lives. And finally, most of these shows have an ending at the end of the current year. No cliffhangers.  Not always the most satisfying ending, but an ending none the less. Now obviously there are exceptions to the above. Luther and The Fall come to mind as being very watchable but having a higher level of violence. And of course most annual series are many less than our sixteen or so episodes that appear on American TV so often.

Admittedly I have not watched as many of these series as I would like-in fact I suspect I have not seen as many shows as most of my readers. So here it is, readers and followers, my request. As I work my way through the last few episodes of Hinterland, what should I be looking at next. Heck, it doesn't even have to be English, it can be European in nature. I mean, I like Wallander as much as the next gal, and have read Harry Hole books as well. I'm fully past Luther, The Fall, Paranoid, Marcella, River and at least three quarters of The Midsommer Murders. I've watched Death in Paradise (the first guy being much funnier than the second). 
 

I need you to help me out.   What is your favorite British/European crime type show. I'm completely open, but I have to admit I'm probably a more Hinterland than Father Brown type at heart. My current "my list" on Netflix includes Southcliffe, Bordertown, Shetland and Happy Valley. But I'm always looking for new things to watch and I have to prioritize.

So, readers and visitors, bring it on. Do you watch British shows? British Crime shows?  What do you like?  What would you encourage me to watch? And if you don't watch British shows, what really, really good American shows would you send me after on Netflix (knowing that Travelers and Ozark are my current favorites). And please, NOT the OA!!  


The days get shorter, the nights get longer and the TV viewing (along with knitting and such) becomes more intense.  So what else should I put on that Netflix "watch list"?  Tell me!

34 comments:

  1. Love, love, love British crime shows. I've watched all the ones you've listed. Have you watched The Fall? Broadchurch (the first season is amazing)? Prime Suspect? Rebus (set in Edinburgh - the first season is awful, but the complete re-do in the second season was great). If you get Amazon Prime, the Lewis series is fantastic.

    I taught ESL to refugees and immigrants for many years. Their stories could both inspire you and scare you out of your wits at the same time. I had one student from Cuba who could tell you down to the actual minute how long he was in Guantanamo after being picked up trying to come ashore in Florida. Students who escaped war in the Congo, some who saw family members killed. Students who lost family members as they tried to escape after the fall of Vietnam. Students who had their homes burned and family members killed by drug cartels in Mexico. Students who were shot and starved during the Bosnian War, and who lived in the woods for months. And yet these people came and worked their tails off to support themselves and their family left behind (that they might never see again), and then in the evenings came and worked hard trying to learn English.

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    1. Laura, the young man in Africa was from the Democratic Republic of Congo, He is now married and has a young baby and is just thrilled that he is able to work at anything. Yes, we are Fall afficionados. I will check out Rebus. We get both Prime and netflix and use them both!

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  2. I have watched them all. I love them. But now that I seem to have watched them all, I have been binging on Blacklist with James Spader. It is an American show but I adore James Spader and he is fabulous in it. There are 4 seasons and lots of episodes per season.

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    1. Hi Roberta, I did watch the Blacklist in the beginning, but had to leave it, because I found certain solutions wayyyy to drawn out. The first couple seasons were fantstic though.

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  3. I LOVE British TV, lately in addition to the ones your other readers have posted, I have gotten into the Father Brown mysteries adapted from the GK Chesterton novels. The first season was a little slow but it picks up quickly and is very entertaining.

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    1. Thanks so much, everything is going on my list!

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  4. I absolutely loved Shetland, Happy Valley, Broadchurch and the version of Wallander with Kenneth Brannaugh. If you have access to Hulu, Scott and Bailey is my favorite British cop show. Foyle's War was good, but I'm not sure it's on Netflix anymore as well as George Gently.

    Long sedentary periods are a big reason I quit several social justice groups--just too many meetings. I keep my hand in, but leave the meetings and conferencing to others, and I'm pretty much okay with that.

    Sheila

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    1. Thanks, I'm especiall looking forward to Happy Valley. I'm not about to leave these groups, as my volunteering is a vocation but thankfully I wont have any more three day events. I can handle the occasinal day or the weekly half day with ease.

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  5. Shetland was amazing. I just subscribed to acorn TV which British based for a couple of months to get my fill. It is $4.99 USD per month. There is one series called Agatha Raisin which sort of like Midsummer Murders(I love that show to). Also Doc Martin which is not mystery but the same kind of humour. On Netflix I really liked the murder mystery from Iceland (subtitles)Trapped, it was so highly rated across Europe and on Netflix they are making a second season currently. I've never been so engrossed in a subtitled series before, it was excellent and the language issue was never a problem as the characters are so good

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    1. I had looked at Britbox or Acorn but since I have both Netvlix and Amazon Prime I figured I had enough things going on. I will have to check out Trapped, never heard of it!!

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  6. I am a huge fan of British crime series but mostly older ones that you might have already seen. But since you said you watch Midsomer Murders (hope you watched the older ones that starred John Nettles - that voice), I loved Inspector Morse, A Touch of Frost, Taggard (the original ones), Rebus (especially starring John Hannah), McCallum, Silent Witness (when Amanda Burton was the star) and Wire in the Blood. Most recently Broadchurch is wonderful. I would think you can find some of those older series on DVD at your library.

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    1. Thanks Rosie, I will add those to my list. With Amazon and Netflix, Im not even sure we have a DVD around since we manage to stream even classic movies.

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    2. They are probably available to stream too, I would think.

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  7. Hi Barbara
    I am British and its really interesting that you like our TV cop shows.I try not to watch anything too gory or violent - I prefer procedural drama - brain not brawn. Scott and Bailey is excellent and if you like one of the leads (Suranne Jones) you might like to watch her in Dr Foster - not crime but really hooks you. Line of Duty is a must also.Other people are raving about Liar which has just finished. Broadchurch is excellent - first and third series best - endure the second series so you understand the third. Have you seen The Night Manager? Intelligence services drama - very good. Something from a long time ago which is a bit whimsical is Hamish McBeth and Miss Marple and Poirot. Wartime drama The Bletchley Circle about amateur detectives is very engaging. Enjoy!

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    1. I also like other shows. The six years in Germany, my English Language programming was Sky and I also watched German TV-so things Alarm Fur Cobra would also be on the list. I started LIne of Duty and then realized that Lennie was not the "good guy" so I left, but will go back to it. Ill check out Dr Foster.

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  8. I love British mysteries. Shetland and Hinterland (very dark). I liked the Swedish version of Wallender better than the Kenneth Brannaugh, both very good though. Enjoyed Inspector Morse and now I'm hooked on Endevour. I agree with Penney, The Night Manager was excellent.

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    1. Celia until this conversation I did not know there was an alternative Wallender-will check it out. And yes, Hinterland is very dark. I stepped away for a few days.

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  9. Acorn TV gives you access to British and Australian shows - Vera, Brokenwood Mysteries (one of the best I've watched), Murdoch Mysteries (my all time favorite and has lots of seasons), Janet King. Since you're a Netflix girl have you watched River? I have Amazon and Netflix but having a wider variety is nice when you've finished all the seasons of Shetland and need more shows to watch.

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    1. Murdock Mysteries is Canadian, but absolutely one of the best shows we have ever produced. Love it.

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  10. Foyle’s War. My all time favorite.

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  11. The Loch (which is now on regular TV), Above Suspicion, Top of the Lake, The Govenor, Hustle, Inspector Lewis (aka Lewis), The Last Detective, Line of Duty, Silk (more lawyerly though), Vexed. Some of these might not be available on Netflix, but could be found if you have an android box.

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  12. Okay, it;snw time to make this list. I have yet to see the second Top of the Lake, althoogh I have it recorded.

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  13. I dont think anyone suggested Vera. I think it's entertaining my husband isn't crazy about it. A fun mystery show is Miss Fisher's Mysteries. It's an Australian show. I personally don't watch intense murder shows. Having close friends murdered years ago I find it disturbing that people make tons of money off tragedy. It doesn't even come close to how it really feels when it happens. The real effect it has on the family, friends, neighbors and coworkers when it happens in real life never really goes away. So I go for the Miss Marple type shows.

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    1. I do have Vera on my list, thanks. I'm sorry for your loss. I do watch some intense shows on occasion.

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  14. I would put "Line of Duty" right at the top of my to-do list if I were you. I wasn't happy about Lennie not being the good guy either but I think the show is consistently at the top of its game.

    I also liked the recently cancelled "The Missing" (okay a "retired" cop show).

    I recently finished JK Rowlings' "Strike" (okay, a private detective, not a cop). I thought the real heart of that show was the female assistant hired in the first episode.

    I would try the Johnny Worricker trilogy (okay, a spy, not a cop). This is Bill Nighy being Bill Nighy. These aired on PBS at one point.

    "The Shadow Line" starring Chiwetl Ejifor and Christopher Eccleston.

    "The Tunnel" (the Stephen Dillane version, haven't seen the original)

    And, of course, I have to second those who mentioned "Wallander" (I've only seen the KB version) and "The Night Manager".

    "Stan Lee's Lucky Man" with James Nesbitt (another of those guys I'll watch in just about anything). Granted, this is a Marvel Universe show and while I think TV in general would be better if we'd never heard of Marvel or DC, this is one that I enjoy.

    I think the Brits do great TV drama. My only beef is that most shows have a very short life, regardless of quality.

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    1. I may have to go back to line of duty, I was just so dissapointed, a know! I liked the missing okay, I had seen the American version of the tunnel and about a third of the way in I realized the plot was EXACTLY the same except it was a tunnel and not a bridge.

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  15. Now "I" have a list of what to watch! Thanks!!!

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  16. Hi Barbara! I can only imagine the intensity of your volunteer work over the summer. I'm sure it is emotionally draining as well. Good to be home and resting up. And the only British Show that stands out for me is Sherlock Holmes. I'm sure you've seen it but it remains one of the best series of shows I've seen in recent years. ~Kathy

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  17. Grantchester, Trapped (Icelandic!), The Bridge (if you can find the Swedish/Danish version, SO good!), The Killing (original is Danish which I haven't been able to access but US version very good too), and second the recommendations for Shetland, Broadchurch, Happy Valley. Also Dr. Blake (Australian) is great and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (also Australian) is SO much fun!

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  18. I'm English and have just come across this post so I hope I'm not late to give you another good crime series to watch. Some have mentioned really good ones, namely Lewis which is a spin-off from Morse and Happy Valley. Also good is Wycliffe who is a Cornish police detective. There is also Inspector Banks.

    Joan (Devon)

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  19. Seconding a lot of these - I like 'intense', compelling series (these aren't all police shows)
    - Rebus (Ken Stott years)
    - Scott and Bailey
    - Happy Valley
    - Doctor Foster
    - Endeavour
    - Marcella
    - Paranoid
    - House of Cards (UK version is utterly compelling IMO)
    - Portrait of a Marriage
    - Silks
    - Prime Suspect
    - Life on Mars
    - Luther
    - The Fall
    - Hit & Miss (may not be for everyone
    - The Bridge/Broen (scandinavian)
    - Dicte
    - Davinci's inquest
    - the wire
    - the shield
    - the Killing (have only seen the remake - would like to see the original)

    Haven't seen, but interested to try:
    Liar (loved Gruffudd as Hornblower)
    Marcella - second series
    The escape artist
    wire in the blood
    Field of Blood

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  20. sorry - a few american shows got on there. And for life on mars, definitely NOT the american one, it's ludicrous.

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Thanks for stopping by! I love to hear from others, and I also love to hear all points of view.. Just leave the profanity and insults at home, OK? Thanks!!