With most of the world trapped in their homes for the foreseeable future its going to be hard for us all to keep from going stir crazy. With that in mind, this blogger is launching a daily series of recommendations to distract you from these troubled times. TV, movies, books, comics; over the coming days and weeks I’ll be sharing some of my personal favorites across all sorts of genres. A quick disclaimer however, these are not top lists. As such these lists will not be presented in any particular order and may not include some of the more obvious choices in a given category. Today’s list for instance is of murder mystery tv shows, and the BBC’s version of Sherlock is certainly a great binge in that category. However, it’s also an insanely popular show that you are likely to have already seen or at least heard about. As always feel free to leave your own recommendations in the comments section below.
Shetland: Taking place on the isolated Shetland Islands of Scotland, this series revolves around Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez as he works to solve murders in a place where everyone knows everyone. The first two seasons are a collection of two-part mysteries that are adaptations of the source novels. After that the series switches to the season long mystery format. The mysteries are well crafted, the scenery is breathtaking, and the characters are easy to cheer for while still being flawed and relatable.
Bosch: Based on the Harry Bosch novels by Michael Connelly, this noir take on modern L.A. features a who’s who of Hollywood character actor powerhouses such as Lance Reddick and Jaime Hector. But as fantastic as the ensemble is, this is Titus Welliver’s show. He is pitch perfect as Bosch, and you’ll be hard pressed to look away while he’s on screen. If you like nuts and bolts, slow-burn murder mysteries that shine a light on a city’s dark underbelly; this is the show for you.
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries: Looking for something a little lighter? With a wise cracking female lead bubbling over with charm and dramatic flair. Set in 1920’s Melbourne, the show follows Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher as she sets up shop as a Lady Detective for hire. This is a run of the mill, case of the week procedural but the period trappings, comedy and sheer spunk of Essie Davis in the title role will make this delightfully charming Aussie export one of your all-time favorites.
Broadchurch: Another small-town murder mystery export from the United Kingdom, this series is all about the characters. While the central mysteries for each of its three seasons are compelling the strength of this show is in it’s portrayal of the psychological impact of violent crime on those closest to it, the investigators, the suspects, the victims family, the community as a whole. This show features some of television’s best portrayals of trauma and some of career best work from some of Britain’s most talented actors (David Tennant, Jodi Whittaker, Olivia Coleman just to name a few.) The material is heavy and should come with more than a few trigger warnings, but if you can hold with it you’ll be rewarded with one of the most compelling psychological mysteries ever put on screen.
Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Never has Agatha Christie’s Belgian detective been so faithfully adapted as he was in this series. David Suchet plays the fastidious detective to perfection, mastering every idiosyncrasy from the novels with an ease that speaks to his tireless dedication to his craft. Running from 1989 to 2013, this show manages to adapt all 70 off Christie’s Poirot mysteries be they short story or novel. While I am a huge fan of Miss Christie’s work, her stories do have a habit of running together when read in quick succession. That is not the case with this series, the rotating cast of high caliber guest actors and excellent pacing makes sure that eat mystery feels unique and compelling. An absolute classic.
Colombo: Probably the best thing to ever come out of the old movie-of-the-week format, this series compiled 68 episodes from 1979-2003 with each episode averaging about an hour and a half runtime. Now that’s a binge. The brilliance of Coloumbo was its choice to be a how-dunnit rather than a who-dunnit; making each episode a tense chess match between the killer and the blue collar, always underestimated Detective Columbo. Again, the strength of this show can be found in its lead. Peter Falk is so disarming and charming as the eponymous detective, willing to look like a fool or an idiot in order to lull his suspects into a false sense of security. Only too late do they learn of the simple man’s true genius. If you want to let your brain work but also want to chuckle while it does, this is the show for you.
Veronica Mars: The show that launched Kristen Bell’s career and the only successful teenage noir outing I know of. 3 seasons, a movie, and then a revival series. Veronica Mars is a cult classic. It’s smart and witty with one of the best father-daughter relationships in television history. The show features both a case of the week and a season long arc and was talking about class warfare and the consequences of income inequality long before it was cool. Veronica Mars puts its own twist on the hard-boiled P.I. genre, one that has been imitated but never surpassed. This is a must see show.
Psych: 8 seasons, a musical, a movie and another on the way. There is plenty here to binge and unlike the other entries on this list, this show is pure comedy. Chalk full of call-backs, running jokes, pop culture references, and sight gags; Psych follows the investigations of fake psychic Shawn Spence and his best friend Gus as they solve murders in sunny Santa Barbra all while keeping the cops from finding out he’s a fraud. It’s a case of the week procedural but it leans into its zaniness with werewolves, leprechauns, and U.F.O.s so the plots don’t feel rehashed from other procedurals. If you’re a fan of Scooby Doo or 80’s pop culture, you’ll love Psych.
The Mentalist: Speaking of psychics, Patrick Jane played one on TV before a serial killer named Red John murdered his wife and daughter. Now Jane works with law enforcement, using his abilities as a mentalist to solve murders in hopes that he’ll someday catch the man who killed his family. Case of the Week and a charming lead; same old, same old. But what sets this series apart is the overarching Red John plot which runs through the majority of the show. The twists, turns, and betrayals that happen along the way are well worth investing your time in.
Death in Paradise: We finish of our list with another light-hearted entry. This case of the week procedural sees a fish-out-of-water British constable solve murders on the beautiful Caribbean island of Saint Marie. The show is British, so it has the problem of rotating leads with none of the lead detectives staying more than three seasons. Still each detective’s tenure brings something to unique to the show and the setting, tone, and supporting cast keep this quirky procedural felling familiar and fun. The shows not a masterpiece by any means but it’s fun, easy to watch, and will having you dead set on planning a Caribbean vacation for when you can finally leave your house.