I love TV mysteries. I can remember when Columbo, McCloud, MacMillan and Wife and Hec Ramsey alternated through the year so that we had a new mystery every week. Perry Mason, Ironside, Rockford Files, Cannon, Banacek, Miss Marple, Murder She Wrote, Hercule Poirot, Magnum, P. I., Nero Wolfe, Dragnet, Due South, Hill Street Blues, Quincy and Remington Steele were all favorites.
We have the TV on now, and Dear Husband settled on "The Cosby Mysteries." I had forgotten Bill Cosby had made this series. I love the shows that skip all the blood and gore and focus on clever detecting, or intelligent, interesting or quirky detectives.
Gene Wilder did several mysteries set in the 1930s. The character he played, "Cash Carter," was the director of a small theater in Connecticut. He solved mysteries because he was an observant man.
John Larroquette has a series out now on the Hallmark channel called "McBride." His detective is always short on money because he's willing to help those who need help, and can't pay for his services.
"Monk," is our current favorite. Tony Shalloub plays Mr. Monk, brilliantly!
Perhaps we've enjoyed these series because they are gentle. There's not so much focus on blood and guts. The characters show some humor, and we occasionally have to wait to find out who-done-it
I'm ready for the new season of "Monk" to start.
Comments (9)
Again, you've brought up TV shows with which I am not familiar--of which I am not even aware. I have watched Columbo, and Monk, but wearied of their schticks. "Murder She Wrote" and Hercule Poirot kept my interest much longer. Wish I had known of "The Cosby Mysteries". I'll watch for re-runs. As a kid, I went through a period of reading mysteries, but the genre is not, now, among my favories. (Although--when they get Stephanie Plum casted, I'll be sure to watch!)
Posted by Cop Car | December 6, 2005 9:31 AM
Posted on December 6, 2005 09:31
CC, I don't think there are many of the Cosby Mysteries. I'll have to research it to see. At best, I'd guess there was a season or less of them.
A lot of the shows I listed are from the 70s. Now the trend seems to be clones of Crime Scene Investigations or Law and Order. I watch those occasionally, but they are really grim.
It's interesting. I don't tend to search out mysteries, either. I'm with you at the head of the line for Stephanie Plum, though! Do you have any thoughts about who you'd like to see play her? I'm too far removed from the younger actors today to have any thoughts on it.
Posted by buffy | December 6, 2005 9:48 AM
Posted on December 6, 2005 09:48
I love mysteries with Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple and also the Midsomer Mysteries. I also try to watch Monk, but it tends to be on awkward times, like mid-afternoon. That is true of several of the American made mysteries.
One I do like are the Nero Wolf ones but I've seen few of them because they are at such odd times, and never the same time each week, that usually I've not realised they were on until it's too late.
Posted by Adele | December 8, 2005 3:46 AM
Posted on December 8, 2005 03:46
Adele--I, too, enjoy the Nero Wolfe programs. They just didn't come to mind until your comment joggled the old memory paths. Thanks.
Posted by Cop Car | December 8, 2005 10:34 AM
Posted on December 8, 2005 10:34
Give me the gore. My girls and I are CSI junkies. Unfortunately, hubbie hates that because we are so screwed in when it comes on. It's worse when there are two or three in row! He retreats to the office or the bedroom. We have to limit our consumption to have peace!
Posted by Frankie | December 8, 2005 6:09 PM
Posted on December 8, 2005 18:09
Yeah...I've watched with you. I can do that on rare occasions, but it's not my usual choice. If I had my way, it would be all musicals all the time! lol
Posted by buffy | December 8, 2005 11:07 PM
Posted on December 8, 2005 23:07
You know....it seems to me that there was a Nero Wolf series AGES ago.... (making a quick side trip to Google....) Yup! William Conrad (known for his series Cannon), and gorgeous Lee Horsley as Archie. Talk about eye candy!
Posted by buffy | December 9, 2005 3:55 PM
Posted on December 9, 2005 15:55
And, Ellery Queen.....with Jim Hutton. Another oldie.
Posted by buffy | December 9, 2005 3:58 PM
Posted on December 9, 2005 15:58
I don't remember either of those, I'm afraid. Perhaps they didn't travel across the pond, or perhaps they were on and I just didn't realise. Oh well.
I one read a book when I was young suggesting that Nero Wolf was the illegitimate son of Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler. Baffling in one mind, but on the other hand if you consider an offspiring with the body of Mycroft Holmes and with Sherlock's brilliant brain...
Posted by Adele | December 10, 2005 4:39 AM
Posted on December 10, 2005 04:39