Good morning, readers. Everyone I know keeps commenting on how fast summer is moving, how autumn will be here any moment. Even the leaves on my birch tree are beginning to yellow. But listen up, people. Listen up, nature. It's still August. It's still hot. And I'm not ready to say goodbye. In fact, I have a beach trip in my future, so calm down pumpkin-spice fanatics, and give August her breathing room.
Speaking of hot and humid things, I have been watching a lot of British TV lately. Cause nothing says summer like the Shetland Islands. Since Covid hit and shut down travel like a steamship trunk lid closing on fingers, I have been taking to streaming services to get my international fix. I feel like I have exhausted Netflix in this department, so I decided to check out Britbox and Acorn TV via their free trials.
First up: Britbox.
Basically, I've watched two shows on Britbox: Shetland and Vera. Vera is weird because it's 5th season is only available on Acorn TV for some reason. Anyway, both Shetland and Vera are based on the novel series by Ann Cleeves. Shetland is set in the Shetland Islands and features Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez, and his team, who solve one big crime for the duration of the season. The Shetland Islands are as much a character as the humans in the show and make everything so tense and atmospheric, you'll want to watch it wearing a fair isle sweater. Vera, on the other hand, solves one mystery per super-sized episode. So a whole season might only run 4 or 5 episodes, but you get 4 or 5 mysteries. I know for Vera some of the episodes are based off the book so it sort of ruined the reveal for me. Vera is a no-nonsense stern grandma type who is smarter than everyone else in the room. Even though there are two eye-candy actors in the show, Brenda Blethyn steals every scene. I watch for her.
Now: Acorn TV.
So if I'm going to give my money to anyone, it's Acorn TV. There is so much here for me to enjoy. To fulfill my itch to see Scandinavia, I watched Wisting. Set in Norway, Wisting is about police detective William Wisting who finds a dead body on a Christmas tree farm. This discovery is tied to an American serial killer, so of course the FBI shows up. Enter Carrie-Anne Moss (you know, The Matrix and Jessica Jones) to energize everything. As an American, I often find it incredulous how European detectives do not carry guns when confronting possibly dangerous suspects. Which Carrie-Anne's FBI character so articulately points out every time Wisting goes off searching for this serial killer. But America is no model for guns and policing, so I'm happy to see a different view.
If you think American serial killers in Norway is dark, you should watch Hidden, a crime drama set in Wales where half the dialogue is in Welsh. The first season is hella suspenseful. You know the villain right away so you spend much of the season with your stomach in your throat waiting for them to get caught.
For lighter stuff, watch Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, set in 1920s Melbourne, Australia, or its groovy spin-off Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries set in the Swinging Sixties. If you love sassy heroines and incredible period costumes, you can't go wrong with either show. I often watch it as a palate cleanser after I've been binging too much noir.
Speaking of Australia, Lucy Lawless is returning for a second season of My Life Is Murder. I wasn't a huge Xena watcher, but Lawless if flawless in this modern mystery show. She's a former detective who works as a consultant for the police, solving their tougher cases. Which she does like an Amazonian boss.
And if you love cozies, there is Agatha Raisin starring the charming Ashley Jensen (of Catastrophe) based on the series by M.C. Beaton. It's set in the Cotswolds.
And if you want more Scottish drama with a bit of teen angst, check out Loch Ness.
And if you're over murder all together, there are tons of comedies and dramas.
What are you all watching that inspires your work? And if you have a recommendation for a show on Acorn TV, tell me!
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