Jonathan Creek (TV Series) The Curse of the Bronze Lamp (2014) User Reviews

Finding a kidnapped woman and disposing a body in the bath

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 14 March 2014]

This mystery opens with a woman being kidnapped as she prepares for her husband's birthday party. She is bundled into the back of a van then locked up in an old Second World War pillbox… it seems unlikely that she could escape or let anybody know where she is being held. Meanwhile Johnathon's wife Polly gets involved with a friend Denise's rather awkward problem… she had called up to hire a male prostitute then he dropped dead in the bath! Polly helps Denise take the dead man back to his house and later Denise is shocked to find a woman's watch in her bed… even more shockingly it turns out the watch belonged to the kidnapped woman and she was wearing it in the ransom video! If the woman is to be rescued Johnathon will have to solve a series of rather cryptic clues.

I think they saved the best till last in this three part series; the mystery was suitably convoluted and the clues were complex yet just about plausible given that we knew the woman was into codes and suchlike. There were quite a few chuckles to be had… Polly getting caught on an automated nature camera when caught short one night and Denise dealing with the dead male prostitute to name just a couple. The cast put in a good performance; most notably amongst the guest stars were Josie Lawrence was fun as Denise and June Whitfield was great as identical twins who often appeared side by side. Overall an entertaining episode with a good mix of mystery and humour.

Perhaps my least favourite episode of the show.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 5/10 · 26 February 2021]

Hmmmm, let's be honest, this isn't one of the best, I'm all for the unthinkable being able to happen, but within reason, I know it's TV, but I just cannot believe in any of the chain of events happening.

I'll start with the positives, we get to see double June Whitfield, a lovely actress, who elevates any parts, so two of her, is wonderful. We also get to see the gorgeous Dar Dash, who plays Kevin, sadly we don't get a lot of time with him.

There are a few laughs, but when you look at the talent on show here, could you honestly say they made good use of them, or were John Bird and June Whitfield wasted for the most part?

Pretty poor. 5/10.

Best of a Bad Bunch

[Beatriceblake · 5/10 · 8 November 2015]

I only just watched this. I've had it recorded for ages from UK Drama.

This was the best of the Season Five episodes but it's so poor. It's still called Jonathan Creek but now the main character is actually Polly Creek and at least half of any given episode will be about her dull exploits in the village. Meanwhile Jonathan now does minimal investigating and doesn't have much to do except look like he's thinking.

It's a shame they couldn't focus more tightly on Lindsay's kidnapping as she's an interesting character and it was a more compelling mystery than the other S5 episodes.

Sherlock Holms had gone senile

[me_t · 5/10 · 2 September 2018]

The best of the 3 season 5 episodes, doesn't mean it's good tho. Jonathan is so dim-witted, that I'm beginning to wonder if it IS Jonathan. An mediocre piece about a crime so mediocre, told in such a mediocre manner, that it makes the most boring Midsomer Murders episodes look like masterpieces. Why do people watch Jonathan Creek - for witty, impossible crimes and ingenious solutions, not for mediocrity. The standard is set and if you can't uphold it - why even try to fit something like this into the franchise. It's like stories about Sherlock Holmes, when he's grown old and senile - we don't really need them.