roisfamily Reviews

Cracker (1993–1996)

Once you start watching it you can't stop.Out-of-the-box, brilliantly written story lines, Can't stop watching it.

[9/10 · 30 January 2012]

Equally as great as the best British Mysteries: Prime suspect, Wire in the Blood, Touch of Frost and Trial & Retribution.

I'm surprised this TV series isn't better know. Cracker is immensely "UNDERRATED".

As you may have read in the other reviews it is the storyline that's highly praised. EXACTLY MY OPINION! The main writer, Jimmy McGovern is just simply an intelligent storyteller. Now this series wouldn't be as great as it is if Robbie Coltrane's portrayals of a hard drinking, chain smoking, overweight gambling addict wasn't as talented. However even with such a dramatic acting performance it is Jimmy McGovern with his fantastically ingenious way of sucking you into his story lines, where you can't go on living the rest of your life not knowing how the story ends, that steals the show.

Why this series isn't praised to the same degree as Prime Suspect or Trial & Retribution are, nor as well known is just beyond me. As I said "IMMENSELY UNDERRATED". The only thing I can think of is that those other TV series ran for longer or expanded for a longer period.

Because in my opinion Jimmy McGovern is up there with Lynda Laplante, R.D. Wingfield & Arthur Conan Doyle.

Yeah....The Brits learned a long time ago that it is good story lines "first" that make a show great and good acting, good directing, good editing second. Not pretty young faces and expensive special effects. God! "Hollywood really needs to learn allot still from the UK's Television Industry". They produce a far better product for UK TV than what we get here in the USA in movie theaters. "And with only 10% of the budget" .

By Dedoshucos

Wire in the Blood (2002–2008)

It's like watching a big budget film on TV. All 24 episodes are great! Gruesome scenes, Very dark and depressing at times. Uncensored.

[10/10 · 30 January 2012]

If you like your murder mysteries uncensored this is the best one. Done very tastefully.

Very seldom will you find a British murder mystery TV series of this quality were "every single episode is great" not just OK, but great.

Even amongst the UK's best such as Prime suspect or A Touch of Frost. While undoubtedly there great TV series some movie episodes fall short of expectations. But not Wire in the Blood.

I watched all 6 seasons and 24 episodes. I rather enjoy dark, gruesome mysteries and Wire in the Blood isn't just that, it's also intense, VERY INTENSE! As well a graphic.

I read on the wikipedia page that the series was canceled because of it's high budget cost of about $1,250,000 per episode. Well.... watching this series you can really tell were all that money went. Each episode feels like your watching a multi-million dollar Hollywood production on TV. It is very fast pace tangled with multiple sub-plots everywhere.

Interesting that prior to this series, Robson Green started in "A Touch of Evil" that remarkably resembles Wire in the blood on a more "toned down" level. I suggest watching this one as well.

I specially find the first 3 seasons entertaining. I rather like the female co-star better than the one on the last 3 seasons. I felt the was more chemistry. In spite of that though the intensity of the series and plot lines don't die down. If anything they it gets even better with each episode.

Of any British TV series this is the one I hope is resurrected as too many things are left unresolved during the last episode. INTENSE! INTENSE! INTENSE!

By Dedoshucos.

A Touch of Frost (1992–2010)

Watching Detective Frost evolve thru the years is a placer.

[10/10 · 30 January 2012]

Buy it, rent it, get it at your local library at the very least. You'll be glad you did.

I am truly and honestly surprised a Touch of frost hasn't more reviews here. It has being ranked numerous times as the "Number 1 Detective show in the UK" and I couldn't possibly agree more.

Jack Frost is a character to get into very easily. He is sarcastic, full of flaws and at times even questionably unhygienic. He's got a nose for detective work like no other always annoying his superiors. I love the fact that his instincts never fail him always thinking independently from his peers.

This series wouldn't be as successful if the story lines were not as brilliant and deeply dramatic. Some cases are even to controversial for American TV, like the case of the mentally handicapped teen ager accused of murdering a child. EMOTIONAL TO THE MAX! I specially enjoy how most movie episodes seem to always have two parallel cases side by side that seem to end up related at the end. Very different, very original. The writer R. D. Wingfield is just such an out-of-the-box thinker, he's a genius.

A Touch of Frost is such an enjoyable series, (specially the early and mid seasons) I watch all 42 episodes and consider my self very lucky to have found such high quality programming.

By Dedoshucos.

Prime Suspect (1991)

Jane Tennison is an adorable and admirable character because of it's passionate quest for justice.

[10/10 · 30 January 2012]

PS 1 is fantastic! The intensity of the whole George Marlow storyline is simply brilliant. You can tell why this one started the whole series. PS 2 while not as good as the first, still delivers. PS 3 is also good and continues the same "homicide feel" of 1 & 2.

PS 4 is a 3 movie episode season. "The Lost Child" would of excelled all preceding story lines had it not being for "Scent of Darkness" which continues the George Marlow storyline and becomes to me the best PS story of the entire series. It outdoes it's self.

PS 5 is purely and simply a disappointment. It goes into an entirely different direction and ambient that makes this series so great. worst of the series.

PS6 WOW!! Simply the best episode of the entire series to me. Not because it is the best plot written, the George Marlow storyline is still superior, but I choose this one as the best because it emphasizes into Jane Tenison's ever-growing sense of justice and how she never allows anything/anyone to obstruct justice from being served. In previous season's Jane overcomes obstacles made by her superiors to solve each case. In this season the obstacle is as "high as it can be".

PS7 should not have being made. The case is very weak and it focuses far too much into the character's weakness and life misfortunes. Which is not what audiences want to see. We know jane has personal problems but it is her gigantic sense of justice that we fell in love with and we come to admire her for. This is the key to Prime Suspects success. I absolutely love this series and rank it amongst the top 5 best British TV series ever made.

By Dedoshucos.

Murder Rooms: Mysteries of the Real Sherlock Holmes: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes: Part 1 (2000) Season 1, Episode 1

Superb Acting, Great Story lines, Very intense, Very suspenseful

[10/10 · 30 January 2012]

Wow! What can I say, I'm a big fan of British mystery series. I've watch everything from "Touch of Frost, Prime suspect, Trial & Retribution and Wire in the Blood" to "Cracker, Jericho of Scotland Yard, Touching Evil, Midsummer Murders and Inspector Morse".

And out of all those series I pick this fantastically brilliant 5 movie episode series as the best of the best. Murder Rooms is my favorite British TV mystery of all time.

I was heartbroken to learn that a second season had not being commissioned by the BBC. I can only wonder why in the world not?

If you like Sherlock Holmes, you will love Murder Rooms. If you love Sherlock Holmes, prepare to adore Murder Rooms.

Ian Richardson commands a gigantic presence impossible to ignore in the fantastic portrayal of Dr. Joseph Bell. The relationship between Bell and Doyle in this series is very different than that of Holmes and Watson. Charles Edwards plays a very independent thinking young Arthur Conan Doyle. An almost equal character to Dr. Bell. Far from a sidekick. As a fan of 19th era this series wasn't hard to get into for me.

My number 1 favorite SERIES of all time is MURDER ROOMS.

By Dedoshucos.