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Reviews
Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators: I No More Desire a Rose (2022)
More... please!!!
So, waiting, watching, and hoping have produced nothing but uncertainty about the fate of a 5th season (series) of this off-beat show. There is SO much to like about the trio of sleuths that incorporate police skills, street/people smarts, and a mastery of undercover characterizations that make this show stand out as a unique entity. Please, please renew this show so that the US viewers can access it on BritBox. Yes, we are hungry for good entertainment... the U. S. market think we can survive on reality TV. They're wrong! And, just to be clear, although we LOVE Mark Benton and Jo Joyner, it's Patrick Walshe McBride stealing the show that keeps us tuning in.
Crime (2021)
Too many f-bombs
I really did love this program, except...
I'm not usually sensitive to f-bombs, but it seems like this is the only cuss word that the writers of CRIME know and use ad nauseam. Really? Is that the only one-word verbiage they know? The show's story, for me, is eclipsed by the writers' inability to compose lines that have actual emotional content, instead providing us with a steady stream of one-word profanities in place of good, emotional dialog. (Or, is there now an f-word quota that has to be met?)
I'm not a prude, I'm just advocating for intelligent dialogue that uses profanity in an appropriate manner and not as an excuse for bad (lazy) script-writing.
Haul Out the Holly (2022)
A totally fun Christmas movie!!!
I honestly don't get the negative reviews... this was, as another reviewer put it, a total farce! I wasn't looking for another romantic movie but a fun romp through the craziness of holiday traditions. Kudos to Lacey Chabert and Wes Brown for leading the merry band of crazies! And, what a perfect role for Melissa Peterman! I actually laughed out loud a few times, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching some of my very favorite Hallmark actors having so much fun, as well. And, to see a couple of cameos from other leading men... a fun surprise. If you're looking for an easy, enjoyable Christmas movie, this is it!
A Maple Valley Christmas (2022)
Sorry... didn't work for me.
I really wanted to like this movie, but I just didn't. I LOVE Andrew Walker, and I really like the gorgeous Peyton List going back to her soap roots, but I just didn't see ANY chemistry between these two. It was almost painful to watch and hope for a spark that didn't happen. Geez, Andrew Walker can usually generate chemistry with a telephone pole, but it just didn't happen here! I'm certain there are opinions contrary to mine... a testimony to our different reactions to the same movie. So, it's only my opinion on this one as I go forth to more Hallmark Christmas movies. I'm only one person in a vast fan pool of Hallmark Christmas-movie fans, but this is one movie I just can't endorse.
Sister Boniface Mysteries (2022)
Liking this so far...
Five episodes in, and I'm liking this spin-off of Father Brown. They've given Sister Boniface credibility with a PhD and an official capacity as a consultant to the police. Where Father Brown is encumbered with a tiring and self-important (buffoonish) police inspector who resents and rejects input, Sister Boniface has a DI that appreciates her input yet exudes confidence in his own investigative work while appreciating input from his "staff." So far, so good... and enjoyable!
When Calls the Heart: Surprise (2019)
Missing Abigail...
The cast, including the newcomers, remains stellar. And the stories are interesting and foundational for Elizabeth's future in Hope Valley. I can't, however, help but miss Abigail, the original rock of the town, the woman who wasn't afraid to take on Henry, and the force behind its moving into the future. I understand the business reason for letting Lori Loughlin go, but it's time to welcome her back into the Hallmark fold and recognize that she has fully paid for her crimes. It's time... the fans need Abigail back and so does Hope Valley.
Chesapeake Shores: Watercolors, Wishes and Weddings (2019)
Boy brows
Please accept my apology for this post. It was made without my permission or authority. I love this series and all of the talented actors.
Midsomer Murders: Fit for Murder (2011)
Where's the big announcement?
I binged the 20 available seasons (series) on BritBox last year and distinctly remember Tom announcing his retirement at his birthday party, and then handing off the reigns to his cousin John. In fact, that rather abrupt climax has been mentioned and reviewed several times. This December (2019) I was in the mood for Midsomer Murders and mayhem again. It's December 29, and I just finished Fit for Murder, my third viewing.
So, what the heck happened to the big retirement announcement, where Tom hands off the reigns to cousin John?!?! However fans felt about the hand-off and John Nettles' last episode, it was a critical scene to set up season 14. What I just viewed was Tom blowing out his birthday cake candles (with cousin John in the background... blink and you miss him), Jones opening champagne and mentioning Tom passed his police medical, and the the camera pulling away from the house as all sing Happy Birthday. No announcement.
Is this a BritBox thing? Does anyone have any info or insight?
UPDATE: It's now 8/14/21, and I just watched this episode on Acorn. I'm thrilled to say that the ending is intact... yay! Still don't know what got into the BritBox "editors," though I use the term loosely.