Tue 1 Jan 2013
A TV Review by Michael Shonk: MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES, Season One (2012).
Posted by Steve under Reviews , TV mysteries[13] Comments
MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES. Season One, 2012; 13 one-hour episodes; Australian Broadcasting Corporation / Every Cloud Production / Screen Australia / Film Victoria / All3Media. Cast: Essie Davis as Miss Phryne Fisher, Nathan Page as Detective Inspector John “Jack†Robinson, Ashleigh Cummings as Dorothy “Dot†Williams, Hugo Johnstone-Burt as Constable Hugh Collins, Miriam Margolyes as Aunt Prudence, Nicholas Bell as Murdoch Foyle. Based on the Phryne Fisher mystery series by Kerry Greenwood. Executive Producers: Fiona Eagger, Deb Cox, Carole Sklan and Christopher Gist.
MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES is a delightful traditional (not a cozy) mystery series that rivals the British visually and in quality of the production. Reportedly, the series’ budget was $1 million per episode, and it shows. Eleven of the thirteen episodes were adapted from books by Kerry Greenwood, who assisted and supports the TV series.
The story is set in 1928 Melbourne Australia and the series attention to details of the time and place such as costumes, sets, locations, transportation, language and social customs is as obsessive as AMC’s MAD MEN for 1960s New York.
The Canadian TV network Knowledge’s website has some interesting video features about the making of this series. You can find these same video extras and more at the YouTube channel phrynefishertv.
In addition to the engaging mysteries, MISS FISHER takes a serious look at the social issues of the time, but with a sense of adventure and humor that makes the stories enjoyable to watch. The episodes are for mature audiences due to subject matter.
Most of the episodes feature a stand-alone murder mystery, but there is an arc story running in the background that often surfaces. Phryne grew up in a poor but titled family. While in Phryne’s care, her little sister Jane disappeared, never to be seen again. Murdoch Foyle, the man Phryne blames for Jane’s disappearance, is about to get out of prison after serving his time for abducting another young girl. Phryne has returned to Melbourne after years abroad to make sure Foyle stays in jail until he hangs.
Phryne is now rich, as all her rich relatives were killed during WW1, but she never forgets her past. Combine with her guilt over what happened to her sister, Phryne often takes on injustice, especially on the side of the lower classes. At the end of the first episode, after she had solved the murder of a rich businessman and stopped a butcher abortionist, Phryne decided to become a licensed PI. She realized she could help others while she searches for answers about her little sister.
Essie Davis is a wonderful surprise capturing not only the look of the character in the books, but also the essence of The Honourable Miss Phryne (Fry-nee) Fisher, free-spirit, independent, young, beautiful, well dressed (during the series Phryne wore around 150 costumes), rich, female PI. Essie Davis described Phryne as “a cross between Sherlock Holmes in Guy Ritchie style, James Bond, and Wonder Woman.â€
The rest of the cast is equally talented and the characters appealing. Detective Jack Robinson slowly grows to respect Phryne’s ability as a PI, but never stops worrying about her recklessness as an action hero. The chemistry between Davis and Nathan Page is special.
The romance between Hugh, the naïve young Protestant policeman, and Dot, Phryne’s young companion/maid and devout Catholic, adds a running subplot that can often be humorous while also illustrating the serious conflict between the Protestant and Catholics during this time period.
Phryne encountered murder mysteries while traveling on a train, dancing in a jazz club, watching Gilbert and Sullivan on stage in Chinatown, a bookstore, and at the Circus. She dealt with drug smugglers, anarchists, Zionists, a ghost, blackmailers, an ancient Egyptian cult and delinquent teenage girls. She can fly a plane, drives a Hispano-Suiza automobile, can handle various weapons including her favorite gold, pearl handle pistol, and can challenge James Bond in number of lovers.
Season One slowly introduced the supporting cast as they entered Phryne’s life, and the season ended with the solution of the mystery of Phryne’s sister. The writing was excellent with strong mysteries, exciting action, and delightful dialogue. In one episode, when asked if she has her gun with her, Phrynee replies, “Not with this dress.â€
The direction was equally well done and makes excellent use of the locations and sets with frequent use of master shots (when the director starts with a wide shot taking in the background and actors, then slowly moves in closer to focus on the actors and action).
The soundtrack featured a mix of jazz music recordings from the period by artists such as Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton and Paul Whiteman, as well as original music and theme by Greg J. Walker that fitted the time and place perfectly. If you enjoy 20s style jazz, you will want to listen to this series, especially the episode “The Green Mill Murder†set in a danc ehall. The soundtrack is available, but not yet here in America.
Season One was a success and Season Two is planned. The series has aired in Canada and will air in the UK on Alibi. One can only hope MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES will soon make it to America. The series has been released on DVD, but not in the American NTSC format.
You can (for now) view full episodes at YouTube by searching for “Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries†(complete episodes in parts of fifteen minute or less) or click on the link for the full first episode (until YouTube takes it down) “Cocaine Blues.â€
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aQFTJm3dmE
ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION:
Australian Broadcasting Corporation website: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/phrynefisher
Book series website: http://www.phrynefisher.com
Interviews with writers and Essie Davis
http://if.com.au/2012/02/22/article/HYTJJLBZTO.html
http://www.fancygoods.com.au/andrew/2012/03/23/interview-deb-cox-on-miss-fishers-murder-mysteries
January 1st, 2013 at 11:53 pm
I’ve been waiting a long time for this series to come out on DVD, ever since I first heard about it. According to Amazon, the US release is scheduled for March 26, 2013.
LJ Roberts has reviewed two of the novels on this blog:
DEAD MAN’S CHEST
https://mysteryfile.com/blog/?p=11321
and
DEATH BEFORE WICKET
https://mysteryfile.com/blog/?p=2006
I’ve read and reviewed one myself, but it hasn’t been posted yet. I’ll have to see if I can find it.
January 2nd, 2013 at 12:11 am
#1. Neither book was adapted for an episode of the series.
January 3rd, 2013 at 11:53 am
Jane didn’t disappear as they were playing Stratego with Watergate news on the TV in the background, did she? (Forgive my little X-Files joke, but Fox Mulder was plagued by similar guilt).
These stagey costume dramas are not my cup of tea, but I agree this sounds like an interesting PI variation.
January 3rd, 2013 at 2:22 pm
#3. David, sample the episode we have linked to YouTube, this is not a stagey costume drama. This is not Miss Marple. I think it has the traditional mystery elements, clues and suspects, to please those interested in that type of mystery. But it has action, social commentary, and characters you can believe actually existed during that time period.
Phyrne loved the circus. She would take her reluctant younger sister with her as they sneak in under the tent. Phryne was focused on the magician’s disappearing lady act when Jane slipped away. I am sure Mulder would understand.
One of the few minor flaws of the story is when Phryne adopts a homeless girl (the books has her adopting two). The homeless girl’s name is Jane (the books has Jane and Rose). Of course, when the serial killer arc surfaces, Jane is used…the same name bit is a pointless red herring.
January 5th, 2013 at 9:41 am
Michael, I’m intrigued by the serial killer arc, and perhaps I misarticulated when I referred to this as a stagey, constume drama, but it does have a very PBS feel to it to me, and I’m having a terrible time getting through the YouTube sample because this type of mystery is just too genteel and mannered for my taste. Plus it is so darn sunny!
I don’t mean to make any comment on the quality of the program, just on how it aligns (or not) with my personal predilections. You certainly make a strong argument for it, and I can understand that it will appeal to many mystery lovers.
January 5th, 2013 at 11:01 am
#5. David, thanks for your response. I always enjoy reading other point of views since what we like is subjective.
You said it had a PBS feel, how does that differ from a British feel? I still think SHERLOCK is the best British mystery I have ever seen, but I found MISS FISHER better than most of what the British are doing today.
The sunny part is true but there is a reason for it. It reflects the spirit of Phryne. That no matter how terrible the times are or how tragic her life is, Phryne refuses to let it stop her from enjoying life. It was a time when due to the War and the Spanish flu many died young. Phryne represents that time.
Genteel and mannered. Have I found another critic that falls asleep during DOWNTOWN ABBEY? It comes with the period. But I did enjoy the way they avoided the tropes of the cozy. You see blood. There is drug use. The victims are often shown. In one episode we see the body hanging.
My favorite moment of horror was in the final episode when a victim is killed by the method of making an Egyptian mummy. The victim is drugged, awake but unable to move or speak. The killer takes an ancient Egyptian tool and removes the man’s brain through his nose. It is a powerful scene as the tool goes slowly further and further into the man’s nose, the terror and pain reflected only in his eyes. Then it cuts away.
March 19th, 2013 at 10:03 am
I’m sorry to disagree, but i love the books too much that i feel this series ruined them more than a bit. Most of the stories have the same title as the books and some of the same characters as the books, but a lot of the plots got totally twisted around and good guys and bad guys got completely messed around. Plus some of the main characters in the books were not there, like Ruth and Mrs Butler. Plus the whole back story of the sister as a central plot back story with a central mystery bad guy threat as a thread was fabricated, as well as the hint at romance between Phryne and Robinson (he’s happily married and loves orchids), let alone the fact that the Aunt never existed. Plus i’m sorry but Essie Davis looked about 5-10yrs older than the character (supposed to be late 20’s) and is supposed to look slightly smooth and supple, not slightly to stringy muscled. I think they would have been far better off making it 90min long and sticking closer to the books, it felt too choppy and all over the place. The production with the sets and costumes and everything in that regard was great and i loved Bert and Cec, they were great. But i must admit disappointment, despite owning the entire series of books and reading them multiple times and looking forward to the TV series, I could only stomach watching the first half a dozen or so episodes before i simply couldn’t watch any more as i was too disappointed in what they did to the books. The couldn’t even manage to actually create the series in order of the books and jumped all over the place in the series, so characters were present that shouldn’t have been there as part of those stories. But i guess that’s just my opinion, and as i said, i love books to much to appreciate what the did to them when converted for TV, i had much higher hopes than that.
August 5th, 2013 at 12:08 pm
The series 1 is super! when might we expect
series 2 we watch on pbs in milwaukee, WI . We cannot wait. i did not read so i have no comparisons.
we love it
sjp
August 5th, 2013 at 4:43 pm
7. Ruth, I missed your post so sorry I was so late replying. It is nice to read what a fan of the books thought of the series. Oddly enough, Kerry Greenwood has played a major role in the writing and producing of the series, but books and TV series have different needs and demands. I tried one of the books and was disappointed. I found the pacing and visual and dramatic action better with the TV series. But happily Greenwood is still writing more books.
8. sandra perry, reportedly the film of season two ends Friday August 9, 2013. I don’t think it has been announced when it will air in its native country of Australia. I don’t expect PBS to pick it up until sometime in 2014 (if PBS picks it up).
August 19th, 2013 at 11:45 am
Excellent series. Definitely a “cut above the rest”. Haven’t been able to find it lately. Is it still on and if so, what channel(s)?
August 19th, 2013 at 8:19 pm
10. Nico Santino, it is a series from Australia. Reportedly, it recently finished filming the second season so no clue when and if it will ever air in the US. Season One is available to buy on DVD or downloading at places such as Amazon (not sure about iTunes or Netflix).
November 15th, 2013 at 6:25 pm
The series 1st season is indeed streaming on Netflix.
November 16th, 2013 at 2:01 pm
Wonderful series which I first discovered on PBS, but have now watched the whole first season on Netflixs. I love Essie and wonder why she hasn’t been making movies in the states like her fellow country men, Kidman, Jackman, etc. The clothes are to die for better than Downton Abbey.
Cannot wait to see the second season.