The Jesse Stone Film Collection (Stone Cold / Death in Paradise / Night Passage) Review

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(More customer reviews)If a role ever 'fit' an actor perfectly, Robert B. Parker's alcoholic, laconic ex-L.A. cop/small town Police Chief Jesse Stone 'fits' Tom Selleck. Paunchier and more careworn than in his "Magnum" days, Selleck has become a superb character actor, and this series of TV-movies offers him at the 'top of his game'.
While murder is the theme of each film, the stories are even more enjoyable as character studies of a man rebuilding his life. Divorced, but still holding long phone conversations with his ex-wife, Stone has turned to whiskey for solace, costing him his job with the L.A.P.D., but not yet diminishing his skills to a point where he can't get a strong endorsement for the position of Police Chief of tiny Paradise, Massachusetts, a coastal town near Boston. The first film of the series, "Stone Cold", presents him already in place as Chief; it's success led to "Jesse Stone: Night Passage", a prequel detailing his arrival in Paradise, the murder of the previous Chief, and the death of his beloved dog; the third film of this collection, "Jesse Stone: A Death in Paradise", the follow-up to "Stone Cold", finds him attempting to deal with his alcoholism, while investigating the death of a teen-aged girl.
Best of all, for fans of this series, a fourth film aired in 2007, with a fifth TV-movie in production for 2008.
If you are a fan of Parker's novels, Tom Selleck, or murder mysteries rich in character development, "The Jesse Stone Film Collection" deserves a place on your shelf!

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Midsomer Murders: Barnaby's Casebook (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)Imagine Saint Mary Mead. Squared. Then add some extra blood and mayhem.
That about describes the setting of "Midsomer Murders," a morbidly witty British mystery series based on Caroline Graham's novels. And "Midsomer Murders: Barnaby's Casebook" brings together the the next round of seventeen cases in this cozy, dark little county, drawing from the fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth seasons of the series. It's a great half'n'half combo of police procedural and cozy mystery.
Snotty society beauty Melissa Townsend is receiving some threatening letters, apparently because of the death of a tenant that stemmed from her neglect. Then she's found stabbed with a syringe filled with animal tranquilizers. Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) starts investigating the murder, especially the possible involvement of Melissa's best friend (and a bit more), a drunk driving case, and secret blackmail. And more murders, of course.
From there on, Barnaby and his assistant, Detective Sergeant Gavin Troy (Daniel Casey), are forced to investigate all sorts of crimes -- a group of bell-ringers that are being bumped off, a prestigious boarding school with a deadly secret, a farmer's wife's apparent suicide, a vibrant but obnoxious widow's murder, a bizarrely complex murder tied to a mental hospital, a dead body found during an art class, an investor found dead in a river, and an old-as-dirt feud between two halves of a Midsomer town, which may hold the key to a series of deaths on the set of new movie "The House Of Satan."
Then Troy receives a promotion, and does one last case with Barnaby: a gentle recluse in the woods is implicated in the murder of his late tormentor. Enter DS Scott (John Hopkins), a rather cocky new guy who arrives just in time for a deadly class reunion, a Celtic solstice ritual that turns deadly, the death of a barman, a pagan ritual involving a dead curate, and a literary festival disrupted by some seedy goings-on... including murder. Then there's the Christmas special, "Ghosts of Christmas Past" -- Barnaby's holidays are interrupted by a string of deaths in the Villiers family, nine years after aspiring magician Ferdy Villers killed himself.
Honestly, I think Miss Marple would feel right at home in Midsomer County -- such a pretty, homey, sunshiney place, full of kindly spinsters, farmers and aristocrats of varying stripes, from skanky to down-to-earth. The whole thing is set in the various villages in this county, which is picturesque, lush, and full of farms, cute little English villages, opulent manorhouses, and little brick cottages.
So of course, there are gruesome murders, plotting and tawdry secrets hidden in every corner; several spill out in every episode, and only some of them have to do with the main murder (some are red herrings, and some are side crimes). Every now and then they have a dud episode (such as the horrendously preachy "Straw Woman"). But the writers keep a funny edge in the stories, such as Barnaby being confronted by an impending vacation ("Joyce, it looks as if these people are sitting on top of an elephant"), or and some clever dialogue ("Well, gettin' blown up's got to be a bit tragic").
And these cops are pretty believable detectives. John Nettles is absolutely wonderful as the kindly, middle-aged cop with a brain like stainless steel, whose nice sedate family is a relief from all the Midsomer weirdos. And Daniel Casey is solid as his younger, brasher assistant -- and his departure from the show is handled in a believable but touching manner. Hopkins isn't quite as likable as Scott, mainly because Scott is kind of a jerk at first, but he starts fitting in a bit better soon.
Most of the villagers are played by excellent actors as well, no matter how weird their characters are. Slightly loopy historians, crazy old ladies and nasty little schoolboys are only a few, with actors such as Lucy Punch, Hugh Bonneville, Angela Thorne, Amanda Root, and "Lost's" Henry Ian Cusick as a slimy rich boy. And Jane Wymark and Laura Howard round off the cast as Barnaby's very understanding wife and daughter.
"Midsomer Murders: Barnaby's Casebook" is a big, solidly-written chunk of British coziness, with murder and scandal in every episode, and some new transitions for the homicide division.

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As seen on A&E and The Biography ChannelWHAT EVIL LURKS BEYOND THE WELL-TRIMMED HEDGES OF MIDSOMER...The cozy villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in these contemporary British television mysteries. The smash hit series stars John Nettles (Bergerac) as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, a dogged investigator and devoted family man, unflappable in the face of the macabre crimes and eccentric characters he encounters on the job.Inspired by the characters of novelist Caroline Graham, these 17 mysteries see the promotion of Barnaby s earnest assistant, Sergeant Troy (Daniel Casey, The Wingless Bird), and the arrival of his brash replacement, Sergeant Dan Scott (John Hopkins, Love in a Cold Climate). Guest stars include Hugh Bonneville, Gemma Jones, Honor Blackman, John Standing, Freddie Jones, Susan Wooldridge, Phoebe Nicholls, Stella Gonet, and Henry Ian Cusick.THE MYSTERIES INCLUDE: Tainted Fruit, Ring Out Your Dead, Murder on St. Malley s Day, Market for Murder, A Worm in the Bud, A Talent for Life, Death and Dreams, Painted in Blood, A Tale of Two Hamlets, Birds of Prey, The Green Man, Bad Tidings, The Fisher King, Sins of Commission, The Maid in Splendour, The Straw Woman, Ghosts of Christmas Past, DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE John Nettles interview, essays by star John Nettles and co-creator Betty Willingale, Midsomer map, production notes, Caroline Graham biography, and cast filmographies.Plus two exclusive bonus discs: Map of Midsomer Murders, a behind-the-scenes documentary hosted by John Nettles, and Super Sleuths, a documentary about the show s first decade. Set contains 19 discs (including bonus programs); approx. 28 hours. Mysteries previously released on DVD as Sets Four, Six, Seven, and Eight, the original U.K. broadcast order.

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Murdoch Mysteries: Season Two Review

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(More customer reviews)More 1890s Toronto cop investigation than romance, since Det. Murdoch is so romantically bashful. Comedy, mystery, adventure and romance unite perfectly in a Victorian setting. This is Victorian murder investigations with contemporary evidence gathering techniques. Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) is a century ahead of his forensic sleuthing counterparts. Dr. Ogden (Helene Joy) is the gorgeous pathologist in the forensics search--the morgue maiden. Victorian 'sparks' happen between Murdoch and Dr.O, but at he cautious, delicate, discretionary Victorian rate. Romantic chemistry cleverly woven into murder investigations. Insp. Brackenreid (Thomas Craig) ex-army & boss, plus Crabtree (Jonny Harris) ambitious right-hand man, are back in every episode. 4 TV stars who make this a 5-star Series. Also plenty of guest stars.
All episodes are police investigations with interesting new technology or science helping find clues. Marvelously inventive in plot and beautiful to view it the realistic Victorian era. Perfection in sets, costumes, and props. It's no wonder it is award grabbing and still continues currently with new adventures on TV. This series is the 2009 season, at DVD release less than a year past original airing.
It is dreadful, dastardly, murder situations, with some violence and blood (especially in Dr.O's morgue clue-gathering scenes), and multiple plot episodes. Highly recommended for the mystery, crime, and even Victorian romance fans.
Bonus includes SDH SUBTITLES, behind the scenes, character bios, 4 cast filmographies, 7 Murdoch (Maureen Jennings) novels (1997-2007), and a PDF on props.
You will want to check the listing for Murdoch Mysteries Series 1 also. Both highly recommended and since season 3 is airing now, surely there will be a DVD series 3 to come.
................
Continue only if you like episode details (no spoilers):
1 Mild Mild West--It's Buffalo Bill Roadshow and murder while Murdoch, Dr.O, Brackenreid, & Crabtree watch. Watch for the Scotch tape forerunner invention.
2 Snakes and Ladders--(predecessor of Chutes & Ladders?) Alastair Mackenzie (Monarch of the Glen) joins cast as a Scotland yard bobby chasing Jack the Ripper over 7 years. Uses profiles, fingermarks, and ultraviolet light for clue finding.
3 Dinosaur Fever--A dino find from Alberta Badlands, Terrorsaurus, causes murder at a National Geo. Soc. event. Murdoch & Dr.O use Rontgen's rays (x-ray).
4 Houdini Whodunit--Murdoch uses a crime scene model to help find the guilty when Houdini Bros perform in a theater next to a bank which is robbed, a guard killed. Is Dr.O's sis, Ruby involved?
5 The Green Muse--Who murdered the victim employed at the local elite bordello? Plenty of beauties in delectable Victorian 'evening-wear.' Plenty of suspects.
6 Shades of Grey--Murdoch and Dr.O 'relationship' heats. An unclothed male victim seems cold murder. Evidence leads to a former flame of Dr.O. Oops!
7 Big Murder on Campus--Crabtree seeks his natural mom. A peeping-Tom prof is shot. Dr.O & Murdoch's warm relationship is nearly shot. A student pair shadows Murdoch's investigation. He uses ballistic testing.
8 I, Murdoch--A child's knight story is not as alluring as the boy's windowed mom is to Murdoch. What does the boy, a poison murder, a dwarf, a spy agent, & a blind man have in common? It takes mathematics on the verge of computer logic to find out.
9 Convalescence--Murcoch incapacitating injuries give Crabtree a chance to solve the murder. Murdoch's healing is mixed between beautiful caregivers, strange noises, and a 2nd mystery at his own living quarters. Interesting, those night vision goggles. Double mystery--double romance--good X 2.
10 Murdoch.com--The dueling romance continues with Murdoch's scintillating admirers. A murdered girl, a telegrapher, had a 'wire affair' that may be a lead to the killer.
11 Let Us Ask the Maiden--Murder in a synagogue leads to love relationships in conflict due to Jewish law. Murdoch still has his own female conflict between Dr.O and Enid.
12 Werewolves--Hunting partners suddenly are murdered one-by-one apparently by a werewolf. On the romantic side, Enid suggests to Murdoch it is time to choose.
13 Anything You Can Do (I can do better. Pffft!)--In an abandoned mining town, Murdoch and a Canadian Mounty (an almost detective clone) are caught in a crossfire. Flashbacks show how the 2 murder investigations brought these men to this trap. A new metal, aluminium, to the rescue?
A FANTASTIC SEASON-ENDING EPISODE.

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"Excellent adventure" --Midwest Book Review
As seen on public television Based on novels by Maureen Jennings
"Truly outstanding" --The Fort Bend/Southwest Star "Clever and smart" --Deseret News
Winner of three Gemini® Awards, this sassy-smart Victorian-era whodunit stars Yannick Bisson (Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye) as Detective William Murdoch, a police investigator who employs emerging science to solve Toronto’s most dreadful murders. He experiments with ballistics, psychological profiling, and other newly developed techniques, despite the doubts of his tradition-bound boss (Thomas Craig, Where the Heart Is). Together with a beautiful pathologist (Gemini®-winner Hélène Joy, Durham County) and an able protégé (Jonny Harris, Hatching, Matching & Dispatching), Murdoch encounters some of the era’s most famous--and infamous--figures, from Buffalo Bill Cody to Jack the Ripper.
Guest stars include Nicholas Campbell (Da Vinci’s Inquest, Cinderella Man), Sarah Strange (Men in Trees), and Alastair Mackenzie (Monarch of the Glen).
Season 2 nominated for six Gemini® Awards, including best writing and best supporting actor

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Ghost Whisperer - The Complete First Season (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)OK, I will admit to watching this for the lovely Jennifer Love Hewitt, having followed her career since Party of Five and several movies of varying quality. And when I first read that she would be returning to television in a series with this story I was, to put it mildly, not encouraged. But I have to admit this is quite a good show. Yes, the concept is similar to NBC's Medium but crossed with CBS' Touched by an Angel. So yes, it's a little corny at times. It's probably aimed at an older demographic being on CBS. But that doesn't detract from it being rather good, in that "tell me a spooky story" mode like the old Twilight Zone shows were at times.
Jennifer plays Melinda Gordon, recently married, now a small business owner in the town of Grandview (state unknown, but aren't all TV small towns like that?) who has held a particular ability since childhood, the ability to communicate with the dead. She "sees" them and is sought out by them to help them make their final journeys into the afterlife. Or "crossover" as it's been termed. But before they can, they all have unfinished business with their loved ones. Usually, it's the circumstances behind their deaths that lead them to Melinda. So "the dead" range from an M.I.A. soldier wishing to tell his now grown son the details of his disappearance, to a wrongly executed artist, to a 9 year old boy trying to tell his mother his death was not her fault. Naturally those she encounters are all skeptical, even hostile at times. But even she admits it's not easy having this ability, at times she wishes she didn't have it.
With each episode we learn a little more about her and her abilities with the undead. Like the fact her own mother has the same abilities but has tried to suppress them all her life and has had to deal with the guilt that entails. And all this leads up to the first season finale when she must deal with the victims of a plane crash and the multiple "crossings" that must occur, and the sudden twist to this story that served as the first season cliffhanger.
So far, there's no details on extra features, if any, here. But I would hope we'll get some episode commentaries, particularly from the show's creator as well as Ms. Jennifer. She was featured on the commentary track for her film "Heartbreakers" and proved to be a great storyteller on that film. I'm sure she'd be just as informative on this series.
As I said, this show is a guilty pleasure for me. Jennifer is beautiful to look at here; she can play strong, yet vulnerable characters. If you're looking for paranormal crime solvers, you're probably meant for Medium. But if you'd like a Friday night show to chill out with and end your week with, check out Ghost Whisperer.

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Ever since she was a young girl, Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love Hewitt) has been able to see and talk to dead people--earth bound spirits who have yet to cross over to the other side and who seek her help in communicating and resolving unfinished business with the living.Melinda sometimes has a hard time accepting her "gift," especially now that she's a newlywed and looking forward to starting her new life with her husband, Jim Clancy (David Conrad), a paramedic.Her friend and business partner in the antique store, Andrea Moreno (Aisha Tyler), is fascinated by Melinda's talent.Although Melinda embraces her unique "abilities" as a blessing and sometimes a curse, she always helps her clients--alive or dead--find emotional closure.

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Ghost Whisperer: The Fifth Season (The Final Season) Review

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(More customer reviews)I know this hasn't come out yet (I'm sure it will be as bittersweet as any other end of a series DVD), but I just wanted to prelude its release with a plea to other fans of this show. Maybe if we buy the DVD's right away it will show CBS that they made a HUGE mistake. If sales were through the roof maybe they would realize their mistake and try to pick it up again. This happened when they cancelled Angel, only everyone involved had moved on to permanent jobs already (Bones, Supernatural). Jennifer Love is just doing small movies and guest spots right now, the writers are developing new projects, but maybe it's not too late. This just sucks. Why are network people so stupid? If you go buy the numbers and not by the fan output and desire you are not really seeing the true popularity of a show. How many people have a Nielsen box anymore? This crap that they pull is the reason why I watch the shows on DVD instead of TV. But I'm Canadian so it's not like my ratings count anyway.
Shuffling the time slots every few months, changing days to see if it will go up against another network's most popular show, showing re-runs for 3 or 4 weeks every few new episodes.... Just stand behind your show and leave it alone and you'd really see how popular it is you business school morons. I don't think we'll ever see a network hold onto a show for 10 years again... gone are the days when a show like Friends or Seinfeld can fluctuate in ratings but still stay until THEY want to leave. I miss the days when TV didn't disappoint me on a daily basis. We're really not all as stupid as you think we are Hollywood, we're getting tired of your crappy movies, re-makes of EVERYTHING that has ever made money in the past and your cheap reality TV shows. Just tell me Medium isn't next!

Rant over.

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Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love Hewitt) has a gift - she can communicate with earthbound spirits or ghosts who cling to the living because they have unfinished business in our world preventing them from "crossing over" or going into the light. Inspired in part by the work of famed medium James Van Praagh and of Mary Ann Winkowski, a real-life communicator with earth bound spirits, GHOST WHISPERER explores the spiritual side of life and death. Melinda navigates between the dead and the living with her sometimes chilling, sometimes heart-rending and sometimes amusing actions as an intermediary between the ghosts and those they haunt. Although she is very good at being an intermediary she never publicizes this gift instead is known around town as a newlywed and the owner of the successful antiques store, Same As it Never Was. Firefighter Jim Clancy (David Conrad), Melinda's husband, knows that being an intermediary between the living and dead can take an emotional toll on his wife and worries that he might not be able to protect her as well as he would like. Melinda has also recently revealed her gift to new friend and employee, Delia Banks (Camryn Manheim), a single mom of teenager Ned Banks (Christoph Sanders). Melinda fears what the consequences might be of drawing Delia into this unconventional world, as Delia, unlike her son Ned, is a bit skeptical of Melinda's gift - although she loves Melinda unconditionally as a friend. Melinda has also shared her secret with Eli James (Jamie Kennedy), a psychology professor at Rockland University, who is a unique individual - he has the gift of hearing ghosts, but not seeing them. For her part, Melinda accepts her unique abilities as a blessing and sometime curse, but always helps her clients, alive or dead, find emotional closure. Currently in its fourth season, Ghost Whisperer plunges into new territory by literally rocking the foundations of the series with a new mythology - Love Transcends Death.

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Jesse Stone: Night Passage (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Tom Selleck is absolutely perfect as Jesse Stone, a character created by the great crime author Robert Parker. Selleck plays a burned out, alcoholic cop who takes a job in the small town of Paradise, Massachusetts as sheriff. "Night Passage" is the tale of the quest by the emotionally damaged Stone for the killer of a young girl. William Devane costars as Jesse's shrink and he is excellent. Terrific secondary characters. In my opinion, Parker's Jesse Stone series of novels eclipses his famous Spenser books. This story line is the prequal to CBS's fabulously successful "Stone Cold", Selleck's first outing as Jesse Stone. Grab "Night Passage" . . . the Jesse Stone made-for-TV movies are quality productions with superb acting and beautiful cinematography. Stunning music. Exceptional TV. Highly, highly recommended. You don't ofter see TV this well done these days. You must also pick up Stone Cold one of the best ever made for TV movies and Jesse Stone - Death In Paradise. Can't wait for the latest Jesse Stone TV movie, Sea Change, to be released on DVD!!

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Selleck plays the role of Jesse Stone, a former Los Angeles homicide detective who left California and his ex-wife to become the police chief in a small New England town.Among his many character flaws are his struggles with a drinking problem and lingering feelings for his ex-wife.

Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise Co-starring William Devane (TV’s "Knot’s Landing"), the TV movie finds Chief Stone (Selleck) settling into his new life in Paradise when he becomes obsessed with finding the killer of a teenage girl.His quest to solve the murder unearths facts indicating there is more to the girl’s history than originally suspected and the new clues lead him to probe the Boston underworld.

DVD Special Features for Jesse Stone: Night Passage Include: Digitally Mastered Audio and Video, Widescreen Presentations, Audio: English, French, Portuguese, Thai, Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Thai, Bonus Previews, Closed Captioned

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Columbo - Mystery Movie Collection, 1989 (1989) Review

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(More customer reviews)This latest boxed set of excellent DVD releases of the classic Columbo TV detective series represent the first of the later produced feature-lenghth episodes that were aired.
Universal, which owns Columbo, has called this set "Columbo: Mystery Movie Collection 1989." Included are all of the episodes that fans consider comprise Season Eight, along with the first episode of Season Nine, which ultimately had six episodes. Those episodes apparently are going to be released in the next boxed set of these later movies.
In addition to the episodes in 1990, the franchise churned out 13 more terrific episodes between 1991 and 2003 featuring the rumpled (and ultimately attractively graying) Peter Falk in the title role, which has truly and deservedly become an iconic TV character. Hopefully, the entire Columbo catalog will be released on DVD.
This boxed set includes a cornucopia of great stories and stellar acting, a trademark of the series. The last episode included is my favorite episode of the entire series. This three-disc set includes:
Disc 1: "Columbo goes to the Guillotine," which aired Feb. 9, 1989. Lt. Columbo delves into the world of magic, ESP and slight of hand as he investigates the death of a magician, Matt Dyson, who appears to have been beheaded by his own invention, a trick guillotine. There appears to be a tie to a prodigal psychic supported by a government founded institute on parapsychology. Primary Guest Star Anthony Andrews as Eliot Blake.
"Murder, Smoke, And Shadows," which aired Feb. 27, 1989. An egocentric film director resorts to his mastery of special effects to murder a vengeful friend who discovers the director's role in the movie-stunt death of the friend's sister years before. Filmed on University Studio's backlots. Primary Guest Star is Fisher Stevens as Alex Brady.
Disc 2: "Sex and The Married Detective," which aired April 3, 1989. A radio personality billed as "The Sex Therapist of the Airwaves" finds she must counsel herself when her personal assistant ends up in bed with her business manager/lover. The scorned lady murders the cheating beau and tries to pin the blame on her assistant. Lt. Columbo smells a beautiful rat. Primary Guest Star Lindsay Crouse as Dr. Joan Allenby.
"Grand Deceptions," which aired June 1989. A man heads a private military think tank, First Foundation for American Thought, for for would-be soldiers. The foundation is owned by a wheel-chair-bound General, who has become suspicious because a large amount of money seems to be siphoned off into to a "Special Project Fund" that he knows nothing about. The General tell a close college to investigate, but instead of reporting the fraud he discovers, the "friend" decides to blackmail the foundation operator. Primary Guest Stars Robert Foxworth as Frank Braile and Stephen Elliott as General Padget.
Disc 3: "Murder: A Self Portrait," which aired Nov. 25, 1989. A famous artist, lives very unconventionally with his wife and a beautiful live-in model at his beach house/studio. The artist's ex-wife lives in the beach house next door. Together, these women comprise Max's private little harem. He loves them all in different ways, but, more importantly, he likes to control them. In fact, Max derives a great deal of satisfaction from the fact that they all fight for his attention and are reliant upon him financially, emotionally and sexually. The competitive jealousy between the women reaches a crescendo at the dinner table one night when he asks each of them what they think of the other. Their answers prove the intense rivalry between the women, and one of them winds up murdered. Primary Guest Stars Patrick Bauchau as Artist Max Barsini, Fionnula Flanagan as Louise Barsini and Shera Danese as Vanessa Barsini.
Patrick Bauchau is a familiar face on TV, having guest starred on numerous shows, and had been a regular on the cult classic The Pretender as Sidney. In an interview, Bauchau has called his role as Max Barsini his favorite in his long and successful career in the US and Europe. It is also my favorite Columbo episode ever produced. The cast is amazing and the story so compelling that it will stay with you long after the well-deserved credits have rolled.
Shera Danese is Peter Falk's wife, and appeared in five other Columbo episodes during the run of the series.
Fans should continue to thank Universal for releasing these episodes on DVD, helping new generations of viewers discover why is series was such a TV landmark.

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COLUMBO:MYSTERY MOVIE COLLECTION 1989 - DVD Movie

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Jesse Stone: Stone Cold (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)There have been 4 Jesse Stone novels by Robert Parker. And though Stone is 35 years old in the first one, and in his mid 40s by now, Selleck takes and makes the role his own. He's perfect in the role, and the whole production of this made for TV movie is top notch. there need to be more smart mystery type shows like this around.
When it aired, there were early reports that Selleck was interested in doing more with the character. Perhaps a series of TV movies, or even a TV series. It aired on CBS, and fans of Spenser For Hire (when is that whole series coming to DVD?)would love to see a regular weekly series. Personally, I don't know how well it would hold up weekly. There are only 4 books out to base this on, compared to the more than a dozen when Spenser aired. But with the right scripts it could become a great weekly show. And a hit. But CBS would probably aim for 21 episodes a season, which might strain the concept a little.
But either way, this movie was excellent. Fans of Parker,Selleck or just a good mystery should check it out.

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Tom Selleck is Jesse Stone, a former L.A. homicide detective who left behind the big city and an ex-wife to become the police chief of the quiet New England fishing town of Paradise, Massachusetts. Stone's old habits die hard as he continues to indulge in his two favorite things - scotch and women. When a series of murders take place, and a high school girl is raped, he's forced to face his own demons in order to solve the crimes.

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Midsomer Murders: Set 16 Review

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(More customer reviews)The third and final 2010 US release of Midsomer Murders, contains four episodes:
Ep 63 Midsomer Life broadcast Jul 13, 2008
Ep 64 The Magician's Nephewb. Jul 27, 2008
Ep.65 Days of Misruleb. Dec 24, 2008 Christmas Special
Ep.66 Talking to the Deadb. Aug 05, 2008
(episode numbers may be off by one, as the original broadcast dates vary depending on source)
After close to 200 murders, I thought all possible ways of "dispatch" have been explored. Not so. The inventive MM writers manage to surprise again, as they introduce South American poison-dart frogs as a new murder weapon (in The Magician's Nephew)!
But, on to the good stuff:
As most are aware by now, John Nettles (66) is leaving the show in August this year. His last appearance will be in ep.82. His replacement has finally been revealed! The episode airing tonight on British TV (ep.75 The Sword of Guillaume) will see a new character introduced: John Barnaby, Tom Barnaby's nephew, will arrive in Midsomer, to help with a case while Tom is away. He will eventually take over as DCI, when Tom retires. The character is played by Neil Dudgeon (49), a hard working British TV actor, with a few screen films behind his belt; you may have seen him as Joshua in the 2008 comedy The Son of Rambow. So, there you have it! Only time will tell how the replacement works out. Most comments, regarding the actor's potential to succeed in Midsomer, have so far been positive. Taking into consideration the speed of Acorn releases in the US, we will have to wait till 2013 before we can judge for ourselves...
PS: For those new to this British masterpiece, Midsomer Murders is a long running "who done it", based on the novels of Caroline Graham, starring John Nettles (of the Bergerac fame) as the unflappable Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby. The series is set in the fictional Misomer County, which comprises of many cozy, rural villages, where wealthy and poor alike seem to do each other in at an average rate of three to four bodies per episode. The series has a worldwide following, not in the least due to the creative and macabre ways in which the MM victims are typically dispatched.

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The cozy villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in these contemporary British television mysteries. Inspired by the novels of Caroline Graham, modern master of the English village mystery, the series stars John Nettles (Bergerac) as the unflappable Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, with Jason Hughes (This Life) as his earnest, efficient protégé, Detective Sergeant Ben Jones. Guest stars include Tim Pigott-Smith, Ronald Pickup, Pooky Quesnel, Simon Williams, Anton Lesser, Tom Goodman-Hill, Niamh Cusack, and Judy Parfitt.
THE MYSTERIES:Midsomer Life--After the unpopular editor of a local magazine is found dead, Barnaby stumbles upon a nest of bribery, adultery, and secrets kept too long.
The Magician’s Nephew--Barnaby must determine if witchcraft is to blame when several members of a pagan cult are killed in an unusual manner.
Days of Misrule--Christmas comes early for Barnaby and Jones when a suspicious explosion frees them from a dreaded team-building exercise.
Talking to the Dead--Two couples go missing from the sleepy village of Monks Barton; the locals blame ghosts, but Barnaby suspects a more earthly culprit.

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Harper's Island: The DVD Edition (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)We are so hooked on this show it isn't funny, which must be a tribute to the writing and the direction. The producers certainly know how to get you going, though it takes a few episodes before they can start reeling you in and playing you the way they want to.
At the very beginning there are too many characters--if you have ever seen Robert Altman's film A Wedding some of this will look familiar, but add into it a maritime setting, a fantastic yacht, and a culture of working class people trained to anticipate the needs of the wealthy, and you have a recipe for tension right there, and that's before you get the murders going. The families of Trish Wellington (Katie Cassidy) and Henry Dunn (Christopher Gorham, often looking oddly like lean, lanky, nutty Anthony Perkins) invite you to a destination wedding, one held at Harper's Island somewhere in the Puget Sound, where you will be staying at the incredibly glamorous Candlewick Inn, but there will be plenty of time for slumming and seeing how the other half live.
Chief among the main characters is our heroine, played by Elaine Cassidy, the Irish actress who made a splash in Atom Egoyan's Felicia's Journey ten years back. As Abby, the daughter of the local sheriff (Jim Beaver), Cassidy plays the tragic survivor of a mass murder that rocked the island seven years ago. Could the killer, John Wakefield, thought to have been shot down by Abby's dad, still be alive? Has he gone back to his ways of hanging his victims from the trees? For many episodes Fate and the unseen killer arrange it so that one by one, victims die but nobody really realizes it, thinking they have just gone back to Seattle and will return for the wedding ceremony. That got a little hard to swallow, but during this period we began to sort out who was who, who's sleeping with who, who resents the power of who, who seems irretrievably scarred by the earlier murders, and something of the sociology. Now we know the characters and it hurts when one of them dies.
The show's gory in spots, soapy in others. So violent is it that the individual episodes are named after comic book signifiers ("Ka-Boom," "Thwack," etc) and after a few weeks you learn to wait for the act of violence each one stands for. The "Sizzle" is particularly gruesome, though nothing yet matches the shocking death that takes place in the island's lovely old church. I still get headaches when I think about that one! Every cliché of this kind of slasher film is rehearsed here, but expertly and often with a twist. Even the one where a medium reads the heroine's Tarot cards and suddenly sees something in them too horrible to put into words and she runs out of the room mumbling, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." -Like the beginning of Agnes Varda's Cleo from 5 to 7!

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A horror-inspired drama, this CBS series is about a group of friends and family who meet to celebrate a wedding on an island just outside Seattle, an island that is famous for a streak of unsolved murders seven years ago. Suspense ensues when they end up dead one by one; has the killer returned or is someone else to blame?

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Jesse Stone: Thin Ice Review

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(More customer reviews)Jesse and his State Homicide buddy Healey are shot at in Boston. Both are injured, Healey seriously. Jesse comes home to learn his ex-wife is moving in with her boyfriend; his employer, the Paradise Town Council is not pleased with his performance as police chief specifically with his failure to man the speed trap just outside of town, and a woman from New Mexico thinks her long-ago kidnapped son is alive and well in Paradise. Add an Internal Affairs investigation conducted by an angst-ridden and glamorous officer to the mix (Jesse managed to fire a couple of shots at the gunman) and this is a satisfying addition to the series.
Thin Ice describes more than the story. This is the first of the Jesse Stone movies not based on a Robert Parker novel, there are differences in characters (I particularly missed Molly) and there's an edgier feel to it. While there is still the wonderful repartee among the members of Paradise's tiny PD that is so characteristic of these stories, everyone seems uneasy and Jesse seems more self-destructive than in the past. Nevertheless, the intrepid Jesse manages to sidestep Internal Affairs to resolve the shooting, ferrets out the truth about the kidnapping, and as the movie ends, is on his way to Do The Right Thing. His future in Paradise is in question as well as his personal relationships, and I'm glad I read that there is another episode yet unreleased, so maybe the big issues will be resolved.

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Jesse Stone is back! When his friend and fellow cop is shot during a visit to Boston, small town police chief Jesse Stone (Tom Selleck) risks his life and career to solve the crime while also investigating the disappearance of a missing child in this exciting fifth installment in the popular Jesse Stone movies based on the best-selling books by Robert B. Parker.

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Jesse Stone: No Remorse (2010) Review

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(More customer reviews)As a result of his Thin Ice feud with the Paradise City Council, police chief Jesse Stone is suspended from his duties and his former colleagues on the force are forbidden to talk to him. Jesse is pretty depressed and drinking a lot, but he does finally decide talking to his ex-wife Jen is a bad idea.
Things start to look up when Healey of the state police invites Jesse to consult on an apparent serial killer case in Boston and there's been a rash of convenience store robberies in Paradise that Rose and Acting Police Chief Suitcase feel inadequate to cope with. Since Jesse also spends a lot of time with his psychiatrist trying to figure out why he can't give his dog affection, his schedule fills up fast. He also needs to learn how to use a cell phone since there was an, ah, unfortunate accident with his land line. Because of the interdiction on Jesse's communication with Suitcase and Rose, the cell phone becomes a plot point and the cloak and dagger element just misses being comic.
Jesse doggedly pursues the serial killer who seems to have a connection with the boxing promoter Gino Fish, and aids Rose and Suitcase, who need Jesse's help in identifying the perpetrator of the convenience store robberies from security tapes. The entire Paradise police department in a superb display of teamwork catches the convenience store perp. The serial killer case is wrapped up in the last few minutes of the movie in an incredible twist that left me saying, `Huh?'
With No Remorse, the movie character of Jesse Stone diverges irrevocably from that of the late lamented Robert Parker's books. He's more angst-ridden and struggles in ways the book Jesse doesn't. No Remorse, co-written by Tom Selleck, is dark. All the characters are having major problems both on and off the job to the point that it's almost painful to watch. The delightful repartee that's always been a feature of the Jesse Stone movies is much heavier handed and honestly, the movie could use some comic relief in addition to Jesse's problems with his cell phone. Several plot threads were left dangling but I read there will be at least one more Jesse Stone movie, so perhaps things will be resolved.
Three and a half stars rounded up to four. I really missed the lightness of touch of the earlier entries. And I still miss Molly.

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Tom Selleck reprises his role as Jesse Stone, the anguished and relentless former police Chief in the small town of Paradise, Massachusetts. While in self-imposed seclusion following his suspension from the Paradise Police Force, a mysterious series of related murders in nearby Boston draws Stone back into the fold. Before long, he’s following a crooked path that leads to none other than the city’s most notorious crime boss Gino Fish (William Sadler).Based upon characters created in best-selling author Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone books. Co-starring William Devane and Kathy Baker, Jesse Stone: No Remorse is a trip to Paradise that you will not want to miss!

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Midsomer Murders: Set 17 (2011) Review

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(More customer reviews)Based on a set of only seven novels by Caroline Graham (beginning with The Killings at Badger's Drift), Midsomer Murders is a long-running and very popular series that debuted in the U.K. in 1997. The series features the likable Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) and is set in the fictional English county of Midsomer which consists of several villages each of which seems to rival Cabot Cove, Maine for their improbably high murder rates.
Agatha Christie, the world's most successful mystery writer, considered plot to be of utmost importance when crafting her stories. Graham, on the other hand, has said that she prefers to start out with interesting characters and allow the plot to form around them. And it is certainly the characters that are the centerpiece of Midsomer Murders. Unusual, odd and memorable are all words that could be used to describe the show's colorful collection of villagers - including the murderers, the victims and the bystanders, very few of whom could be described as "innocent".
Part police procedural, part quirky cozy, part traditional whodunit, Midsomer Murders should appeal to a variety of murder mystery fans. Even after seeing nearly 70 episodes, I find the show remains dependably entertaining with strong writing, intricate plots and uniformly first-rate acting. Episodes exist more or less independent of one another and need not be viewed in broadcast order. However, because of Barnaby's changing Detective Sergeants over the years, viewers might wish to do so.
One of my favorite aspects of the series is the gorgeous glimpses it provides of the English countryside and the picturesque villages, vine covered cottages and grand estates in which the stories are set. For true devotees, the book Midsomer Murders on Location provides information on where each episode was filmed. I'm also inordinately fond of the theme music which seems to suit the quirkiness of Midsomer Murders perfectly.
The following episodes are included in Set 17:
* The Dogleg Murders (Episode 67): After a player is murdered on the course at a prestigious golf club, Barnaby and Jones discover a bevy of crimes, and more murder, among the club's members.
* The Black Book (Episode 68): The sale at auction of a newly discovered masterpiece by a Midsomer painter seems to be the catalyst for a series of murders.
* Secrets and Spies (Episode 69): Barnaby's past as a secret agent comes into play when another former agent is murdered after a cricket match.
* The Glitch (Episode 70): Barnaby suspects that the threat by a local university fellow to reveal a glitch in a new software program mistakenly caused the hit and run killing of a local school teacher.
Because of the somewhat unorthodox behavior of a number of the characters, some rare flashes of nudity and the often gruesome nature of the crimes, I feel Midsomer Murders is best suited to older teens and adults.

Highly recommended.

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THE MYSTERIES
The Dogleg Murders--Members of the swanky Whiteoaks Golf Club keep turning up dead by the 13th hole. The Black Book--The detectives investigate a string of savage murders precipitated by a local art auction. Secrets and Spies--A mysterious creature is killing sheep in Midsomer County, but it soon moves on to larger prey. The Glitch--A local scientist’s determination to stop an American millionaire’s latest business venture has fatal repercussions.

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