This being Thursday, it's time for another edition of Thursday Movie Picks, the blogathon run by Wandering Through the Shelves. We're already at the last week of the month, which means that it's time for another TV-themed edition of the blogathon. For November, that theme is "Mystery", which isn't an uncommon theme. In fat, the bigger problem was coming up with three shows that I hadn't used before, which nixed Murder, She Wrote. In the end, I came up with three shows without too much problem:
Father Dowling Mysteries (1989-1991). Tom Bosley, probably best known as Mr. Cunningham on Happy Days, plays Father Dowling, a Catholic priest in Chicago who somehow keeps coming on one mystery after another.
Diagnosis Murder (1993-2001). Dick Van Dyke plays a doctor who keeps coming upon one murder mystery after another, solving them with help from his police detective son, who was in fact played by Dick's real-life son Barry.
Oh, and just one more thing:
Columbo (1971-1978). NBC had an anthology show (apparently the official term in the business is "wheel series") in the 1970s called The NBC Mystery Movie, which was a collection of three (originall) different mystery shows. The most lasting one is probably Columbo, with Peter Falk as the Los Angeles police detective who solves mysteries among the high society set, which was really an excuse to introduce one guest star after another. The other two shows were McCloud starring Dennis Weaver, and McMillan and Wife starring Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James. Other mystery shows were included in later years. As you can see from the opening above, one of those later shows was Quincy, M.E., starring Jack Klugman as a medical examiner; that show was so successful that it was spun off into its own one-hour show that lasted for almost a decade.
3 comments:
Great list! I've watched Diagnosis Murder and Columbo and I really enjoyed both shows!
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Ronyell @ The Surreal Movies and TV Blog
I've seen an occasional Father Dowling, a nice cozy series thanks to Tom Bosley and Mary Wickes. They don't seem to show it much anymore though.
I could never get into Diagnosis: Murder despite my affection for Dick Van Dyke. It's not a terrible show just missing that rewatchability.
LOVE Columbo! The premise of seeing the killing beforehand seems like it shouldn't work but thanks to good writing and the major key element of Peter Falk (the series would have been nothing without him) it all comes together.
Dell's doing Girl Week again over on his blog-Dell on Movies-and it inspired me to choose three mysteries carried by their strong female lead.
Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries (2012-2015)-Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis) is a modern young woman of means who sets herself up as a private investigator for cases that catch her fancy in 1920’s Melbourne, Australia. With her faithful companion Dot (Ashleigh Cummings) by her side and cloaked in one drop dead outfit after another Miss Fisher manages to suss out the villain time and again, sometimes with the help of Detective Jack Robinson (with whom she shares an unrequited flirtation as does his deputy Hugh with the fair Dot) and sometimes by butting heads with him. Fantastic series loaded with wit and style and the always assured heroine taking charge in a time when women were far less able to.
Mrs. Bradley Mysteries (1998)-Famed, somewhat notorious criminologist and author Mrs. Adela Bradley (the late, great Diana Rigg) with her loyal chauffeur George (Neil Dudgeon) at the helm of her Rolls Royce tosses off bon mots to the camera as they find intrigue and murder wherever they journey in 1920’s England. Like Miss Fisher Mrs. Bradley is a fashion plate albeit sporting a more mature but no less stylish look.
Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996)-Retired schoolteacher Mrs. Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) writes a mystery novel as a form of therapy after the recent death of her husband Frank. Unbeknownst to her her nephew Grady (Michael Horton) submits it to a publisher. It becomes a runaway bestseller and suddenly she is one of the most acclaimed authors in the country traveling worldwide week after week but always returning to her cozy Maine hometown of Cabot Cove. There’s just one small thing, wherever she goes murder happens!! And that cozy town has more deaths by foul play per capita than New York City! But fret not Jessica with a mixture of observation, common sense, intelligence and intuition is on the case to save the day!
I enjoyed Father Dowling and my mom loved it. It reminds me of the British show about a priest solving murders but I can’t remember the name of it right this minute. I liked Diagnosis Murder which was so much fun to watch as I love Dick Van Dyke, I loved the 3 mystery theatre shows but try8ng to recall the first one before Wuincy was added. I show Quincy this week which was always fun to watch. I enjoyed MacMillan and love Colombo which is. Brilliant show. Oh gosh yea...McLeod! Loved that show with Dennis Weaver.
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