31 Comments

Cracking list.

Broadchurch and Happy Valley are soooo good.

Need to check out Shetland.

Have an awesome weekend, Kathleen.

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Some kindred thriller spirits here! Think you will love Shetland then.

Thanks, you too; have a great weekend!

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Thanks Kathleen! It has become incredibly hard to find anything worthwhile to watch, and British shows often present an exception. I'll keep your recommendations in my back pocket as

I am joining my readers for a digital detox during the month of May:) See https://schooloftheunconformed.substack.com/p/from-feeding-moloch-to-digital-minimalism

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Lovely idea :) enjoy the detox 👋🏼

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Love this! Thank you for a great Saturday morning read. Have a lovely weekend!

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You're welcome and thank YOU. Enjoy your Saturday!

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A wonderful list. We've been rewatching Shetland and Vera, and Dallzeil and Pascoe. For me, two of the great things about these series are the dry humour, and the understated love the main characters have for each other.

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Thanks, Terry! Ah, more good recs from you. How exciting.

Yes, dry (British) humour all the way.

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I recently binged watched all of Endeavor on Amazon (the latest season isn’t there yet). I like the show and noticed that the Superintendent mentioned Pankot Palace and the 1935 trouble with the Thugee, so apparently it takes place in the same universe as the Indiana Jones movies.

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Wow, that's a good catch!

Clever writers...I'm sure it's intentional. Honestly, I think I need to go back to find a lot of these details. But that would take a ton of time! Hope you enjoy the last season when you get it.

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Thanks. I’m an Indiana Jones fanatic so catching that reference was easy. It makes me wonder what other references I missed. I’m looking forward to watching the new season when it comes out.

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I haven't succumbed to Happy Valley yet and from your description need to. I seem to binge every winter so will probably keep for next year. Love the others. I found Morris to be so dated as to be unwatchable. Odd how a modern portrayal of the 60s feels authentic, while a genuine 80s show seems horribly staged. Stick to Midsummer Murders IMO. Do try though and let us know! TY!

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I have yet to see that one, thanks! Agree, winter is the best time to watch. Now, I hopefully get outside a bit more :)

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Addendum: The Inspector Lewis Morris spin off is also enjoyable imo;-) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_(TV_series)

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Wow, I had no idea. Will check it out!

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Really enjoyed listening to this. I was born on the doorstep of where Happy Valley is filmed and it always brings back memories of the Calder Valley. The Bridge is an amazing thriller and I look forward to hearing more on your own book 😀

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Thanks, Jon! The shots of Happy Valley’s landscape are beautiful.

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I like those photographs

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Wonderful post! From one Kathleen to another, your blog is great.

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Thanks, Kathleen!

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I suppose there is also the satisfaction of the order being restored over chaotic, destructive forces by the end of each hour.

For the past decade I've only watched two TV shows. "SEAL Team" has thriller elements. And "Blue Bloods" is a crime show.

So this article hits home, and gives me a few new ideas.

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Oh I like this idea about why we enjoy it.

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Bookmarked for the next time we come up short ...

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I think you would love "Inspector Morse". Yes it is dated...and wonderful. I binge watched "Line of Duty" long after it was originally broadcast and found it compelling. I really should watch "Happy Valley", it has had great reviews. Thanks for another lovely read.

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Thanks, Jules. I’ll give Morse a try!

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Interesting post! Strangely, I like watching some detective shows, yet don't particularly read them! I thought The Bridge (particularly the characterisation) was brilliant. I couldn't watch Happy Valley because I found the first episode too disturbing...I am a bit delicate : ) The Strike series' are all really good; again, for me, it has to be the strong characters.

Two new shows we have just enjoyed along similar themes have been Magpie Murders, (which is an Anthony Horrowitz novel), and Blue Lights, which is a totally absorbing series about police cadets in Northern Ireland.

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:)

You bring up some other great ones! I found Magpie interesting for its metafiction aspects (although a bit depressing about the book industry!) and Strike is great, though I must admit I like the sexual tension between the detectives the most.

Will have to give Blue Lights a try. Didn't know about the Horrowitz novel either. Thanks!

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Yes, the metafiction took a bit to get used to. Do try Blue Lights though; it has the perfect combination of tension & likeable characters with some social history thrown in!

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Thanks

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Thanks for the recommendations. I'll check them out, while I'm currently more into comedy and sitcoms than thrillers.

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