For the unaware, the opening theme to Mystery! was an animated sequence set to spooky music. There were bats, dead bodies, and swooning women. To us, it was a minute-long cartoon. And a way to procrastinate going to bed.
On the extremely rare occasions that I was allowed to watch anything beyond the opening credits, I quickly became bored and confused. British accents? Couldn't understand them. The romantic tension between Lord Peter Whimsey and Harriet Vane? Didn't pick up on it. I was seven years old and far more concerned about how to get out of sitting by Derek Anderson in the lunch room (no romantic tension there, I can assure you).Now I'm married, boring, and using eye cream. CBS makes me nervous. Fox is too edgy. I can see my IQ being sucked into the television screen when I watch The CW. So what do I turn to? PBS. That's right, my local public television station.
Of course PBS is known for airing mini-series from across the pond for both Mystery! and Masterpiece Theatre. Now that I'm older, wiser, and comprehend 95% of British, I've started tuning in. I love it. I cannot get enough of it. And now I have approximately TWENTY SEASONS of goodness to catch up on. It's like a gift. A government-subsidized gift.
Uh-oh. Am I leaning left on this one?
Both Allan's and my parents have been talking about one series in particular for a few years now. Allan and I wanted to start watching it last winter, but law school and Beloved Offspring got in the way. Now we have the chance. And, boy, is it a gem.
Foyle's War has great mysteries that I'd guess about 15% of viewers can solve (in my opinion the perfect blend of mystery and feasibility). It's also fairly tame for the weak-stomached like me. Fantastic characters. And just enough back-stories and sub-plots to make me eager to see how the writers develop the storyline. I cannot tell you how much I love these characters. It's also a very interesting take on World War II from the British perspective. You see it from the side of some of the dissenters, which is an aspect of the war that I've never really considered or heard anything about.I'm only twenty-seven years old, and I'm already drinking herbal tea and a growing number of my favorite actors go by Dame or Sir.
If we all turn into our parents eventually, I'm just grateful that ours have good taste.
9 comments:
What! What is this secret blog nonsense! Um hello you need to let me know these things!
PS Jack looks so cute!
I wanted to, but didn't have your e-mail! But look! I have you linked. No shortage of cousinly love here. Just a lack of an e-mail address.
As another weak-stomached mystery lover, I'm intrigued by this Foyle's War series. I'll have to check it out.
What kind of eye cream do you use? =) My IQ has officially been reduced thanks to Bravo! reality shows. Maybe you're on to something.
C.--I think it's great. They'll show a corpse or two, but it's not grisly.
Alicia--Loreal. Can't tell you if it's doing anything. Then again, these things are usually more preventative than anything. As for Bravo! reality shows, I'm actually kind of grateful I don't have cable.
Stranger - I had to chime in on this one. I think I may have to check out this Foyle's War thing!! Thanks for the tip!! I am not weak-stomached (the more twisted my Criminal Minds, the better), but I love any good mystery. And don't worry about getting old - at the very least you are in good company. On the way to church in our VAN last week, I scoffed at someone driving TOO FAST on a motorcycle.
LMJ--FYI, I will FOREVER think of you every time I see some twisted criminal procedural. You are my sickest friend. Of course, I say this with fondness.
Oh, Buffy. This is so funny. You have discovered something that I have known for years--PBS is just better television--except if you live in AZ and then it is just junky. The other day I was watching PBS--trying to see if anything good was on and they had a commercial asking for funding. I thought to myself, "If you would only show half of the good programming that they have in Utah I might consider it, but for now...no way!" Then the next thought came...maybe I am one of many who doesn't donate so they can't get anything good. What a pickle.
*sob* We can't get PBS anymore!
It was the best distraction for the 20 minutes it takes to fix my daughters' hair in the morning (yep, all three; Miranda's hair is too long and must be pulled back to stay out of her eyes). Now, I have to play "I spy" and that makes the pony tails crooked with little escapees running in a riot around their head.
We also are lacking News Hour which was our nightly routine since Zoë was born. (I have many a video of our first two with that music in the background).
Now, with the switch to digital, their analog equipment broke and they aren't replacing it. So, we've been PBS-deficient for about 4 months now. I miss it more than other television.
And, no, I never thought I would enjoy watching NEWS shows like my parents and grandparents did! PBS is AWESOME.
Maybe if we ever get a digital receiver (tv or box?) then we can try out Foyle's War or some of the other Mystery! shows on.
Post a Comment