As the blog Wandering Through The Shelves has this weekly meme called "Thursday Movie Picks", I wanted to start writing a few such posts. This week's theme was a television edition with focus on police, so here is my three picks when it comes to police TV-series.
NCIS; Even though the cast has undergone some changes in the later seasons, I still love that show, partially due to Abby.
Dexter; A bad guy killing other bad guys.
Midsomer Murders; Sometimes all I need is a British crime TV-series.
NCIS has been on for years and I never watched it. I know I probably would like it. I never wanted to watch Dexter....I just don't like glorifying a serial killer even if he kills bad people and the acting is great. I can't get into that. Now, Midsummer Murders is something I would really want to gets into and haven't watched yet either but this peaks my curiosity.
SvarSlettMidsomer Murders are a nice series, so hopefully you would enjoy it. :-)
SlettI always meant to start Dexter, but my friends that were actually watching it all rage quit during one of the later seasons so it made me pause. Some day. lol
SvarSlettI have't been a total slave to Dexter, but I have seen a lot of the episodes. :-)
SlettNice picks and welcome aboard!
SvarSlettDexter is so darkly fascinating and Michael C. Hall kept him fascinating year after year.
There are so many seasons of Midsomer Murders I can't say I've seen the majority but I've seen several of them and enjoyed them though the idea of starting at the beginning to catch up is onerous.
I was never much of an NCIS watcher. I saw a few episodes and it was okay but I think it was on the wrong night for me in those pre-DVR days.
I don't have a blog so I just play along and post my choices along with my comment. There were almost limitless choices this week so I went with two favorites and a template of the genre.
Life on Mars (2008)-In present day New York City detective Sam Tyler (Jason O’Mara) is pursuing a suspect when he’s struck by a car. When he awakens he finds himself in the same spot but it’s 1973! Already dressed in 70’s clothing he heads to his precinct where he’s mistaken for a transfer and put to work, now he has to figure out what happened while adjusting to his new surroundings and still chasing criminals alongside cops that have rougher methods than he’s use to. Intriguing series has a great cast, Harvey Keitel, Michael Imperioli and Gretchen Mol among others, terrific period detail and soundtrack but fell victim to poor scheduling which lead to its short duration.
Wiseguy (1987-1990)-Government agent Vinnie Terranova (Ken Wahl) is fresh out of jail where he was placed by the Organized Crime Bureau (OCB) to give him a criminal history to enable him to go deep undercover to break up big syndicates. Guided by his often exasperated but understanding boss Frank McPike (Jonathan Banks) and wheelchair bound remote liaison “Lifeguard” (Jim Byrnes) he sets out to crime bust while trying to keep his secret from his mother (Elsa Raven). Excellent series told its stories in multi episode half season arcs focusing on one set of characters. All were good but the initial season’s two arcs dealing with the empire led by Sonny Steelgrave (a commanding performance by Ray Sharkey) and the draconian deeply twisted Profitt siblings (two showpiece turns by Kevin Spacey and Joan Severance) are by far the best.
Dragnet (1951-1959/1967-1970)-“Dum...da.dum...dum-Ladies and Gentleman the story you are about to see is true, the names have been changed to protect the innocent….This is the city-Los Angeles, California…I work here, I’m a cop…my partner’s Frank Smith, my boss is Captain Glavas my name is Friday.”
So began every episode of this Jack Webb series which he created and in which he starred giving a performance of amazing stolidness handing out his standard catch phrase “Just the facts, mam”. Initially taking a documentary approach before switching to a more standard form of storytelling of solving crimes this is the granddaddy of police procedurals.
Thanks a lot for the lengthly comment. I might check out those series you mentioned.
SlettGood choices, I used to watch NCIS faithfully until Ziva left.
SvarSlettIf it is to any comfort, I miss Ziva too (and I guess a lot of others miss her as well).
Slett