‘Queens of Mystery’ Is Like ‘Murder, She Wrote’ Meets ‘Pushing Daisies’
Preview
So you’ve already binged Murder, She Wrote? Pour a cup of tea and settle in with this delightful British mystery series, which has the colorful quirkiness of cult hit Pushing Daisies and a splash of cheekiness à la Absolutely Fabulous.
Rising star Olivia Vinall plays Matilda Stone, a straight-arrow police detective who, at age 28, returns to her quaint hometown of Wildemarsh to start a new post — and hopefully find out why her mother vanished when Mattie was just 3 years old.
Also on the case are the aunts who helped raise her: warm, observant Beth (Sarah Woodward), forensics nerd Jane (Siobhan Redmond) and Cat (Julie Graham), a sneaky former punk rocker who loves leopard print. Oh, and each auntie just happens to be a successful crime novelist with some serious meddling tendencies.
“Mattie really needs her aunts, but she [talks] back to them quite often,” says Vinall. “She’ll say, ‘Step aside — this is my work!'”
In the first of six episodes, the pro’s fortitude is tested as she investigates the murder of a crime novelist during a writers’ festival at a gorgeous estate. She also develops feelings for Daniel (Andrew Leung), a socially awkward doctor.
But can romance bloom amid Matilda’s dour quest and what Graham calls Wildemarsh’s “high body count”? It can if those aunts, who set her up on blind dates, have their way. “We want the best for Mattie. I’d say she’s the sun and we kind of orbit around her,” cracks Graham. “I’m Uranus. Ha!”
Queens of Mystery, Series Premiere, Monday, April 8, Acorn TV
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B
Pushing Daisies meets Murder She Wrote. NO! More like highly stylized in homage to Pushing Daisies meets the Snoop Sisters meets Midsomer Murders without the charm or characters to root for. British cozy characters don't know how to move out of the way of a falling bookcase, moving car, slow swinging axe... Or to bring a buddy or call for backup or carry a cellphone or defend themself no matter their police training. Huh?
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B
The style is very "Pushing Daisies", but it falls short in every other aspect. I don't see the "whimsy" much less the hope, joy or playfulness.
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O
it has some promise. the aunts are great, but i found the lead character less than exciting. also the cartoony style of the show could be left behind. but it certainly is something new and with some improvement in the writing it could be a hit.
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C
i loved the series...but found female lead very unexciting. i think if they replaced her, got away from the cartoony aspects of the style, and worked on improving a bit on the writing they would have a great hit. it definitely is different,
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