Miss Fischer's Murder Mysteries

[alias_sqbr]

I watched the first episode of Miss Fischer's Murder Mysteries today in chat with hl, which was super fun. In part because I had someone with which to share reactions like "SHES A SEXY OLDER CROSSDRESSING GENDERSWAPPED WATSON" and "Has any male character had any lines beyond AAARGH?".

Beyond the amazing Bechdeliciousness(*), this is just a fun little mystery show. It's set in in 1920s Melbourne about a 40-ish year old woman swanning around causing mischief and having lots of sex and saving the day. The period details are nicely done, lots of pretty dresses but also some attention to life for those from the less fancy end of town.

And did I mention she has a friend who is a cynical crossdressing female doctor? And her sidekicks are adorable communist taxi drivers who rant at the police for being tools of the oppressor? The Lestrade-ish character is fairly run of the mill, but he works as part of the overall dynamic.

I should check with hl if she wants to watch the next one with me, because otherwise I'm tempted to just watch it now :) And then sit on my hands, waiting for the next one (Other things I am waiting for: My new glasses, my new ramp, my new wheelchair, Mass Effect frigging 3)

Fellow Aussies: the first episode is still streaming legally on iView for a limited time. Give it a go!

EDIT: Hee, from the website "With an acquired taste for the best, but impeccable working-class origins". This and Outland are reminding me how much I enjoy Australian tv when it doesn't annoy me.

(*)It did eventually pass the reverse Bechdel test, but the only scenes I remember were things like "male thug chases male sidekick, shouting".

Comments

[kerravonsen]

Thanks for mentioning this; it finally prompted me to check out iView, and then to see if I could find any iView downloaders, which I did. So, currently downloading episode one.

[facetofcathy]

I watched willing to be satisfied with the period bling.

But's it was fun! And it has all this feminism! And the mystery was a little bland, but that's really just the trappings, so who cares.

Can't wait to see more.

[tree]

except she's supposed to be in her 20s! and and and! but it's still very entertaining and i like it, which i didn't expect to.

[livewareissue]

Yay! Phryne Fisher has been adapted for TV!

I really like the books (were you the one that recommended them?) despite their occasional drift into Mary Sue territory early on in the series.

I am sad that I can't watch them outside of Oz though. :(

[fred_mouse]

I loved the books, but I was rather bemused to see that they have gone from being "Phynne Fisher" to "Miss Fisher" stories, and am not at all sure that I like it. I may or may not get to looking at the show, especially given you linking it to Outland, which I couldn't finish even a single episode of.

[alias_sqbr]

I hope you enjoy it!

[alias_sqbr]

Yes, it was much better than I expected!

[alias_sqbr]

Haha, really? Wow. Well I'm going to ignore that unless canon makes it unavoidable :)

[alias_sqbr]

Definitely not me, I haven't read them!

Yeah, that sucks, I know the feeling from all the things that aren't shown here. They've been really quick putting Outland up for sale (and the ABC shop does international shipping), this is a 13 episode series so you could wait for the dvd.

[alias_sqbr]

It's really not much like Outland at all, apart from them both being Australian shows that I liked. Which is not to say that you'll necessarily like it, and I have no idea how close it is to the books.

[lilacsigil]

I'm enjoying it so much! I love how just about every important character is a woman, and the few who aren't are defined by their interactions with the women - and even though the mysteries are relatively cozy, no-one has to be stupid to make the plots work.

[livewareissue]

Guess i'll have to :(

[nixwilliams]

This and Outland are reminding me how much I enjoy Australian tv when it doesn't annoy me.

SO MUCH!

[emilly]

...it is definitely based on the books (the mysteries in the first two eps are definitely related to the mysteries in the first two eps) but it is also different (some of the characters are gone, the dead ends in the mysteries smoothed over) as you would expect from 200 page novels squished into 45 minutes of tv.

[alias_sqbr]

Yes!

[alias_sqbr]

Watching things right away legally is nice too :D

[nixwilliams]

I find it a bit lulzy that I spent all my TV watching time in Australia watching UK TV and now I'm DLing Australian shows.

[sqbr]

Heh, that is amusing. What an inconvenient time for Aussie tv to get good!

[nixwilliams]

IT IS A PERSONAL AFFRONT!

[fred_mouse]

That makes a lot of sense. So, quite possibly, they've managed to keep the good bits and bin the rest?

[fred_mouse]

That is quite reassuring - Outland freaked me out in pretty much the same way that Big Bang Theory did, and I wasn't sure if this was going to be anything like that. I'm hoping that having a female protagonist might mitigate in its favour.

[alias_sqbr]

You should lodge a complaint!

[aris_tgd]

OMG, have just watched the first episode of this with friends, and it is ADORABLE. I love her new maid. I love her lesbian doctor friend. I love her delicious joy at life and sex and solving crime. I want more of it. Fortunately more of it is available. Thank you SO MUCH for pointing this out.

[alias_sqbr]

Hooray! I had a feeling it would appeal to various people in my circle :)