NCIS - Not Convincing, It's Stupid

I watched one of the latest NCIS episodes this week, and it's the same old stilted, inappropriate banter, fake bonhomie and unlikely characters as usual. These people are in turns deeply unprofessional, borderline sociopathic and utterly incompetent. And when they're not, they're the worst offenders for trotting out long complex monologues about what the problem was and exactly how they arrived at the final explanation. Always when they're against the clock! I might try that at work, see how it goes...

Oh Jethro, you may be the irascible leader of a motley, improbable investigative team - but you're still a looker!

well, hello lay-deez...

Meanwhile... on the latest CSI: New York (my favourite of the CSI series) there was a woman slowly losing oxygen and contracting hypothermia in a death-trap water tank. When Mac Taylor solved the riddle that would enable them to rescue her, instead of just rushing over and doing what had to be done, he stood in front of the team and explained - line by line! ha! - why it was the correct answer to the riddle. Y'know, like you would if a young woman's life was hanging by a thread and every second counted. I mean, it's always important that everyone understands that you got it right, and exactly how you came to that conclusion, before you save someone's life.

On a slightly different note, I found this picture of Gary Sinise online - looks like smiling is painful. Stick to the moody roles Gary!

what, like this? but it hurts!

So as I was writing my first post I switched on alibi (oh how I love thee, murder mystery cable channel) and they were showing the MSW cross-over episode with Magnum P.I. (Magnum on Ice). I've seen it before as it's included in my box-set of series 1-5 and, although it isn't one of the best, it certainly has considerable entertainment value given that it involves 2 mid-eighties tv regulars at the top of their game. Oh yes, they're on fire!

I've never seen such a dazzling array of pastel-coloured floral wrap dresses (on Jessica, natch) - it's as if she's the walking embodiment of Hawaiian glamour. It's a shame they use the 'he's behind you!' trick a little too often (twice in less than five minutes!) but apart from that there is real chemistry between the two main actors.

It's a 2-parter and Jessica only features in the second episode. Unfortunately this means that the first episode (which is focused solely on Magnum) isn't included on the MSW DVD sets or in the series runs on tv. So I've never seen it!

There's an excellent scene in which Magnum (who for their first few meetings, Jessica calls 'Mr Magnum' - ooh she's a proper lady) breaks into Jessica's hotel room while she's running a bath. He compliments her on her writing (he's just finished one of her books) and tells her that he likes the way her mind works. As unlikely as it may seem, I think he's coming on to her! She sure is hot stuff, standing there in her bathrobe (which he also compliments her on).

I love murder mysteries. I love reading them. I love watching them on tv, film and in the theatre. I love talking about them with my family and friends. And now I love blogging about them. I cannot state how much I love murder mysteries of all kinds.

I've been a fan of Murder, She Wrote (MSW) since I was a little girl. It used to be a special treat to be allowed to watch it. I can remember being thrilled that I was actually watching a programme with the word 'murder' in the title! With my parents' consent as well! Shocking. Of course, it isn't exactly CSI - you rarely see the dead body and in an episode I watched recently the body lying on the morgue slab was visibly breathing. You could even see his eyes moving under the lids! Brilliant! (In case you're wondering, it was episode 2, series 1, called 'Deadly Lady' about a millionaire's supposed death aboard his luxury yacht).

I also really loved the ITV original Miss Marple series starring Joan Hickson, mainly because the era was re-created so convincingly. The clothing, the accents, the way they made it look real and not like a pantomime version of the fifties (are you listening, ITV makers of recent Poirot episodes??). I'm not entirely sure why, but the actors looked at home in their costumes - which in fact made them look less like costumes and just their regular clothes. In the new episodes of Agatha Christie adaptations the clothes seem to be wearing them, not the other way round.

I was cajoled into starting this blog by my brother (skinnyelbows.blogspot.com) who seems to think that my almost encyclopedic knowledge of certain mystery series is too good not to share with the world. So here I am! I'm not sure where to start, so I might start with the next one I watch... won't be long then!