DVD's (thanks to gershwhen) and I choose "Zen" (the Italian mystery series featuring Aurelio Zen and played by my most wonderful Rufus Sewel) and the Inspector Thomas Lynley series (my favorite British mystery series) and am enjoying both immensely. I've now seen two episodes of what I hope is season 1 of Zen and love them so much, I'm going to have to get the books. I LOVE the way Zen always one ups his superiors. *G*  As for the Lynley series, well, first off, I got episode 4 of season 2 instead episode 1 of season 1, but fortunately, my memory is good, so I know where we were in Tommy and Barbara's lives (past Simon and Deborah, a brief appearance by Lady Helen which means they're still not really 'talking' and of course, I realized we were at the part where Havers had to put her mother in a home). Now, I have to say that as much as I love Nathanial Parker (and wow, is it nice to seem him so much younger than in Merlin!) it's extremely difficult to accept him as Lynley  because George provided a complete description of "Tommy" Lynley, one that actually was important to the series and the class issues she was always tossing at us (sometimes with a subtle hand, and sometimes not so subtle). So being blond is, for me, a kind of vital part of Lynley, which I know sounds odd, but really, his whole bearing, size, hair color, etc., were a major part of what differentiated him from Havers and that entire class issue thing again.

George always gave us complicated characters - and in Missing Joseph, I saw none of the complicated Lynley that I read and enjoyed. No, Nathanial played him rather sweetly and even the 'take charge' of Havers home was acted out more as a good partner would do, rather than an Earl might do for one of the lower class - and while Havers and Lynley had come a long way by Missing Joseph, Lynley's act, as I remember in the book, was done without thought and as one of the upper-upper class might do. A snap of his fingers and voila - as opposed to giving it a great deal of thought, etc., the way most of us would do for our friends. *shrugs*

Now, unfortunately, while I had season one, episode one at the top of my queue, they somehow sent me episode FOUR of season TWO, which means I missed all the Simon/Deborah/Tommy stuff, the Lady Helen Clyde 'stuff' etc., but I have a good memory, so at least I wasn't puzzled by the "Havers mother' thing or the brief appearance of Helen. Anyway, the actress who plays Havers is spot on and as I imagined her (okay, she's a bit more attractive, but then, that's television for you *G*). But man, it's going to be hard to go backward now. :( But I'll struggle through. :) (Of course, knowing what ultimately happens in the future ain't so easy to deal with either - so maybe it's a good thing that Nathanial is so different? *shrugs*)

Mmm, now I need to check to see if Mystery Theater ever did the Roderick Alleyn mysteries and if they're on DVD too!

Tags: british mysteries, tv