Murder Most Stylish

Ever get hooked on a series and wish there were more episodes to follow?

That's my dilemma after watching all 13 episodes of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries streaming through Netflix. There was a second season (and no more) but, alas, it's not currently available on Netflix.

At The Frog & PenguINN we have two flat panel 26-inch TVs, small by today's mega-screen standards. But, we don't subscribe to any cable/satellite services. Instead, our viewing (TV shows/movies) is done via online streaming through Netflix or Amazon Prime. 

That said, we're always looking for something "new" in the sense of something we've never seen, even if a show or movie is not currently current.

On a friend's recommendation (thanks, Martha), I recently added Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries to my Netflix list. A scant week later, after watching the first season, I'm hooked and hope that Netflix adds the second season. Sadly, there wasn't a third one. 

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries is an Australian television drama series, first broadcast on ABC1 (Australian PBS channel) in February 2012. The series, based on author Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher Murder Mystery novels, was created by Deb Cox and Fiona Eagger. You can definitely see that these female producers have brought a distinct style to the show.

The series revolves around the personal and professional life of Phyrne (rhymes with briny) Fisher, a glamorous private detective in 1920s Melbourne (portrayed by Essie Davis). The first series was filmed over a six-month period in and around Melbourne from July 2011; each episode had a budget of $1 million. A second series was commissioned in August 2012 with a filming start in February 2013 and aired from September 2013 until concluding with a Christmas special in December 2013.

The series setting is 1928 Melbourne, scene of jazz clubs, and an endless array of murders and scheming crooks. The Honorable Phryne Fisher (referred to as "Miss Fisher") is a wealthy aristocrat and a self-styled private detective who, with the assistance of her maid, Dot, and taxi driver friends Bert and Cec solves all manner of crimes. Miss Fisher is no ordinary aristocrat; she can fly a plane, drive her own car, and wear trousers. However, , she manages also to maintain so much style and class. 

This modern and sexy amateur sleuth nails criminals with a sharp tongue, failing that there is the gold, pearl-handled revolver she carries. The unflappable Miss Fisher solves cases without smudging her lipstick and still makes it home for cocktails.

The first season of the show while streaming on Netflix to mainly rave reviews, nevertheless has its detractors. More conservative viewers consider the Jazz-era heroine too racy for their tastes. (Could it be that these folks have never seen so-called reality TV shows OR do they perhaps believe these shows are for real?)

In response to those critics, Miss Fisher's creator, Kerry Greenwood, notes that her heroine behaves with the same freedom as a male hero, e.g., James Bond or The Saint. "No one thinks their multiple lovers are indications of slutishness. It's the old man about town/whore distinction which I had hoped we had got past sometime in the '70s. "I wanted a hero who was perfectly self assured about every aspect of her life."

You can learn more about Phyrne and her author, Ms. Greenwood, at phyrnefisher.com.
(Images used herein from online sources solely for the purpose of illustrating this post.)

Do you watch TV or prefer online streaming  -- ANY favorites to share here ?