Some of the television crime drama series that I watch on British television are Taggart, Rebus, A Touch of Frost, Inspector Morse, Lewis and Midsommer Murders. I have also watched series like Prime Suspect, Criminal Justice and many others. I also like CSI and some CSI spin-offs.
I was introduced to Taggart when I was living in Aberdeen more than a quarter of a century ago. I like the rawness of this gritty Glasgow-based detective series. When its main character, Taggart, died prematurely, I was upset. However, other characters still keep Detective Chief Inspector Taggart's spirit alive in later series without him. I am glad that the series itself was not killed off. The villains, the victims and those caught in-between are convincing. The sprawling city itself looks menacing and uncomfortable like a dark forest. This is nothing else but realism in this series. There is no comic relief or any offer of respite to the viewers often feeling lost in this heart of darkness. I think it appeals to more male viewers than female viewers.
Recently, another series, Rebus, came out of Glasgow. There is an attempt to please female viewers by allowing the characters of a motherly grumpy boss who is a former lover and a sisterly doe-eyed female sidekick to acts as sentinels for this tough and often irrational Neandranthal "Rebus" who mellows like a teddy bear in their presence.
Initially I refused to watch A Touch of Frost because I could not get rid of "Fools and Horses" out of my head in regards to David Jason. Despite numerous artistic gongs for his performance in this detective series, I refused to watch ATOF for years. However, recently, I watched an episode of "A Touch of Frost" because there was nothing else on the other channels. I was immediately hooked and was regretful for not having watched this series for the last twenty years. I tried not to miss all repeated episodes even though they were not in chronological order.
I have completely fallen in love with DJ's character, Detective Inspector Frost. He has had a number of different sidekicks for nearly two decades. His response to different types of characters and his boss, Superintendent Mullet, was a brilliant comic relief to dark and gritty backgrounds. This series bravely tackle with numerous social and political issues in the United Kingdom a long time before the others did. DI Forst responds to all human situations and other characters with understanding and compassion like a world-weary grandfather. However, I doubt whether any Frost exists in the British Police Force. Despite his "flawed character" labelled for his attempts to dodge paperwork and for his frequent politically incorrect jokes or comments or unpredictable behaviours and attitudes unacceptable to his social-climbing boss, Mullet, he is too likeable as a joker to be a real policeman! I am sad that DJ is too old to carry on as DI Frost. In the last episode, the loyal audience were pleased to see a hint of a long lasting romance and a happy retirement for their friend Frost while his friend, George was killed off. DJ said that the audience would not want to see his character in a wheelchair. Yes, I would miss Frost dearly for many years. However, I still have to catch with a few episodes that I have not had viewed.
Well, I still cannot decide whether I like Inspector Morse or not. I started watching it many years before A Touch of Frost. I simply watch Morse to look at the beautiful landscape of Oxfordshire, Oxford University, Oxford dons, Oxford students, Oxford social elites, their social rituals and rites, some snobbish views about Western classical music, Morse's attitude to women and men who are "less intelligent than he is", silly and incredible plots and different ways to kill other human beings in the most ridiculous factions or the most violent means. Oh Yes, Lewis! He is definitely a comic relief to Morse's insufferable dark mood. Other characters become shallow and pale under the dark cloud of Morse's over-domineering personality. Now, despite all odds, we have Lewis, a spin-off from Morse! Maybe people like to see all about Oxford and poor pale Lewis is just an excuse.
Then about the picture perfect, Midsommer Murders! Well, I watch this series to watch the interior decorations of English cottages and semi-palaces _ in almost white-only towns and villages of English countryside. I just look at flowers and plants in their cottage gardens. I also watch formal gardens of estates belonging to millionaires. I also "visit" various religious, social and cultural events without being caught in the middle of rival factions with small village mentality.
Incredibly, most of these beautiful country folks do not have any fear at all for their safety even after so many villagers had been murdered violently. In reality, a single murder would bring panic and administrative havoc in the whole county let alone in a small village.
Well, the placid Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, his quiet wife and well-behaved daughter represent a typical idealised middle-class English family living in an English countryside. This is good viewing for students all over the world to study the mundane life of an English family. Barnaby is a symbiosis of a village teacher, a village preacher, a village husband, a village father and a civil servant living in an English countryside. Well, We can also say that his character as a Chief Detective Inspector is quite believable because most British police officers, nowadays, have to be extra-polite and gentle to everybody even to the most violent criminals or terrorists. This is a long way from the thuggish characters in the Professional, a television series in the seventies. However, "Life on Mars" which were screened by BBC1 in 2006 and 2007 was a science fiction as well as a police procedural drama. This police fantasy drama reminds us of how different things were only thirty years ago here in Britain!
