There is no shortage of mysteries in the streaming world. At the touch of a button, you can watch mysteries and action thrillers from around the world. If you are okay with subtitles, there are some incredible films and TV programs from France, Sweden, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Subtitles require us to abandon all attempts at multi-tasking, but if you want to be transported into the setting, it’s worth putting down your cellphone for a couple of hours.
I enjoyed the Stieg Larsson series about the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in the Swedish films starring Noomi Rapace. The trilogy was adapted into three films which were a bit grittier and less polished than the American version of the first book which came later.
I also enjoyed watching the French TV drama, Balthazar, about Raphaël Balthazar, a forensic pathologist in Paris, who converses with the bodies on his autopsy table to help solve the mysteries of their deaths. He also has some personal drama surrounding the unsolved murder of the love of his life. Add to the mix a no-nonsense chief inspector named Hélène Bach and you have instant chemistry.
From Italy, I enjoyed Inspector Montalbano, based on the books by Italian crime writer, Andrea Camillieri. Montalbano is a detective and head of police for a small town in Sicily. Many of his cases are dark and complex, but his quirky team of subordinates are amusing and help balance out the drama.
British mysteries don’t require subtitles, but you must pay attention, or you will miss the subtle nuances that make them exceptional. I’ve mentioned several programs in previous articles, but Midsummer Murders, Vera, Father Brown, and Grantchester are all popular who-dun-its. Many British mysteries have moved from Prime to Acorn or Britbox, but others including some great mysteries from Australia and New Zealand are available on the free streaming services, Tubi or Plex.
Moving on to North America:
I recently finished Season 1 of The Flight Attendant starring Kaley Cuoco and I was pleasantly surprised. No spoiler alerts – Cuoco’s character, Cassandra Bowden is living life in the fast lane as flight attendant with an international airline. She drinks hard and parties harder. After one such night, she wakes up in bed with Alex, a passenger she hooked up with during an overseas flight, only to discover he has been murdered. Cuoco pulls off the drink addled screw-up, but we also get to see the intelligent but damaged and vulnerable woman who drinks to blot out a childhood tragedy. It’s a plot and a character that’s been done before, but Cuoco brings so many dimensions of her character to life, it’s turning a kaleidoscope. I haven’t started Season 2 yet, but I’m excited to see what happens next.
I stumbled onto several TV movies based on popular cozy mystery series on the Hallmark Channel while watching Amazon Prime. I tried the free week and was hooked. I have to admit, not all the mysteries series are winners – a few are corny with weak characters and so-so acting , but others are real gems.
Making my favorites list of Hallmark Mysteries are:
The Fixer-Upper Mysteries based on the books by Kate Carlisle. They star Jewel who has surprising acting chops and Colin Ferguson. Episodes are filmed in the United States and Canada. The mysteries are clever and well-acted. There are three mysteries so far and I don’t know if there will be more.
The Crossword Mysteries starring Lacey Chabert and Brennan Elliot. Chabert plays Tess Harper who creates and edits challenging newspaper crossword puzzles. The first mystery starts when Tess realizes a series of murders being committed are based on clues in her crossword puzzle. Detective Logan (Elliot) is skeptical ate first, but Tess proves her theory. Logan and Tess have chemistry and their relationship develops slowly as the series continues.
The Flower Shop Mysteries are based on books by Kate Collins. The series stars Brooke Shields, Brennan Elliot, and Beau Bridges. Shields stars as Abby Knight a former criminal defense attorney turned flower shop owner. Knight is the daughter of a retired homicide detective, Jeffery Knight (Beau Bridges). Elliot plays Marco, the handsome owner of a restaurant near her shop. Abby is smart and funny and can’t seem to keep out of danger. Marco is her co-conspirator while her father tries to keep his daughter safe. The series is filmed in the United States and Canada.
In a quick shout out to Canadian TV, two of my favorite mysteries are
Murdoch Mysteries and Cardinal. The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo is a children’s mystery television series. It’s often referred to as “Nancy Drew for the 90s.” it can be rented or purchased on Vudu or Amazon Instant Video.