Gransnet forums

TV, radio, film, Arts

Crime series from the past

(33 Posts)
NanKate Sun 17-Oct-21 21:48:37

I decided to watch the first episode of Blood in the Wire by Val McDermid. It was made in 2001. Instead of feeling I had plenty of episodes to watch when I am at a loss to find something interesting to view, I was horrified by the brutality of it, which included a lot of torture of gay men. I’m surprised the series was a success. I like Robson Green usually.

Can you recommend any old crime series which are worth a second or even a first viewing ? Also where they can be accessed.

Susie42 Tue 26-Oct-21 13:46:55

The Last Detective with Peter Davison in the lead. And a couple of American series, Hill Street Blues and Homicide: A Life on the Street.

Wheniwasyourage Wed 20-Oct-21 21:22:34

Yes to Bergerac, Dalziel & Pascoe and New Tricks (all on DVD). What about Adam Adamant? I used to love that.

DillytheGardener Wed 20-Oct-21 21:19:17

ayse and merylstreep I don’t like britbox because the things I used to watch for free that were produced by the BBC or ITV are on Britbox and as I already have Prime (free delivery was very useful during the lockdowns) and Netflix I can’t justify paying for another streaming site.

dahlia Wed 20-Oct-21 14:26:12

We enjoyed watching "Prime Suspect", but don't know if this is available now. "Happy Valley" was so gripping on I-Player, even though we weren't able to access sub-titles so some of the broad Yorkshire was a bit hard to understand. Yes, I remember George Dixon - "evening all" - we watched Saturday evenings over tea. We would think we had entered another universe if we saw it now, but the crook was always caught, nobody seemed stressed and the bobby still walked his beat!

Chardy Wed 20-Oct-21 07:35:33

Have recorded Blue Murder on ITV2 from 2008 (with Caroline Quentin) recently, and am enjoying them. And several of the Michael Gambon Maigret series are sitting there, awaiting my viewing pleasure too.
I am very fond of Law & Order too (both US and UK)

ayse Wed 20-Oct-21 06:54:42

They have Shetland on BritBox and many more full series such as The Accused, Hunted, River, Scott and Bailey and Unforgotten plus many more. IMO, BritBox is getting better as time goes by.

ayse Wed 20-Oct-21 06:49:46

MerylStreep

DillytheGardener

oopsadaisy1 where did you find the box sets online to stream? Hope they are not on the dreaded Brit Box.

What do you find offensive about BritBox ?

Well, I love BritBox. Some of the new series on ITV show on BritBox minus the ads. Currently I’m busy comparing the Darling Buds of May with The Larkins. They have a number of musicals such as Phantom and Cats.

I do thing Wire in the Blood is horrendously violent and couldn’t watch it anymore.

nanna8 Wed 20-Oct-21 06:06:36

Agree re Val McDermid books. I used to like them, perhaps I have mellowed? They get a bit repetitive. I used to like the very old Van der Valk with that blonde man, Barry Foster I think. He looked so Dutch though I believe he is English. I used to like Softly Softly when I was very young though it probably had dated now. Anyone remember Dixon of Dock Green- wow that ages me, doesn't it?

absent Wed 20-Oct-21 06:00:11

I watched The World of Tim Frazer and Van de Valk with my Mum – Jack Hedley and Barry Foster respectively. When I was even younger I was a huge, but very youthful fan of the still black-and-white series of Fabian of the Yard until Patricia Driscoll – she of Picture Book fame – played the criminal who tempted the children with sweets. Rather later, I hugely enjoyed Who Pays the Ferryman? also starring Jack Hedley. Some years later my husband and I had a holiday in Elounda where pretty much every taverna played the theme tune every twenty minutes.

grannydarkhair Wed 20-Oct-21 03:50:24

Vice, with the wonderful Ken Stott. Prime Suspect, Shetland. Not British but absolutely brilliant is Spiral, on iPlayer. Other non-British - The Killing, The Bridge, Wallander, Inspector Montalbano. Not sure where to access any of those four.

grumppa Tue 19-Oct-21 12:30:33

Maigret with Rupert Davies and Ewen Solon as Lucas.

eazybee Tue 19-Oct-21 11:46:55

I read a few of Val McDermid's books and found them sadistic in tone; I watched one Wire in the Blood and found it unpleasant so don't read or watch her work anymore.

JessK Tue 19-Oct-21 10:00:52

I used to love Cracker with the wonderful Robbie Coltrane.

Scones Tue 19-Oct-21 09:21:02

Parsley3

Bergerac, anyone?

Yes please!! It's been rerun in the afternoons recently and I've loved it. Love the 80s fashions and hair. Jersey is beautiful and the young John Nettles is a thing of joy. grin

Interesting article here with the promise of more Bergerac to come www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-jersey-58834378

Sarnia Tue 19-Oct-21 09:15:41

Witzend

Sarnia

I always enjoyed The World of Tim Fraser.

Oh, so did I! Is it available on e.g. Netflix?

Ditto the original Van Der Valk (Walk?) I didn’t care for the remake at all.

I am driving myself mad trying to remember the name of the actor. I will have to give up and Google it, I suppose. I will try Netflix.

Marydoll Mon 18-Oct-21 19:49:59

Witzend, I was also a fan of Dalziel and Pascoe. Colin Buchanan, who played Pascoe, seemed to disappear after he left.
I enjoyed both the Rebus books and TV series.

When I was young, I was hooked on Dixon of Dock Green and No Hiding Place.

Witzend Mon 18-Oct-21 19:39:57

Sarnia

I always enjoyed The World of Tim Fraser.

Oh, so did I! Is it available on e.g. Netflix?

Ditto the original Van Der Valk (Walk?) I didn’t care for the remake at all.

Witzend Mon 18-Oct-21 19:37:57

I like Dalziel and Pascoe, Rebus and Frost.

I used not to like Val McDiarmid’s books, or more precisely I tried one but the horrible, sadistic violence put me right off. It made me think she must herself enjoy it!
So I never watched any of her TV stuff.

I’ve recently read a more recent one of hers, and found it a much easier read, though.

Roger1 Mon 18-Oct-21 19:29:48

Happy Valley.

MerylStreep Mon 18-Oct-21 19:27:31

DillytheGardener

oopsadaisy1 where did you find the box sets online to stream? Hope they are not on the dreaded Brit Box.

What do you find offensive about BritBox ?

Sarnia Mon 18-Oct-21 19:20:47

I always enjoyed The World of Tim Fraser.

Parsley3 Mon 18-Oct-21 10:16:16

Bergerac, anyone?

Kate1949 Mon 18-Oct-21 10:12:01

We loved Cracker.

NanKate Mon 18-Oct-21 09:53:33

Thanks Annie all the type of programmes I like.

Anniebach Mon 18-Oct-21 09:38:01

I watch BritBox, not the dreaded Netflix. BritBox is America free.

Morse, Granchester, Vera, Frost, Broadchurch, DCI.Banks,
Sherlock, Happy Valley, Unforgotten, and many more.