RHYS BOWEN: This is a new and exciting direction for Jungle Red Writers. I was approached by Britbox to review a new Britbox Original mystery series, called GRACE, making its debut today! How cool is that!
As most of you know, I'm a huge fan of Britbox. It has been my rock, my escape, during the past year. When I have been stressed, depressed, feeling isolated, I have gone to Britbox and binged on my favorite silly old comedies: Are you Being Served, Keeping Up Appearances, The Vicar of Dibley etc etc, or my favorite mysteries: Miss Marple, Vera, Poirot, Death in Paradise... I could go on and on. If you like British television this is an absolute must.
What the Brits do so well is to create real, human, flawed but likable detectives. Think of Morse, Dalziel and Pascoe, Banks, Vera. Meet Detective Superintendent Grace, (played by John Simm--Life on Mars). Some of you may already be familiar with Detective Superintendent Grace, the creation of Peter James. James isn't so well known in the States but he is a mega-star in the rest of the world, and with good reason. He writes taut, edge of seat plots in the manner of Prime Suspect. The books have now been turned into a TV series written by the creator of Endeavor, Russell Lewis. What more could you want?
Anyway, this first episode introduces us to DS Grace, a man who has fallen from grace, (couldn't resist the pun, sorry) been sidelined and is now suspect because he has used a medium to help him solve a crime. He is stuck with cold cases when he is recruited by a young Detective Sergeant to help him with a very current case--a man is missing after his stag night. His stag buddies were in a van crash. Two are dead and one in a coma. But no sign of the groom. His background reveals a dodgy company with offshore assets. But then we, the viewers, learn what has happened to the groom and that his fate lies in the hands of a disabled man. This is when the nail biting begins.
You know me--I'm a cozy sort of gal. But I could not stop watching. I think I held my breath for an hour. Brilliant acting from John Simm and the sort of jigsaw puzzle cinematography that is the hallmark of British TV. I particularly like the multi-racial cast that feels very natural. Everybody go and watch and tell me what you think!
Here is a link to the trailer to whet your appetites!
So do you like the idea of occasional recommendations for movies or TV on Jungle Reds?
