Is Jonathan Creek suitable for a 10 year old?

[SpikeWithoutASoul]

My DD has worked her way through every episode of Death in Paradise and wants another detective series to watch. I’ve never watched Jonathan Creek. Is it ok for her? Any other suggestions? Thanks.

Not sure if she would like them but I remember watching the Poirot series' on ITV at a young age and enjoying. Pretty sure that's age appropriate. The David Suchet ones x

The Madame Blanc mysteries are quite good, and the Mallorca Files as a PP said

What about Columbo? I loved that series at 10

I second the Father Brown recommendation. Great cosy crime sleuthing.

I love Jonathan Creek. I used to watch it with my grandparents when it was originally on tv, so I would have been around 8-10.

Ive rewatched them all as an adult- yes, there are some sexual references but they definitely mostly went over my head as a child. In general it's very mild. 'Danse Macabre' is still my favourite episode!

Midsomer Murders is a good one, some of the older ones have some 'un PC' jokes and (mild) sex scenes in but a lot would go over her head. The later series are tamer in terms of sex etc.

I'd also recommend Poirot (the David Suchet ones).

5USA shows Colombo on a loop every Sunday 😂

I watched them at that age and loved them although there definitely are scary bits. I would recommend watching them either with her or ahead of her to make sure she won’t get too scared.
There’s one episode where a corpse mysteriously “climbs” up stairs from a basement after its dead and that one definitely scared me. For some reason I was convinced he would come out of the wardrobe and get me for a while!

It had a really inconsistent tone; some episodes were quite cosy and some were like horror movies. I remember one episode where a person got cut in half lengthways by a saw. It was horrific and it gave me nightmares for years.

@NightmareSlashDelightful that was the one I was thinking of - still creeps me out. Also the one where the corpse climbs the stairs which a PP mentioned.

I want to rewatch them now. My favourite was the one where someone was reported dead in the USA but “came back to life” later.

There’s quite a fun podcast that goes episode by episode through Jonathan Creek if you wanted a way to check the content in advance without watching the show itself: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/up-the-creek-a-jonathan-creek-podcast/id1539291207 the presenters are fans but do segments like ‘grot cabinet’ and ‘that’s not alright’ to talk about the more pervy and non-PC elements of the show!

Honestly, it is a show where I would watch each episode before your dd dioes. Most of them were fine but there is the odd one that my not be suitable.

Oh gosh yes. I loved it growing up!

I’d say yes! On a similar ilk there’s also Hetty Wainthropp Investigates. What about Foyle’s War? May possibly be a bit too outdated though.

I would also recommend Poirot, especially the newer ones (possibly skip Murder on the Orient Express though).

The corpse that climbed the stairs was a pretty scary looking grizzled old cruel man, the implication being that even after death he was still coming after his victim - that was definitely pretty scary as a concept. There was another one where someone was killed in a nuclear bunker and - spoiler alert - the murderer was still there with his victim, he bricked himself up in the bunker and died himself as well. Quite spooky. I always liked dramas like that as a kid too, but you run the risk of particular images or storylines sticking in your brain and coming out when it's bedtime!

Agree there are quite a few sexual jokes and innuendos. Adam the magician guy is always saying and doing inappropriate things. Nothing too extreme but it was the late 90s and some bits about general attitudes to women, misogyny, etc haven't aged that well.

There's definitely a scene in an early episode, possibly the pilot episode, where the stage magician (not Jonathan) puts his hand down the top of his assistant and has a good grope around. I remember it was an early one because the character was still played by Anthony Stewart Head in his pre-Buffy days and it was weird watching Giles feeling someone up 😬

I know Jonathan Creek is fiction not true crime, but this thread does remind me of this image... 😆

I'm still traumatised years later by the bath episode with Sheridan Smith. Gave me nightmares for years and I'm 40.

Haha I'd forgot that sawed in half episode. Meh! She's ten, it'll be fine. 10 year olds show eachother much worse than that on their phones in the playground these days lol.

I'd recommend Monk if we're thinking about other detective shows.

Yes that's the scariest one for me too! Followed by the man "climbing the stairs" mentioned above.

Ooh, thanks for the link @PerpetualStudent

This thread has had a very unexpected outcome: decided DD is probably too young and sensitive for Jonathan Creek, but now I REALLY want to watch it! Thanks all! Hopefully there’ll be a few episodes she can watch once I’ve worked my way through them. DH was just saying we need a new series to get into. Not sure he meant one from the 90s. 😁

I think 10 is too young. I am 33 and there are some episodes that completely freak me out. It’s a shame she doesn’t like S&H as that is much safer at her age.

My ds has watched most of them - there were a few I said no to much to his disgust!!

He has though loved Midsommer murders, Shakespeare and hathway, father brown and the spin off Sister Boniface. Wasn't so keen on Murder she wrote which I still love 🤣

My 11 year old loves Poirot and Midsomer Murders so it’ll be fab to follow up on other suggestions in this thread

Can anyone recommend any detective shows suitable to watch with my 12 year old. She loves detective books and wants to watch some detective shows. Thank you :)

I'd forgotten about this thread!

DD is 13 now and still loves detective stories. We've watched all the poirots including the Kenneth Branagh films; she binge watched death in paradise a couple of years ago; loves the Knives Out films; loved Ludwig on BBC iplayer; quite enjoyed A Good Girl's Guide to Murder but found it a bit dark; watched the Sherlock films but not the TV series. Still haven't watched Jonathan Creek though!