To think that Vera is the worst crime drama of our age?

[MorrisZapp]

I love a cosy ITV procedural, and happily go along with the expositional dialogue and hoary old stereotyped characters but fuck my old boots this is unwatchable stuff.

Tinkly 'suspense' music, mugging to camera, and her grating voice drove me over to Grand Designs by the second ad break. I believe it's on season 11, so clearly it's a much loved show in some quarters.

YABU - how dare you, I love watching detectives two decades past retirement age turn up and call a corpse 'pet'

YANBU - it used to be finely nuanced, edgy stuff but I feel it's lost it's way somewhat

I really dislike Vera and I'm usually a fan of cosy detective dramas.

I've tried a few times but can't get into it. She mumbles a lot and her character is too cold for me.

Give me John Nettles as Tom Barnaby in Midsomer Murders over Vera any day 🥰

Oooh can I offer up "Diagnosis Murder" ?

In my defence I only caught fragments of this show but basically :

DickVan Dyke is a hospital doctor
His son is a Homocide Detective

Between them they solve an unreasonable large number of murders .
Dr Sloan pokes his nose into the world of crime .
Thankfully his son doesn't try and perfome an appendectomy in return

Actually, does anyone have any recommendations?

Annika, currently on Alibi channel. It’s a bit quirky, has Nicola Walker and each episode is around 50 minutes, so the plot clips along nicely. I can see it wouldn’t be for everyone, but I love it.

I'm just getting into Annika was a slow start but it's got into its stride. There is also rubbish continuity like vera.

I can think of far worse things.

YANBU.

I love Brenda Blethyn. She’s made me cry on stage.

Why, though, does Vera always find the bit of torn cloth or matchbook that forensics have missed?

I think John Nettles is wooden in Midsomer.

All of these programmes are formulaic, but it’s quite comforting that you know what to expect.

I enjoyed McDonald & Dodds very much and I hope they make more episodes. Jason Watkins is such a good actor.

I still think of Jason Watkins as Herrick in Being Human.

@RampantIvy

I still think of Jason Watkins as Herrick in Being Human.

He'll always be Gavin from TROLLIED to me.

I agree re Gavin. Bless him!

We’re enjoying Annika too at the moment- it’s the right length and cosy. Boats give it a nice twist too.

Still love Vera as well though, sorry OP.

@Puffinhead

The first episodes are loosely based on the books and they’re the better ones. Later ones have got silly.

Funny, I think exactly the opposite. Got better when they ran out of books to dramatise. DW hates it. I think it's great. Vera reminds me of an old boss of mine. Geordie lady solicitor.

@InFiveMins

I really dislike Vera and I'm usually a fan of cosy detective dramas.

I've tried a few times but can't get into it. She mumbles a lot and her character is too cold for me.

Give me John Nettles as Tom Barnaby in Midsomer Murders over Vera any day 🥰

I love the Midsomer books but the TV series is awful. Barnaby is a lot harder in the books. Nowhere near as cosy as John Nettles plays him and Sgt Troy is a total bastard and sleazeball.

@flapjackfairy

Has anyone seen an old series called the Last Detective with Perer Davison.i enjoyed that !

If you enjoyed the tv series flapjackfairy you might enjoy reading the original 'Dangerous Davies' series of books by Leslie Thomas, if you haven't come across them.

The first book was called Dangerous Davies: The Last Detective, hence the tv programme's title.

I think the books are better than the tv series.

@flapjackfairy

Has anyone seen an old series called the Last Detective with Perer Davison.i enjoyed that !

We are currently watching them on Drama, and enjoying them.

Have watched Midsummer murders over and over since they were first aired. Poor old Tom Barnaby never had a clue who’d done it, until he went to bed and sour faced Joyce would tell him something that she had read in her book, and suddenly it would all fall into place … DH and I used to joke that, for a while, whoever was the most famous person in the cast was the murderer.

I live locally and my friend's house was used in an episode. Apparently Brenda Blethyn was really lovely

I bloody love Vera. I want to be her when I’m old.

I love Vera.

Except for the way she talks to / treats her team. She is an appalling manager.

The good news is there is a season four of Shakespeare and Hathaway and it’s due to air any time!
Ooh, that IS exciting news.

For those who like Death in Paradise check out The Mallorca Files (on iPlayer), Der Usedom Krime / The Nordic Crimes (?) All 4 Walter Presents, and the Sandham Murders (Amazon Prime). :)

Death in Paradise is one I just can't get into at all. It seems so lame, I keep expecting it to be a comedy spoof or something.

@Greentrianglesarethebestones

I bloody love Vera.

I only discovered the Miss Silver books in lockdown. I devoured every single one of them. Absolutely brilliant.

@NapoleonOzmolysis

Father Brown and Grantchester are the same thing except one is CofE and one RC. That's it. It's exactly the same otherwise. Scenery ✅ housekeeper ✅ sidekick ✅ useless policeman ✅

Grantchester is really hot though.

Death in Paradise is my fav. Never watched Vera or Endeavour but might start after reading this thread.

I Watch Death in Paradise for the scenery. The plots less so

@Droite

YABU, definitely.

Talking of Peter Wimsey, they did a good version a few years ago with Edward Petherbridge. They could do with being re-shown.

Edward Petherbridge and Harriet Walter are the most perfectly cast Peter and Harriet possible. I wish we could have that series with those actors, but with modern production values.

Oh, and I don't understand how Shetland manages to be an advertisement for the Shetland Isles, when it turns every remote croft and pub into either a murder location or a trafficking hub, but it does.

Also I don't understand how Perez with his funny-shaped head and gloomy mien is attractive, but he is.