If the number of comments on any one TwitFace post gets to fifty, all those who have commented will receive 500 days off purgatory. Should the comments ever reach one hundred I will grant all the participants a general plenary. Now, you don't get offers like that on Facebook!
Your subject for discussion today is:
COPS AND DETECTIVES ON TV
Off you go then!
Intellectual crumpet just has to be Benedict Cumberbatch playing Sherlock Holmes. When are we going to get a second series BBC?
ReplyDeleteAurelio Zen, mmmmmm yummy.
ReplyDeleteIs that enough?
Jules Maigret played by Bruno Cremer. I like old scarred men that smoke pipes.
ReplyDeleteMr. Cumberbatch is not bad to look at, but he speaks so quickly, (yes, I know that is due to director) I have a hard time following the dialogue.
Strictly from the USA and my childhood, the 1950s, Chief Dan Matthews played by Boderick Crawford on "Highway Patrol."
Ian Carmichael was a little over age in grade for Wimsey, but I liked him anyway.
ReplyDeleteAnd then seeing William Conrad reminds me that I used to listen to Gunsmoke regularly when I was in high school. Then, during my darkest year and a half from February 1973 to November 1974 I not only watched Cannon but I became very fat.
ReplyDeleteI thought someone was supposed to be bringing ginger beer??
ReplyDeleteI not only watched Cannon but I became very fat.
ReplyDeleteBut did you solve any big cases?
Best name for a sidekick? Magersfontein Lugg, a former burglar and now manservant to Albert Campion in the books written by Margery Allingham, and wondefully played by Brian Glover in the 1989/90 TV series.
ReplyDeleteOMG, Susan, I haven't thought about this for years: "Whenever the laws of any state are broken, a duly authorized organization springs into action. They may be called the State Police, State Troopers, Militia, the Rangers, or...the Highway Patrol. These are the stories of the men whose training, skill and courage have enforced and preserved our state laws." (Lah, da, da, da, da.)
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing what is buried in the folds of one's brain that was learned from weekly repetition while a grammar school aged child. Also, please note the stories were all about men, of course.
I got nothin'.
ReplyDeleteI'm not one to watch tv.
I don't believe that, Tracie. I think you're just trying to hide your secret Magnum P.I. fixation from the rest of us :-)
ReplyDeleteNo, no, no, no. I was promised a telling off for going off thread. Mad One, you stand revealed as someone who is not a man of your word.
ReplyDeleteI'm partial to Cadfael myself...go figure.
ReplyDeleteBut you wanted to be told off, Cathy. And I didn't tell you off. That is punishment enough.
ReplyDeleteI was in middle school when I started reading Agatha Mysteries. I've been reading mysteries, and watching them on TV, ever since. My earliest days: Dragnet with Jack Webb as Joe Friday, and The Naked City (I don't remember the detectives but James Franciscus played one of them)we watched religiously.
ReplyDeleteThen British TV series came to the States. I am in heaven! Joan Hickson is the definitive Miss Marple. Hercule Poirot - definitely David Suchet. (I can't stand Geraldine McEwan as Marple, but Julia McKenzie is good - I just don't like the style of these latest versions of the Marple stories).
When Morse (John Thaw)was on, I never missed a one. I read every book and watched every episode.
When Colin Dexter killed Morse off, I thought, Now what shall I watch? But then, someone had the brilliant idea of making a series on then-Sargent Lewis/Kevin Whately. I saw the pilot and I was hooked. That dishy Sargeant Hathaway (Laurence Fox, and I mean fox!) - wow! And the timing between the two is brilliant.
I'm nattering on way too long. I'm done now. Can this count as three replies?
The first thing I thought of when I read the topic was 'The Thin Blue Line' with Rowan Atkinson. I'm not sure why I thought of it since I've only seen a few episodes. Maybe it was because I watched the Mr. Bean movie the other night when I couldn't get to sleep.
ReplyDeleteCathy, I have ground ginger in the cupboard and beer on the back porch. Does that count for ginger beer?
Grew up w/ Dragnet and FBI. Watched Law & Order (the original) for a few years. Now, sometimes watch L&O:UK . . . just for my girl Freema Agyemann! ;-D..
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I just have too many anarchist sympathies, to get too involved in cop shows anymore...
Nobody has yet mentioned the definitive Sherlock Holmes, the late (and much lamented) Jeremy Brett? He eclipsed Basil Rathbone in his first two minutes onscreen.
ReplyDeleteBut you wanted to be told off, Cathy. And I didn't tell you off. That is punishment enough.
ReplyDeleteThe Vatican should definitely put you in charge of something, you fiendish fellow! :-)
Yes, Jean, I thoroughly agree!! Brett was the best!
ReplyDeleteWell, how about Inspector Lynley and
ReplyDeleteSgt. Barbara Havers? and of course the L&O SVU crew! And all of Lois's mentions above.......
Nij
What about "Colombo"?!
ReplyDelete"One more question ... "
The original grumpy sod of the Glegsa CID Jim Taggart! And Jeremy Brett was the definitive Holmes. I saw him live on stage as Holmes in His Majesty's Theatre Aberdeen.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what anyone is on about with those old shows, I never much heard of any of them. But I watch a lot of cops and detective shows over the internet from the US:
ReplyDeleteThe CSI franchises; Las Vegas, Miami and New York
The NCIS franchises; NCIS and NCIS, Los Angeles
The Law & Order franchises; all of them, especially L&O Los Angeles and L&O UK when I can find it
The Closer
(The new) Hawaii Five-0
Blue Bloods
Detroit 1-8-7
Favorite cop/detective actors -
Donnie Wahlberg & Will Estes - Blue Bloods
D.J. Cotrona - Detroit 1-8-7
Alex O'Laughlin - Hawaii Five-0
Adam Rodriguez - CSI Miami
Jamie Bamber - L&O UK
Cathy, I have ground ginger in the cupboard and beer on the back porch. Does that count for ginger beer?
ReplyDeleteIt's not Fentimans but will definitely fill in in the meantime, Kevin :-)
Given my penchant for anime, "L" from Death Note is one of my favorites for sheer weirdness. Cadfael is the top for interesting stories.
ReplyDeleteNot a TV detective, but William of Baskerville in The Name of the Rose is one of my favorites for cool, patient logic.
Now, here's a mystery:
ReplyDeleteHow in the hell, in Albany, GA, do we now have a section in Publix - a relatively large one, btw - that has such exotica as the following:
Heinz Salad Cream
something called "brown sauce"
Jaffa Cakes
Branston Pickle
Picallili
cans of "mushy peas"
something called "Barley Water"
Hob Nobs
Of course, it's not as large as the section with more identifiable things like oyster sauce, wasabi, rice sticks, panko, and Pocky.
About the same as the one with lokum, date cookies, tahini, sesame candy, Turkish coffee, or the one with matzoh, gefilte fish, Shabbas candles.
Of course, no where near the size of the entire aisle with yellow rice, bulk spices like tamarindo, dried peppers, and my much-belove Klass instant hibiscus-flavored drink.
Ah, that will be the creeping Anglicanisation of America. Having lost the military advantage we have switched to our second front option of world domination through mushy peas.
ReplyDeleteBut there is one bit of good news, Mark. Should you ever suffer from certain female problems, I understand that barley water is an effective treatment.
Actually, the only one that gave me pause was the Branston pickle - it looked like someone had bottled the jelly-like substance found towards the bottom of a compost heap.
ReplyDeletePicallili sounds a lot like Southern chow-chow.
Jaffa cakes actually look pretty good.
Mushy peas - could go either way.
Jaffa cakes are delish!
ReplyDeleteBut I warn you, if you eat one you will end up eating the whole packet one after another.
Back to tv cops and detectives, and suchlike:
ReplyDeleteSome I grew up on -
Julie, Pete and Linc from The Mod Squad
Carl Kolchak from The Night Stalker (technically, just an investigative reporter, but, there ya go)
Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote
Quincy, M. E.
MacMillan and his wife.
The Harts
and, of course, the daring adventurer/spy/detective Danger Mouse, of the series of the same name.
Orange and chocolate can't miss!
ReplyDeleteA&E's Nero Wolfe starring the late Maury Chaykin!
ReplyDeleteHas anyone mentioned Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle? I enjoyed Foyle's War very much.
ReplyDeleteHow about Tom Barnaby from "Midsomer Murders"? Like Jessica Fletcher's Cabot Cove, Midsomer (all/any of them)strike me as places that should be depopulated by now. Who knew the English countryside contained such violence under its bucolic facade?
ReplyDeleteAlso, another vote for Joan Hickson's Miss Marple as best ever.
@Mark: Branston Pickle is great. Try it as a spread on a sandwich of good bread* with some slices of sharp cheddar cheese + decent beer on the side. Yummo!
ReplyDeleteAs for the topic at hand, never was much of a TV cop show fan. But I do enjoy stuff like the "Brother Cadfael" mysteries with Derek Jacobi and Kolchak from "The Night Stalker."
*I like the rustic Italian bread from Whole Foods...
In England, when there is a murder, especially in a posh place, up to a hundred policemen will turn up. Mobile operation centres are driven in and the whole area will be crawling with CSI types and journalists.
ReplyDeleteIn Midsomer, Barnaby and his sidekick will calmly solve any murder on their own without any technical assistance whatsoever. Mind you, they should be good as they do get a lot of practice as you rightly point out Other Jean.
Agreed with Liz by the way - that Rufus Sewell is an impressive-lookin' male, quite unfairly so really.
ReplyDeleteThere was a Hungarian cop on Silent Witness last night who was insanely hawt.
TV detectives don't tend to be a particularly attractive lot on average, however.
On a completely different note, I agree totally with David about Branston pickle, though home-made pickle can be even better.
And as to cops as such: Hill Street Blues. None finer.
ReplyDeleteYou are all talking bollocks, really.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure who the absolute greatest tv cop is but I can narrow the field down to three: Leslie Nielsen, Officer Dibble and the inspector off the Pink Panther Show.
I really loved Inspector Morse...and I loved Prime Suspect...and I am partial to NCIS currently (although, per most things, I'm watching it in reruns).
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of cops and robbers.
But really, like Larry, I most appreciate Cadfael...
Fluffster
Ooh, Cathy. Rufus Sewell. I believe I first ran across him in "Cold Comfort Farm." He makes a great villain too. And dishy.
ReplyDeleteBack on thread before I get in trouble:
L&O: SVU - I loved Marisa Hargitay but it was her costar who kept me coming back for reruns.
I adore CSI - the original in Las Vegas with Grissom (seasons 1-9).
Yes Paul, he has fabulous eyes, and cheekbones :-)
ReplyDeleteFluffster - Jane Tennison rules.
I remember thinking with 21 Jump Street way back when, in an era when Johnny Depp was a relative unknown, thinking that he had a beautiful face.
ReplyDeleteOooo..and I forgot about Dalgleish! I luf him too! And, Colombo!
ReplyDeleteFluffy
Ooo..Ooo and Robson Green as D.I. Dave Creegan in Touching Evil..I luffed him too!
ReplyDeleteFluffy
Don't forget Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe as Robert Goren and Alexandra Eames on "Law and Order: Criminal Intent".
ReplyDeleteAnd of course Raymond Burr as Robert T. Ironside on "Ironside".
Sandhill Man
Also, the weather here in NJ is gross..you'd think it was winter or something. Cripes.
ReplyDeleteFluffy
And I've got a wild hair up my nose that is most troublesome...especially when i'm watching cop shows...
ReplyDeleteFluffy
And also..I wonder which bbq most cops prefer - dry rub or bbq sauce, beef or pork? Do you suppose Tennison ate BBQ or just curry?
ReplyDeleteFluffy
And I don't believe in the Easter Bunny any more...
ReplyDeleteFluffy
wv: dipsycoh (I think this is a statement...)
Have we broken 50 posts yet?
ReplyDeleteI really need those days off purgatory...
Fluffykins
Can't forget Jerry Orbach, who spent years as Detective Lennie Briscoe on "Law and Order." The show hasn't been nearly as good without him. I'm also a fan of Richard Belzer's John Munch, who was excellent in "Homicide," but doesn't have enough to do in L&O:SVU.
ReplyDeleteWhy, yes, I do like mysteries and detective shows. I go back to Jack Webb as Joe Friday--in black and white.
I can't believe all these comments and not a single reference to Charlie's Angels...as a young'n.
ReplyDelete(How I went from Charlie's Angels to Cadfael, I'll never know...)
And don't forget Helen Mirrem......
ReplyDeletetop performances!
Nij
I'm not worried about the Purgatory deal - I expect to find myself in the Bardo - but you guys are all I have to talk to.
ReplyDeleteAnybody mentioned ol' Marshall Dillon, yet?
It just occurred to me, with that, that Walnut Grove's closest thing to law enforcement seemed to be Charles Ingalls.
Dalziel and Pascoe.
Inspector Frank Drebbin, definitely.
Joe Friday and, especially, Bill Gannon who followed up an impressive policing career by becoming a colonel overnight and keeping an entire MASH unit operating during the Korean conflict.
Skip Homeier - he was an actor, not a tv detective, but I can't resist the name Skip Homeier.
Let's not forget that not all tv "cops" are good guys, either, and yet are still compelling:
Alfred Bester in Babylon 5
Vic Mackey in The Shield
Lt. Hunter on Hill Street
and, mentioning Drebbin, we have to also remember:
Capt. Miller
Detetectives Wojciehowicz, Fish, Dietrich, Yemana, Harris and Amenguale!
How could I forget? Not many episodes made it to the US, but I loved David Jason as "Jack" Frost in "A Touch of Frost." More, please?
ReplyDeleteMy first flute teacher looked a little bit like Jack Webb, aka Joe Friday, on "Dragnet".
ReplyDeleteAre we to read anything else into that, Alison?
ReplyDelete