lizziebobizzy replied to your post “Hello! I am in a stage at the moment where I’m looking for more media...”
not to turn the tables but what are some good lighthearted murder mysteries?!
The classic and well-known Midsomer Murders is something I think of as quintesential lighthearted murder mystery. It’s as much of a comfort watch as a murder mystery can be, I’d say. (With the caveat that some episodes are gorier/bloodier/darker than others.) Each episode is an hour and a half long and the mysteries are often the kind you can figure out as you go along, so you gain a sense of superiority over the characters. My favourite seasons are the ones with DS Jones, but all of the main character’s companions have been lovely. There are usually some great performances and nice comedy beats through the episodes.
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries is excellent. I preferred when we had more of an episodic season rather than the serial we got in the first season, but it’s seriously great. Melbourne in the 1920s? Yes, please. Several hour-long episodes each season? Yes, please! Also, Phryne in the TV series is perfection; she’s empathetic, strong-willed, devilish, stunningly sexy, and who I want to grow up to be.
Brokenwood Mysteries is also excellent. Do you like Midsomer Murders and/or Miss Fisher? Do you wish the accents were a little more evil? Do you want a recurring cast of characters among the witnesses rather than a complete new set of people every episode? This New Zealand murder mysteries series is for you. There are only 4 episodes a season, but like Midsomer, they’re an hour and a half long each. Also, Mike/Jared, guys. Mike/Jared.
Psych is also also excellent. It is The Mentalist, before The Mentalist existed, except Shawn is trying to convince everyone he is psychic, apart from his best friend Gus, who knows he’s not. Instead, Shawn has an eidetic memory and is the son of a cop. Also, Shawn is shippable with everyone. He’s a character who should have been canon bi, because he’s so bi. These episodes are 45 minutes long and some of the plots are am-ay-ay-ayzing. James Roday is criminally underrated as an actor. Somehow, even though you could come away finding Shawn the most obnoxious character ever, you end up loving him and finding his antics endearing most of the time.
Poirot is probably where my love for this genre started. I’m not talking about the telemovies they ended up with, but the first three seasons of 45 min to hour long episodes with David Suchet. Ms. Lemon, DCI Japp and Hastings are perfection and each episode is a little pocket of joy. Not all of the episodes are closely adapted from Agatha Christie’s work and I honestly think the show’s better for it. I liked the Suchet telemovies, don’t get me wrong, but they don’t all have the same sparkle as the episodic TV show.
