Category: TV

Tidy Tidbits: Women in Crime & Chemistry

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FEMALE CRIME FIGHTERS

International Women’s Day was this week on March 8th. It seems appropriate, therefore, to focus on women in this post. In the olden days, TV detectives and police officers were pretty much always white men. It’s gratifying and fun to see women—brown, white, Indian, and Irish—as the lead characters in recent crime series. Here are three series, all of which happen to be set outside the U.S., where women are in charge or at least trying to be.

Murders in Birmingham

DI Ray (Prime Video)

Richita Ray & colleague Tony (SBS Movies)

DI Richita Ray is a newly promoted homicide detective tasked to work on a case that is culturally sensitive. Feeling that she is a token hire based on her ethnicity, she faces obstacles from her higher ups as she leads her team in investigating the death of an Asian businessman.  Ray is organized and quick-witted and the episodes are full of action.  She’s also engaged to a white man, also a police detective.  Her relationship with him provides both support and then challenges.  There are four episodes in Season 1, all revolving around the initial case.  I’d call it good viewing, but not exceptional.

Drugs & Terrorists in Ireland

Hidden Assets (Prime Video)

Detectives Emer & Christian (SBS)

Set in western Ireland and Antwerp, Hidden Assets, is a suspenseful series about drugs, diamonds, and international terrorism.  Detective Sergeant Emer Berry and her counterpart in Antwerp, Christian De Jong, work together to solve the murder of an illegal immigrant and to prevent a suspected bombing, both related to a wealthy Irish family.  Tightly written, this may keep you on the edge of your seat.  Recommended!

Crime in Victorian London

Miss Scarlet & the Duke (PBS Masterpiece) 3 seasons

Eliza facing off against William (salon.com)

I’m late to the game of Miss Scarlet …and have just started watching Season 1.  Headstrong and willing to take risks, Eliza Scarlet was always her private detective father’s apt pupil.  When he dies, she defies convention and tries to make it on her own as his successor.  It’s a struggle and she frequently buts heads with Scotland Yard Inspector William Wellington (the Duke) who has little patience and no real interest in helping her succeed.  How she acquires unexpected financial support and gradually gains the Duke’s respect make for an engaging series thus far.

FUN READING—A REBELLIOUS WOMAN

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Author Garmus (Irish Examiner)

Bonnie Garmus’ comic novel, Lessons in Chemistry, was Barnes & Noble’s book of the year for 2022 and continues to ride high on bestseller lists.  I loved it and found some of it laugh-out-loud funny which is unusual for me.

It’s set mostly in the early 1960’s. Any woman who lived through that period, or anyone who has experienced job discrimination due to her gender, will be able to identify with chemist Elizabeth Zott.  Elizabeth is unconventional and determined.  

A talented scientist, she gets short shrift on lab equipment and space and initially accepts her fate.  Taking beakers from “boy wonder” Calvin Evans’ lab, gets her noticed and they become a couple.  But she rejects his proposal of marriage.  When he dies, she is a single mother and soon out of job.  

Her daughter Madeline is unusual also and when Mad and another girl tangle, Elizabeth receives a TV job offer from the other girl’s father.  Elizabeth becomes the host of the cooking show, Supper at Six.  Elizabeth’s straight talk and excessive candor horrify the producers, but over time she wins over her audience as she treats them as capable women.  The novel is a fun tour de force that gallops across the pages with witty twists and intriguing turns and a distinctive cast of characters. Highly recommended! (~JWFarrington)  

Note: Header photo showcases International Women’s Day and is courtesy of Diario AS.

Tidy Tidbits: Watching & Eating

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PURE ENTERTAINMENT

The Three Musketeers

Sword play (Herald Tribune)

We had almost front row seats for the Asolo Theatre’s action-packed performance of Ken Ludwig’s The Three Musketeers.  The early 17th century was the era of duels and only the slightest of slights could result in being called out.  Thus, there’s plenty of slashing and smashing of swords, leaping, and jumping about, and even the occasional fisticuffs.  This adaptation of Alexander Dumas’ work re-envisions and strengthens the role of women, especially Sabine.  This Sabine, D’Artagnan’s sister, is herself an accomplished swordswoman and won’t surrender to just attending a convent school.  She’s in there with the guys.  

King Louis is ineffectual, his queen is clever, and arch enemy Cardinal Richelieu is conniving, while the musketeers, along with the exuberant D’Artagnan, are ever ready to defend and serve.  It’s rollicking, fun, and even funny! Performances run through March 26.

MURDER IN THE AGE OF FREUD

Vienna Blood (Prime Video, 3 seasons)

Max & Oskar (Endor-Productions)

In 1906, the work of Sigmund Freud was the subject of debate and controversy in the Viennese medical world.  Young doctor Max Lieberman, a disciple of Freud, applies his theories and analyses to his patients and then to coming up with psychological profiles of murder suspects.  Shadowing a very reluctant detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt, Max’s insights help solve a case, and the two become “partners in crime.”  The murder scenes are graphic and even gruesome, and the crimes often revolve around religion, art, or the occult.  

Over the course of three seasons, the relationship between Max and Oskar evolves from strictly professional to comrades to a genuine friendship.  The title refers not only to the victims’ blood, but also to Viennese high society.  Great attention is paid to, and great concern is evinced about one’s standing and one’s reputation in the community.  

It took me a few episodes in Season 1 to become immersed in the series, but once I did, the Chief Penguin and I made it our focused viewing every evening.  I also enjoyed seeing the evolution of Clara Weiss, Max’s former fiancée, from society belle to emerging career woman.  Recommended!

DINING OUT—STEAK & MORE

Modern Chop

Interior (Restaurant Guru)

Modern Chop is a welcome addition to the west Bradenton dining scene.  Located close to Blake Hospital, it bills itself as a steakhouse, but it’s much more.  Yes, several cuts of beef are on offer, but also seafood, pasta, and vegetarian dishes.  

Short rib entree

The bar area was lively with lights and sound when we entered, initially giving me pause, but the hostess then led us to a slightly removed space with nicely spaced tables, large comfortable chairs, and quiet.

Our waiter was pleasant, and our foursome enjoyed everything we ordered.  We shared an appetizer of fried calamari which was excellent, and then individually we sampled the impressive short rib with truffled potatoes and carrots, almond crusted rainbow trout with Béarnaise sauce, and bucatini with chicken in a gorgonzola sauce.  It was an experience well worth repeating!

Rainbow trout with risotto and asparagus

Note: Header photo of Manatee County Map courtesy of whereig.com. Unattributed photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Tidy Tidbits: Art, Angst, & Autism

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BEAUTY IN GLASS

Bromeliads planted like a mosaic

Each year, Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota highlights the work of a notable artist as inspiration for special art throughout the gardens.  Other years have built on the interplay of art and nature in the works of Andy Warhol, Marc Chagall, and Monet.  This year’s focus is on the stained glass art of Louis Comfort Tiffany.  There are pieces both in the conservatory and throughout the landscape. 

Hanging stained ”glass” in the conservatory

 I think it is one of the most successful exhibits in this series.  Tiffany: The Pursuit of Beauty in Nature is on display through June 25th.  It’s well worth visiting!

Desert plants seen through a colored panel

RECENT READING

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

As has been noted, Kingsolver’s latest novel, Demon Copperhead, is a modern variation on Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield.  Demon, birth name Damon, is the child of a teenage addict and an absent father.  When his mother dies, he becomes the responsibility of a sorry welfare system and endures a series of mostly terrible foster homes.  Overworked, mistreated, and bullied, he is nonetheless a survivor.  

Lacking in self-esteem, his early shining moments are starring on the football field and being elected homecoming king.  He has artistic talent which he occasionally values, but he lacks the confidence in his abilities to seriously pursue it.  A badly injured knee damages him both physically and mentally, and he descends into a drug-fueled existence.  He functions, but not fully.

The novel is all in Demon’s voice.  The sentences are delivered in a breathless almost hasty tone with occasional staccato-like bursts.  There is humor and coarse language wrapped in a surprisingly engaging character.  

The writing is terrific, but the book is just too long!  I got bogged down with all the teenage boys’ antics and shenanigans about two-thirds in and set the book aside for a week.  Then I returned to it, determined to finish, and felt rewarded by my efforts in the last several chapters.  For me, the ending was a satisfying one.  Overall, recommended with reservations. (~JWFarrington)

OUTSTANDING SERIES

Astrid, season 1 (PBS)

I mentioned Astrid in an earlier blog post and have now watched the entire first series.  It is excellent on several levels.  Astrid works in criminal records and is blessed with an encyclopedic memory and keen observation skills. She is also autistic and at the beginning of the series quite timid in her dealings with other people and the world in general.  Paired with detective Raphaelle Coste, Astrid provides insights and knowledge of previous murders instrumental in solving the latest crime.  She even manages to win over the somewhat crusty pathologist Fournier. 

The cases are intriguing and usually hinge on some connection to an earlier crime.  What was most engaging for me was the growing friendship between Astrid and Raphaelle and watching Astrid gain in confidence, able to practice basic social niceties.  I also enjoyed the interactions between the members of Astrid’s autism support group and the wise guidance provided by William, the group leader.  The series is in French with subtitles.  Highly recommended!

Live plants echo the colors of the glass

Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.) Header photo is of a screen at Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota.

Tidy Tidbits: Books & More

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READERS’ FAVORITES

Here are a some of the book recommendations I received from my regular readers.  You will see a few familiar titles here as well as new ones. 

And There Was Light by Jon Meacham (nonfiction about Abraham Lincoln)

Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout

Booth by K. J. Fowler

The Swimmers by J. Otsuka

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Memory Keeper of Kyiv by Erin Litteken (historical novel about Ukraine in the 1930’s)

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley (YA novel by an Indigenous author about two teens’ clash of cultures)

For other recommended titles see the public comments on the blog site at https://www.jauntingjean.com/reading-favorite-books-of-2022/

A NOVEL FOR OUR TIME

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

Boylan & Picoult (mysteryandsuspense.com)

I’m always leery of novels written by two authors, but I’m a fan of much of Jodi Picoult’s work.  She has a history of tackling contemporary issues, often divisive ones, from abortion to racism to genetics.  Her latest novel is co-written with Jennifer F. Boylan, author of several novels and the memoir, She’s Not There, which I can also highly recommend.  

This is a novel about secrets, what we choose to share with others, and what we keep private.  It’s also a love story, a book about how we define ourselves, and a suspenseful courtroom drama.  Olivia and her son Asher escaped to New Hampshire when Olivia left an abusive marriage.  She takes over her father’s role as a professional beekeeper.  Ava and her teenage daughter Lily move from Seattle and California.  Ava is a forest ranger working in the woods.  Lily becomes a student at the local high school, plays cello in the orchestra, and meets and likes hockey team star Asher.  Without revealing too much, these four lives become intertwined in unexpected ways.  

This is an absorbing, gripping, and sensitively written novel.  As the work of two writers, I found it seamless.  And it’s a book I would gladly place on the shelves of any and every high school library! (~JWFarrington)

WATCHING: NEW SEASONS

Whitstable Pearl, Season 2 (Acorn on Prime)

Pearl & Mike (IMBd)

In Season 2, oyster bar owner and private detective Pearl Nolan becomes more of a private eye, and the cases she helps solve are more tragic than in the first series.  Detective Mike McGuire remains dispirited over the death of his wife, but has a new partner, upbeat Kate.  Pearl appears to have moved on with her own new squeeze, schoolteacher Tom, but there are still intense glances between Pearl and Mike.   Overall, the series is darker than Season 1 and, except for one episode I found somewhat silly, entertaining drama.  

Under the Vines, Season 2 (Acorn on Prime)

Griff, Louis, Daisy, Tippy, & Gus (Libertine Pictures)

Daisy and Louis are still together running their jointly owned New Zealand vineyard in this lighter-hearted series.  As the season opens, Louis’s son and wife are both visiting, creating a crowded house, and upending the fragile developing romance between him and Daisy.  Secondary characters, Griff, Gus, and Tippy, bring gay and Māori perspectives to the series.  It’s funny, but not fluffy, and serious at points without being somber.  New episodes are being released weekly on Mondays. 

Note: Header photo of a school library courtesy of az12.org.