To be honest, I'm sure people have heard of them and may also like/love them too but I don't hear much about them. I wasn't aware of things like fandoms and ships and all that, I'm still gettng to know this side of bloggers who love this stuff, things that I like, so I'm hoping there are others out there who might agree with me about these shows. I think Haven, Pushing Daisies and at a push Ashes to Ashes are typical fandom type shows and the others I just really really love.
Haven
I felt like no one was watching this when it started in 2010. I loved how it was about a mysterious town where people had mysterious 'powers'. It was a police drama with a supernatrual side as well as having folklore twist. It was, what some would say, my jam. I loved the cast and I was rooting for Audrey and Nathan all the way. Sometimes shows aren't complete with a ship. I think the last season which was split into 2 parts could have easily been made into 1 and saved time. I still, to this day have not seen the last ever episode just because I'm scared of the end. I know people were surprised that the show got a second season but after that point it was winning. Five seasons, great show.
Ashes to Ashes
I actually turned my nose up at this not-your-typical police drama from the BBC. My friend said I was crazy to miss it so I caught up and loved it. In fact I was very much invested in the story about D.I Alex Drake who is shot in modern day and sent back in time to 1981. This was a follow up series to Life on Mars which was set in 70s. I loved the cast and who can resist the 80s. Keely Hawes is brilliant and her Alex Drake to Philip Glenister's Gene Hunt. Not only was there a case to solve in each episode, but there was an ongoing storyline which became more sinister as the series progressed. There was also the plot throughtout series 1 and 2 about how Alex could get home to her time then in series 3 how she could get back to the 80s to save her friends. As with most UK shows, they come to an end, even if there is room for more. Three series of great TV.
Banshee
I have been very patient with watching this show, meaning that I hadn't been able to find the show online, I only saw trailers until season 1 was released on DVD. I binge watched this show, I couldn't help myself. I hadn't really saw anything like it even though it sounds run-of-the-mill. It's difficult to sum the show up in a few sentances but its about an ex-con who used to work for the mob who, upon release after 15 years in prison seeks out his love who has moved to Banshee under another name. But on the way a fight breaks out and innocent bystander is killed. He happened to be the town's new sheriff that no one has met yet so our ex-con (4 seasons in and we still don't know his real name) assumes the identity of the dead sheriff. Throw in some Amish, a disgruntled Indian tribe AND an ex-Amish crime-lord with a pet pyscho and you've got a damn fine show.
Pushing Daisies
I think I could be wrong about not many people knowling about Ned the pie maker who can bring the dead back to life, at a price. Lee Pace and Anna Friel lead the multi-coloured delicious world of Pushing Daisies. It has everything I could ever want, Lee Pace for starters, singing, lots of pies, amazing colours and oh the production design of everything is to die for but most importantly its a murder mystery show complete with a wonderfully sarcastic PI (Chi McBride) and every hopefully singing wonder waitress Olive (Kristin Chenoweth). Why oh why did this dream have to end after only two seasons?
Crimes of Passion/Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
This is a cheat double whammy of period drama murder mystery, one from Sweden, the other from Down Under aka Australia. Yes they make dramas too, not just export soap operas. Both TV series are based on a series of books, both with a female protagonist who solve crimes, one as a PI, the other who assists her Detective friend and husband.
Crimes of Passion, set in 50's Sweden, only had 6 feature length episodes (similar to a Miss Marple set up), but Puck, Eje and Christer were quite succesfull, especially over in the UK, but alas there doesn't seem to be any further episodes in motion. Those Swedes really do know how to make excellent murder mysteries though.
I was pleasantly surprised by Miss Fisher and co though. I watched the first two series after they kept popping up on Netflix when I had nothing else to watch. I find that when this happens I always end up addicted (American Horror Story, Fringe, Orphan Black, Tomorrow's Cantabile). Miss Fisher's wealthy heiress lands in 1920s Melbourne and quickly makes friends (and lovers) with everyone. She is the definition of fabulous. She has suffered in her youth, her younger sister being murdered and her father a terrible gambler, she worked through First World War in France and came out lucky and wealthy the other side. Her and Detective Jack Robinson are the perfect pair (the internet agrees). The show actually has a big following that I never knew about, so of course I embraced the fandom happily. There is talk of a movie to go with the 3 seasons so far.
