It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for the Thursday Movie Picks feature. This series is hosted by Wandering through the Shelves and offers you a weekly prompt to post some movie recommendations/talking points according to the theme. Usually, you are supposed to post about 3-5 examples, which I find a very manageable amount.
As it so happens, we change it up once per month and talk about TV shows instead of movies and today is all about shows in the Mystery genre! I feel like that’s such a huge pool to draw from, because there’s also a million sub-genres, that I’m super curious to see what everyone will come up with. Here are my picks!
Yellowjackets
Two episodes in and I am disturbed yet fascinated, grossed out but curious. It’s not a show for everybody and I find myself not being able to stomach some things, but it’s still interesting. I like the different timelines and how we only slowly uncover what happened and to what extent the situation really escalated. They went into more than just survival mode.
Only Murders in the Building
I didn’t think this was going to be for me, but it was so fun, I binged it all in a day or two! It has those typical amateur detective elements, but really great twists and hilarious cameos on the way. I enjoyed it a lot and am glad to know there’s another season coming.
Cruel Summer
Throughout the entire show, I kept finding myself going back and forth on who to believe and who to trust. I really liked the ending too, because of the implications it held, even if that meant that it wasn’t really closed. It works as a limited series for me.
Life and Other Disasters 
Lately I have been watching a 2001 version of Nero Wolf. I am really enjoying it. I think the original Nero Wolf novels are from the twenties or thirties. This version is set in the early fifties, but is otherwise quite faithful to the novels. I have seen several versions of the main characters in movie and television and there is a lot of love invested into this production.
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I haven’t seen any of these but you have me intrigued with Yellowjackets. I’ll have to look into that one.
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Yellowjackets is very disturbing, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued.
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Elementary is always a favorite of mine. And while it’s a slasher, the first two seasons of the Scream TV series had a strong mystery element that I loved. And there are a couple of police procedurals, like Castle and Law & Order: SVU, that I still enjoy. In fact, I tune into SVU every week there’s a new episode!
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Those are all shows that have been playing WAY too much at my parents, I can’t watch them anymore haha Like Castle and Elementary I’ve probably seen each episode 10+ times at this point and I just cannot anymore.
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Oh, you lucky girl! 😂
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At some point, it’s just TOO much haha
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I’ll take your word for it.
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Oooh! Yellowjackets sounds really interesting! Great list!
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Thank you! It’s definitely a disturbing show, but well made.
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I’ve only heard of the second which I’d like to see if I get a chance but I don’t have Hulu. Maybe someday.
The last also sounds intriguing so on the to see list it goes but that first photo for Yellowjackets looks like Juliette Lewis and I can’t abide her so if that is indeed her I’d never be able to make it though the show no matter how good it is!
I participated in Dell’s Girl Week blogathon at Dell on Movies this week and it inspired me to do a theme within the theme where all mine are carried by a strong female lead.
Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries (2012-2015)-Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis) is a modern young woman of means who sets herself up as a private investigator for cases that catch her fancy in 1920’s Melbourne, Australia. With her faithful companion Dot (Ashleigh Cummings) by her side and cloaked in one drop dead outfit after another Miss Fisher manages to suss out the villain time and again, sometimes with the help of Detective Jack Robinson (with whom she shares an unrequited flirtation as does his deputy Hugh with the fair Dot) and sometimes by butting heads with him. Fantastic series loaded with wit and style and the always assured heroine taking charge in a time when women were far less able to.
Mrs. Bradley Mysteries (1998)-Famed, somewhat notorious criminologist and author Mrs. Adela Bradley (the late, great Diana Rigg) with her loyal chauffeur George (Neil Dudgeon) at the helm of her Rolls Royce tosses off bon mots to the camera as they find intrigue and murder wherever they journey in 1920’s England. Like Miss Fisher Mrs. Bradley is a fashion plate albeit sporting a more mature but no less stylish look.
Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996)-Retired schoolteacher Mrs. Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) writes a mystery novel as a form of therapy after the recent death of her husband Frank. Unbeknownst to her her nephew Grady (Michael Horton) submits it to a publisher. It becomes a runaway bestseller and suddenly she is one of the most acclaimed authors in the country traveling worldwide week after week but always returning to her cozy Maine hometown of Cabot Cove. There’s just one small thing, wherever she goes murder happens!! And that cozy town has more deaths by foul play per capita than New York City! But fret not Jessica with a mixture of observation, common sense, intelligence and intuition is on the case to save the day!
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Juliette Lewis is in Yellowjackets, so I suppose that cancels the show for you. I’ve noticed you have some very strong opinions on some actresses haha I guess we all have some of those though.
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Only Murders in the Building – I actually really like this in the beginning. And while I still enjoy the humor…it’s a little too cozy…I prefer those shows with more suspense and more things at stake.
Cruel Summer is something I’ve only just started.
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I think I’m kind of opposite to you, because I’m not the biggest fan of darker, higher stakes. I liked the cozy vibes.
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Great post, Kat! I don’t watch too many mystery shows, so I’m always on the lookout for some recommendations ❤ Only Murders in the Building sounds like it could be a lot of fun!
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Thanks, Caro! Even though I sometimes pick really dark stuff (e.g. Yellowjackets), I tend to not enjoy crime and mystery as much. Only Murders in the Building was light and fun, while still offering great twists and tension – can definitely recommend it!
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I have not seen any of these because I don’t have Netflix,Hulu, Disney, Disney +, blah, blah blah…😁. I really want to see The one with Steve Martin and Martin Short. That made me laugh when the girl thought Sting was with U2. The first one sounds like. Take on the real life happening of the team that was in an air rash in the 1970s and had to resort to cannabilism to survive. The last one sounds good and I whave joe be willing to give it a go.
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Maybe Yellowjackets really is inspired by that real life event. It kind of sounds a little bit like it.
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