We've now seen two feature length episodes in the new series of Daziel and Pascoe, and I'm a bit disappointed really. The stories seem less routed in reality (tonight's episode saw the murder of a "reality TV" contestant), and the stories a bit more hackneyed. We don't even have any back story to contend with. Certainly last week, Warren Clarke's Daziel had an old flame in the form of Phyllis Logan, but we seem to have completely forgotten about Pascoe's ex-wife (and kids I seem to remember). Daziel's heart condition has similarly disappeared.
Then there are other changes, no doubt unavoidable, with Wieldie disappearing and Spike appearing in the same role really as third detective. It'd just be nice to have this change addressed.
The direction tonight was a joke with lots of camera tricks employed. I can't tell you who directed it, but I'd like to think that they were mocking the style of reality shows, but I can tell you here and now that they didn't do it very well.
Finally, the guest stars. I think that the producers must believe that they're doing something like Murder, She Wrote, because we guest star after guest star detracting from the plot. I have no problem with David Soul or Ricky Tomlinson showing up, just not all at once in the same series. Spread them out a little more thinly please. To be honest, the same problem has afflicted Jonathan Creek in recent years.
Maybe it's just that I want a grittier detective series on television with murders to be solved each week. Instead we get this, or heaven forbid, Midsomer Murders. Yes television has to entertain us, but look at what crime fiction sells, and you'll find some grittier detectives around.
Posted by adambowie at January 11, 2004 12:38 AM