In this first episode, Dr. Lucien Blake comes to the home of his birth after military service and a tragic event in his life. He is alone and has a drinking problem. He works as a doctor, but more germane to this series, he is an adviser to the police department. We are also introduced to Jean Beazley, his housekeeper, who has more than a passing interest in him. She tries her best to keep him on the straight and narrow. But he is recalcitrant and likes to get on people's nerves. This episode involves a girl from a reform school who is run down deliberately by an unknown driver. We get to see some primitive forensics. I believe the personalities in this series will become very interesting.
6 Reviews
Doctor Blake debuts
TheLittleSongbird29 March 2018
'The Doctor Blake Mysteries' may not quite be among my favourite shows of all time, but it's a riveting series that keeps getting better and one of the better detective drama shows in recent years. It is always fascinating to see a mystery series from outside England and America, and 'The Doctor Blake Mysteries' is one of the better examples.
Unfortunately, 'The Doctor Blake Mysteries' tends to be buried within daytime television scheduling, both on the BBC when first getting into it three or so years ago and on not as much watched channel (i.e. Alibi). It also tends to be aired at a time where most people will be at school or work, for me it was during sporadic periods when not needing to go into music college. The series deserves much better than that when it has consistently been one of the better shows to be aired in the early afternoon.
It gets off to a very good, actually great, start with "Still Waters". There is an understandable finding-its-feet feel, very common in television with not many shows finding its groove straight away. The pacing for example got tighter and had a little more lustre later.
"Still Waters" though is, like the rest of the series, exceptionally well made. The post-war period is beautifully evoked in the sumptuous but also atmospheric settings and scenery and charming costumes and period detail. It is beautifully shot and atmospherically lit, the dark grey-ish tinge being very appropriate and adding much to the overall feel of the episode. It is scored sensitively and the haunting theme tune gets embedded in the brain, while the direction is suitably restrained.
For so early on, the writing is very good with the tone established very well. There is great thought-provoking dialogue that always makes the mystery elements interesting but the atmosphere doesn't ever feel too grim. The story is generally riveting, if at times slow, suspensefully written and you care about having it solved. The solution is not obvious nor is it too complicated. The characters are well written and more than just stereotypes, already Lucien Blake is a fascinating protagonist.
Craig McLachlan is superb in the role as well, quite possibly his best role and certainly the best acting he's ever done. He seemed an unlikely choice at first, but the character suits him perfectly. All the acting is very good actually, and seldom if ever any less.
In conclusion, very good start but the series got better later. 8/10 Bethany Cox
Unfortunately, 'The Doctor Blake Mysteries' tends to be buried within daytime television scheduling, both on the BBC when first getting into it three or so years ago and on not as much watched channel (i.e. Alibi). It also tends to be aired at a time where most people will be at school or work, for me it was during sporadic periods when not needing to go into music college. The series deserves much better than that when it has consistently been one of the better shows to be aired in the early afternoon.
It gets off to a very good, actually great, start with "Still Waters". There is an understandable finding-its-feet feel, very common in television with not many shows finding its groove straight away. The pacing for example got tighter and had a little more lustre later.
"Still Waters" though is, like the rest of the series, exceptionally well made. The post-war period is beautifully evoked in the sumptuous but also atmospheric settings and scenery and charming costumes and period detail. It is beautifully shot and atmospherically lit, the dark grey-ish tinge being very appropriate and adding much to the overall feel of the episode. It is scored sensitively and the haunting theme tune gets embedded in the brain, while the direction is suitably restrained.
For so early on, the writing is very good with the tone established very well. There is great thought-provoking dialogue that always makes the mystery elements interesting but the atmosphere doesn't ever feel too grim. The story is generally riveting, if at times slow, suspensefully written and you care about having it solved. The solution is not obvious nor is it too complicated. The characters are well written and more than just stereotypes, already Lucien Blake is a fascinating protagonist.
Craig McLachlan is superb in the role as well, quite possibly his best role and certainly the best acting he's ever done. He seemed an unlikely choice at first, but the character suits him perfectly. All the acting is very good actually, and seldom if ever any less.
In conclusion, very good start but the series got better later. 8/10 Bethany Cox
Still Waters
Prismark1026 November 2022
Set in 1959 with rock and roll entering the small town of Ballarat. Dr Lucien Blake (Craig McLachlan) is an world war 2 veteran and an ex prisoner of war in the far east.
Blake has returned to Ballarat to take over his late father's medical practice and also become the local police surgeon.
His first case is that of Ann Fitzgerald, a pregnant teenager who resided at the reform school. Her body was found in the lake but she Blake believes that she was run over.
The first suspect is teacher who might have made Ann pregnant, he also sells amphetamines to the local teens.
In reality a small sleepy Australian town in the 1950s was probably more backward than Ballarat.
Rock n Roll likely arrived in towns like Ballarat just before Mad Max was released in 1979. If you think I exaggerate even in the 1970s, Aboriginal Australians were classed as other fauna and flora rather than human beings.
So I will cut it some revisionist slack. Blake has a modern attitude which might be shaped by his wartime experience. After all Dystopian novelist and doctor, JG Ballard also grew up in prisoner of war camp.
Ballarat is full of stuffy and conservative men and women. Ann was looked down at for being a reform school girl. A larrikin type. Maybe an illicit love affair was a clue to her murder.
The first episode was a slog. Too much time with Blake being insufferable over a nude painting in a gentleman's club. I get it he is a maverick in a townful of wowsers.
In the end Blake has his suspect but no proof. Instead of police evidence, it is that old faithful, a full confession that clears up the mystery.
Blake has returned to Ballarat to take over his late father's medical practice and also become the local police surgeon.
His first case is that of Ann Fitzgerald, a pregnant teenager who resided at the reform school. Her body was found in the lake but she Blake believes that she was run over.
The first suspect is teacher who might have made Ann pregnant, he also sells amphetamines to the local teens.
In reality a small sleepy Australian town in the 1950s was probably more backward than Ballarat.
Rock n Roll likely arrived in towns like Ballarat just before Mad Max was released in 1979. If you think I exaggerate even in the 1970s, Aboriginal Australians were classed as other fauna and flora rather than human beings.
So I will cut it some revisionist slack. Blake has a modern attitude which might be shaped by his wartime experience. After all Dystopian novelist and doctor, JG Ballard also grew up in prisoner of war camp.
Ballarat is full of stuffy and conservative men and women. Ann was looked down at for being a reform school girl. A larrikin type. Maybe an illicit love affair was a clue to her murder.
The first episode was a slog. Too much time with Blake being insufferable over a nude painting in a gentleman's club. I get it he is a maverick in a townful of wowsers.
In the end Blake has his suspect but no proof. Instead of police evidence, it is that old faithful, a full confession that clears up the mystery.
Ok
darkdementress16 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
First episode is a bit slow. All this dumb time spent on this naked woman painting.. Filler. Not much guessing or interesting psychology behind the case. People blab on about nothing a lot and they jump back and forth too much. Stereotypical snotty house keeper. Thought she was his wife, and the other two? Kids? Borders? They are suppose to be young but they look 30 lol. I'll give it another few episodes but doesn't seem great so far.
Doctor Blah Mysteries
oldblackandwhite18 December 2018
It may not be fair to judge a television series by the first episode, but the first of the Doctor Blake Mysteries, Still Waters shows little promise. The series is supposedly set in the 1950's, but other than some old cars and blaring rock 'n' roll music, little is done to create the effect of the period. The exterior of the doctor's house looks like a 1980's style, and his own style is as politically correct as your most woodenly doctrinaire feminist school teacher. None of the actors, the director, or the script writers have any feel for the period.
Leading man Craig McLachlan in particular is not up to the role of Doctor Blake. He is supposed to be a WWII veteran, who was interned in a Japanese prison camp and has also suffered the loss of his wife and child in the war. But pretty boy, male model type McLachlan is simply too much the soft and comfortable looking Gen-X yuppie for us to believe he has ever had it rough. He doesn't really have much help the way his character is written. Doctor Blake is an insufferable prig, way ahead of his time and, oh, so superior to the other men of his association in his modernist views.. In fact the entire show is eaten up with socialist politically correct viewpoint. Director and writer should have heeded Louis B. Mayer's warning, "If you have a message, call Western Union."
The mystery itself is so elementary that even the greenest tyro at watching mysteries will easily deduce who done it. Especially since the culprit is broadly tar-brushed with the most one-dimensional unsympathetic treatment. Doctor Blake has only to be a little smarter than the dumbest of the cops to solve this one.
The Doctor Blake Mysteries: Still Waters is draggy, uninspired, sappy, heavy-handed, and unfaithful to its period setting, Only for the most desperate of insomniacs, zonked-out Gen-Xers, and brain-dead Millennials. Others should avoid it as if it were a kid with chicken pox.
Leading man Craig McLachlan in particular is not up to the role of Doctor Blake. He is supposed to be a WWII veteran, who was interned in a Japanese prison camp and has also suffered the loss of his wife and child in the war. But pretty boy, male model type McLachlan is simply too much the soft and comfortable looking Gen-X yuppie for us to believe he has ever had it rough. He doesn't really have much help the way his character is written. Doctor Blake is an insufferable prig, way ahead of his time and, oh, so superior to the other men of his association in his modernist views.. In fact the entire show is eaten up with socialist politically correct viewpoint. Director and writer should have heeded Louis B. Mayer's warning, "If you have a message, call Western Union."
The mystery itself is so elementary that even the greenest tyro at watching mysteries will easily deduce who done it. Especially since the culprit is broadly tar-brushed with the most one-dimensional unsympathetic treatment. Doctor Blake has only to be a little smarter than the dumbest of the cops to solve this one.
The Doctor Blake Mysteries: Still Waters is draggy, uninspired, sappy, heavy-handed, and unfaithful to its period setting, Only for the most desperate of insomniacs, zonked-out Gen-Xers, and brain-dead Millennials. Others should avoid it as if it were a kid with chicken pox.
Terrible writing
kristinbauer126 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I often wonder how writers do their research. Or do they?? The Mom who did it. Is a cold calculating NIGHTMARE but then After the doctor acuses her in the bar (and she reacts with strength and the forethought 'then you have no evidence'), she falls apart (??) and goes to the pond where the body was found....and CRIES??? Now giving the cops evidence! Wtf?!? ! And THEN in interrogation is once again cold to the degree of being psychotic. But, however, just admits to everything freely.
What?!?!
And why Didn't she burn the incriminating letters??? She's willing to fake a letter, run the girl over, drag her body in the car, drive it to the pond, and dump Her and her Purse but not get rid of the letters that are in the purse that incriminate her son?? Sooooo, she an idiot.
How are we as an audience supposed to engage and care if the writers put idiotic paper thin characters on screen??
Oh-And the Writers thought it'd be sensational if the doctor swallows the two pills. It's also stupid to ingest evidence. He could have taken one of them.
It's all dumb. Dumb writing. God love these actors for giving it their all with this Malarkey.
So stupid. Sorry actors. You were all great with this drivel. Not your fault.
What?!?!
And why Didn't she burn the incriminating letters??? She's willing to fake a letter, run the girl over, drag her body in the car, drive it to the pond, and dump Her and her Purse but not get rid of the letters that are in the purse that incriminate her son?? Sooooo, she an idiot.
How are we as an audience supposed to engage and care if the writers put idiotic paper thin characters on screen??
Oh-And the Writers thought it'd be sensational if the doctor swallows the two pills. It's also stupid to ingest evidence. He could have taken one of them.
It's all dumb. Dumb writing. God love these actors for giving it their all with this Malarkey.
So stupid. Sorry actors. You were all great with this drivel. Not your fault.
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