Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (TV Series) The Blood of Juana the Mad (2013) User Reviews

A perfect example of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries at its finest

[bensonmum2 · 8/10 · 2 June 2017]

Expecting to find the body of a recently deceased young woman, Dr Mac is shocked to discover the body of her colleague, Professor Katz, on the dissection table. Dr Mac asks Phryne and Jack to put aside whatever differences they may have to help solve the murder. Things are complicated when they discover a valuable manuscript missing from Dr Katz's wall safe.

The Blood of Juana the Mad is a perfect example of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries at its finest. The writing in here is very clever. I'm guessing that Phryne and Jack spend at least 75% of the episode trying to track down the missing book. The book turns out to be something of a false lead or red herring or a McGuffin or whatever you want to call it. The real clue to the murder is all but staring them in the face and no one recognizes it. Very well done.

Another really enjoyable aspect of this episode is the advancement of the Phryne / Jack relationship - or lack of a relationship. The way they try to investigate the same things without speaking or interacting with each other is brilliantly played. I especially like Phryne's discussion on how they should walk - should Jack be two steps ahead of Phryne or two steps behind? It's a hoot.

Well done all!

[carnes-2 · 10/10 · 7 October 2017]

This episode illustrates everything wonderful about the series: great story, great casting and characterizations, wonderful production values. The location shots, as well as the always impeccably turned out Miss Fisher, are a feast for the eyes.

I especially appreciated the advancing--which is to say, stalling--of the relationship between Miss Fisher and Jack. Jack is a hurting soul battered by his nasty divorce and tied in knots about his feelings for Phryne. They both know she can't give him the comfort he needs. The sexual tension between male-female lead roles in detective series has entered the realm of cliché, but the hopelessness of Phryne and Jack's attraction is bringing a freshness. Brilliantly portrayed.

Scattershot episode

[atrickyone · 5/10 · 4 May 2021]

The better mysteries provide you with at least some clues or half-clues as to the perpetrator. In this case we learn the identity of the culprit a few minutes from the end, and his motive comes out of the blue. That lops off two stars right away. Also to have a patently autistic person (though it's not discussed) working in the kind of institution in question would have been inconceivable in those days (trying to avoid spoilers). Also there were too many red herrings / dead ends. Of course the production is lavish but that's no substitute for a well scripted story.