The principle mystery story involve the death of a Jockey who had more problems than one can relate here. Suffice it to say, his death and the death of his horse ends up affecting everyone. In addition to the murder issue, we have a serious gambling problem to address. The second story involves the arrival of Blake's Chinese wife after seventeen years. He had spent a great deal of time searching for her, actually locating his daughter. She showed up at the close of the previous episode as Blake was about to propose to Jean. Now he is put in the position of honoring his vows. But the tension is about as thick as can be. This is a well-done episode and I look forward to seeing what happens with this other issue.
4 Reviews
Death of the jockey
TheLittleSongbird3 May 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.
Season 4 was very good to great up to this point. "Against the Odds" is a very good episode, especially for the mystery and the usual great things but is not as good as the previous three episodes.
The biggest problems being the uninteresting and not very well written character of Blake's wife and for me their subplot was not investable and veered on the soap operatic. Didn't see much need for either the character or the subplot, and would have much rathered that the writers built on the relationship/chemistry between Blake and Jean. A shame because the rest of the episode is very good.
Am glad to see the back of Munro. His combative relationship with Blake did get finally more interesting in the last two episodes of the previous season, but the character with his cold fish nature never did it for me. The new superior is a far more appealing character, and while he has not quite settled fully there is a good deal of promise, there is authority but there is more warmth.
By now, 'The Doctor Blake Mysteries' felt like it had found its feet and had established things well by this point. Relationships and characters continue to deepen, the mysteries are even twistier and the pace has more lustre.
Like the rest of 'The Doctor Blake Mysteries', "Against the Odds" is 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.
Writing continues to be 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 riveting, suspensefully written and you care about having it solved. The solution is not obvious nor is it too complicated, very neat without being too pat. The characters are well written and more than just stereotypes, Lucien Blake still has it in how fascinating a character he is.
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. The relationships between the characters are mostly worth investing in other than the aforementioned relationship.
All in all, very well done. 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.
Season 4 was very good to great up to this point. "Against the Odds" is a very good episode, especially for the mystery and the usual great things but is not as good as the previous three episodes.
The biggest problems being the uninteresting and not very well written character of Blake's wife and for me their subplot was not investable and veered on the soap operatic. Didn't see much need for either the character or the subplot, and would have much rathered that the writers built on the relationship/chemistry between Blake and Jean. A shame because the rest of the episode is very good.
Am glad to see the back of Munro. His combative relationship with Blake did get finally more interesting in the last two episodes of the previous season, but the character with his cold fish nature never did it for me. The new superior is a far more appealing character, and while he has not quite settled fully there is a good deal of promise, there is authority but there is more warmth.
By now, 'The Doctor Blake Mysteries' felt like it had found its feet and had established things well by this point. Relationships and characters continue to deepen, the mysteries are even twistier and the pace has more lustre.
Like the rest of 'The Doctor Blake Mysteries', "Against the Odds" is 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.
Writing continues to be 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 riveting, suspensefully written and you care about having it solved. The solution is not obvious nor is it too complicated, very neat without being too pat. The characters are well written and more than just stereotypes, Lucien Blake still has it in how fascinating a character he is.
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. The relationships between the characters are mostly worth investing in other than the aforementioned relationship.
All in all, very well done. 8/10 Bethany Cox
Blake Fails as a Friend
Johnny_West10 May 2023
The story about the dead jockey is pretty lame. The jockey was a legendary local figure, and the owner of the horse and stables that he rode for was also legendary.
As someone who should have money if she is running her own racing stables, supposedly she fixed the race so she could bet 150 Australian pounds (which is about $120 US dollars). Then she kills the jockey because he did not intentionally lose the race?
A horse lover who works at the stable is depicted as mentally disturbed due to her love for horses. Eventually she goes on a rampage by shooting at the various stable characters that she blames for a horse's death. That was a mean way to deal with a character who loved horses.
The worst is saved for Dr. Blake's wife. She arrived at his house at the end of the previous episode, after 17 years missing after World War II. Blake should have cared for his wife, considering all the times he was seen suffering about her fate in previous episodes.
Blake runs a lodge for guests / tenants, so giving his wife a room and taking care of her basic needs should have been a given. They should have immediately contacted their mutual daughter and aranged for a reunion. The story should have been about helping his wife feel she had a family.
Instead, the story focuses on how uncomfortable Blake and Ms. Beasly are due to May Ling's return. A gigantic fail. What seems like a day or two later, May Ling tells Blake she understands what a problem she is, and she will go stay at a hotel.
What a pathetic character Blake is to accept that, considering that he is renting rooms to lodgers. May Ling should have been treated like a welcome member of his family. She spends 17 years looking for her family, and all she finds is the incredibly shallow and selfish Dr. Blake and Ms. Beasley.
So Blake takes May Ling to a hotel to be by herself, so that Blake and Beasly can feel less uncomfortable that she is alive and that she is in town. I feel like both of them are very shallow and trashy characters after this episode. He is an alcoholic and she is his enabling secretary / girlfriend.
As someone who should have money if she is running her own racing stables, supposedly she fixed the race so she could bet 150 Australian pounds (which is about $120 US dollars). Then she kills the jockey because he did not intentionally lose the race?
A horse lover who works at the stable is depicted as mentally disturbed due to her love for horses. Eventually she goes on a rampage by shooting at the various stable characters that she blames for a horse's death. That was a mean way to deal with a character who loved horses.
The worst is saved for Dr. Blake's wife. She arrived at his house at the end of the previous episode, after 17 years missing after World War II. Blake should have cared for his wife, considering all the times he was seen suffering about her fate in previous episodes.
Blake runs a lodge for guests / tenants, so giving his wife a room and taking care of her basic needs should have been a given. They should have immediately contacted their mutual daughter and aranged for a reunion. The story should have been about helping his wife feel she had a family.
Instead, the story focuses on how uncomfortable Blake and Ms. Beasly are due to May Ling's return. A gigantic fail. What seems like a day or two later, May Ling tells Blake she understands what a problem she is, and she will go stay at a hotel.
What a pathetic character Blake is to accept that, considering that he is renting rooms to lodgers. May Ling should have been treated like a welcome member of his family. She spends 17 years looking for her family, and all she finds is the incredibly shallow and selfish Dr. Blake and Ms. Beasley.
So Blake takes May Ling to a hotel to be by herself, so that Blake and Beasly can feel less uncomfortable that she is alive and that she is in town. I feel like both of them are very shallow and trashy characters after this episode. He is an alcoholic and she is his enabling secretary / girlfriend.
Story is unbelievable about his marriage
ctyankee127 January 2017
This is about horses and horse racing and a jockey is killed.
This episode of Dr Blake wants us to believe in stories that are nuts.
Dr Black sees his wife after not seeing her for 17 years. His wife Mei Lin Blake I believe is Chinese, talks with the doctor, her husband and he tells her how he looked for her everywhere and could not find her.
Dr Blake talks about a daughter he met and his wife has not seen her. He tells his wife that their daughter has children.
The writers tries to make us believe that Dr Blake never divorced his wife and she never divorced him after not being together 17 years.
It seems that Jean, Dr Blake's house maid the one he is in love with is very uncomfortable after Dr Blake invites his wife with them for dinner and Jean find out this is the wife she never knew or met. Jean is very kind and nice to Mrs Blake.
This leaves everyone not knowing what to do. Dr Blake does not unite with his wife.
Do the writers want us to believe he loved his wife so much he never had a girlfriend?!!
The end is surprising about how the jockey died and who did it.
This episode of Dr Blake wants us to believe in stories that are nuts.
Dr Black sees his wife after not seeing her for 17 years. His wife Mei Lin Blake I believe is Chinese, talks with the doctor, her husband and he tells her how he looked for her everywhere and could not find her.
Dr Blake talks about a daughter he met and his wife has not seen her. He tells his wife that their daughter has children.
The writers tries to make us believe that Dr Blake never divorced his wife and she never divorced him after not being together 17 years.
It seems that Jean, Dr Blake's house maid the one he is in love with is very uncomfortable after Dr Blake invites his wife with them for dinner and Jean find out this is the wife she never knew or met. Jean is very kind and nice to Mrs Blake.
This leaves everyone not knowing what to do. Dr Blake does not unite with his wife.
Do the writers want us to believe he loved his wife so much he never had a girlfriend?!!
The end is surprising about how the jockey died and who did it.
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