grandmabrat Reviews

Murdoch Mysteries (2008– )

I can't believe the reviews!

[9/10 · 23 March 2024]

Such a good show and the reviews keep commenting with criticisms. The variety of quirks is very interesting, from Murdoch making things that haven't been invented yet, women having positions that they would never have been allowed to fill in real life. These are the interesting parts of this show. If they followed real history it would have been boring all all get-out. It is part of the show. Not showing anti-catholic racism is a good thing not a flaw in the writing. Sometimes, in fiction, you don't have to stick to real history. That is a good thing. Lets not enable it in the present era.

Murdoch's relationship with his wife is probably what people would have seen in those days and not a rerigging of history.

Midsomer Murders (1997– )

I'd like to review the reviews.

[10/10 · 7 February 2024]

Some reviewers do not even seem to have seen this show. One person said Midsomer was a town, it is a County. Others comment on whether they like one Barnaby or the other. Sigh. The show is the best mystery on tv today or ever. What more can you ask of it? No terrible violence, the police aren't fighting each other and arguing. The scenery is of lovely British homes and gardens. And you get to find out who did it in the end. Each show has its own slant and context so there is no boredom. I've seen each episode at least twice and I enjoy them every time. Put your judgment aside and enjoy, don't complain.

Paint Your Wagon (1969)

Best darn musical movie ever done.

[10/10 · 9 December 2023]

Regardless of what many people have judged Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin by, they have talent and did a fabulous job. The movie is a great story, not just fabulous scenes done on a stage with great singers. Stop judging the small details and enjoy. You certainly can say it is not boring. If you don't like it, go elsewhere for your entertainment. I hate opera but that doesn't keep other people from appreciating it. I hate sopranos screeching but does that mean fans should stop listening? Don't judge Paint Your Wagon by the same standards. It is a one of a kind musical movie, with some features of the time, not today. I love Lee Marvin's singing and also Clint Eastwood's. They are not supposed to be the same as Harve Presnell. This is a different kind of musical. Get a Clue, People.

Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2012– )

I'm not going to watch anymore. Can't stand how he rubs it in.

[4/10 · 25 October 2023]

So many times he rubs it in that people have ancestors that were slaves. He keeps asking how does that make you feel? It is like he is wanting them to feel bad. And when he has white men who have children with black women, he doesn't seem to understand that it could be because they loved them. One case in particular, the white man seemed to really love a black woman but Gates just could not admit it might be true. Through history there has been love between black and white people, it is not impossible. To deny these cases is denying history and humanity. If love between races was impossible there would not be so many light skinned black people. My opinion.

Marple: Sleeping Murder (2006) Season 2, Episode 1

One of my favorite Miss Marples!

[10/10 · 4 May 2023]

While it is supposed to be added later, I love the interaction between the woman and the helper her fiance has assigned to help her. It shows kindness and support in a lovely way. The rest of the story is good and has lovely clues and tales along the way. Enjoy it more than once, I have. About 3 or 4 times so far. One of the best Miss Marple's in my opinion and the culprit was a surprise a couple of times. But it does seem very plausible and understandable, which is not frequent in my experience. I did not see it coming and neither will you probably. Enjoy this Miss Marple with Geraldine Mcewan, who is my favorite Miss Marple of them all.

Poirot: The Big Four (2013) Season 13, Episode 2

Good episode lousy directing.

[5/10 · 29 April 2023]

The filming was done with so little light. I do not understand why directors use this technique lately. To me it ruins the episode. It would be nice to see all of the set, the people not just a bit of their faces and some candles burning. Does anyone else like this technique. I have excellent eyesight if that is why you think I am complaining. I just happen to like to see more of what they are doing and. Looking at in the clues department. Also why spend money on costumes that are never shown or looked at? This is going on more and more in filming and I think it is a bad look for an episode of Poirot, which always gave you a look at the style of the times.

All Creatures Great and Small: Second Time Lucky (2022) Season 3, Episode 1

Worst episode ever

[2/10 · 9 January 2023]

The writing or the directing? They spent a lot of time on the "I've lost the ring" plotline. A total cliche. Then you have the stupid scene where the two vets were too cowardly to put down an animal that needed putting down. The vets have done this many times before and now they cannot do it? Why was that put in there? It made no sense whatever. Then there was the scene of the guy going off to war and looking like he really wanted to come back and shoot the veterinarians. Then to top the whole thing off, Tricki-Woo is at the wedding without Mrs Pumphrey and with no explanation whatsoever. It would just have taken a line tucked in somewhere to explain it. It was just so unprofessionally done, the whole episode. Was it the writers or director??? I hope this isn't a sign of what is to come.

The Brokenwood Mysteries (2014– )

I like everything about this series except Mike Shepard's beard.

[9/10 · 28 January 2022]

I like the scenery and backgrounds. It seems to be made in a real town and lots of locals and various kinds of crimes. The acting is excellent and I even have enjoyed the country and western music. The crime is not overly complicated but not solved in the first 5 minutes. Getting to see all the people interviewed is interesting and entertaining.

The Madame Blanc Mysteries (2021– )

I would like more of this.

[9/10 · 16 December 2021]

A mystery without the over dramatising. I like the characters and there is a lovely mystery to solve. The background of France is so entertaining also. A nice break from England and the US.

NCIS: Hawai'i (2021–2024)

if only they had Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

[1/10 · 5 October 2021]

This show needs something. No, it needs everything. Makes you look forward to the commercials. Don't understand why they tried at all. No focus. No real story. Makes no sense. Give up, People, and cancel now while you can go out looking human.

All Creatures Great and Small: One of Nature's Little Miracles (1988) Season 4, Episode 1

I agree with the previous poster.

[7/10 · 3 October 2021]

The odd start off was a little off putting. I enjoy the show but this seemed to come as a whole new production of the books by Herriot. Alot of things changed. Too many really.

Miss Marple: They Do It with Mirrors (1991 TV Movie)

My favorite Miss Marple is played by Joan Hickson but

[7/10 · 12 February 2021]

The background music for this series is the worst in the world. Other than that this is a great series. Best scenery, great plots, great actors. You've seen it before but not this well, except for the awful music. They do better plotting and better scripts so you know the background and the setting, but the awful music. Find a way to edit out that awful music and I would watch these every day.

In & Out (1997)

I love this movie, every time I watch it.

[10/10 · 24 September 2020]

All the actors are great in it. And the music is wonderful. It is so uplifting and lets us all know what we should do. When prejudice raises it head, we should smash it down. View people for who they are not what they are. And I enjoy it every time. And I will the next time.

Wild Bill (2019)

I really enjoyed this show. Wish there were more.

[10/10 · 11 September 2020]

This was a most interesting show, not a beautiful Midsomer Murders, but a little darkness but nothing overdone. The characters were interesting and I wanted to see more of Muriel and her upward career. The scenery was nice and the mysteries were good and not overly complicated, just human. Please let there be more like this.

Roots (1977)

I loved this book and miniseries.

[10/10 · 17 June 2020]

I bought this book through a book club and loved reading it. I learned so much. Then watched the miniseries. It was watched by most of the country and was the most watched miniseries for years. Then TV Guide wrote about it and said that "the only reason white people watched it was because it was on consecutive nights. That white people could not identify with black characters. So they had put in a couple of white people for us to watch." How they underestimated their audience and their author, Alex Hailey. Whether this story is factually true down to the tiniest detail or not is irrelevant, in my opinion. And maybe the land used for the filming was not technically correct. It is great writing and the acting was fabulous. We got to see actors of color that we never saw before and a story telling the history of our nation. One thought I had at the end of the miniseries was that now these great actors would be getting parts and series on tv like others had done before, but we were disappointed. So many black actors were not seen again for a long time. The powers that be missed their chance. Perhaps the time for Roots has passed but it was wonderful in its time.

Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)

Best Darn movie ever!!!

[10/10 · 6 June 2020]

The story line is so great and the acting superb! You can watch it over and over again many times. I have lost count how many times I have seen it and I never get bored or tired of it. Each scene is as interesting as the first time. Enjoy all the stories in this movie. I just bought the book.

A Confession (2019)

How can anyone enjoy this?

[6/10 · 30 May 2020]

Good writing, Good acting, but then you are distracted by that jerky camera technique that has become necessary to some. Stop it and your work will be so much improved.

Endeavour: Pylon (2019) Season 6, Episode 1

Loved Morse, Love Endeavour even more.

[9/10 · 22 December 2019]

This is the best episode so far. Like the others, I would like more Endeavour. This one has the most mysteries inside the story that I have to watch it at least 3 times to understand it all and it doesn't get boring. It is so interesting to see how the British police worked in those days and the great acting as well. Keep them coming, I beg of you!

Executive Stress (1986–1988)

I, too, was a bit upset at the change of actors, unexplained but ....

[8/10 · 14 June 2019]

The show was pretty good. Mostly I have a hard time with British comedies, but this one was different and I really enjoyed it. I also don't enjoy the way Americans are portrayed, but at least the American wasn't a total idiot. Better than the comedies I have seen lately. A classic with a twist.

Private Eyes (2016–2021)

I love this show!!!

[10/10 · 30 May 2019]

I like the non-violent aspect of it. So many shows these days don't do detecting, they do shooting, shouting, punching, and yelling. Love the intelligence.

Blood & Treasure (2019–2022)

Could it get more cliche?

[2/10 · 27 May 2019]

The writing was so boring. Why do they have to do those 'cute meeting' scenes? Why does the theme music have to be straight Indiana Jones? Couldn't they write anything good? Gosh! I'd rather watch a rerun!

Midsomer Murders: A Sacred Trust (2011) Season 14, Episode 7

I love the new Barnaby. Just as good as the first one.

[9/10 · 10 May 2019]

Every single Midsomer Murder is very agreeable to me. A lot of different villages and stories. Not all the same but most tell of the country and the people. Nothing is better than a mystery that has on average three murders per episode. And you get a lovely backstory while you are trying to figure it out. This one is just like that. A nunnery in modern days and what has happened around it. Like I said, any mystery with a Barnaby is my most favorite series.

The Shining (1980)

As a Stephen King fan, I was so disappointed in this movie. They changed too much.

[2/10 · 1 February 2019]

Sure, change some things, but not the most important points of a story. I tell you, you don't kill off the most important person in the story. They totally negated the whole point. If you do that, you do not understand the point of the story. And they did it twice!!! If you want the real story watch the miniseries done later.

300 Miles for Stephanie (1981 TV Movie)

apparently the story was somewhat changed.

[9/10 · 3 September 2018]

I was there when this really happened. Stephanie was born with handicaps and the doctors said she would not live past 5 or 6 years old. When her next birthday was coming up, her father decided to do a 7 day run to thank God for letting her live that long. He arranged it to end on her birthday. The story was in the papers in San Antonio and the whole town was proud of him, and admiring. He was a loving father to a handicapped child. I guess the movie makers did not understand that.

The Doctor Blake Mysteries: Hear the Angels Sing (2017) Season 5, Episode 8

Might be the best thing outside of Downton Abbey and Endeavour.

[10/10 · 27 July 2018]

We have enjoyed this program on PBS so much. The acting is excellent and the period of the piece is not overdone. The cases/mysteries are more interesting than on American tv and my only complaint is that there aren't more stories. Munro is an interesting character. The actor was a good guy in another show and you loved him. Here he is not such a nice guy and you want to rip him in two. Great acting. Give us more of this kind of thing.