Rosemary & Thyme (TV Series) The Italian Rapscallion (2004) User Reviews

Another amusing and picturesque setting in Italy for the amateur sleuths...

[Doylenf · 6/10 · 11 August 2009]

If you find plenty of photography of the Italian countryside a pleasure to watch, this episode is one of the more enjoyable entries in this series.

But once again, the motive appears to be weak and you may as well just settle back and enjoy the scenery because the clues are so meager they're almost invisible. Just leave it to Rosemary and Thyme to solve the case. Don't expect to solve it yourself.

Some engaging performances are a big help. SUZANNE BERTISH as a frivolous woman who hires the gardeners before throwing a big party has some enjoyable one-liners and TRISTAN GEMMILL does a fine job as the young Italian who becomes a prime suspect in the eyes of the police.

Leisurely, as all of these stories are, amusing and picturesque.

Italian mystery

[coltras35 · 7/10 · 8 February 2023]

Travelling to the Ligurian Coast in Italy, Rosemary and Laura offer to help their old friend Emma Standish prepare her new restaurant for its grand opening. But when a tour around the famous Giardini Tremonti comes to an abrupt end with Laura finding the body of Janice Alexander, an English private detective and former colleague, who'd been hit over the head with a rock, which was lying beside her when she was found. The gardeners find many flamboyant personalities to make solving the mystery difficult. Then Sir Basil Slavinksi is found dead, after having been pushed off the cliff at the end of his garden.

Above average mystery fare with the usual picturesque location and a good dose of suspects. Emma Standish is particularly a funny character, who helps our heroines in investigating.

Enjoyable

[wjspears · 9/10 · 11 March 2021]

This was a very entertaining episode of Rosemary and Thyme. Pretty much the perfect mix of suspense and humor, that this show aims for.

Taking place in Italy, the scenery was naturally beautiful. But it is the characters that made it so enjoyable.

Rosemary and Laura's garden employer, Emma Standish (played by Suzanne Bertish) who seems to be dressing and acting like she is in a Fellini film. Extravagant and loud, she was a joy to watch.

The wonderful British character actor, Oliver Ford Davies, plays a con man (whose con, I must admit, I never quite understood) who doesn't fool Rosemary for more than a second.

The humor was very well done this episode. A highlight was, as another reviewer mentioned, the scene near the end, when Laura wakens Rosemary from a sound sleep. She orders the slightly still hung over and dazed Rosemary to quickly dress up at the crack of dawn. Felicity Kendal played the scene with a terrific blend verbal humor and slapstick.

I also enjoyed the writers making Laura Thyme's character (played by Pam Ferris) a bit more "detective savvy" in this episode than she is often portrayed.

The mystery itself, "Who killed Janice Alexander and Why?" was sufficiently engaging and puzzling to hold one's attention.

Italy and suspense

[ctyankee1 · 10 July 2015]

This episode had beautiful scenery, murder and humor.

Rosemarie and Laura travel to Italy to build a garden around a restaurant which is high above the water.

Rosemarie knows the female owner who is very friendly and kind and they work out a plan for the way the arrangements will look outside. While there they meet a doctor who gives a tour to them and a group of visitors.

Later a visitor is found dead. There is blackmail and deceit in this episode along with murder. The doctor had to quit his job, he an affair with another man and now it looks like he was having an affair with Fabrizio Biaggi.

Laura recognizes some of the people and wonders what is going on.

There are two very funny parts in this episode. One is when Laura figures out who the killer is. She wakes up Rosemarie who is scared and tells her to get dressed. Rosemarie dresses with her pajamas on and stuffs them in her jeans. So funny. Rosemarie adds a lot of humor to this series.

Later at the end Rosemarie is the cook in the kitchen of the restaurant where her and Laura arranged the outdoor plants. Laura is waiting on people, the tables are full outside with customers and Rosemarie is the only cook because they could not get cooks yet. She is tired and frustrated. She yells has a fit and takes a shot of Italian alcohol out of frustration.

In this series the two women relax with a little to much wine or something stronger.

This episode is quite funny.

Murder comes to Italy

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 15 June 2018]

Have always adored detective dramas/mystery series. This has been apparent from an early age, half my life even, when getting into Agatha Christie through Joan Hickson's Miss Marple and David Suchet's Poirot and into 'Inspector Morse'.

Whether it's the more complex ones like 'Inspector Morse' (and its prequel series 'Endeavour') and anything Agatha Christie. Whether it's the grittier ones like 'A Touch of Frost' (though that is balanced brilliantly with comedy too) and particularly 'Taggart'. And whether it's the light-hearted ones like 'Murder She Wrote'. 'Rosemary and Thyme' is an example of a light-hearted detective mystery series and always gives me a lot of pleasures and banishes the blues when watching. It is a shame that it didn't last longer because it deserved to.

"The Italian Rapscallion" for me is one of my favourite 'Rosemary and Thyme' episodes, the motive is a bit anaemic and the clues likewise but there is a huge amount to like here as with any 'Rosemary and Thyme' episode. At no point does it feel dull, it's full of surprises and is not a case of not being enough suspects.

Visually, "The Italian Rapscallion" looks wonderful, beautifully photographed, vibrant in colour and as always with the show with a stunning setting, have always been envious of the gardens seen on the show. The music has a lot of charm with a main theme tune that is soothingly folksy that matches the whimsy of the setting appropriately.

The writing is engaging and suitably light-hearted without being frothy. Some of the dialogue for Laura and especially Rosemary is very funny, especially at the end containing one of the show's funniest scenes thanks to Kendal's line delivery. The story is suitably twisty, with an ending that left me shocked, without being too convoluted, and is entertaining and with a relaxing vibe without being simplistic.

Similarly the characters engage, with Rosemary and Laura already being interesting and distinct in personality, and the chemistry between the two sparkles. Felicity Kendal and Pam Ferris are simply great, individually and as a sparkling double act, love Kendal's fire and feistiness and Ferris' more restrained and thoughtful approach. The supporting cast are hard to find fault with too, particularly Suzanne Bertish and Tristan Gemill. Oliver Ford-Davies does decently with not a lot to do.

Essentially though, it is agreed that the settings/scenery and photography are the stars here. Easily one of the best-looking 'Rosemary and Thyme' episodes.

Overall, another fine episode. 9/10 Bethany Cox

clothes

[geraldine-brierton · 10/10 · 6 April 2014]

Just enjoyed watching Rosemary and Thyme. The Italian Rapscallion 2004. Even though it was a repeat it was an episode I had not seen before. Will they be making any new episodes soon. I enjoyed the storyline pleasant viewing for a Saturday afternoon. The scenery was beautiful I have visited Italy a few times. Sorrento, Venice and Lake Garda all beautiful places. Watching this episode made me want to visit Italy again. Felicity Kendle plays her part magnificently. I have always been a fan of hers. The clothes that Rosemary wears appeals to me I especially liked the Pink kimono styled night robe. Any idea's where I would be able to purchase this.

Rosemary and Thyme in Italy

[safenoe · 10/10 · 27 May 2024]

The Italian Rapscallion sees Rosemary and Thyme head off to Italy, and for me, sure the English gardens are beautiful, but I also enjoyed the episodes when they travelled to various countries on the continent. Oliver Ford Davies, who I remember in the TV legal series from England, Kavanagh, Q. C. as the head of chambers, plays Sir Basil Slavinski. Anyway, it's the chemistry between Rosemary and Thyme that makes this series glow, and also its gentleness and optimism. Anyway, I read an article not long ago about Anthony "Silence of the Lambs" Hopkins, and he enjoys his retirement watching Rosemary and Thyme.

If there had been a fourth series I would have loved for Rosemary and Thyme to travel to Greece, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Netherlands, Cyprus, Denmark, Iceland, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Where in Italy?

[BILLYBOY-10 · 24 September 2015]

I know this was filmed on property gardens somewhere on the Liguria Coast, but does anyone know exactly where? I have looked everywhere but the only thing they say is filmed in Italy. I especially liked the hilly terrain and umbrella pines and Italian cypress and lavish expansive gardens which reminded me somewhat of Ravello further down the Amalfi. I have never been to this part of Italy so am trying to piece together an itinerary which would include some of this lavish scenery as well as the more appealing towns on the ocean. I know Portofino has the most popular reputation, but maybe someone can help me to plan a visit with hints of which other town(s) would be appropriate for an overnight stop-over. Thanks. Here in S.F.

Lovely Liguria

[mistatdawn · 8 October 2015]

To Billiboy10. I came to this sight looking for the same information as you. I read in a description somewhere that it took place near San Remo, the plot, that is. That doesn't necessarily mean it was filmed there, though. I was interested in watching the episode because my husband and his mother were traveling to the Ligurian coast the following day. But they are going a little farther south down the coast to the Cinque Terre area, you might want to look into this for your trip. This is a group of five fishing villages that are walkable to each other by coastal trail. There is very limited motor vehicle traffic permitted in the area. Cinque Terre has become a very trendy place to visit in Italy. It's not as ritzy as the San Remo area, and should be a little more down to earth giving you a glimpse into the daily life of Italian villagers.