I don't expect too much seriousness when I watch this series, so I'm never disappointed. I enjoy the over-the-top slapstick and silliness. I like the characters and their relationships with each other. It's all escapist fun.
13 Reviews
Been a fan long before the series.
aufo-9128121 December 2021
I loved the first couple of series. Despite physical differences-that Agatha was close to the intelligent Agatha, with her massive inferiority complex.
I've read every book.
However series 3 surprised me with it's silliness and an over exaggerated, gurning Agatha which departed from the character of the books. It became ludicrous.
I was hoping better from this new series- but it's still relying on over-the-top facial expressions and slapstick comedy. Not just Agatha-but the rest of the cast too.
This episode was only slightly improved on last series.
I will watch the rest out of nostalgia for the books. But if there's no improvement- I'll ditch the series and re-read the books.
I've read every book.
However series 3 surprised me with it's silliness and an over exaggerated, gurning Agatha which departed from the character of the books. It became ludicrous.
I was hoping better from this new series- but it's still relying on over-the-top facial expressions and slapstick comedy. Not just Agatha-but the rest of the cast too.
This episode was only slightly improved on last series.
I will watch the rest out of nostalgia for the books. But if there's no improvement- I'll ditch the series and re-read the books.
More Mystery Inc than Agatha Raisin mysteries
TheDudeReviewsStuff30 May 2023
Agatha Raisin has gone through transformations over its seasons. The first season was Miss Marple-esque with a strong lead and support characters, with quirky locals. Season two the support characters became more quirky, but had more screen time. Season three Agatha became like a character portrayed by Lucille Ball with more physical humor and the support cast and locals developed even more quirks. Season Four is full-blown Scooby-Doo more played for laughs with a few detective scenes interspersed between the gags.
Overall still an enjoyable show, even with the overt innuendoes and humor. Each cast member has developed their own quirks and play them for laughs. The detective work has fallen by the wayside and been replaced by an occasionally funny but always enjoyable show.
If you don't come in looking for Sherlock or Miss Marple, and simple to relax while watching, you will leave with a few chuckles.
Overall still an enjoyable show, even with the overt innuendoes and humor. Each cast member has developed their own quirks and play them for laughs. The detective work has fallen by the wayside and been replaced by an occasionally funny but always enjoyable show.
If you don't come in looking for Sherlock or Miss Marple, and simple to relax while watching, you will leave with a few chuckles.
Nice to see Agatha and her friends again
Q-Man25 December 2021
It is nice to see Agatha and her friends again after a long absence. We've been through a grueling couple of years, so it was a lot of fun to watch the pure escapism of Agatha Raisin. The show had a magical Christmas spirit, which we all need about now. Looking forward to more Agatha Raisin.
A little over the top
realdouglasone20 December 2021
The first season was the best one because it was a fresh idea with a mix of comedy and drama. The next three seasons seemed to be more focused on slapstick and goofiness all of which make it a farce. Season 4 hasn't changed anything with the aloof characters and idiotic stories.
It's an overused phrase but ...
markfranh30 December 2021
There is an overused phrased when reading reviews. We see it all the time and generally people are just exaggerating. They are trying to find a way to express how bad something is without really meaning it was as bad as all that. What's the phrase?
"That's an hour and a half of my life I'll never get back."
We've all seen it. Not taken it seriously. Knew it was a bit of hyperbole.
In this case, however, the first thing that came to my mind when the credits starting rolling was this:
"That's an hour and a half of my life totally wasted."
It really was that bad.
What has happened to this show?
Season 1 was very good. Lovely the characters. Plots were good. And on and on.
Season 2? Not so much.
Season 3??? Okay, I'll make allowances for a pandemic maybe causing disruptions and as a result things turned out badly.
But this? This is inexcusable.
At one point I thought this was the kind of things you might write for a 13 year old. Was that the audience they were aiming at?
Unlikely, given all the bad sexual jokes they kept slipping in. You'd hardly be doing that if your intended audience was young teenagers.
It obviously wasn't aimed at adults. Most adults are intelligent enough to realize that when it is looks like rubbish and sounds like rubbish then it probably is rubbish.
Then I realized it was probably aimed at adults who still had the minds of 13 year olds. What else could it be?
By about 1/2 way through, my wife had picked up her book and was reading trying her best to ignore what was on the screen.
Me? I was on the phone looking for updates on the recent Omicron cases. It was less depressing than watching this programme.
Never again.
"That's an hour and a half of my life I'll never get back."
We've all seen it. Not taken it seriously. Knew it was a bit of hyperbole.
In this case, however, the first thing that came to my mind when the credits starting rolling was this:
"That's an hour and a half of my life totally wasted."
It really was that bad.
What has happened to this show?
Season 1 was very good. Lovely the characters. Plots were good. And on and on.
Season 2? Not so much.
Season 3??? Okay, I'll make allowances for a pandemic maybe causing disruptions and as a result things turned out badly.
But this? This is inexcusable.
At one point I thought this was the kind of things you might write for a 13 year old. Was that the audience they were aiming at?
Unlikely, given all the bad sexual jokes they kept slipping in. You'd hardly be doing that if your intended audience was young teenagers.
It obviously wasn't aimed at adults. Most adults are intelligent enough to realize that when it is looks like rubbish and sounds like rubbish then it probably is rubbish.
Then I realized it was probably aimed at adults who still had the minds of 13 year olds. What else could it be?
By about 1/2 way through, my wife had picked up her book and was reading trying her best to ignore what was on the screen.
Me? I was on the phone looking for updates on the recent Omicron cases. It was less depressing than watching this programme.
Never again.
Kissing Christmas Goodbye
Prismark1025 December 2021
Agatha Raisin gets a Christmas special.
It is a few days before Christmas. Roy has to prepare the Christmas dinner while Agatha takes on a new case.
Phyllis Tamworthy owns the local nearby village and she is evicting all her tenants. She plans to sell her estate.
This makes the local villagers unhappy and many of them are partial to witchcraft.
Phyllis though has seen a vision of her late husband, Marley. She now plans to give the money away to charity. This upsets the offspring who were hoping to inherit everything.
With so many potential enemies, Phyllis is looking for protection from Agatha. She still winds up dead and Agatha needs to solve the mystery.
I get that Agatha Raisin are lighthearted mysteries. To me it struggles to balance that thin line from being passable to unwatchable dirge.
It is overlong and full of padding. Even when the mystery is solved, it still goes on and on as we are forced to spend Christmas with the Raisins.
It is a few days before Christmas. Roy has to prepare the Christmas dinner while Agatha takes on a new case.
Phyllis Tamworthy owns the local nearby village and she is evicting all her tenants. She plans to sell her estate.
This makes the local villagers unhappy and many of them are partial to witchcraft.
Phyllis though has seen a vision of her late husband, Marley. She now plans to give the money away to charity. This upsets the offspring who were hoping to inherit everything.
With so many potential enemies, Phyllis is looking for protection from Agatha. She still winds up dead and Agatha needs to solve the mystery.
I get that Agatha Raisin are lighthearted mysteries. To me it struggles to balance that thin line from being passable to unwatchable dirge.
It is overlong and full of padding. Even when the mystery is solved, it still goes on and on as we are forced to spend Christmas with the Raisins.
Dreadful dreadful dreadful
ourelbi2 July 2022
I used to enjoy wasting a 90 minutes on an episode of Agatha Raisin, but yikes - what did I just waste my time watching? It was like a cartoon but with actual people. Truly dreadful. I've never seen such OTT acting by Ashley Jensen. I mean, the storyline was a joke but Ashley's acting was ridiculous! I couldn't get through an episode of Murder in Provence, so then tried Maigret - nope. Then I tried this. Third time's a charm? Nope. All bad. Back to my books.
Crass even by British standards
ranchofiesta3 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I got to the part where Roy says he couldn't sit down for a week, and not the for the "usual reasons" and turned it off.
Not humor, just crass.
I didn't expect the episode to be too "Christmas-y" with a pentagram in the thumbnail, the first few lines of dialog were so forced - not witty, not clever, but Roy's comment was something you'd expect from a cabaret drag show.
Not humor, just crass.
I didn't expect the episode to be too "Christmas-y" with a pentagram in the thumbnail, the first few lines of dialog were so forced - not witty, not clever, but Roy's comment was something you'd expect from a cabaret drag show.
Ruined by Endless Smarm
curtamparo8 January 2022
I've loved every second of the series from the first episode, but this first episode of season four was absolutely ruined by the endless raunchy sexual innuendo. It's one thing to make an occasional funny double entendre here and there, but this is really nonstop gross raunch. Too bad. I hope the rest of the episodes are not like this. What a way to ruin a wonderful show.
I feel terrible after watching this
Tony-Harte119 January 2022
I love smutty innuendo of the British seaside postcard variety but this is excessively lewd, crude, crass and unforgivably unfunny. It's also very slow moving and lacking anything that might pass as Christmas spirit. Give yourself a great Christmas gift by giving it a miss.
Agatha Raisin's Christmas
mirkobozic8 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
From the very start, the plot of the episode kept ringing bells for me until I remembered that this is a very similar case to Hercule Poirot's Christmas, and that the culprit is usually someone from the family. The wealthy mother that requires protection from her greedy children looks like a drunk obese, dressed for holiday season. Her attitude and behavior don't suggest someone living in all that splendor, rather someone in charge of dusting the library. From the very moment they come into the picture, you can see these people are up to no good. There's a subplot about a coven of pagans using the grounds for their secret rites which doesn't add too much to the story itself. It's supposed to give it a dark undertone but just like the killing weapon itself, it's rather a parody than something convincing. But it's obviously a Christmas flick, so if you don't expect too much (not much to add to manor house whodunnits anyway), you'll have a good time since Agatha's friends are a lovely bunch and seeing them throwing a dinner party is delightful, with all the ornaments, food and even the fake snow isn't as annoying as I expected it to be.
What was that?!
gourbi8 August 2023
Did the writers drink too much mulled wine? Or did someone put something in their Sherry?... (Hopefully they won't suffer the same fate as scriptwriter Jamie Gallagher in the novel of the Hamish Macbeth series...)
I just wonder if M C Beaton would have approved of her work being treated like that on television. Phyllis Tamworthy being grotesquely portrayed as a completely disgusting woman. I never liked the way DCI Wilkes has been re-invented as a dumbbell but, in this episode, him flying to Finland to encounter Santa left me speechless. The silly candy cane duel is another record low. And not to mention all the bad jokes.
My advice to you: enjoy the novel, and forget all about this lousy episode.
I just wonder if M C Beaton would have approved of her work being treated like that on television. Phyllis Tamworthy being grotesquely portrayed as a completely disgusting woman. I never liked the way DCI Wilkes has been re-invented as a dumbbell but, in this episode, him flying to Finland to encounter Santa left me speechless. The silly candy cane duel is another record low. And not to mention all the bad jokes.
My advice to you: enjoy the novel, and forget all about this lousy episode.
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