Category Archives: Forensics

2018, Abduction, Abuse of Women, Acorn TV, Ambitious Dirty Tricks, Based on true facts, Bloody scenes, Brother-Brother relations, Child abuse, Cold Cases, Depression, Detective, Emotional child abuse, Ethical struggles, Extramarital Affair, Father-daughter relations, Forensics, Government cover-up, Mental Illness, Mildly Violent, Mother-daughter relations, Murder, Physical child abuse, Police Politics, Psychiatrists, Psychopath, Revenge, Serial Killer, Suspense, Swedish, Swedish Detective, Underdogs win

The Truth Will Out (2018)

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From IMDB:

After a long sick leave and recovery police detective Peter Wendel is back on duty. He is commissioned to form a new team to reopen unresolved murder cases, however he soon finds himself with a rather third rank and conflicting staff. Soon they are in the center of a new case. An unknown murderer claims that Sweden’s most infamous murderer is a fraud – that he never committed the murders he’s jailed for. High reaching implications are to be exposed, involving even the Swedish government.

From Acorn TV:

Detective Peter Wendel wants to create an elite team of investigators to crack cold cases. When the police receive a tip that Sweden’s most notorious serial killer is a fraud, and therefore eight killers might have gone free, Wendel gets his chance–but only the dregs of the force are available to work the case. Can his lowly group solve these high-profile crimes? Swedish with English subtitles.

From Acorn TV you can stream the 8 episodes of this complete story. Each episode lasts about 43 minutes. Swedish with English subtitles. Formerly Acorn TV advertised itself as “All Things British” but evidently their intent has changed.

Plaguing Peter Wendel throughout the episodes is the sorrow over his brother’s suicide. Because he refuses to accept the verdict of suicide he becomes so mentally ill and a bit violent and must be hospitalized. Now that he is released from care he faces the prejudice that he cannot do his job properly which only makes his job proving that the Minister of Justice erred in pronouncing a man guilty of serial killings.

His ragtag trio of helpers turn out to be diamonds in the rough, especially the older woman “administrator” who shows herself to be clever, very observant, and even capable of head butting.

What compelled me to binge watch was the injustice of the cover-up by the upper echelons and the efforts of a detected named Temo to discredit and remove Peter Wendel.

Because the pace is quite S L O W,  you might easily be tempted to stop watching after the first episode. Stick with the well crafted plot to see clever vindications.

 

2019, Amazon Prime, Bloody scenes, British Mystery Series, Creepy, Detective, Eccentric Detective, Family Conflict, Forensics, Mild Torture, Mother-daughter relations, Murder, Murder Investigation, Nazis, Police Culture, Police Politics, Serial Killer, Slow, Unusual

The ABC Murders (2019)

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From Amazon Prime:

1933. Hercule Poirot, older and greyer, receives letters threatening murder. The sender signs themselves only as “A.B.C.” When he takes the letters to the police looking for help, Hercule finds all his old friends have moved on. But soon there is a murder and the once-great detective must take matters into his own hands.

From Amazon Prime you can stream the 3 one-hour episodes of this complete story.

John Malkovich  stars as the aging Hercule Poirot in this S L O W moving presentation. “Bizarre” is the adjective that springs to my mind. Eamon Farren portrays the creepy Cust. To give you an idea of “creepy”,  Cust pays a prostitute to walk on his back with stiletto heeled shoes.  You may well be surprised by certain plot turns.

Not a waste of time, but certainly not to everyone’s taste.

 

 

2010, Abduction, Acceptable for teenagers, Boating, Cold Cases, Corruption, Detective, Drug Dealers, Drugs, Ethical struggles, Failing Marriage, Family Conflict, Father-daughter relations, Father-son relations, Flirting, Forensics, Interest in cats, Jealousy, Lesbian Theme, Love Story, MHz Choice, Military, Murder, Murder Investigation, Nudity, Romance, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Swedish, Swedish crime series, Swedish Detective

The Sandhamn Murders (2010)

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From IMDB:

Viveca Sten’s popular novels come to life in “The Sandhamn Murders”, a perfect mix of Nordic crime and the beautiful surroundings of the outer Stockholm archipelago.

Addendum: There are now 8 seasons on MHz Choice. Whereas the first 5 seasons were not too harsh,  the remaining 3 seasons could be tense and wrenching to watch.   Nora’s marriage choices are surprisingly bad while her true love interests change from season to season.

From MHz Choice you can stream this Swedish mystery and romance series. Each of the 5 available seasons consists of 3 episodes, each lasting approximately 45 minutes. There was a season 6 produced in 2018.

Recall that MHz Choice offers only foreign language programs with English subtitles.

Of all the many characters, only the two main characters appear consistently in all the episodes. Thomas the detective is played by Jakob Cedergren whom we mentioned in the review for “Those Who Kill”.  Nora is played by Alexandra Rapaport.  Thomas and Nora are strongly attracted to each other.  Thomas starts out as a divorced and grieving father. Nora starts out in an unhappy and picture-perfect marriage.  Throughout the series the theme is “will they get together or not?” which adds to the soap-opera-as-mystery-series.

Stories are good. Acting is just fine. Scenery is appealing because the filming takes place always in the summer holiday islands.

Here is a human series without a lot of gore. Not a serial killer in sight. Suitable for teens.

 

2018, Acorn TV, Basically Sad, Brother-Sister relations, Drama, Extramarital Affair, Family Conflict, Fatal Neurological Disease, Father-daughter relations, Father-son relations, Forensics, Gay theme, Irish, Masturbation, Mother-son relations, Murder Investigation, Mystery Film, Suspense, Terminal Disease

Blood (2018)

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From Acorn TV:

Likened to Broadchurch and The Killing by critics, this psychological mystery is “must-see TV…taut, stylish, and suspenseful” (The Irish Times). BAFTA nominee Adrian Dunbar (Line of Duty) stars as a respected doctor in a small Irish town. When his wife dies, everyone believes it was an accident—except his daughter (Carolina Main, Unforgotten), who mistrusts her father because of a childhood trauma.

From Acorn TV you can stream the 6 episodes of the one season Irish drama Each episode lasts about 45 minutes.

Talk about family problems!  Better than your average soap opera, this superbly acted drama maintains the suspenseful atmosphere for all six episodes.  From the very beginning I sided with the daughter Cat and increasingly viewed the father Jim as some kind of narcissistic monster. But wait until you have seen  all six episodes before making a final judgment. Because I did not want to introduce a spoiler, there were categories that I did not add to the review header.

And don’t the Irish as portrayed seem to drink a lot of alcohol?

All the actors are perfectly cast. Probably you might recognize Adrian Dunbar who played Ted Hastings in “Line of Duty.”

If you hanker after family tension then do not miss!

2015, Acceptable for teenagers, Amnesia, Brother-Brother relations, Drama, Extramarital Affair, Family Conflict, Father-daughter relations, Father-son relations, Forensics, MHz Choice, Murder, Murder Investigation, Mystery Film, Norwegian, Norwegian Soap Opera, Romance, Small Town

Acquitted (2015)

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From MHz Choice:

After having success in Asia, businessman Aksel Borgen is asked back to his hometown in Norway to save an important local firm despite it being 20 years since he was sentenced and later acquitted for murdering his high school sweetheart.

IMDB gives a better summary:

Acquitted follows the story of Aksel Borgen, a Norwegian business man who has worked his way to the top during his 20 years in Asia having left his native town after being acquitted of the murder of his high school sweetheart. When his home town’s cornerstone business is threatened by bankruptcy, Aksel returns to save the place that once turned its back on him. The past has not been forgotten. His arrival tears old wounds apart and new conflicts arise as the past meets the present. Acquitted shadows a battle of guilt, revenge and hope of reconciliation, the man who pleaded not guilty is still judged by society.

From MHz Choice you can stream this Norwegian soap opera disguised as a mystery. Season one consists of 10 episodes and season two consists of 8 episodes. Each episode is approximately 45 minutes.

Revised review:

Perhaps the devil made me do it, but I watched Season two.  In this glorified soap opera the story details become more and more “revealing”, or should I say “outrageous”. Therefore, if you watched season one, don’t assume you know any outcome.

Season one is devoted to discovering who murdered Aksel’s girl friend. In fact for the entire season Aksel, who has amnesia surrounding the event, agonizes over finding the answer. In the final episode of season one you may think you know the identity of the killer.

But hold on! What tangled webs we weave ere we practice to deceive. WARNING: if you binge watch to end of season two (as I did) you might not be happy!

And why would I waste so much time? Because I LOVE TRASH!

 

 

 

 

 

2005, Acorn TV, British, British school girls, Bullying, DO NOT MISS, Family Conflict, Father-son relations, Forensics, Mother-son relations, Murder, Murder Investigation, Serial Killer, Suspense, Teenagers, Wrongful Arrest

Like Father Like Son (2005)

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From IMDB:

Life for Dee Stanton is improving at every turn. Her legal career is blossoming and her boyfriend Dominic unexpectedly proposes to her. Things were very different 11 years ago when her husband Paul was jailed for the brutal murders of four girls and Dee was hounded from her home. Dee has kept all this a secret from her 15-year-old son Jamie. Now he has discovered the truth about his father and demands to see him.

From Acorn TV:

Dee Stanton (Jemma Redgrave, Holby City) seems to have a perfect life, with a blossoming career and a handsome fiance (Robson Green, Grantchester). But Dee’s tragic past comes back to haunt her when her son learns his father is a convicted serial killer. After a girl’s murder, Dee fears history is repeating itself. This gripping psychological thriller also stars Tara Fitzgerald (Game of Thrones).

From Acorn TV you can stream the 2 episodes of this British TV drama. Each episode is about 68 minutes long.

When you have such British actors as Jemma Redgrave (who plays Dee Stanton), Robson Green (who plays Dominic) and Phil Davis (who plays the imprisoned father serial killer), you know you are in for a treat.  Although the plot is somewhat like a soap opera, the tension and threat of a wrongful arrest are so strong that it is a blessing that there are only two episodes. Moreover, I would be surprised if you get to the near end and have correctly identified the killer.

For plot surprises and good acting let’s call this a DO NOT MISS!

2004, Acorn TV, Amnesia, British, British Mystery Series, Detective, Failing Marriage, Forensics, Marital Infidelity, Murder Investigation, Personal Betrayal, Police Culture, Psychological Drama, Serial Killer, Sex Scenes, Suspense

Amnesia (2004)

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From Acorn TV:

Hailed by Variety as “fascinating” with “a top-notch cast,” this psychological thriller stars John Hannah (The Mummy) as DS Mack Stone, who, while searching for his missing wife, uncovers a possible murder masked by a claim of amnesia. But as Stone investigates, he begins to doubt his own memories. Co-starring Jemma Redgrave (Bramwell), Anthony Calf (New Tricks), and Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey).

From Acorn TV you can stream this 2 episode series. Each episode lasts about 75 minutes.

Chances are you will spend most of the 150 minutes as a captive audience  trying to decide who is lying, who murdered a wife, and who really has amnesia.

What a difference 14 years can make in a person’s appearance.  You will probably recognize the Scottish actor John Hannah (who played Batiatus in two Spartacus TV series),  Jemma Redgrave (a member of the famous family of actors) and Brendon Coyle (who played John Bates in Downton Abbey).

From the very beginning of the series you learn that DS Mack Stone continues to be traumatized by the disappearance of his wife and obsesses over not only his missing wife but also whether John Dean (played by Anthony Calf), who claims to suffer from complete amnesia about his past life, is really a wife-murdering serial killer. Also intimately involved in these problems is Brendon Coyle’s character D.C. Ian Reid.

Your own obsessing over what is really going on is time well spent watching this well-done story.

2018, Abduction, Action Film, Action Hero, Anti-terrorism, British, British Politics, Car Chase, Career Competition, Complicated, Conspiracy, Contract Killing, Corruption, DO NOT MISS, Dysfunctional Lives, Extramarital Affair, Failing Marriage, Family Conflict, Forensics, Gangs, Made For TV, Netflix Streaming, Nudity, Political Suspense, Politicians, PTSD, Romance, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Terrorists, Thriller, Valium appropriate, Violent, War Veterans

Bodyguard (2018)

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From IMDB:

A contemporary thriller featuring the Royalty and Specialist Protection Branch of London’s Metropolitan Police Service.

From Netflix:

Sgt. David Budd is promoted to a protection detail for UK Home Secretary Julia Montague, but he quickly clashes with the hawkish politician.

From Netflix you can stream the 6 episodes of the only season available.  Each episode is an hour except the last episode which lasts 75 minutes.

In Britain this TV series was a well-deserved smash hit. Character interplay, plot, action sequences, and romance are seamlessly joined. Because certain scenes are meticulously detailed (for example the disarming of a bomb attached to a person), some viewers might at times find the film progress slow. However, for me those details just added to the unceasing tension.  At times I was literally on the edge of my seat.

Purposeful spoiler: the series has a satisfactory end.

WARNING:  British thriller TV series are not squeamish and have no qualms about killing off characters that you might think were essential to the plot.

Gina McKee (who plays Anne Sampson) was familiar to me as the actor who played Irene Forsyte in the 2002 TV series “The Forsyte Saga”.  Along with her character, Richard Madden (as David Budd) and Keeley Hawes (as Julia Montague) steal the show. But all the acting is wonderful.

As far as political thrillers go,  you cannot go wrong with this series.

 

2018, Abduction, Abuse of Women, Accidental Death, Addiction, African American centered, Basically Sad, Bloody scenes, Could Be Hard To Watch, Cynical, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Drug Dealers, Drugs, Failing Marriage, Family Conflict, Father-son relations, Forensics, Gay theme, Gritty, Mildly Violent, Mother-son relations, Murder, Murder Trial, Netflix Streaming, Personal Betrayal, Pessimistic, Police Corruption, Police Culture, Racism, Religious Theme, Spousal Abuse, Suspense, Trial Scenes, Upsetting ending

Seven Seconds (2018)

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From IMDB:

Tensions run high between African American citizens and Caucasian cops in Jersey City when a teenage African American boy is critically injured by a cop.

From Netflix you can stream this 10 episode series. Each episode is about an hour except the final episode is 80 minutes.

In the very beginning we see Officer Peter Jablonski accidentally run down a black boy Brenton who was riding his bicycle through the park on a snowy day. Immediately his corrupt white police buddies convince him to hide the crime as they drag the living boy to a ditch and leave him to bleed out over 12 hours. All ten very tense episodes relate the effort by a black female Assistant DA named KJ Harper and a white policeman  Joe ‘Fish’ Rinaldi to seek justice. Along the way we spend time with each member of Brenton’s family and the police families as their lives are sadly changed by the killing.  If there is a theme here, it is “Black Lives Should Matter” even if, sadly, black lives do not matter.

Acting is superb. None of the actors were familiar to me. Even the villains stand out as especially heinous, especially the unscrupulous white woman who defends the police.

For me much of the tension was getting to the end to see how the trial turns out.  Enjoy the gripping ride while you predict what a realistic ending would be.

DO NOT MISS!

 

 

 

2017, Action Film, Addiction, Amazon Prime, Bank Robbery, Bloody scenes, British Mystery Series, Crime, Detective, Drama, Drug Dealers, Drugs, Dysfunctional Lives, Extramarital Affair, Forensics, Grim, Police Culture, Prison, Prostitutes, Romance, Sex Scenes, Sexual Tension, Violent

Prime Suspect: Tennison (2017)

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From Amazon Prime:

This is the much-anticipated prequel to award-winning global hit Prime Suspect. Rewind to 1970s London to portray the early career of the formidable DCI Jane Tennison (Stefanie Martini), the role that established Dame Helen Mirren as a household name. We meet Jane as an ambitious 22-year-old probationary officer, starting out as a WPC in a world where chauvinism and rule-bending are the norm.

From Amazon Prime you can download Season 1 of this Prime Suspect prequel. Each of the 6 episodes last about 45 minutes.

Every episode offers tense action and interpersonal interactions. All 6 episodes form one complete story. Along the way there are romances, deaths, male chauvinism, crimes, drugs all of which lead to a suspenseful conclusion.

Well worth the watch.