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Murder mysteries

Discussion in 'Sensorium' started by Beren, Jul 9, 2012.

  1. Beren

    Beren Lovesick and Lonely Wanderer Staff Member Member of the Week Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    I'll try to start this thread as an open-ended thread about murder mysteries in a film or TV medium. Maybe about the genre specifically, or one that you like in particular.

    I guess I have an occasional thing for murder mysteries. I like my share of feel-good stories with happy endings, but not all the time. There isn't really any happy endings in murder mysteries, cause it was obviously too late for the victim, who even then isn't always particularly sympathetic. But it does sometimes make for refreshing and interesting storylines.

    Anyway, I heard good things about a series 'The Killing', which is an American adaptation of a popular Danish series. So, I decided to buy the first season DVD and give it a try.

    I must say that I'm impressed so far. There is the obvious resemblance to Twin Peaks. It's based in a perpetually rainy Washington state. You have your teenaged murder victim who, like Laura Palmer, had on the surface a charmed life that belied secrets that the police have to find out about before her family or her friends. And everybody's got a secret, probably the cops themselves I wouldn't be surprised. I have to say this one does Twin Peaks one better. Don't get me wrong, David Lynch has a certain style that works for him and audience members who can keep up with him. But with Lynch, I have to make a more conscious effort to suspend disbelief. In The Killing, I find the characters much more believable, nuanced, and sometimes both despicable and yet sympathetic or tragic at the same time.

    I haven't finished yet, so no spoilers pleased for anyone who's watched the entire series. I just might go on to watch the Danish original series, "Forbrydselen", once I finish this one.
     
    Beren, Jul 9, 2012
    #1
  2. Blackthorne TA

    Blackthorne TA Master in his Own Mind Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    If I'm ever flipping through channels on a weekend and come across Poirot, I'll always stop and watch it :) David Suchet is just great.
     
    Blackthorne TA, Jul 9, 2012
    #2
  3. T2Bruno

    T2Bruno The only source of knowledge is experience Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Nothing beats Hitchcock. He had so many great ones ... Vertigo, Rope, Rear View, North by Northwest ... awesome.
     
    T2Bruno, Jul 9, 2012
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  4. Dice

    Dice ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    I always liked the paranormal mysteries which sometimes had murder in it, like the X-files.
     
    Dice, Jul 9, 2012
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  5. LKD Gems: 31/31
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    I love murder mysteries because you are talking about the highest possible stakes -- can someone get away with committing the most heinous crime imaginable -- the ending of another's life for no valid reason? I love the stories!

    I need to buy the Killing -- waiting from week to week sucks and I gave up 3 episodes in, but I was really impressed with all elements of the story.

    I'm a huge Columbo fan. The writing, Falk's portrayal of a deceptively simple looking (yet deeply complicated) detective, the guest stars, the cat and mouse, it all rocked. It's a nice change of pace from the gritty violent stuff, which is also good but sometimes can get too much. I'm referring to stuff like "Silence of the Lambs" and the more horrendous episodes of "Criminal Minds".
     
    LKD, Jul 9, 2012
    #5
  6. joacqin

    joacqin Confused Jerk Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Isn't the market extremely over-saturated with murder mysteries? I am sick of it, you can't turn on your TV without coming face to face with some psychopathic maniac or housewife murderer. Are people really that interested in stories about murder? Don't even get me started on the books, any retard who can string four words together in a sentence writes a best selling murder story for the masses to devour.

    Murder mysteries are the Justin Bieber of the TV and literature industry.

    I did like Columbo and truth be told I have liked quite a lot but there is no end to it. Soon the only thing on TV and the only books published will be murder mysteries.
     
    joacqin, Jul 9, 2012
    #6
  7. Blackthorne TA

    Blackthorne TA Master in his Own Mind Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Yeah, Columbo is great too. I haven't seen an episode for a while now though; I'm not sure when/if it still plays where I am.
     
    Blackthorne TA, Jul 9, 2012
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  8. Dice

    Dice ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    Add me to into the Columbo fan club :p. That character had style!
     
    Dice, Jul 9, 2012
    #8
  9. T2Bruno

    T2Bruno The only source of knowledge is experience Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Wow BTA, I would've thought you were more of a "murder She Wrote" kind of guy. ;)
     
    T2Bruno, Jul 9, 2012
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  10. Mesmero

    Mesmero How'd an old elf get the blues?

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    I quite like the new, modern Sherlock Holmes. Only six episodes so far (as far as you can call a 90 minutes an episode :)) and I can't wait for more :)
     
    Mesmero, Jul 9, 2012
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  11. Blackthorne TA

    Blackthorne TA Master in his Own Mind Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Ha! Or Matlock! My mom loved both of those :)
     
    Blackthorne TA, Jul 9, 2012
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  12. Dice

    Dice ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    Are you sure you don't think you are older than you are BT? :p
     
    Dice, Jul 9, 2012
    #12
  13. Blackthorne TA

    Blackthorne TA Master in his Own Mind Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Oh, I'm old... no doubt about it! I've got the grey hairs to prove it! :)
     
    Blackthorne TA, Jul 10, 2012
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  14. Dice

    Dice ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    Ha! I've got some grey hairs as well BT but I'm not old at all. I don't think I ever will be.

    I used to watch Murder She Wrote when it was kind of a popular TV show. I'm more interested in true crime murder mysteries. Occasionally I'll watch CSI or Law and Order or any number of random crime-investigation shows which is equivalent to murder mysteries because usually someone dies.
     
    Dice, Jul 10, 2012
    #14
  15. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    Midsomer Murders, anyone? Honestly, I don't bother with them any more because an hour in they usually get so hopelessly convoluted I don't know what's going on any more. I guess they're made for those fanatics who watch each episode 10+ times and dissect every minute detail. :sleep:
     
    Taluntain, Jul 18, 2012
    #15
  16. joacqin

    joacqin Confused Jerk Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Isn't that the problem in all murder mysteries? Getting the balance right. In the ones I have seen and especially the ones I have read I have either been able to figure out the twist and mystery half way through the story or the solution was so convoluted and implausible it would have been impossible to figure it out. As I see it they should keep you guessing, maybe giving you a few options but always leave you uncertain but not so uncertain that you have no clue whatsoever. Very few get that balance right.
     
    joacqin, Jul 18, 2012
    #16
  17. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    It's more of an issue with British ones because they usually introduce far too many characters and you can't keep tabs on who's who and who did what when (especially since they also love putting in flashbacks going 50+ years back). American ones tend to be far easier to follow because the convention there is to keep the characters to a minimum (most of the time anyway) and to reuse a lot of characters regularly, so you get all the standard types down and only have to follow a relatively small variable number of suspects. And sure, you could say it's dumbed down... but when you've got a choice between that vs. watching something you then need to read the original book of to make full sense of, I know what I'll pick.
     
    Taluntain, Jul 18, 2012
    #17
  18. Beren

    Beren Lovesick and Lonely Wanderer Staff Member Member of the Week Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Well, I just finished The Killing, and I have to say that I was pretty blown away by the ending ...

    Ok, I knew it had something to do with a political cover-up, and that slimy aide to Darren Richmond was no surprise beating Rosie and putting her in the back of the trunk. But damn ... It was "Cool Aunt Terry" who actually drove the car into the lake in order to protect her boyfriend's secret. That is ****ed! :jawdrop: I was floored when she tried telling Rosie's Mom, "I didn't know it was Rosie! I didn't know it was Rosie!" C'mon, you still deliberately killed somebody that you knew was an innocent teenage girl who didn't do anything other than be at just the wrong place at just the wrong time. :shame:

    Well, I've heard the first season of Forbrydelsen is very similar, but quite a different story in its own right. Now I'll have to check that out as well.
     
    Beren, Aug 7, 2012
    #18
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