Need a cozy crime drama? ‘Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries’ is perfect
Looking for a little Aussie spice in your life? Need to shake up your Murder, She Wrote marathons? Well, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries might just be the show you need to watch next. This Australian drama has class and a whole lot of style, following glamorous private detective Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis) busting bad guys in 1920s Melbourne.
Who’s in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries?
You may recognize the protagonist from her role in The Babadook, but Essie Davis is much more put-together and charming in her role as Phryne Fisher.
Originally aired in 2012 on the Australian Broadcasting Company, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries is based on Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne Fisher murder mystery novels. Greenwood was even invited to the first brainstorming session and provided feedback to the producers.
Who is Miss Fisher?
What’s unique about Greenwood’s novels is that Miss Phrynes Fisher is so obviously a feminist. Phryne Fisher doesn’t want to marry, has many lovers, and actively pursues her interests, regardless of what other people tell her to do. Producer Deb Cox describes Phryne as a better-dressed version of James Bond, and we couldn’t agree more
What’s so great about Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries?
There’s mystery, danger, romance, and a whole lot of jazz as we watch Phryne Fisher swoop under the local PD to solve her client’s mysteries. Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries has a noticeable lightheartedness, which makes it enjoyable to watch and even easier to binge.
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries’s costume is also on point. Designer Marion Boyce used only four members to gather and create this ultra-realistic depiction of 1920s Melbourne fashion. Most of the garments were specifically designed for Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, but Boyce used some of her own vintage fabrics she’d been holding on to for 25 years.
A genuine, yet dreamy, atmosphere surrounds Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. It takes us back to a time when motives for a crime were simple and the police even simpler. Miss Fisher wastes no time in taking advantage of her charm and wit when dealing with gullible police chiefs. She easily maneuvers through crime scenes to find the right evidence, as well as a little excitement along the way.
But wait, there’s more . . .
Not only does Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries present a strong female role in a male-dominated period of history, but she’s also middle-aged. This great casting choice is unique and veers away from the traditional choice to cast either young or much older women in lead roles.
In addition, Miss Fisher’s close companion Dr. Elizabeth doesn’t shy away from being a lesbian. Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries also deals with issues traditionally ignored by media, such as clandestine abortions and unsafe labor practices in female-staffed factories.
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries provides a deeply re-imagined perspective of a time often portrayed one-dimensionally for women.
