The Mrs Bradley Mysteries

If you like your mysteries with style, grace, a touch of humor, and a dash of ragtime, then you're going to like "Mrs. Bradley Mysteries". This superb 1998 BBC production starring Diana Rigg ("The Avengers" & "Game Of Thrones") and Neil Dudgeon ("Midsomer Murders") is based on characters created by Gladys Mitchell and marvelously captures 1920's English society, complete with cigarette holders, flapper skirts, bobbed hair, and those marvelous vintage cars, including Mrs. Bradley's own Rolls Royce. The settings are elegantly English, the crimes are clever, and the suspects decidedly decadent. Particularly playful are Mrs. Bradley's observations on the moralities of the the day which she delivers directly to the audience. My wife and I have watched this series many times, discovering something new and entertaining with each viewing. If you like vintage mysteries, you will thoroughly enjoy "Mrs. Bradley Mysteries".

Diana Rigg is back in top form as the larger than life (but firmly grounded on human misdemeanours) character of Mrs. Bradley. Neil Dudgeon and Peter Davison provide a solid counterweight to her flights of fancy and intuition, which is a bit ironic for Davison - who made part of his career out of playing Margery Allingham's super-sleuth(and upper class to boot) Campion. I have only had access to three episodes, but they are lengthy enough for characters to develop and for the interplay between them to become a given. I think the acting, art direction, sets and music will take anyone to heaven. This is way above (& beyond) any Agatha Christie screen adaptation - and Diana Rigg *is* Mrs. Bradley, much in the same way that Jeremy Brett *was* Sherlock Holmes. Bravo!

Five glorious murder mysteries, that keep you baffled, and look decadent. The production values are spot on, the sets and costumes are spot on. A word you'd use is lavish, plenty of art deco, lots of that pre war glamour. The music is glorious.

Diana Rigg is sublime in the title role, talk about meant for a part, she has the charisma, the charm, the voice, and dare I say it the grandeur for the role. Dudgeon is great, as are a wealth of brilliant guest stars, Phyllida Law, Lynda Barron and Ronan Vibert, they played a blinder with Peter Davison, he was terrific.

What a shame it only lasted the one series, this deserved to run a lot longer. The finale was my favourite episode. 8/10

Dame Diana Rigg is as smooth as a glass of brandy, but don't let that fool you. She's intelligent and clever in the role of the thrice-divorced Mrs. Adela Bradley in the Mrs. Bradley Mysteries series. Adela solves mysteries in a variety of interesting places- from a haunted house to a lovely seaside resort- along with her sidekick/chauffeur George (Neil Dudgeon). Bradley has the best of advice and sarcasm to offer to those involved in her cases, and the audience too. The series of mini-mysteries is very enjoyable to watch- the 1930s period costumes, props, and cars bring out the best in this sexy, savvy series that keeps you on the edge of your seat in pure fun.

I dismissed this series as shallow when it first came out. Maybe I was dazzled by the settings and costumes and didn't stick with it (though I love mysteries). I've just seen several repeats and I'm hooked. Mrs Bradley and George Moody are real, 3-D characters.

Much is suggested but not said. Rigg and Dudgeon are wonderful actors (also Phyllida Law in one episode) and Rigg has all the style of her Avengers days. Only Peter Davidson's character seems a little colourless. The plots are preposterous (the worsted viper????), but who cares? Why are Gladys Mitchell's books out of print? (By the way, folks, it's set in the 20s, not the 30s. The helmet-like cloche hats and waistless short dresses should be a clue.)