The Good Ship Murder

First the good things: Shane Ward (who I had never heard of before) can sing and his acting actually isn't bad, especially given it isn't his first job. There are other decent actors in the cast too. The show also gets extra points for - as far as I can tell - using the real locations and for including some characters who at least try to speak languages other than English. Last time I looked, Madame Blanc, for example, hadn't even started trying to speak French!

But that's about it. The plots are a bit average, some are better than others and as has been pointed out the involvement of Jack, Kate & the rest of the ship-board characters in the crimes isn't really credible. However, this is NOT the only TV crime drama that stretches credulity like this, especially at the moment.

This is not great, ground-breaking telly, but there's nothing really wrong with it. It's lovely to look at and it actually doesn't always shy away from the realities of life - episode 3 is particularly good here.

It's a perfectly nice way to spend a winter evening.

On the plus side this is family friendly series set on a luxury cruise liner allowing each episode to be set in different beautiful location, which means on the down side as each episode goes by it stretches credulity that one liner could have so many murders associated with it. However this is light entertainment and there are plenty of other series that suffer with the same problem that many are happy to overlook. Unfortunately the acting is very poor and the solution to the murders contrived, a poor man's Agatha Christie. All that being said I suspect that is exactly how it was meant to be written. It stars amongst others Shayne Ward who is a singer and ex winner of the X Factor, so appropriately each episode concludes with him in his role as ship's entertainment officer singing a song. It is what it is and if you take it as that it is a pleasant enough show.

I really can't understand some of the bad reviews about this programme?

Shane and Catherine are superb actors, and the on off relationship with the two is predictable but very watchable the storylines are a little suspect but easy to watch, the settings are good, it isn't going to bamboozle any viewers, it is just good old British humour; and to shoot ot on an actual cruise ship while filled with holidaymakers takes some skill, i wish i had been on there at the time i would have loved being an extra lol. And Shane's singing at the end is well worth waiting for.

Just enjoy it or what it is Good cheesy fun.

As many of the reviewers have noted, this is not a deep dark difficult to discern crime saga. This is light and fun entertainment, which I discovered on a Sunday afternoon and I'm now tuning in for the second episode.

The lead actors are fun to watch in action. The cruise scenery brightens up one's day and it is pure entertainment for entertainment sake.

Of course I was curious as to which cruise line allowed their ship to be included in this program featuring murder and cruising. I did find it interesting to see some of the behind scenes views of a cruise ship.

So unless you are too stuck up in your views of murder dramas, it's time to get in the cruise buffet line and sample this tasty fun program!

Let's just say this up front - you will be continually suspending disbelief with this series. Way more than any other cozy mystery series you come across. Starting with it being a cruise ship, yet mostly empty. And that the ship's captain seems to spend most of the time...not captaining. And that the captain hangs out with guests on shore excursions. And of course all the murdering that takes place.

And those are just a few reoccurring examples. There are a seemingly endless parade of eye rolling scenarios packed into each episode.

With all this said...they are clean fun. If you turn your brain off, it's a decent time. Also good to fall asleep to.