The Brokenwood Mysteries

Really enjoyed seeing a program in NZ that wasn't trying to portray either Auckland as "Little Sydney" all glam and international or South Auckland as "Little Harlem", for the 1.5mil that live in Auckland, there are stories from the other 3 million outside of the city.

The settings were real without LOTR CGI, the characters were not over the top, the stories had their twists and turns without relying on overnight DNA tests.

Similar to other cop shows, probably, different and standing on its own, yes it does that too.

Really though, how many police shows are all that unique nowadays anyway (CSI and NCIS franchises) or the formulaic UK shows: Two unusual surnames for the title, a male/female lead, one of the two has some disturbing past that troubles them.......doesn't make them bad watching.

It's perfectly fine to watch TV for entertainment and not to be educated or enlightened, that's what real life is for. Brokenwood does that from an NZ viewpoint with a bit of brain engagement and if you don't think this sort of thing happens, you haven't read the papers for 40 years.

I stumbled across this series just out of curiosity and for some exposure to New Zealand and its culture. What I got was a quirky light-hearted show that combines solving murder mysteries with a dose of humor, and none of the dark, disturbing plots and atmosphere that most shows today seem to favor.

Acting is excellent. I particularly love Gina and her interaction with Mike, and others. She steals the show with her one liners. It's also has a great format that introduces many recurring characters from previous episodes to truly give the feeling that you're watching stories that take place in a community, not just a series of unrelated stories that could take place anywhere.

As a foreign viewer, I don't recognize any of the actors. In most of these crime solving procedural shows I watch in the US, the murderer is always the guest star with the top billing, usually a recognizable face, and that spoils the mystery. In Brokenwood, it's more difficult to pick out the murderer, so extra entertaining for me.

It's nice to watch a wholesome show like this once in a while, without all the gun violence. And being a long-running show, you can be invested in it without being disappointed.

As Gina would say, in Russia, they would not like this show. They do not like humor. And not enough people die.

I don't know why people are comparing this to Midsomer Murders. It is not trying to be anything other than what it is. I love the characters especially the lead and his sidekick. The thing that I really enjoy about this show is that each episode shows an aspect that is typically Kiwi. Golfing, Hunting, and Wine are part of everyday life in New Zealand , so I think this makes Brokenwood Mysteries quite unique. I even prefer it to Top of the Lake which tended to be a little out there at times. Yes, the plot is generally straightforward and not mind bending, but it doesn't need to be. I just liked the Kiwi slant and was really impressed with the acting and cinematography. We are a small country, and I think it was a job well done. Maybe I feel like this because I am an expat living abroad, so this reminds me of home and makes me rather sentimental. Anyway, I loved every moment of it.

Nicely produced, lighthearted detective murder show from New Zealand. The principal actors are really good and funny and the plots, although uneven from show to show, are usually very engaging. They run out of top acting talent pretty quickly as you move down the credits, but the show has a charm and look that carries it along. Great scenery and, for us Northern Hemisphere viewers, a fun look into how folks in the Antipodes do it.

The photography, in particular, is really nice and gives the show a great sense of place. The two principal actors, Neill Rea and Fern Sutherland, are very good and the supporting cast, if a bit one dimension, are fun to watch as well.

A fun 90 minutes of engaging Kiwi cops.

I quite enjoyed this little romp in the countryside - not an intellectual pursuit (you can usually work out "whodunit" about halfway through) but still fun. I saw a review saying it was derivative and unoriginal and they disliked the overtly individualistic detective - well yes, he does seem to be a little "try hard" but what do you want - a guy in a nice suit and Ford Focus? How boring would that be - I think some people miss the idea of "entertainment". So good stories, interesting characters, beautiful scenery and enough to keep you entertained for 90 minutes. I hope they make more with perhaps a little more oomph but not so much that it looses it's quaint country feel. I'd give it a B with a comment of "could do a little better". But well done anyway - enjoy