Alleyn Mysteries

I like this series very well. I agree with the previous reviewer that the casting was not the best, in particular that of Agatha Troy. I do, however, think that Ngaio Marsh's supporting characters in her books are considerably more fleshed out than her lead characters. So, taking that into account I feel that the creators of this television series had plenty of leg room in deciding who to cast and how to have each actor play the parts. I wish the series had lasted long enough to include all 30+ novels. I do not know what led to the series' demise but I would guess that like other failed mystery series (Campion comes to mind) the ratings were probably not high enough to warrant the vast expenditures that period drama requires. The fact that Ngaio Marsh's books are rather dry and slow in pace compared to Agatha Christie's adds additional problems, making an exact transfer to television difficult. Still, the show is great and is well worth the money on DVD.

What is it with these British mystery series? They're all wonderful in their own way.

I haven't researched this totally, but I believe that Alleyn, Campion, and Inspector Lynley were all inspired by Lord Peter Wimsey to some extent. And that's okay, because their characters and stories were tackled by good writers.

This series stars Patrick Malahide, Belinda Lang, and William Simons. The first episode that I saw, I kept staring at Patrick Malahide and saying to myself, why is it that I distinctly remember seeing another actor in this part? Well, I had, and it was Simon Williams - years ago.

In the books, Alleyn is known as Handsome Alleyn. I don't think Malahide is handsome, and I notice it's not mentioned in these episodes. He is, however, very elegant, and Malahide underplays, giving him a somewhat mysterious quality. Belinda Lang for me is perfect as Agatha. Remember, this is the '40s, not 2015. It was a more formal time. And these are mature people, taking their romance slowly. There's an undertone of flirtation, wryness, insouciance -- they have both been around the block a few times. As a couple, they are marvelous.

The mysteries are very good, normally taking place among the upper crust. I love William Simons as Fox - rough and tough, no nonsense.

These are engrossing mysteries. They're not filled with car chases, things blowing up, or over the top characters. It's not bombastic. It's British upper class, after all.

When it comes to crafting intelligent and entertaining television mysteries, the English simply do it better than anyone else. This excellent 1993 BBC1 series takes place in post-WWII England (c. 1948), even though Dame Ngaio Marsh's novels were set prior to the war. The production effectively captures the rather gray atmosphere so prevalent throughout the country after the war, from the drabness of the period's clothes to the exhaustion in the character's personalities. Patrick Malahide plays Chief Inspector Roderick Alleyn, and Belinda Lang portrays his love interest Agatha Troy, both remnants of Britain's post-war fading upper class. William Simons rounds out the cast as Alleyn's working-class assistant Detective Inspector Fox. The crimes are clever and their solutions sensible, surely to satisfy any mystery fan. My wife and I have viewed this series many times and find something new and enjoyable with each viewing. Highly recommended!

Having read the two previous comments, both of which read as though they had been written by two citizens of Superman's Bizarro World (where everything is exactly the opposite of how it is in real life), I felt I had to come to this fine series' defense. Taking the accusations one by one:

Ngaio Marsh was indeed a brilliant writer; her detective stories have in fact made a great TV series, and this is it. Patrick Malahide is a gifted actor, it's true, and he was perfectly cast as Roderick Alleyn, precisely because he makes of him so much more than "a stereotype toff." I agree that Marsh's Alleyn remains elusive as a personality throughout the series of novels; and Malahide, sensing this essential quality of Marsh's hero, allows a cloud of reticence to hover around his Alleyn to exquisitely ambiguous and subtle effect. Troy, played with equal finesse and discretion by Belinda Lang, is, in fact, portrayed as "an individualist with her own career as a painter" -- in fact, one episode (Final Curtain) features her prominently, on her own, noting many crucial clues while fulfilling a portrait commission! (Needless to say, she never says "You never have time for me!" or anything of the sort.) The adaptations are extremely clever and elegant, managing to retain much of the loveliness of Marsh's unparalleled drawing-room conversation while keeping within the time limits set by a 98- minute format. Period detail is not "ladled on," at all. On the contrary, the art direction, cinematography (a nearly subliminal sepia filter tints the series) and set decoration are, as we've come to expect of these British productions, impeccable and always convincing. The comparison of Marsh's stories -- and this production of them -- with those of P. D. James is useless: Marsh's readership and tone were entirely unlike those of James, and their books are apples and oranges. It's childish to rank one over the other. The pace is leisurely -- not "slow and badly done." The "interplay of characters" is extraordinarily full and complex throughout the series -- but it is subtle, discreet and low-key, all evidently the sort of virtues which threaten to put some critics and their wives to sleep.

In short, if you enjoy civilized old-school British mystery of the very best sort, you can't do much better than Malahide and Lang in The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries. I for one can't wait for the second DVD set.

We are avid consumers of BBC mysteries, and the Alleyn Mysteries are one our favorites. The acting from the lead players is subtle and involving (and far better than anything on American TV) and the usual variety of excellent British actors appear throughout the series. The stories are well written, the dialogue is convincing, the character development is enjoyable, and the directors respect the intelligence of the viewer. Highlights are the nuanced development of the relationship between Alleyn and his love interest Agatha Troy, and the delightful exchanges between the aristocratic Alleyn and his middle class next-in-command, Inspector Fox. The only disappointment is the limited number of these shows.