Rosemary & Thyme

This wonderful "who done it" British TV series lasted only three seasons and was canceled because of budget concerns. As it is, 22 episodes are available on DVD.

Basic plot has Rosemary Boxer (Felicity Kendal) who's been fired from her job as a university lecturer in plant pathology, and Laura Thyme (Pam Ferris) a housewife (and former police woman) dumped by her husband. The two meet by chance and form a fast friendship that leads them to start a business as gardeners. But they get more than they bargained for when they get involved in local politics, family squabbles, and (invariably) in murder.

The two women use their natural curiosity and knowledge of plants to help the cops solve the murders.

The show is notable for never showing the actual violence of murder and for having two women of a certain age who are not involved in relationships or with cutesy kiddies. Another big bonus is the gorgeous location filming at various estates around the UK and a few trips to the continent. The viewer can also pick up bits and pieces of garden lore and tips.

Kendal is of course a major TV star with hit series like THE GOOD NEIGHBORS and SOLO to her credit. Ferris also has a long list of TV credits. They work perfectly together. These women are smart, independent, and funny.

The series boasts a lot of familiar faces as guests like Anthony Andrews, Phyllida Law, Suzanne Bertish, Belinda Lang, Michael Cochrane, Mel Martin, Crispin Bonham-Carter, Margaret Tyzack, Tilly Blackwood, Julian Firth, Murray Head, Diana Hardcastle, Christopher Bowen, and Neil McDermott.

Terrific!

...and it has real women in it, Felicity Kendal and Pam Ferris, two dynamite actresses.

Rosemary & Thyme is about two women, Rosemary Boxer and Laura Thyme who are in the gardening business together. Everywhere they go to work, they become involved in a murder mystery.

In order to enjoy the show, you have to accept two conceits. The first is, both these women are incredibly nosy. They come into a situation to fix, put in, or expand a garden and before you know it, they're sneaking around roofs and attics and asking outrageous questions.

The second conceit is that the solutions are sometimes really out there and you wonder how they ever figured them out. Hidden messages on trees, that sort of thing. Wild.

Nevertheless, I like it. Sorry to hear it was canceled.

Okay, so Rosemary and Thyme won't be featured with latest edition of brain busters, but the show isn't intended that way. With such seasoned veterans as it's main stars, both ladies never disappoint. With a touch of warmth, Rosemary & Thyme rate with the staples from Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers. While the mysteries may not be as involved, both ladies help work through the mystery, while making you feel as part of the team. With this show, I have to say you never are left wondering about the obvious clue you missed, because you experience everything with them as they experience it. There's no hidden brother's cousin's sister who arrives five minutes before the murder and leaves and is discovered at the end. The viewer is treated to background mini-dramas of both character's past relationships and lives as they delve in the murder afoot. This series is definitely worth watching and in my opinion worth buying.

I was saddened to hear that last night's episode of this show was the last of the series. I found the platonic chemistry between Felicity Kendal CBE and Pam Ferris to be very entertaining. Felicity's Rosemary Boxer is more down to earth, sensible, and smart while Pam's Laura Thyme is quite charming to watch as well. They work very well together and it would be a terrible shame to end the series now. Granted, two female gardeners working on grand estates where murders occur is unlikely to happen in reality but it's not real. It's television after all and I hope that they would bring them back together for another series. Last night's episode featured one of my favorites like Anne Lambton as Queenie and the storyline was not magnificent but worth watching. In one hour, they solved a double homicide with twists and turns but also kept me guessing and entertained at the same time. The British love their gardens and murder mysteries now they have combined two hobbies into one for an entertaining show to be shown for years on television.

Well this may not be to the taste of everyone but it isn't as dreadful as the previous poster says at all. I think the women gardeners who end up being detectives are believable characters, who use intuition, common sense, keen perceptions of character, as well as their knowledge of horticulture, to solve crimes. This is not a blood and cuts, men shooting at men, plot driven macho show. There are so many shows that are completely plot driven, with high tech effects but the character has no basis in real life that make this gentle show refreshing.

I like this, consider myself well read and educated, etc but I can see not everyone will like everything. It isn't necessary to put it down with such rancor. When I see such unnecessary venom on a review, it makes me wonder if the writer were rejected for a job on the show or was dumped by someone on the show.

So, this is light pleasant fare. When it is on public TV on Mystery night, I watch it. There are a lot worse shows on American TV, no need to dump on this if it isn't to one's taste. And if you like gardening, it is fun.

And I love the way British TV has realistic, believable women who aren't babes in leads.