Jericho

Another reviewer has compared Jericho unfavorably with Foyle's War. I, too, am a fan of Foyle's War, but Jericho appears to be striving much more for LA Confidential.

Robert Linsday is a wonderful, Tony Awarding-winning actor and one of the best new TV detectives I've seen in a while. The casting of the secondary and guest roles is very fine. I generally hate conspicuous music tracks, but I was immediately sucked into the first episode by the theme music, which also seems to owe a debt to the LA Confidential sound track.

I know nothing about London in the 1950's but I enjoyed this imagined version of it very much.

Robert Lindsay is one of the best actors of his generation. For those who don't know his work or are only familiar with the safe BBC comedy "My Family"; have a look at "Oliver Twist", "A Very Social Secretary", "Citizen Smith" or his multi-award winning performance as Michael Murray in "GBH". Then you'll realise how good he is.

Jericho is another in a long list of brilliant performances from Lindsay, who makes the whole production sparkle into life. Here he is supported by David Troughton, another remarkably talented actor at the peak of his profession.

The production values are high; the story-telling intriguing. It's not the best TV drama ever made but it is far above average. Watch it yourself and enjoy the fine acting.

There have been only a few television shows (and movies) that have compelled me to recommend them highly to others - "Foyle's War", "The Sandbaggers," and "Horatio Hornblower" come quickly to mind. I'm adding the Jericho series to the list, based on the two installments that I've thus far been able to view, "A Pair of Jagged Claws" and "The Killing of Johnny Swan".

Both episodes were well-crafted and very atmospheric. The acting, as expected given the actors involved, has been outstanding, and the mysteries themselves - both of which touch upon key social issues - have been intriguing. I do agree that the music can distract attention and cover over the dialog. However, for me it was a minor nuisance. Overall, these two episodes have been wonderful to watch, and I wish more television series and movies were as well-constructed and well-acted. I am waiting rather impatiently for the US versions of "To Murder and Create" and "The Hollow Men" to become available, and hope there will be even more installments of this excellent mystery series available in the near future.

I just saw the first two episodes of Jericho, and I can't believe this show never made it to a second series! I read that the audience was smaller after the first episode aired, but it seems like there are definitely shows that keep getting made even if they're insipid & nobody watches them, so why does a genius program like this get canceled? Jericho's definitely as compelling as Foyle was, and the 50's style is so wonderfully atmospheric, so well-done, I felt like I was watching something made in that decade. The plots are powerful, the acting's great, and the cinematography gorgeous -- what's the downside? There isn't one -- so who do I petition to get them to pick it up again and make more episodes? I'm looking forward to seeing Eps. 3 and 4, but already sad that there aren't any more after that!

Mystery! has done it again with this series, which is quite different than most of what's gone before. And that helps to make this one another hit.

I'm a long-time fan of the Mystery! series and a particular fan of Inspector Morse. Anyone familiar with that series knows the high quality product that long-running series consistently put out. So I'm not an easy audience, given my perspective.

But Robert Lindsay has made DI Michael Jericho his own. He IS Jericho. In the same way that the late great John Thaw made Morse his own character, Lindsay has grabbed Jericho by the throat and taken his identity from him. I haven't read any of the books so I don't know how the character comes across there, but Lindsay's interpretation is "spot on" from a television perspective.

I'm currently in the midst of re-watching the first episode on DVD (thanks for that) after having caught at least 2 of the original airings last Fall (Ragged Claws and Johnny Swan). I was hooked from the start; and like Morse, Jericho holds up well on repeated re-watchings. So even after you know who done it, you're nevertheless caught up in the drama.

The musical score and overall style of this series do indeed make it unique. It's all a bit "X-Files-esq," but I find both quite enjoyable and fitting, and, in my humble opinion, they help make the series stand out.

Like Morse, Jericho has a solid side-kick who compliments his character perfectly. It seems they have an endless supply of fine "character actors" over there in the UK, and I'm thankful I get to see them when I can. Even the "bit parts" get solid treatment from fine British actors. One of my favs in the first episode is Shorty. He's a hoot -- and he's not even around all that long.

Lindsay is currently also on my TV in his "My Family" series, but I refuse to watch him in that. I'm sure he's good (and I have seen some of it) but I don't want to lose that Jericho edge that I'm currently working on with him.

I've given this series a 10, which is not to say it's an equal to Morse. But 10 to me means it's a standout with little or nothing to criticize. Beyond that, it's simply a matter of taste. I only hope they keep this series going for quite a long time.

Thanks Gawd for Mystery! and all the rest of the great Brit shows. And, of course, also PBS. And thanks Gawd also for DVD so's I can have something to watch (and re-watch) when the mood moves me and PBS is into something else less enjoyable to me. Because if I had to live with only American TV, I'd give the medium up completely.