Darby and Joan

Perfectly charming, easy watch, set in Queensland, Australia as the odd couple travel around in their Camper Van (Grey Nomads R Us) with British Joan (the nurse cum forensic pathologist) and Ozzie Jack (the retired detective). Joan's seeking closure after the death of her slightly dubious husband, while Jack definitely has some skeletons in the closet surrounding his depart from the Australian Police service.

Beautiful scenery, simple stories (no surprises), not so much as a 'mild peril'. 40 mins of the kind of gentle detective story we're coming to love from this platform.

Greta Scacchi and Bryan Brown are the unlikely pair who are *definitely* not in a relationship, but manage to have enough chemistry and tension to keep the viewer interested while they solve today's mystery and explore the back stories.

Right up there with Father Brown and Rosemary and Thyme.

Very much hoping for a second season.

This show doesn't take it's self too, serious which makes it a delight to watch. There is no wokeness in your face, no political statements, either just two average relatable people on a mission. Joan looks like your average middle age female with Darby portrayed as a kind older male. Joan comes to Australia to find answers to her husbands death when he was supposed to be in Spain. Darby is an ex policeman who was forced to retire, and the two literally collide and decide to work together to find the answers of Joan's husband's death. As the two travel around the country they have some great adventures. The scenery is beautiful. It's nice to see a series with older actors having a good time. No darkness and gruesome deaths just light mysteries. Kind of reminds me of "Murder She Wrote" with the same presentation of the crimes. I've watched 4 episodes and am enjoying it.

Just what we need after the graphic sex and violence over-excess of 'Outlander' and 'Game of Dragons" A gentle romantic comedy with two late middle aged retirees trekking through rural Australia solving simple ethically ambiguous crimes as they go, with gently bickering witty repartee. Darby and Joan being the perfect title. Bryan Brown and Greta Scacchi show that over 60's have still got it and make a very attractive couple without resorting to full frontal nudity and waggling bare bottoms. The two of them are so perfectly matched one would think they had 'been together now for 40 years and it don't seem a day too much'. OK, the plots are simple, but if we need violent crime all we have to do is read tody's papers. I loved the line "My sister was married to Darby a few wives back!"

Although many reviews have placed the setting in the outback, it is set in the Queensland costal area.

The pace of this series is amazing - there's plenty of intrigue to keep you watching but the beautiful scenery calms things down again. I prefer mysteries like this ie without (much) death but there aren't many around - the main other being 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered' (AKA kLost Letter Mysteries'). My only gripe with D&J is that for much of the season, there's a 'straight marriage is crap but gay marriage's always perfect' vibe, which is obv v unrealistic. I hope they go ahead with S2 as set up in the S1 finale - TV needs more cross-generational shows, especially where the older characters take the lead.

This show is set in the cinematically gorgeous Australia. It has the feel of a Cotswold set village mystery show. Joan and Darby starts with an out of water English woman piecing together The W's of her husband's death thousands of miles from where he was supposed to be. Of course through a timely by chance situation/encounter she connects with a retired detective who had gone "walk about" for several reasons I won't spoil.

Set in an RV instead of some cottage we get a love letter to the beauty of the Aussie landscape. Nothing is major or truly sinister about the mysteries. They're episodic adventures as we are taken along the journey with Joan and Darby as they piece together her husband's hidden story.

This isn't an edgy show but it does touch on a few subjects especially grief, forgiveness and making amends. There are many familiar faces of great Aussie actors to be found in this season and I hope to see more in a season 2. There are some acting misses in the supporting cast but I don't believe it was designed to sweep up awards.

I would like to commend the show for not being artificially woke. It is naturally inclusive and contemporary without detracting from the story telling. It represents people as people in a manner of fact way with no explanations necessary(as it should be) unless relevant to the story.

Australia is vast country with so much more to explore. This first season only scratched the surface of the culture and country. Hopefully we get more seasons and we get to explore everything from Sydney to Perth and First Peoples to Bogans.