What is it? Case Histories, Complete Collection, nine episodes on four discs from Acorn Media
How much? $59.99
When? Now
What types of cases? Crime. Murder, missing persons, missing pets.
In this case, the person solving these crimes (or attempting to) is Jackson Brodie (Jason Isaacs), former soldier, former police detective, now a private investigator in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Brodie is tough and smart and has a real knack for reading people -- particularly when they're lying. He's also something of a magnet for the lost, the broken and the needy -- and the manipulative.
Because as tough, brooding and strong as Brodie is, he's also a softie underneath. It's almost impossible for him to say no to someone who genuinely needs his help. For him, solving crimes is less about justice or retribution and more about setting people's lives in order. He's seldom paid for his work and that doesn't seem to bother him much at all.
It does bother his mouthy assistant, Deborah (Zawe Ashton).
Solving cases isn't always easy without the resources of the police department, but he's not exactly popular with his former colleagues. The only one he can occasionally count on to help is his former partner, Louise (Amanda Abbington).
He's befuddled, hounded and haunted by women at every turn, particularly when it comes to clients, whether it's a harmless eccentric and her cats or a pair of odd sisters with a very disturbing family history. Even what seems to be a simple one-night-stand turns out to be a case.
Brodie's family background is less than pure. His sister's unsolved murder and the effect it had on the rest of his family still weighs heavily on him.
His healthiest relationship is with his young daughter, Marlee (Millie Innes), but even there it's complicated. They adore each other, but he's not always responsible and a father-daughter day out might mean visiting a crime scene or interviewing suspects. That doesn't exactly help his frosty relationship with Marlee's mother, his ex-wife, Josie (Kirsty Mitchell).
How is it? Quite good if you're looking for a mystery series that's heavy on atmosphere and character development. The mysteries themselves are complicated, but not exceptional and there are some coincidences that hit "Oh come on!" levels of ridiculous in the way some of the cases intersect.
The audience is fed tidbits of Brodie's tragic past and the slow manner in which information is dispensed could be enticing or annoying, depending on one's patience.
But the rare lapse aside, it's a smart, engaging show, helped a great deal by Isaacs as Brodie. He makes a charismatic, layered and very likable hero.
The series can get rather disturbing and graphic at times, but not overly so, and it has a sense of humor that lightens the mood occasionally.
Are there extras? There are two behind-the-scenes featurettes, one on each season, and interviews with various cast and creative types.
New this week: Foyle's War, Season 8; A Haunting, Season 7; JAG, Complete Series; Little House on the Prairie, Season 5; The Missing, Complete Series; Thriller, Complete Series.
Next week: Getting On, Season 2; The Musketeers, Season 2; Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Complete Series; Tour of Duty, Complete Series; What's Happening!!, Complete Series.
Style on 04/12/2015