Lydia Likes It

Gentle little murders

My husband Ted and I love few things more than to end a busy day in front of the TV, him with a clipboard full of word and number puzzles (Sudoku, crosswords, KenKen, cryptogram, Two Not Touch), me with my bag of crocheting whatever welcome blanket is in progress (currently a Barbie pink one). With the news these days being hard to watch, we look for series of police procedurals set in Britain or other European countries or farther afield, and even in the US. The requirements: good scenery, a pleasant and well-matched ensemble of police officers, engaging bad guys and gals, a bit of humor, and a murder (not too gruesome) in almost every episode. Some of our favorites include Brokenwood Mysteries (set in New Zealand; pictured above), Shetland and Line of Duty (England), Death in Paradise, Only Murders in the Building (New York) and Longmire (Wyoming), The Mallorca Files (Mallorca), and Inspector Montalbano (Sicily). If you're into the gentle murder genre, what are you watching?

Death in Paradise

If you're a person who crafts, or paints, you're always on the lookout for something to watch or listen to while your hands are busy. For me, that means a podcast or, more often, a good TV series that's on the light side, with a not-too-gruesome murder in every episode. Death in Paradise, a British–French crime comedy drama series filmed on the island of Guadaloupe, meets those criteria and more. There are 12 seasons of eight episodes each, a fine core ensemble of police officers, and the occasional cast change to shake up the dynamic just a little bit. Plus, good scenery, great music, no sadistic plot twists, and no dramatic cliffhangers. Here's a synopsis of the story line, from IMDB: "Scotland Yard DI Richard Poole is sent to the Caribbean island of Sainte Marie to solve a fellow policeman's murder. Having done so, he is seconded to the local police force as the dead man's replacement. Poole proves to be a brilliant detective, solving several complex murders. He's not quite suited to, and doesn't like, the pace of island life or the heat and the sand; he also doesn't like seafood. That aside, the place is just great. In later series, other English and Irish police officers head the investigative team, namely Humphrey Goodman, Jack Mooney, and Neville Parker." Ted and I have just started watching the Jack Mooney episodes. Charming, fun, and great for crocheting; we're halfway through Season 7, and I'm halfway through my latest welcome blanket. You'll find Death in Paradise on Amazon Prime TV.

The West Wing Weekly podcast

Da-da-dum-dum-da-da-da-da-dum-dum-dum. If you were a devotee of The West Wing, Aaron Sorkin's brilliant and prescient television series that had a seven-season run beginning in 1999, you will love The West Wing Weekly. Every week, the podcast dives deep into one episode of the show, beginning with the very first episode and moving through chronologically. Co-hosted by Joshua Malina, who played speechwriter and political operative Will Bailey in the show, and Hrishi Hirway, a podcast professional and big-time West Wing fan, each episode of the podcast dissects the show and offers behind-the-scenes tidbits. Guest interviews include Aaron Sorkin, director Tommy Schlamme, Rob Lowe, Bradley Whitford, Alison Janney, and also folks whose work relates to the subject of the episode, like pollsters, NASA technicians, Bill Clinton's chief speechwriter, and more. My husband Ted and I watch the episodes of the show (it's all on Netflix) before listening to each podcast, even though I've seen the full series at least three times. For 45 minutes a week, it's nice to be in the company of President Jed Bartlet's smart, dedicated, compassionate inner circle. Now, what's next?

The French Chef

Julia Child, who would have been 102 years old today, taught me how to cook. No, not in person (don't I wish?), but Julia's first television series, The French Chef, taught me one important lesson I've never forgotten: it's okay to have fun in the kitchen! You can be a serious cook without taking the food, or yourself, too seriously. Julia always had fun, whether instructing -- as in this episode about the Chicken Sisters -- or discovering, or learning, or walking us through some of the most complicated recipes. Thanks to the internet, all of the original episodes of The French Chef are available online or on DVD now, and though the French-inspired recipes might not seem entirely modern, Julia's example remains the one I want to follow. Happy birthday, Julia.

Parts Unknown {The Jerusalem Episode}

Love him or loathe him, you have to admit that Anthony Bourdain knows how to tell a story. While slogging along on my exercise bike, I've been catching up on the first two seasons of Parts Unknown, his latest eat-and-drink travelogue, on Netflix. The first episode of Season 2 finds Bourdain in Jerusalem, accompanied by none other than Yotam Ottolenghi, whose London restaurant and the stunningly beautiful cookbooks he's written have changed everyone's way of thinking about vegetarian food. Even if you're not a Bourdain fan, or a vegetarian, watch this episode.