Behind the Reviews – Edition #16 (Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries)
Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries premiered on the Seven Network on 21 February 2019 and was a spinoff of the ABC series, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, which ran from 2012 until 2015. Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries was the television adaptation of Kerry Greenwood’s series of Phryne Fisher detective novels, consisting of 22 books published from 1989 until 2020.
A feature film, Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears was released in early 2020, prior to COVID-19 restrictions coming into force in Australia, however this film did not feature any of the Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries characters.
Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries used their pilot to connect their series with their predecessor by revealing the fate of Phryne Fisher and revealing that their protagonist, Peregrine Fisher, was Phryne’s niece, the daughter of Annabelle Fisher, Phryne’s long-lost sister that Phryne herself never knew existed until later in her life. Phryne’s fate has been revealed – she disappeared during a flight somewhere over Papua New Guinea. The pilot has Peregrine travel to Melbourne from her coastal home town to claim the inheritance that Phryne left her. While she’s there, she shows that investigating runs in the family when she solves the murder of a model who was found dead at a bridal fashion show.
The first season was the shortest first season I’ve ever come across, even for an Australian series, at four episodes in total, however each episode was roughly an hour-and-a-half long (movie length). Despite its short duration, the first season was fantastic with compelling murder mysteries and Peregrine establishing herself as a fearless investigator, as well as solid supporting characters who were a great team alongside Peregrine and even managed to have their moments in the spotlight.
The second season aired on Acorn TV in 2021, and doubled in size with eight episodes, each one about 45-48 minutes long in duration, the standard length of an Australian TV series episode as opposed to movie length. The second season also contains compelling murder mysteries but also expands on both Peregrine and the supporting characters by having Peregrine and Steed get together, break-up, and get back together again, Samuel and Violetta getting engaged and having a baby, and Birdie going back on spy missions with an old colleague and lover. We also meet Steed’s father and get an insight into his childhood, and we have a love triangle when Steed dates his childhood sweetheart, Sally, after his and Peregrine’s split. I felt that having the finale set on a New Year was the perfect way to end the second season.
Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries is yet to be renewed for a third season, but I sure hope that will be.
Behind the Reviews – Edition #17 will be released next week and will focus on My Life Is Murder.
Loveday Writing 