BROKENWOOD MYSTERIES: SERIES 8

A lot of the 2-star reviews are just for episode 1. As the series goes on, the episodes get better. Looking forward to next series!

Seems you either find a show that has real-life murder with blood and gore.. or stupid slapstick antics within the murder genre. This show fits somewhere in the middle. There are creative scenarios depicting murders and a tight groups of three detectives smartly and sensitively solving the crimes. The personalities of Mike and Simms are infectious as we have slight glimpses into their personal lives making them believable. The rotated third man was also an asset. ALSo the incredible scenery, the repeated casting of usual town inhabitants made each show a familiar place to visit all with fantastic country music accompanying every episode.. thanks to Mike. OKay, maybe not the best show in town, but well worth the visit to Brokenwood.. and sad to come to the end of Season 8.

The first seven seasons are stellar with only a couple of episodes that miss. What made it so good was the core character detectives, but also the quirky people of the town. The publican Ray, his sister Trudy, Frodo (aka Frankie Oades), Mrs. Marlowe (Oh please, call me Jean), and of course, Jared, the jack of all trades (although Jared has had long absences before… which they played off as a coma). Well, so far in season eight all of the good characters are missing except for Frodo. Unfortunately, the seasons reflect the missing quirkiness that they bring to the table. Especially Mrs. Marlowe and Jared, in my opinion. I have only gone through four episodes of season eight so far, so hopefully it gets better. I’m sure they are just trying to save money, but come on.

The first episode of series 8 just lacked substance. The second episode was way better. It had elements of real tension and true police work. It’s still a light weight crime show, but entertaining. Have to find out if Mike has a love interest which is sure to disappoint Dr Gina. The new Māori officer’s character is beginning to blossom. Shepherd continues to be the grounding member of the group. The New Zealand scenery is lovely. Well worth watching.

We have watched all seasons and it just kept getting better and better, do hope that there will be more series beyond Series 8.

It its weakest, Brokenwood Mysteries is one of the best light mystery series. Season 8 seems to have disappointed some loyal viewers, but the overall story bible is a little more complex than usual, and the theme won't be completely evident until the last lines of the final episode "Four Fires and a Funeral." The script of Episode 6 is arguably the drollest of all the previous stories. And the climax is immensely satisfying, with a tantalizing set-up for Season 9.One feature that sets season 8 apart from most of the current "mysteries" is that it sticks to the whodunnit tradition. Each episode presents clues and doesn't use surprise reveals near the end to explain what really happened. If you backtrack, the plotting is always fair but organized in the most emotionally compelling way.Humor plus a real mystery plus interesting, complex characters--what more could you want?

Season 8 is a disappointment...plots are thin. I guess no good thing lasts forever.

I look forward to another season!!