Do you know what the world really needs? Another heartfelt murder mystery series where a retired British lady and her local friends solve unspeakable crimes! At least that’s the vibe we get from the newest one masterpiece About the PBS mystery Marlow Murder Club! So how does the newest entry in this lauded genre rank among the best?

Opening Shot: We are underwater, among murky green waters and countless weeds and reeds that cover the bottom of one branch of the river. When we emerge from the water, we are in front of an incredibly cute English house. A pencil is sharpened and a cat is watching Judith Potts (Samantha Bond) begins designing a puzzle by hand.

Main idea: Retired archaeologist Judith Potts wastes her time writing crosswords for the local town newspaper and diving into the creek, until something exciting happens: she hears that her wealthy neighbor Stefan Dunwoody (Rufus Wright) has been involved in a “turmoil” before. The gunshot stops. When Judith becomes dissatisfied with the muted response of local law enforcement, she takes it upon herself to investigate. He eventually discovers a Nazi bullet casing and Stefan’s body.

While local detective Tanika Malik (Natalie Dew) struggles to balance parenting, office sexism, and a murder investigation, Judith begins her own sleuthing. Various clues lead her to obnoxious auction house owner Elliot Howard (Daniel Laine), but he has an alibi that says he sings in the church choir. The new vicar’s disgruntled wife, Becks Starling (Cara Horgan), is initially dismissive of Judith’s investigation, but by the end of the premiere, she begins her own investigations, eventually making time for tea with church gossip Mrs. Eddingham (Rita Tushingham). ).

Elsewhere, dog walking Suzie Harris (Jo Martin) is devastated when her teenage daughter decides to stay abroad with her father. However, Suzie receives a much more traumatic blow when she learns that her taxi driver friend İkbal (Ümit Ülgen) was killed by someone who entered her bed uninvited.

Are the grisly deaths of Stefan and Iqbal connected? Is there a murderer in Marlow? It’s clear that Judith, Becks and Suzie are about to join forces as the aforementioned Marlow Murder Club!

Which TV Series Will It Remind You Of? Marlow Murder Club perfectly blends the quirky British aesthetic of the classics Miss Marple with the glossy opulence porn of contemporary American thrillers Perfect Couple. Cozy, funny and the perfect escape for a sombre Sunday night.

Our View: Marlow Murder Club it’s so aggressively laid-back and fun that it almost resembles a satire of the genre. In fact, there are many moments when it feels like it is. Masterpiece Mystery The series winks at its audience. Judith is referred to as a “busy person” and wanders around with a bag of tools like a true detective. Becks’ breaking point comes when the “World’s Best Mum” trophy shatters. Tanika and her friends scoff at the idea of ​​Marlow being a hotbed of crime!

This said, Marlow Murder Club aggressively comfortable and even more aggressively fun. This doesn’t try to be a hardboiled detective drama or make any big statements about the state of the world. This show is literally designed to transport you to a picturesque English town, but in contemporary terms it exists as a ridiculously aspirational, incredibly wealthy village.

Besides the joy of the murder mystery, Marlow Murder Club It doubles as straight-up escapist fun. I’m personally obsessed with the life of Judith Potts, and now I want to retire to a beautiful house by the river to work on puzzles, solve crimes, and swim naked. (A girl can only dream!!!)

Sex and Skin: There’s no sex, but we do get some crane shots of Judith enjoying her scenic dip in the river. You go, Judith! There’s nothing wrong with a little skinny dipping in the sunshine! I would too, but I don’t think it would fly as well on the Hudson River as it does in the UK.

Parting Shot: After describing the fruits of her independent investigation to an unimpressed Tanika Malik, Judith concludes that Elliot Howard must have hired a hitman to kill Stefan Dunwoody. Tanika taunts Judith, saying, “There are no hitmen in Marlow.” Immediately afterwards, a young police officer announces that there has been another shooting in Marlow… confirming Judith’s suspicions and expanding the case.

Sleeping Star: Rita Tushingham, whose Mrs. Eddingham is so scary that she pushes poor Becks into the closet to hide. Mrs. Eddingham is a hilariously spot-on satire of every small-town gossip queen, and Tushingham’s edgy silver hairdo is instantly iconic.

Most Pilot-y Lines: “I guess you’re one of those busy people with nothing to fill your days, living alone with a cat, if I had to guess?” Elliot Howard sums up Judith Potts’ character and the appeal of the show in hilariously diminishing returns. It may also be on your nose, above your nostril.

Our call: TURN ON STREAM. Look, it’s certainly not groundbreaking, but it’s comfortable, it sure is. Marlow Murder Club It follows a charming troupe of British actors doing what they do best: low-stakes, high-quality rural murder mysteries. Pour a cup of coffee and cozy up under the blankets because this is some seriously cozy murder mystery material.