Once again, Blake is hamstrung by a new police superintendent. This guy is a humorless, unyielding automaton who needs to micro-manage every aspect of every case. He sees Blake as a nuisance, despite his incredible crime solving abilities. In this case, other than browbeating suspects, he really understands nothing of the community where he serves. Blake has to use Charlie to get information to this guy, so it will not seem as though he is meddling. Politics and and a couple rich hostile people and an undeserved adulation of his late father have tainted Blake's resume. This case involves a pair of twins who have checkered pasts and a woman who feels she has nothing to live for. A man has been murdered in a cattle pen. Why was he there and what happened to him? We also learn a great deal more about Jean and her past.
3 Reviews
Keep your eye on the child
pensman26 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
A game of two up ends up in a brawl and one of the participants is later found dead. This victim was misidentified and the acting Super of Police gets replaced for the mistake and Chief Supt William Munro is the new head cop and Blake is on the outs again without an ally in the department. As the investigation moves forward suspicion quickly falls on the dead man's brother. It seems he hit his brother with a spade and then got the penned cattle to trample him. But Blake is suspicious as he discovers the dead man had been buying someone, not his wife, jewelry on a regular basis; and unknown to anyone he has sold his farm for a large sum of money but who has the money. Let's say, wives will figure out who did it quicker than their husband will.
Brotherly animonsity
TheLittleSongbird23 April 2018
'The Doctor Blake Mysteries' may not quite be among my favourite shows of all time, but it's a riveting series that keeps getting better and one of the better detective drama shows in recent years. It is always fascinating to see a mystery series from outside England and America, and 'The Doctor Blake Mysteries' is one of the better examples.
Unfortunately, 'The Doctor Blake Mysteries' tends to be buried within daytime television scheduling, both on the BBC when first getting into it three or so years ago and on not as much watched channel (i.e. Alibi). It also tends to be aired at a time where most people will be at school or work, for me it was during sporadic periods when not needing to go into music college. The series deserves much better than that when it has consistently been one of the better shows to be aired in the early afternoon.
"My Brother's Keeper" is every bit as great as the Season 3 opener "King of the Lake". My only complaint is the new character of Munro, it is his debuting episode but he is a not very interesting and too much of a cold fish character that took a lot of warming up to. Lawson was far more interesting, easier to be engaged by and settled much better, his chemistry with Blake also more believable.
Having said that, have always liked Jean and her chemistry with Blake and it was lovely to see more development to her which makes her even more interesting.
By now, 'The Doctor Blake Mysteries' felt like it had found its feet and had established things well by this point. Relationships and characters continue to deepen, the mysteries are even twistier and the pace has more lustre.
Like the rest of 'The Doctor Blake Mysteries', "My Brother's Keeper" is exceptionally well made. The post-war period is beautifully evoked in the sumptuous but also atmospheric settings and scenery and charming costumes and period detail. It is beautifully shot and atmospherically lit, the dark grey-ish tinge being very appropriate and adding much to the overall feel of the episode. It is scored sensitively and the haunting theme tune gets embedded in the brain, while the direction is suitably restrained.
Writing continues to be very good with the tone established very well. There is great thought-provoking dialogue that always makes the mystery elements interesting but the atmosphere doesn't ever feel too grim. The story is riveting, suspensefully written and you care about having it solved. The solution is not obvious nor is it too complicated, very neat without being too pat. The characters are well written and more than just stereotypes, Lucien Blake still has it in how fascinating a character he is.
Craig McLachlan is superb in the role as well, quite possibly his best role and certainly the best acting he's ever done. He seemed an unlikely choice at first, but the character suits him perfectly. All the acting is very good actually, and seldom if ever any less. The relationships between the characters are well worth investing in.
Overall, great. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Unfortunately, 'The Doctor Blake Mysteries' tends to be buried within daytime television scheduling, both on the BBC when first getting into it three or so years ago and on not as much watched channel (i.e. Alibi). It also tends to be aired at a time where most people will be at school or work, for me it was during sporadic periods when not needing to go into music college. The series deserves much better than that when it has consistently been one of the better shows to be aired in the early afternoon.
"My Brother's Keeper" is every bit as great as the Season 3 opener "King of the Lake". My only complaint is the new character of Munro, it is his debuting episode but he is a not very interesting and too much of a cold fish character that took a lot of warming up to. Lawson was far more interesting, easier to be engaged by and settled much better, his chemistry with Blake also more believable.
Having said that, have always liked Jean and her chemistry with Blake and it was lovely to see more development to her which makes her even more interesting.
By now, 'The Doctor Blake Mysteries' felt like it had found its feet and had established things well by this point. Relationships and characters continue to deepen, the mysteries are even twistier and the pace has more lustre.
Like the rest of 'The Doctor Blake Mysteries', "My Brother's Keeper" is exceptionally well made. The post-war period is beautifully evoked in the sumptuous but also atmospheric settings and scenery and charming costumes and period detail. It is beautifully shot and atmospherically lit, the dark grey-ish tinge being very appropriate and adding much to the overall feel of the episode. It is scored sensitively and the haunting theme tune gets embedded in the brain, while the direction is suitably restrained.
Writing continues to be very good with the tone established very well. There is great thought-provoking dialogue that always makes the mystery elements interesting but the atmosphere doesn't ever feel too grim. The story is riveting, suspensefully written and you care about having it solved. The solution is not obvious nor is it too complicated, very neat without being too pat. The characters are well written and more than just stereotypes, Lucien Blake still has it in how fascinating a character he is.
Craig McLachlan is superb in the role as well, quite possibly his best role and certainly the best acting he's ever done. He seemed an unlikely choice at first, but the character suits him perfectly. All the acting is very good actually, and seldom if ever any less. The relationships between the characters are well worth investing in.
Overall, great. 9/10 Bethany Cox
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