The ABC does a lot of very fine work. Last
year, they produced the two best local shows on Australian television (
Rake and
Redfern Now), so we can forgive them a mediocre murder mystery
series every now and again. Last year gave us
the distinctly average
Miss
Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, which buried sub-standard case-of-the-week
stories under a period setting and a charming lead performance by Essie Davis.
I was hoping
The Dr Blake Mysteries would
have a bit more spark to it, but it’s just a second foray into the
unimpressive. The ABC has clearly decided there’s a niche on Friday nights for
fall-asleep-if-you-want-to television, and they’re going to make it
theirs.
