The end of Jonathan Creek has come, unless they decide to do anymore specials. I'll begin with series 4 which I've touched on a bit with 'The Satan's Chimney.' The replacement of Maddy with Carla just didn't work. For the special there was a hint of a relationship but by the 4th series she was married and because of that there wasn't anywhere for her relationship to go with Jonathan. It was a clever way to keep Jonathan involved with mysteries but I think the series lost its interesting hook with the loss of Maddy. The mysteries were still there but Carla was just too annoying. The more recent specials, 'The Grinning Man' and 'The Judas Tree' brought in yet another companion, Joey played by Sheridan Smith was a good addition, Smith of course from Gavin and Stacey. As the series progresses the women seem to get younger and younger although they tried to counter that by giving Joey back problems, somehow I just don't believe that! A young woman, who in the next special becomes part of the magic show because she can be fold up into the basket would not have back problems, but I guess that was the only way they would be able to solve the mystery of the attic.
'The Grinning Man' had a load of people in it that I know from other things, Mina played by Naomi Bentley and Glen played by Ciarán McMenamin both from different series of Primeval and finally Katherine Parkinson playing Nicola. Her character acted as a nice transition from Carla in series four allowing the series to acknowledge the change without going into it. I do find it funny that Jonathan has gotten better at talking to women from his first meeting with Maddy all those series ago. (And of course since I had just seen Parkinson and Davies together in Whites this was a nice surprise) The mystery behind the disappearances was plausible after it was explained and it put one of our main protagonist in great peril. Everything fit together really nicely and it was funny. This scene was hilarious.
Bringing Joey and Jonathan together was nicely different, Joey wasn't actively seeking him out but his reputation had preceded him. It was nice that Joey had been investigation stuff for her own website and made for some tension when he looks over the room that she's already looked at. I'm not sure about his not being interested in solving mysteries anymore, that was kind of a weak plot point not that he really volunteered for any of the others in the past...so maybe in a way it works. Somehow because Joey had been successful at solving other mysteries Jonathan lost some of his intellectual aura, leaving him just a bloke who solves murders and mysterious crimes. The continual stress on Adam's magic show I think takes away from the fun part. Adam just never really grew on me and I preferred his story more in the background.
The Judas Tree just really lacked in ingenuity. The plot was boring. It was different because it wasn't in a locked room just an impossible crime. It wasn't jazzy enough for me I guess. I was excited to see Paul McGann's name in the credits but then I totally missed him as the main character! I guess I was looking for the 1996 McGann as the 8th Doctor and not the 2010 McGann.
And the relationship between Jonathan and Joey seemed rather forced, more so than Joey's predecessors. The Judas Tree I felt was more like beating a dead horse. Sadly it didn't hold my interest as much and I felt the show should have ended with The Grinning Man. I would rather though have them do another special to make up for the Judas Tree so the show can end on a high note again, maybe bring back Maddy. Well one can hope right, and if all else fails there's always fanfiction. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment