Back from Summer Break

What's good on PBS and via Passport streaming

The Mostly British Murder Mysteries has returned. We’ll get to my latest review per usual. (It’ll be a special, including the books and two TV versions of a classic.) But first I’ll update on what I’ve been watching lately with other PBS suggestions.

First to mention is Astrid. A French series starring Sara Mortensen as Astrid, an autistic woman, with complete recall of the police crime archives (where she works), who comes to partner with a rather flamboyant Parisian commander in the judicial police. While helping solve crimes, Astrid regularly attends group meetings with other autistic persons who discuss their difficulties in interacting with “neurotypical” persons. These sessions are sensitively presented and a highlight of the shows. I’m making my way through the first season via Walter Presents (on PBS Passport), a collection of foreign language dramas (with English subtitles) chosen by Walter Iuzzolino.

Thou Shall Not Kill is another excellent series from Walter Presents. Miriam Leone, a former Miss Italy, plays the chief of a murder investigation squad of the Turin Police. As it’s Italian, it comes with family dynamics and a solid dash of mafia. I admit to watching all four seasons over the last few years.

Professor T is perhaps the best of the Walter Presents. Koen De Bouw plays the suffer-no-fools criminology professor providing his special assistance to the Antwerp police. De Bouw plays to a T the troubled professor who sees people not there and doesn’t save anyone from his usually caustic observations. Professor T has been so popular that it’s spawned German, French and Czech versions. PBS also is showing a UK version that compares a bit unfairly with the original.

Staying with PBS, I’ve already recommended Ridley. Starting this month are new seasons of Unforgotten and Van Der Valk. The latter is fast paced and takes place in Amsterdam (but in English). The excellent Nicola Walker (who left Unforgotten last season) returns in October in Annika, about a Glasgow marine homicide detective. One can also use Passport to watch the simply superb Baptiste. Tchéky Karyo plays retired French detective Julien Baptiste (who first appeared in BBC’s The Missing). Watching Karyo’s performance in this brain twister is worth the time.

By the way, streaming PBS Passport comes with your donation to public television and it is a great value.