tv_talk | TV Talk Rec Fest: Mysteries or Horror

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TV Talk Rec Fest: Mysteries or Horror

Various color glass balloons captioned TV Talk Rec Fest

Welcome to day 5 of Rec Fest! Today please recommend shows which could be considered mysteries or horror. While these two formats can be quite different there may also be overlaps at times. Mysteries might include procedurals, detective series, or dramas which center on a mystery which runs for the whole series or on a season by season basis. Horror often includes supernatural events but may also overlap with the suspense genre where dread and fear predominate.

Please include in your recs the following information:

Show Title:
Audience Rating: Young Children/All Ages/Teen and Up/Mature Content
Warnings: (Could include gory content, raunchy situations, explicit sex, offensive content, etc.)
Length of Episodes: (30 minutes/1 hour/Other)
Length of Series: (Number of seasons or number of episodes)
Why you recommend it: (What draws you to it? What niche does it fill/mood is it good for?)

You can copy and paste the following code into your comment.

Feel free to include any other information you’d like, such as what year(s) the show was originally broadcast, standout cast members, or what other shows it may connect to or be like. You can also include outside links to Wikipedia, Fanlore, IMDB, your favorite review etc. which contain more show information.

If someone else has already recced a show you were planning to rec, please include your own rec as well! People have different takes on shows and it can also help people if they see a number of people find a show to be a must-watch.

If you have questions about what to post or how the Rec Fest will run, please ask them at this link, not in comments below

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Show Title: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Audience Rating: Teen and up
Warnings: Some gore, non-con episodes
Length of Episodes: 1 hour
Length of Series: 7 Seasons (144 episodes)
Why you recommend it: I have never managed to do a complete rewatch but a recent viewing of a few episodes makes it clear that the show had bunches of really enjoyable stories. This was often the result of the humor and some clever writing. The show has a number of surprises in it, both in terms of how people and storylines evolve across the series and also in terms of defying conventions in TV writing.

One thing that I still think stands out about the show is its long memory in terms of character development, with some small things occurring seasons ago suddenly being referenced again much later. An early show that was truly serialized, even if it mixed standalone stories with its seasonal arc, it was satisfying to see what happened to people, even very secondary or single episode characters over the years.

I think most people don't consider it much of a horror show because it wasn't all that scary or creepy, and neither its special effects nor its monster outfits were strong points. But Buffy had its moments in this vein -- S4's The Gentlemen in Hush (one of the show's best episodes) definitely qualified.

Show Title: Angel the Series
Audience Rating: Teen and up
Warnings: Some gore, unpleasant themes
Length of Episodes: 1 hour
Length of Series: 5 Seasons (110 episodes)
Why you recommend it: I think Angel never outgrew its Buffy spinoff origins in terms of the attention it got, and in fairness its 5 seasons were weaker overall. But I thought it was a good counterpart show and also served to develop the verse in a way the original show never did.

Although the two shows weren't closely connected in terms of overall plot, there were continual references to Buffy in the Angel series as well as several crossover stories. Also several characters from the original show moved over to Angel, others guest starred, and there were certain established entities in the verse that began on Buffy. That said it didn't make either show required viewing for people who preferred one rather than the other.

Angel had some standout storylines, particularly in S2 and S3 when its cast expanded and there was more revealed about Angel's backstory. As in Buffy, characters were always at risk of major changes or death, which made its stories less predictable and gave them more weight.

In many ways Angel was less of a horror show than Buffy, as it made demons more relatable and revealed their lives, traditions and species to be distinct and comparable to those of humans. By contrast the main source of evil in the show was populated by humans. Also like Buffy, the show had a strong vein of humor and would regularly have lighter episodes.

Show Title: 손/The Guest
Audience Rating: M for horror and gore (no sex)
Warnings: This is a demon possession show, and a fairly violent one, so there's lots of bloodiness, some body horror, etc.
Length of Episodes: 60 minutes
Length of Series: 16 episodes
Why you recommend it:
It's so good! Excellent worldbuilding, interesting look at musok (Korean shamanism), wonderful characters, good plotting and pacing. The three main characters--a psychic, a Catholic priest, and a detective (see icon)--have a wonderful relationship built on fighting back against mutual trauma, and the supporting cast is wonderful too. The main demonic antagonist is sufficiently otherworldly to be scary.

This is undoubtedly a horror show, but it's not a slasher. It's very suspenseful and quite violent, but even if you're not typically a horror fan (as I am not), you might really enjoy this character-driven show.

Show Title: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Audience Rating: I'm wavering between all ages and teen
Warnings: N/A
Length of Episodes: 60 minutes
Length of Series: 34 episodes in 3 seasons (there's also a movie, but I haven't seen it and cannot speak to it)
Why you recommend it: The sheer joy of watching a middle aged woman live a wonderful life of her own choosing. The wonderful cast of characters she draws in around her. The aesthetic of 1920s Australia. The mysteries--a new one every episode! General delightful vibes.

Also I made one of those silly PowerPoint inspired primer posts on Tumblr that will tell you a lot more.

Show Title: Detective L
Audience Rating: Teen and up
Warnings: Mild misogyny, mild violence
Length of Episodes: 35-40 minutes
Length of Series: 1 season, 24 episodes
Why you recommend it: Heavily inspired by Sherlock Holmes, this is a Chinese drama set in the 1930s where the brilliant and famous Detective Luo Fei and his newest assistant, recent police academy graduate Xiao Man, are solving various crimes and mysteries around Shanghai. It is a procedural, with each case lasting three episodes (so it's eight cases over the course of twenty four episodes).

There are a lot of detective cdramas out there, many which I have watched and really enjoyed, but for those who are interested in something Holmesian Detective L would definitely hit that spot. I'm a sucker for a good procedural crime solving mystery, and combining the aesthetic and vibe of the 1930s it's quite a visual treat. The only downside is that it ends on a cliffhanger and there is no follow-up, and the characters are interesting but there isn't much to further their backstory or development. But otherwise it's a pretty good and solid detective mystery. (watch the trailer)

Edited 2025-01-17 00:11 (UTC)

Show Title: Hannibal
Audience Rating: Mature Content
Warnings: Violence, Graphic Blood/Gore, Disturbing Imagery Language, Sexual Content, Cannibalism
Length of Episodes: 45 minutes/1 hour
Length of Series: 3 seasons, 39 episodes
Why you recommend it: A crime procedural as well as a horror ongoing mystery surrounding the character of Hannibal Lecter, the series has long been considered a masterpiece not just visually but also with the writing and the performances by the actors involved. The fandom presence has long been praising the show, obviously for the Will/Hannibal dynamic of course which is supported by the showrunner and the cast with it being a love story/gothic romance between the characters, but it truly is an experience in itself as a whole. Also, the show has some interesting dialogue, which may seem ridiculous if done by anyone else but for some reason it just works with this show. It can become Shakespearean when spoken by any one of the actors, particularly that of Mads Mikkelsen. And then you have lines such as "is your social worker in that horse?" and a subtle clever puns about cannibalism. It's amazing.

I have always described this show as "gorgeously grotesque", so if you are easily squeamish this might not be for you.

Show Title: Vera
Audience Rating: Teen and up
Warnings: Occasional dark themes
Length of Episodes: 90 minutes
Length of Series: 14 Seasons (56 episodes)
Why you recommend it: It took me an episode or two to adapt to Vera but after that I was completely hooked. The mysteries were usually well done, not too easy to guess, with various storylines. This is a procedural sort of show as, outside of some exploration of Vera's past, there is very little about anyone else's life who she works with. The cast has changed every few seasons, so many characters have come and gone, but they tend to slot into one another's roles with little explanation.

To me the biggest reason for watching Vera is Vera herself. She is sometimes hilariously gruff and a tough boss but she cares about her cases and the victims in them. Not a people person, she is nonetheless insightful about them in general.

Show Title: Poirot
Audience Rating: Family viewing
Warnings: None I can think of
Length of Episodes: 60 to 90 minutes
Length of Series: 13 Seasons (70 episodes)
Why you recommend it: It's amazing how long this series ran, 24 years. Yet this occurred in large part because they covered every Poirot story Christie wrote, and she was a prolific writer.

I have seen various adaptations of Christie's work and have to say that none did them better than the Poirot series. A great deal of this has to do with David Suchet as Poirot, but also the faithfulness of the adaptations. Strictly speaking the series was not faithful to the cast in each story, as for TV purposes they settled on Hastings and Miss Lemon as regular characters when in the stories Hastings appears rather infrequently and Miss Lemon even less so (and she is very detached from Poirot's work). Inspector Japp is also a regular, substituting for a wider variety of police contacts.

Poirot himself also has some smoother edges in the series. But this is prime comfort viewing and many of the stories continue to do very well as mysteries. True to the books, the series ends with Poirot's final case, Curtain, and I think the series goes out very strongly with this adaptation.

Show Title: Endeavor
Audience Rating: Teen and up
Warnings: Period social attitudes
Length of Episodes: 90 minutes
Length of Series: 9 Seasons (36 episodes)
Why you recommend it: Designed to be a prequel to Inspector Morse, this series runs from 1965 to 1972, and does a good job of developing the setting and characters. Although the focus is mostly on Morse at first, the family of his superior, his commander, and his fellow officers all get some time in the series. Attitudes change, the police offices change, and some case elements get carried over into various seasons. In this respect I'd call this more drama than procedural, even if the main focus is on a case.

I never watched the Inspector Morse series, but did see its sequel Lewis and its sequel Hathaway. I can recommend them as well for anyone for whom Endeavor is not enough. I find Endeavor to be somewhat darker and more sobering than the later Lewis, which is a cozier view. But if one is new to the Inspector Morse verse, starting with Endeavor makes sense.

Show Title: Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries
Audience Rating: Teen and up
Warnings: None I can think of
Length of Episodes: 1 hour
Length of Series: 3 Seasons (34 episodes)
Why you recommend it: Adapted somewhat loosely from a books series (from what I understand), this show won me over for various reasons. The first is that Phryne is a self-confident, adventurous, uninhibited mature woman in 1920s Australia (and I use "mature" in its actual sense, not as a euphemism for a woman in her late middle or elderly years). The second is that she has a way of developing strong relationships with everyone around her, so her little band of conspirators and helpers grows as the series goes on.

I can't say the mysteries themselves are all that interesting, and for me the attraction of the show is entirely with the characters. I happen to find her relationship with Inspector Jack Robinson to be well worth watching for on its own as the two leads had enormous chemistry. A cozy view and an entertaining one, the show ended too soon.

Show Title: Deadloch
Audience Rating: TV-MA
Warnings: The usual for what you might expect from a mature mystery series (dead bodies, non-sexual violence, some nudity and sex) plus some Aussie swearing.
Length of Episodes: 1 hour
Length of Series: 8 episodes of season 1, second season in production
Why you recommend it: Deadloch is a hilarious wry feminist/queer satire of noir mysteries, but it is also legitimately a great mystery series on its own merits, which is a marvel to pull off. Key to this is its cast of quirky characters who are both on-the-surface funny and full of hidden depths and humanity that make the show's commentary on gender, sexuality, race, and class something that's embodied in the lives of both the locals of this small Tasmanian town, the gentrifying offcomers, and one incredibly vulgar cop in three-quarter pants. It's ridiculous, engaging, and surprisingly sweet at times.

Here's a link to the season 1 trailer.

Show Title: HPI (Haut Potentiel Intellectuel)
Audience Rating: Teen and up
Warnings: nothing adult, almost family-safe viewing except for some scary situations
Length of Episodes: 1h
Length of Series: 4 series of 8 eps each so far, season 5 coming up this year.
Why you recommend it:

It's a variant of the Sherlock genre: a highly intelligent consultant helps solve cases for the police. What makes this one special is the humor and the acting. Both leads portray their emotions with wonderful subtlety.

Morgane is a whirlwind character that you can't help but root for, despite her tendency to let her life run out of control due to her own chaotic energy. Karadec is the rigid, insisting-on-rules police detective who can't help falling in love with her despite her turning his work and life upside down. Even if you're not into the (complicated) romance, the cases are all twisty and tricky, and it's fun to see Morgane's explanations evolve from the usual monologues in season one into full-blown song-and-dance numbers in season 4.

It's one of the most popular French tv shows in recent years, and its popularity is well deserved. It's on several platforms in different countries - I think hulu is one, Prime is one, and the ARD Mediathek has all eps, too.

Show Title: Line of Duty
Audience Rating: Adult
Warnings: Violence, strong language
Length of Episodes: one hour (proper hour -- no ad breaks)
Length of Series: 6 series, 36 episodes total. However, there are persistent rumours that a 7th series might happen.
Why you recommend it: Strong characters, twisty plots, great guest stars (Kelly MacDonald! Keeley Hawes! Thandi Newton! Lenny James!) each series, edge of your seat action -- it's just a great show, even if it gets a bit over-the-top at times.

Line of Duty follows DS Steve Arnott, a former authorized firearms officer who is transferred to AC-12 after he refuses to cover-up a botched anti-terrorist operation that resulted in an unlawful shooting by his team. AC-12 is a unit tasked with uncovering police corruption. Arnott is partnered with DC Kate Fleming and they work under the supervision of Superintendent Ted Hastings ("Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey!" -- Hastings uses a lot of quirky catchphrases). Throughout the 6 series, AC-12 investigate seemingly unconnected cases involving allegedly corrupt police officers, with each series focusing on a different corrupt officer. AC-12 gradually realizes the pervasive nature of corruption and the police's deep-rooted links to an organized crime group. A long-running story arc revolves around discovering the identity of "H", a corrupt person or persons of senior rank within the police force who are instrumental in running organized crime.

So yes, it has bent coppers, conspiracies that reach the upper echelons of the government, and our plucky trio of good guys trying to find the answers. I will warn that the first series is a bit slow -- I guess the show was sort of finding itself -- but stick with it because it really takes off with series 2, and series 1 is important to the ongoing story line.

Show Title: Beyond Evil (South Korea, 2021)
Audience Rating: TV-MA
Warnings: murder and violence
Length of Episodes/Series: 16 episodes à 70 minutes
Trailer: Here
Why you recommend it: Beyond Evil is a gripping, tightly written thriller, focusing on two antagonistic investigators forced to work together on a small-town murder case. The portrayal of their "frenemy" partnership is elevated by the electric (potentially shippy, if you squint) chemistry between the two lead actors, Shin Ha-kyun and Yeo Jin-goo. Rather than simply unraveling a murder mystery, Beyond Evil delves into the lasting trauma and emotional fallout from crime, thereby exploring human connection amid tragedy. It's a dark, twisty show that always had me on the edge of my seat.

If you'd like a fun, slightly spoilery power-point on why you should give this show a chance, here is a Tumblr post from somebody who ~gets it~.

Edited 2025-01-17 18:20 (UTC)

Show Title: Damages
Audience Rating: Adults
Warnings: Assaults and murders
Length of Episodes: 1 hour
Length of Series: 5 Seasons (59 episodes)
Why you recommend it: Damages could be considered a legal thriller, with twists and turns and a recurring feeling of danger. Each season follows a formula, which is to begin with scenes from the final episode, setting up a major event. These segments get added to in each episode but they are chosen to be misleading, and very often the way things play out in the end is not what the viewer expected.

Personally I found the constant recurrence of these flash forward scenes to be annoying after a while, though for people watching the series in real time they were no doubt a major source of debate and contention as people tried to guess where the season would end up.

Each season develops a single legal case (usually involving one or more murders) although there are side stories and sometimes characters from earlier seasons return. Bit by bit we learn more about who is lying, and what really happened, as well as what feints and scams the main characters are using against one another.

The cast is pretty strong, starring Glenn Close and Rose Byrne with changing guest stars each season. Included among those were Close's "Big Chill" co-stars William Hurt and JoBeth Williams.

What I particularly liked about the series was its enormous unpredictability. The writers were masters of the red herring. This is esentially a knife fight between Close as the master attorney and Byrne as first her tool, later her mentee, and finally her opponent. Often enemies, sometimes allies, we learn bits about their back stories along the way but I find Byrne's character was less explored than Close's.

I was not particularly satisfied with the ending but I suspect that almost any ending would be unsatisfying in some respect given where both characters wound up. Well worth watching for mystery fans but not a cozy view.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Angel the Series

no subject

no subject

Detective L

Hannibal

Vera

Poirot

Endeavor

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries

Deadloch (2023-present)

HPI

no subject

no subject

Damages