Rosemary and Thyme: The Complete Series

 

 

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Most mystery series have big tough longtime cops or lovably eccentric oddballs as their detectives.

So it's a bit refreshing to see a pair of utterly ordinary detectives in the light mystery series "Rosemary and Thyme" -- one a cop-turned-housewife, and one a feisty horticulturist. You won't find any mind-blowing mysteries, just solid whodunnits and likable characters... and plants. Lots and lots of beautiful plants.

Laura Thyme (Pam Ferris) has just been dumped by her husband of 27 years, for a "twenty-three-year-old tart!" When visiting an old pal, she encounters plant pathologist Rosemary Boxer (Felicity Kendal) who is promptly fired by her slimy boss. The two wronged women team together to solve a bizarre mystery involving poisonous plants, a car wreck, and a serial killer.

After that, Rosemary and Laura go into business together, treating sick lawns and creating picturesque gardens. But like any good detectives, they keep bumping into sinister crimes, both of the past and present: a spa matriarch is strangled at her desk, skeletons are uncovered in a murdered pop star's garden, and a man is killed in a graveyard... with an arrow.

Things don't improve much in the following seasons -- Rosemary and Laura end up dealing with wrecked romantic gardens, Parisian theft and murder, school pranks gone wrong, Italian restaurants, ferocious competition at a garden show, murder at a vineyard, sabotaged plays and tennis camps.... and even an abandoned baby that may have something to do with a murder.

"Rosemary and Thyme" is notable more for its cozy, cottagey feel than for its intricate mysteries -- but then again, they don't try to be complex or twisty. Instead, the stories focus on our likable horticulturists, and the lovely gardens they create or restore... and the entertaining dialogue ("You've broken the bloody window!" Rosemary yells at a sniper) makes this even more fun.

There's a pleasantly old-fashioned flavour to the series -- lots of vine-draped cottages, manorhouses, luxurious resorts, vineyards and herbal skills. Sure, there's laptops, TV shows, drug dealers and myriad cell phones. But those are just the trappings on an ordinary little mystery series, where the plant sicknesses often have something to do with the murders.

Of course, the leads make or break a series like this. Fortunately, Kendal and Ferris have excellent chemistry. Laura and Rosemary are an entertaining pair, with just the right mix of similarities and differences. Laura is a sensible ex-cop/housewife who is still dealing with her family tensions, while Laura is a cultured academic ("more a bookworm than an earthworm") with a rough streak.

Plant lovers and mystery buffs should enjoy the cozy, vine-covered mysteries of "Rosemary and Thyme." It's just fun and pleasant, all the way through.

Finally a program that was built from scratch and not based on a book or writer. They can not do it wrong because this is it. Looks like there is more horticulture than in the Brother Cadfael series.

Two women, each have a Life changing experience just before the series starts. Soon they become friends. One a hands on gardener, with a law enforcement back ground Laura Thyme, (Pam Ferris), the other an academic horticulturist with an old four wheeler vehicle Rosemary Boxer (Felicity Kendal).

The programs are of the two trying to find out who dunnit and how. We do not get bogged down in love interests.

Each episode is unique in its approach. The only pattern I see is that it is like in the movie "A shot in the dark" where everyone is guilty except the maid. In this series there may not be a lit of murderers, however there are a lot of guilty people.

Well sit back and enjoy the view, smell the roses, and buy the series so you can watch again and again.

Rosemary and Thyme: The complete series is very enjoyable to watch. Wonderful stories. Wish there were more in the series.

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5.0 out of 5 stars excellent mystery series
This mystery series has so many great qualities. It entertains through great stories, great acting and beautiful scenery rather than unnecessary graphic violence and vulgarity... Read more

Published 15 months ago by Colleen

4.0 out of 5 stars Bumbling Detectives
Rosemary and Thyme: The Complete Series
These two gardeners always seem to run across a body or two everywhere they are hired to start a new garden from scratch or upgrade an... Read more

Published on Aug 31 2009 by Eddie Nguyen

5.0 out of 5 stars rosemary and thyme
It is a great series. with great garden locations with a murder mysteries story line that keeps you interested. A great bbc series. Read more

Published on Feb 9 2009 by Martinrothman

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