Another late reply...
I'm guessing you're talking about the pacing of the show? I've enjoyed most of the earlier episodes, but they all suffer from poor pacing.
In all good stories (whether TV, film, novel, play), drama is what creates pace. Jonathan lacks pace because there's often very little drama going on. A lot of the 'drama' is just cerebral stuff by Jonathan himself, like when he talks to himself.
The earliest episodes were the best because, basically, Maddie created a fair bit of the drama herself. She was a mercenary woman, always out to get the latest scoop, and that worked very well.
The later assistants (and then his wife, Polly) ruined the show because they didn't provide good quality drama. Polly herself is the worst of all the female sidekicks. The tension between her and Jonathan is mostly about her not liking the fact he solves impossible crimes. That's not exactly going to help with pacing.
Maddie was the perfect sidekick because she was desperate to know how each crime was committed, but she'd also try to tease it out of Jonathan as quickly as possible, which helped with pacing.
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lilactime2014
7 years ago
Nice post....sums it up quite nicely.
Carla wasn't bad either.
Taking your post, it would seem that the quality of the show has declined as each sidekick became less interesting and less interested in Jonathan. And that does go for Polly, it seems she doesn't really give a toss for JC....Never underestimate the sidekick....
I think of all the shows I have loved in the last 20 years..... and JC is the ONE I would love to have a new series of at the peak of it's powers. NOT just a new series for the sake of it. Some shows would be impossible due to death of the actors (Morse, Porridge) and the only other that comes close to JC is Foyle's War
'tler
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caviar1234
7 years ago
I agree that both JC and Foyle are priceless.
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lilactime2014
7 years ago
The reason Foyle is up there for me is that it NEVER declined. The Last Episode is just as brilliant as the first. Very few shows that go beyond one or two series can have that said about them.
To me JC is three separate series.
The first 4 series are part I (utterly fabulous and re-watchable on a very regular basis), Sheridan Smith - part II (OK, but not worth re-watching particularly) and finally Part III Sarah Alexander - Oh dear - I watched them but they left no impression.
I do include the Carla Borrego series (4) as part of "Classic JC".
Foyle is also three series but ALL three are perfect. Main war - End war and Post war. The first 4 series of JC are up there with anything written, particularly the Black Canary which I think is the best TV special I can think of....
'tler
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fitzysbuna-232-617652
7 years ago
I enjoyed this years episode it was great ! I hope more are made ! now to the op please get a longer attention span!~
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