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We've always enjoyed reading anything by G.K. Chesterton, and usually have enjoyed whatever was on PBS' "Mystery!" series on TV. We've gotten into the habit lately of bypassing lackluster broadcast and cable TV offerings in the evening by working our way through boxed sets of TV series we enjoyed when they were originally broadcast, and this set worked well for that purpose. The "Father Brown" mystery stories are all set in the UK in the 1920s, and these TV episodes certainly seem to have the right period feel. Fr. Brown is a Catholic priest who appears to "ride the circuit" about several parishes, rather than being attached to 1 town's parish (probably not enough church buildings set aside for local Catholics in smaller towns in the UK at the time, and not that different from what parish priests in rural areas of the US do even now) -- which allows him to get involved in murder investigations in several places. Possibly precisely because he's not part of the established Church of England, locals seem to trust Fr. Brown (even those he's a "Papist"); he shows great pastoral understanding of human frailties confided to him, and (quite rightly) will refuse to hear a confession if he guesses that someone is about to admit to a crime which should be reported to the local authorities. There are a few almost-too-fortuitous escapes when Fr. Brown very nearly becomes a murder victim himself -- but then, what are miracles for? A very entertaining series overall.Read full review
G.K. Chesterton wrote Father Brown short stories among the earliest Detective fiction; shortly after Sherlock Holmes. These are very faithful to the stories, unlike the more recent BBC series. They have amplified some of the stories to fit the length needed for TV but have stayed true to the originals. Some people are disappointed in the filming techniques which are fairly simple but the cinematography keeps the focus on the stories themselves.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
.... The mysteries are engaging, and Father Brown is far different from the Father Brown one sees on TV these days. It is interesting to compare the two. The mysteries are quite enjoyable, and the price was right. I hope to see more of these in the future.
Verified purchase: Yes
I am a big fan of British Mysteries and love finding new detectives to watch. While the stories start well in the Father Brown series, it is very distracting to watch. The outside scenes are shot on film while all the inside scenes are shot on video tape. the constant changing between the two is disconcerting. The stories also just seem to "end". About 50 minutes into the piece this priest somehow solves the crime and confronts the guilty party. How he does it is unknown. What ever his thought processes are, they are as much a mystery as the murder he solves. Give me Midsomer Murders any day.
Much different than the current Father Brown characters and series, but enjoying watching.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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