Case Histories The troubled private investigator with dark secrets lurking in the background has become such a well worn device in movies and television it now borders on cliche. It takes either a masterful performance, great scripts or a combination of the two for a show based around that premise to deliver something original.
The six episodes of Case Histories, adapted from novels written by British crime author Kate Atkinson, staring Jason Isaacs as retired Scottish police officer Jackson Brodie turned private investigator, don't just rise above the cliche, they are so well done it's like the premise is brand new. Isaacs is one of those great actors who understands just what to give the camera in order to communicate with an audience and he does more with his eyes than most actors can do with any number of facial expressions. Brodie has wound himself so tight in order to hold his past at bay, you have the feeling if he were to display anymore than what appeared in his eyes the whole facade would shatter.
As the series progresses each case he takes seems to open up the past just a little bit more and we begin to realize he's attempting to seek redemption for what he considers past failures. Haunting, intelligent and leavened with just enough humour to make the characters human and the circumstances real, this two disc DVD set is a treat for fans of great acting and detective shows alike.
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Article comments
1 - Bubba Habermas
seems more like a list of things you reviewed previously. just call it what it is
2 - Richard Marcus
Opening paragraph - "I restricted myself to those I reviewed". Never said it was anything else.