Rating: 
Summary: Miscasting? I Don't Think So!
Review: A previous reviewer refers to the choice of Diana Rigg to play Mrs. Adela Bradley as miscasting, due to age and a bizarre reference to Rigg being "overweight." Yeah, Dame Diana Rigg is 65, but that's hardly "elderly" unless one is 12. And if Rigg is "overweight" (which she's not!) then Americans are overweight/obese at a rate much higher than 50-60% that experts currently claim.The character of Adela Bradley has a married son who is at least 25 (appears in first episdoe to be more in the early 30s range), so I hardly think Adela Bradley would be a 40 year old woman. She's "liberated" for the era, but hardly a flapper. Quite the opposite, as flappers were the 20's version of Jessica Simpson--ditzy airheads who live for the moment. The writing often isn't very good, I'll agree, but that's not the fault of the actors, who ALL do a superb job conveying the essence of the characters they portray. The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries are fun and funny--great entertainment, with British sensibilities--to THIS American Gen-X'er (lest anyone reading assumes I must be "elderly.') Unfortunately, there won't be more in the future, as the BBC chose not to continue the "series."
Rating:
Summary: Miscasting? I Don't Think So!
Review: Actually, she does this for the series as well as in the part of the sleuth in the individual stories. A couple of reviewers rave and one is rather unpleasantly bilious. Me - I'm rather on the rave end of things. Well, well - there's no accounting for taste. The stories are not exactly sublime [certainly not Dorothy L. Sayers, not even Madame Christie], though this may be a comment on the translation to screen: I haven't read the actual books. Neither are they terrible. [And one reviewer's comment about improbability is simply not on: I had an experience of 4 people finding themselves in the same spot half-way round the world without prior knowledge that the others would be there, so truth is at least as strange as the reviled fiction.] What is fairly certain, at least to the majority of the reviewers thus far, is that Diana Rigg indeed saves the day. She's marvelous and a delight and I love every comment she doth utter. Whether it's the best thing she's ever done is...well, come on, lads: she was an acclaimed Medea and Clytemnestra, after all, and I wouldn't be surprised if she hasn't dabbled in a spot of Ibsen in her day. But I love the series for her part in it [and for the banter between her and the chaffeur George], and I hope they extend the series. That this is called "set 1" leads me to hope. In short: if you like Diana Rigg, go for it!
Rating:
Summary: Diana Rigg Saves the Day
Review: Actually, she does this for the series as well as in the part of the sleuth in the individual stories. A couple of reviewers rave and one is rather unpleasantly bilious. Me - I'm rather on the rave end of things. Well, well - there's no accounting for taste. The stories are not exactly sublime [certainly not Dorothy L. Sayers, not even Madame Christie], though this may be a comment on the translation to screen: I haven't read the actual books. Neither are they terrible. [And one reviewer's comment about improbability is simply not on: I had an experience of 4 people finding themselves in the same spot half-way round the world without prior knowledge that the others would be there, so truth is at least as strange as the reviled fiction.] What is fairly certain, at least to the majority of the reviewers thus far, is that Diana Rigg indeed saves the day. She's marvelous and a delight and I love every comment she doth utter. Whether it's the best thing she's ever done is...well, come on, lads: she was an acclaimed Medea and Clytemnestra, after all, and I wouldn't be surprised if she hasn't dabbled in a spot of Ibsen in her day. But I love the series for her part in it [and for the banter between her and the chaffeur George], and I hope they extend the series. That this is called "set 1" leads me to hope. In short: if you like Diana Rigg, go for it!
Rating: 
Summary: The Mystery of Mrs. Bradley and Mr. Moody
Review: Diana Rigg must have relished the role of an iconoclastic, Roaring 20's woman renowned as a happenstance crime-solver and sex-manual author. As Adela Bradley and her chauffeur George Moody travel to diverse destinations, they become embroiled in intriguingly convoluted, yet credible circumstances of murder. Though each of the four episodes results in a perfectly served-up solution, mystery lingers as to the nature of the relationship between mistress and driver. Is romance brewing between the two, or is Mrs. Bradley merely stirring the simmering pot of social upheaval? What is the audience to make of her countless coy gestures and pregnant expressions or of George's sparks of jealousy and demonstrations of rapt admiration? The question adds spice to the series' delectable stew of sly cultural commentary and expostulation upon the human enigma, rendering it imminently rewatchable!
Rating:
Summary: The Mystery of Mrs. Bradley and Mr. Moody
Review: Diana Rigg must have relished the role of an iconoclastic, Roaring 20's woman renowned as a happenstance crime-solver and sex-manual author. As Adela Bradley and her chauffeur George Moody travel to diverse destinations, they become embroiled in intriguingly convoluted, yet credible circumstances of murder. Though each of the four episodes results in a perfectly served-up solution, mystery lingers as to the nature of the relationship between mistress and driver. Is romance brewing between the two, or is Mrs. Bradley merely stirring the simmering pot of social upheaval? What is the audience to make of her countless coy gestures and pregnant expressions or of George's sparks of jealousy and demonstrations of rapt admiration? The question adds spice to the series' delectable stew of sly cultural commentary and expostulation upon the human enigma, rendering it imminently rewatchable!
Rating:
Summary: EXQUISITE AND CLASSY ITS QUINTESSENTIAL DIANA RIGG:)
Review: FOR THE BEGINNERS YOU CAN FIND "MRS BRADLEY MYSTERIES" ON MOST PBS STATIONS. THIS IS A SUPERB WHO DONE IT, WITH HUMOR AND STYLE. DIANA RIGG IS GORGEOUS AND LOVELY AS EVER. SHE GIVES THE PERFORMANCES OF HER CAREER IN MY OPINION. PREVIOUSLY SHE WAS EMMA PEEL IN THE AVENGERS, BUT NOTHING COMPARES TO "MRS BRADLEY" I EXPLICITLY BOUGHT A DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDER (DVR) TO RECORD ANYTHING I CAN FIND RE: THIS SERIES AND OTHERS LIKE IT.
TO CAP THINGS OFF DIANA LOOKS INTO THE CAMERA AND GIVE'S US THE VIEWER HER WHOLE TAKE ON THE MATTERS AT HAND SHE IS DEALING WITH. IF I COULD GIVE THIS SIX/6 STARS ****** SIX IT WOULD BE! KEEP IN MIND IF YOU RECORD ON A DVR, YOU DONT GET THE EXTRAS YOU FIND ON MOST DVD'S...LET THE CLONING BEGIN WITH DIANA RIGG:)
THIS WHOLE ENTIRE SERIES DEMANDS/BEGS TO BE ON DVD WITHOUT DELAY!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Not worth too much time
Review: I don't want to waste too much more time on Adela Bradley than I already have watching the shows. I wanted them because it's the BBC mystery, which is generally excellent, but perhaps languishing a bit now that I think of it (See the latest "Hercule Poirot" Set 10 and "Death on the Nile" with David Suchet--not so superior as earlier stuffage.)
I'll quote the 3-star review below, that Adela Bradley is "smug, self-satisfied" and rather overdressed, all the time. Her I-have-no-time-for-men attitude, which I guess we're supposed to believe stems from one dull marriage to a now-deceased man, is just tiresome. She certainly isn't very sensual, but the stories insist on showing her as being sensually attractive to men, which escapes me why. She's just too much in love with herself, borderline dyke in 1920s over-the-edge garb with an almost simpering chauffeur, aptly named George 'Moody,' who incidentally has also had one bad marriage, hurting him for life. Okay, George and Adela, get over it already!
The stories are somewhat weird and not all that interesting, there's this somewhat annoying portrayal of Adela Bradley talking directly to the camera during the show, and the stories are out of sequence. For instance, there's one show with an Inspector Christmas (played drollfully by Peter Davison) as the bad guy which is presented before two other shows with the same Inspector Christmas character, one of which is where Adela meets the same inspector with some nauseatingly and unbelievable romantic twist thrown in.
All in all, they're not very good. The characters aren't very likeable, the shows aren't very memorable, and the acting is just not there.
But if you like it, try Peter Davison in "Campion: The Complete First Season" and "Campion: The Complete Second Season." They're on par with each other.
However, I would recommend instead the likes of "Nero Wolfe" (Maury Chaykin and Timothy Hutton), "Lord Peter Wimsey" (both sets, Ian Carmichael and Peter Petherbridge/Harriet Walters), "Sherlock Holmes" (Jeremy Brett & Edward Hardwicke/David Burke as Dr. Watson), "Hercule Poirot" (both David Suchet and Peter Ustinov play Hercule wonderfully), and "Miss Marple" (Joan Hickson). These you won't be disappointed in.
Rating:
Summary: With a Wink and a Nod
Review: I was going to give this DVD four stars but I enjoyed it enough for five. Sometimes perfection has to give away to pure verve. Ok, let's get this out of the way-- the extras aren't particularly interesting. Somewhere there is an unwritten rule that DVD's have to have extra features but these are a bit of a snooze. However, no one needs any other reason to watch this DVD than Diana Rigg's portrayal of Adele Bradley, psychoanalyst and sleuth. The art deco era portrayed here-- 1929 is the date mentioned in the first of the Mrs. Bradley Mysteries (available separately)-- was a tough one for clothes. Horizontal stripes, low waists and severe hats that might have doubled as moderne sculpture are not forgiving of figure flaws, but Ms. Rigg carries them off with aplomb. She is the anti-Jane Marple. Fashonable, wordly, very up to date on all the banned literature. She does not view world as a village in macrocosm, she brings a breath of the world to the narrow confines of a her old finishing school, a suspicious village where a traveling show has ended in murder and a country house where it seems the gardner has the upper hand. One waits for the arched eyebrow, the aside to the audience, the flat out rudeness at times. And let's not forget her chauffeur, George Moody. He wonders in and out of her room at all hours without raising a lot of eyebrows. In the first of the series on this DVD he gives his all to keep Mrs. Bradley from being discovered at her sleuthing, running interference and bringing her information from the servant's hall. Don't expect complete authenticity do expect a lot of fun.
Rating:
Summary: With a Wink and a Nod
Review: I was going to give this DVD four stars but I enjoyed it enough for five. Sometimes perfection has to give away to pure verve. Ok, let's get this out of the way-- the extras aren't particularly interesting. Somewhere there is an unwritten rule that DVD's have to have extra features but these are a bit of a snooze. However, no one needs any other reason to watch this DVD than Diana Rigg's portrayal of Adele Bradley, psychoanalyst and sleuth. The art deco era portrayed here-- 1929 is the date mentioned in the first of the Mrs. Bradley Mysteries (available separately)-- was a tough one for clothes. Horizontal stripes, low waists and severe hats that might have doubled as moderne sculpture are not forgiving of figure flaws, but Ms. Rigg carries them off with aplomb. She is the anti-Jane Marple. Fashonable, wordly, very up to date on all the banned literature. She does not view world as a village in macrocosm, she brings a breath of the world to the narrow confines of a her old finishing school, a suspicious village where a traveling show has ended in murder and a country house where it seems the gardner has the upper hand. One waits for the arched eyebrow, the aside to the audience, the flat out rudeness at times. And let's not forget her chauffeur, George Moody. He wonders in and out of her room at all hours without raising a lot of eyebrows. In the first of the series on this DVD he gives his all to keep Mrs. Bradley from being discovered at her sleuthing, running interference and bringing her information from the servant's hall. Don't expect complete authenticity do expect a lot of fun.
Rating:
Summary: Great acting by Dame Diana Rigg
Review: Sure, the novels by Gladys Mitchell are not great as the books by Agatha Christie, but with a great actress like Dame Diana Rigg this episodes are pure fun (especially the last one "The worsted viper"). You will enjoy it!
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