NEW YORK (OSV News) – All six roughly 45 minute-long episodes of the series “Art Detectives” are currently streaming on Acorn TV. The British production combines the cozy variety of mystery solving that forms a staple of UK television with easily accessible sophistication.
The show stars Stephen Moyer (“True Blood”) as Det. Inspector Mick Palmer. Palmer is the sole officer of London’s Heritage Crime Unit, making his beat an extensive one.
At the outset of the action, Palmer journeys to a country estate to investigate the murder of an art historian. There he crosses paths with a lower-ranking detective, Shazia Malik (Nina Singh). Malik has been dispatched to spy on Palmer by a local cop who’s intent on unraveling the crime himself.
Yet Malik’s assistance soon proves indispensable to Palmer. So he orchestrates her transfer to his jurisdiction. This sets the stage for the duo to roam all over England delving into misdeeds that relate to topics as diverse as medieval manuscripts and the work of the contemporary street artist Banksy.
In the two opening episodes on which this review is based, the pair tackle a case involving a counterfeit painting by 17th-century Dutch master Johannes Vermeer, then track a Viking treasure that seems to link two deaths that took place a thousand years apart.
Malik’s straight-talking, no-nonsense persona effectively counterbalances Palmer’s cultured urbanity. And, while Palmer’s nuanced approach uncovers depths of meaning in the clues he and Malik examine, it’s her sharp observational skills and focus on material facts that keep the partners grounded and prevent their work from veering into mere scholarly abstraction.
Each installment centers on a single crime and reaches a satisfying conclusion. But there are larger, more sustained story arcs as well.
One such continual theme is Palmer’s romantic interest in museum curator Rosa Conaghan (Sarah Alexander). It’s a characteristically cerebral sort of infatuation, one that threatens further potential distractions for the sleuth even within the arena of his personal life.
Palmer also faces an ongoing dilemma, namely the fact that his father, Ron (Larry Lamb), is one of Britain’s most notorious art forgers. This connection has influenced Palmer’s life in complex ways.
“Art Detectives” avoids anything gratuitous, instead engaging the intellect with brainteasers presented through interpretations from the divergent minds of Palmer and Malik. Thus, while it’s obviously not a show for young kids, teens and their elders will appreciate the challenges the program poses.
The presentation suffers from the kind of minor stilted qualities common to the genre. These mainly relate to plot and character development. But the interplay between the two stars crackles and this will likely inspire viewers with eager anticipation for future episodes.
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