Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Season Two Doesn't Disappoint

*By Tara. Item received for review. No financial reimbursement.*

"Beside every good man is a good woman and she must always be prepared to step in front."

Miss Fisher is back! The flapper has a new series of murders to solve, thirteen of them to be exact, and she solves each one with her usual style and flair.

Anyways, as I said above, season two has thirteen episodes; that's thirteen hours of Miss Fisher complete with the sexy Inspector, his nice sidekick Collins (this young man is starting to grow on me!), and the prudish Dottie. And let's not forget the incredible historical setting of Melbourne Australia in the twenties and the immaculate costumes.

Episode one really starts the show in a delightfully scandalous manner. Miss Fisher goes undercover in a house of ill repute and does a very shocking fan dance as she tries to get the bottom of a murder that occurred in a politician's house. We meet the Inspector's ex-wife in this episode too, as well as see the lovely Phyrne dressed as a cat burglar. Nice! I especially loved the flamenco dancing touch. Miss Fisher does everything!

The second mystery involves the occult, seances, graveyards. As spiritualism was especially popular in those days, I felt this was a superb twist and added a very good historical touch. World War I memories come up in this too.

Episode three is one of my favorites, if a bit predictable, because it takes place on the beach. We get to see the Inspector and Collins both in their bathing suits. I loved all the history that made its way into this one, not only in the swimming costumes, but the temperance society plays a large role. This show also has one of my favorite funny moments:

Dottie: "You're just in time. There's been a murder."
Mr. Butler: "Will there be one less for dinner then?"

The fourth one has boxing and gangs and we finally see some of the strife that went on between the Aboriginals and the whites. At this point, however, I'm starting to question Miss Fisher's choice of bedmates. It's a new man every episode and she's beginning to show poorer and poorer taste with each installment. Is she bedding all these men so fast to rid herself of her yearnings for the Inspector? And now that's divorced and up for grabs, why isn't she grabbing him? Hm... Collins and Dottie have no such compunctions, however. Their romance is progressing at a sweet pace.

The rest of the series takes us from the competitive world of rugby to a small town still reeling from WWI losses. There's murder mixed with high fashion, scandal and death over ancient history at a college. There's blood shed on a silent movie set.

Each mystery follows a formula: MF is called to or walks in on a murder. She calls up the Inspector and Collins. She beds a fellow--NOT the Inspector (in most episodes). They work together to solve the crime. Each episode ends with her and the Inspector eyeing each other in such a way...

The formula is predictable, but it works. With television, you don't want to change something that seems to be a good thing. Look at Law & Order SVU. Used to rock, but last season they changed the formula--not good. So I don't mind that this show sticks to the formula--it works. Just like with season one, I have the same complaint this time around--and it's my only one. MF just jumps into bed with some random man nearly every episode. Strong woman doesn't necessarily mean promiscuous. There's nothing wrong with a woman getting her jollies. She knows what she wants and gets it, but some of her lovers, like the winemaker...what??? Huh? Sometimes her choices made no sense at all and she bedded them way too quickly, with no real basis, no attraction, at least not to me.

Regardless, every episode had a LOL moment or a quote that made me grin or nod my head.

"We have a quaint custom here. The person with the gun asks the questions."

After Miss Fisher informs the Inspector that someone stole her gun from her room...
The Inspector: "What kind of town is this?"
Miss Fisher: *shrugs* "They make very good wine."

And later in the Xmas show...

Collins: "Miss Fisher's gone on holiday again."
Inspector: "Anyone dead yet?"
Collins: "Only one so far, sir."

And I can't fail to mention my favorite episode, in which there's a rally race and a dead woman driver and a hoity toity uppity man declaring that women aren't biologically suited to drive. And boy, oh boy, does Phyrne and Dottie and another lass just prove him wrong!!! This episode was all girl power and I loved it. Def my fave.

Hugh: "It's (driving) a lot more complicated than operating your sewing machine, Dottie."
Dottie: "I'd like to see you operate my sewing machine, Hugh Collins."

I hear whether or not there's going to be a season three is still up "in the air". Please keep this one going, folks. And if AU doesn't want it, bring it over here. ;)

The quotes may not be exact. You must remember, I depend on subtitles.

*Item received from Acorn in exchange for an honest review. No financial reimbursement.