Do you know how sometimes you'll start watching something and quite inexplicably, you will straight away fall in love with it? That is my relationship with the Brunetti mysteries.
The shows are simply magnificent. Everything about them: the actors, the scripts, the music, the plots, the scenery.
I have not read the books. Sadly, I have never been to Venice. I came into the series cold and at first, admittedly, I found the episodes a bit slow. But then I realized that this show is not your normal one-hour (or is that 40 minutes?) SVU. It takes its time. It is languid and although the subject matter can disturb, it is in essence calming.
So you need to go with the flow. The plots and subplots wrap around each other, and ebb and flow. The music swells and the beauty of Venice stupefies. There is really nothing finer than to sit down and fall into an episode of Brunetti.
Somewhere early on in the series the two lead actors (Brunetti and his wife, Paola) change. I was at first despondent. I liked the first Brunetti! But I have come to love the sexy, charming, yet boyish Uwe Kockisch. I have come to know his co-workers like my own co-workers, and his family has become my family. When his mother (and the actress who played her) passes away, I cried.
I have become invested in Brunetti's children, Raffi and Chiara, as they experience various growing pains and turn into wonderful adults. I laugh at his foolish and vain boss, and smile at the all-knowing and alluring secretary. And I adore Guido Brunetti. He is kind, loving, caring, progressive, funny, smart, determined, courageous and occasionally silly.
I see this review is more of a love letter than a critique. There you have it. I love this show. Each episode (movie, really, at 90 minutes) is a work of art. Brunetti makes me happy and I am so grateful to the MHz Network for airing it.