Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Food for Murder

Damn, am I going to have to get an Acorn subscription now? Because I am being thrifty as possible now, I took full advantage of a free Acorn trial I had this weekend and watched the entire first season of “Recipes for Love and Murder.” I already mentioned how thankful I was to stumble upon it before the holiday weekend. But now, after watching the show’s entire first season, I can confidently say I think this show was possibly custom-made for me. Like, for real. It’s almost creepy.

Why do I like this show? Let me count the ways. It’s a crime series (a local woman is found murdered). It’s got a talented female lead (“Orphan Black” alum Maria Doyle Kennedy). It’s got a foreign setting (in this case rural South Africa). It has a diverse and likable ensemble (I realize the racial politics of a South African series may be fraught, so I will let others with more expertise comment on how well that portrayal was made on screen). It’s got a lot of cooking (seriously, at times it’s like GBBO but with murder). And, extra special bonus points, it’s about a writer (ink-stained wretch solidarity forever).

I appreciate the show’s laid-back approach to murder and mayhem, complete with cast of small-town oddballs. I also appreciate the “Murder She Wrote” crossed with “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” and “Dear Abby” aesthetic. Because our heroine is a recipe columnist turned advice columnist (who still uses recipes in her advice) at the small-town paper. And there’s also a mysterious backstory, and who doesn’t love a mysterious backstory?

Also, did I mention there are gays? One of the murdered woman’s best friends/who has an unrequited crush on her is a lesbian and one of the first letters involves a queer male couple. Do they pile on the melodrama and the pathos toward the end? Of course. But by that point you’re invested and did I mention there is cooking in basically every episode?

So, has anyone else found this little gem? And, if I do spring for Acorn, what else is good on there? I see Lucy Lawless has a show on there and, well, I am a gay woman so I probably cannot resist.

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:14 PM

    I watched the entire first season with my week trial of Acorn after you mentioned it. Seriously got me through the holiday. Even with the semi-cliffhanger. Thanks so much for the recommendation! Now I’m watching Mary Berry with the rest of my free trial.

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  2. Do you have a library card at a library that gets Hoopla Digital?

    I know that Hoopla doesn't have the Acorn stuff right away, but, they do get quite a lot of it. I know that they have the first two seasons of My Life is Murder, and, I was surprised that they got the second season on there pretty fast.

    They also have a ton ton ton of BBC stuff. I'm watching The Coroner right now via Hoopla, and while it has had some gays, not any lesbians or even lesbian adjacent yet. I'm hoping.

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  3. Anonymous6:41 PM

    My Life Is Murder, is the Lucy Lawless show. Ive seen the first 2 seasons and its not gay but its enjoyable. Renee O'Connor shows up in an episode. I didnt know it got a 3rd season. I'll be watching it.

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  4. has anyone offered you you their acorn login yet?!?!

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