Product Details

• Actors: Caroline Catz; Lisa Faulkner
• Directors: Roger Goldby; Edward Bennett; David Innes Edwards; Robert Bierman; Jonathan Fox Bassett
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: ACORN MEDIA
• DVD Release Date: July 11, 2006
• Run Time: 286 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000FII2Z2
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #37,831 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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  Movies & TV > Television > Crime > Murder in Suburbia

• For more information about "Murder in Suburbia - Series 1" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

• This is item 1 in The Murder in Suburbia Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This popular BBC series takes elements of the best American police procedurals and puts them in a sparkling British blender; the result is a sexy, intoxicating brew to be appreciated by all crime-show fans. Our two young heroines, Ash (Caroline Catz) and Scribbs (Lisa Faulkner), are terminally single, hip, hard-working, wry, and fearless. Think of Prime Suspect-meets-Law & Order, starring, say, Veronica Mars and L&O: SVU's Olivia Benson. The show is set in posh Middleford, England, a leafy town where the murders are every bit as gritty as in the big city. Ash's take on the appeal of the suburbs: "The effortless way it all works--deceit, murder, wife-swapping. And still the hedges get trimmed." There's as much sister-power camaraderie and wise-cracking as crime-solving, as our detectives fret about not dating (though they agree that "Tuesdays are brilliant, really, for being single"), secretly pine after their boss, and poke their noses quite forcefully into the business of the rich, who'd just as soon kill as cooperate. This boxed set contains six great episodes, with plotlines involving admissions to posh schools, the underworld of singles dating clubs, and lots and lots of money spent in quite the wrong ways. Crisp, well written, and jolly good. --A.T. Hurley

Product Description

Meet the sassiest, sexiest investigative team in the Middleford Criminal Investigative Department. A graduate of a posh girls’ academy, Detective Inspector Kate "Ash" Ashurst (Caroline Catz) has a sharp, analytical mind. Her working-class partner, Detective Sergeant Emma "Scribbs" Scribbins (Lisa Faulkner), relies on her instincts. This unlikely pair uncovers the dark urges behind Middleford’s placid, picture-perfect facade. "You know what I like about suburbia?" muses Ash to her partner. "The effortless way it all works—deceit, murder, wife-swapping. And still the hedges get trimmed." Back at headquarters, both unmarried women regard their handsome, bemused boss (Jeremy Sheffield, The Wedding Date) with a mixture of fear and infatuation.

Catz (Doc Martin, The Vice) and Faulkner (MI-5, Burn It) sparkle as bickering, bantering crime-solvers. For their hip, ironic humor and unerring radar for middle-class hypocrisy, you’ll cheer Ash and Scribbs as the newest additions to the sisterhood of British sleuths.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Crime-Fighting Duo, January 7, 2007

By	Mel Odom (Moore, OK USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (VINE VOICE)

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Detective Inspector Kate "Ash" Ashurst and Detective Sergeant Emma "Scribs" Scribbins are a homicide team operating in Middleford, a suburb of London. The murders they usually investigate involve sex and lots of money, with the occasional dive into revenge and jealousy. The six-episode first season is an absolute delight to watch, providing a murder, suspects, and a trail of tricky clues to keep armchair detectives guessing throughout.

Caroline Catz (NEW STREET LAW) plays Ash and Lisa Faulkner (SPOOKS, MI-5) plays Scribs. Both women are veterans of BBC detective and drama series, and their experience shows in their sleek handling of their roles. When you first see them on screen, you immediately buy into their characters.

Created by Nick Collins, the series is as much about the two women as it is the murders they solve. Ash and Scribs lament over the lack of good men left in the world, and the fact that cops don't usually fare well in relationships. Scribs is the more laidback, rule-ignoring one of the pair, while Ash is more image conscious and seems to have rules for everything.

The two characters and actresses are delightful to watch. During the first three episodes they grow and become more comfortable. By the time the fourth episode rolls around, I felt like they were old friends settling in to tell me of their further exploits.

The plots are intriguing and plotted well enough, though without the usual forensic evidence that most series seem to require these days. But it's the characters, the twists and turns of their private lives, thoughts, and interactions, that truly draw an audience in.

My wife and I love the BBC detective series. We've bought several sets (and really recommend FOYLE'S WAR in addition to these) and enjoy a good game of armchair detecting throughout the episodes. If you like fun characters and a mystery plot meaty enough to sink your teeth into, MURDER IN SUBURBIA is a great series to buy or rent.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Murder in Suburbia, September 9, 2006

By	e.marie (CO, USA) - See all my reviews

I watch a lot of mysteries and this series doesn't necessarily stand out based on it's plotlines...they're good, but the great lead characters and dialogue are what make this series worth watching. Ash and Scribbs have some truly hilarious (and memorable) moments. I recommend the first season, and I'm definitely looking foward to future seasons.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A light hearted break from the norm!, September 22, 2006

By	Jackie Foster "a mystery lover" (Scottsdale, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

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In this day and age of dark mysteries full of serial killers and lead characters brooding over their sad lives, this series is a delight! The plots are basic murder mysteries with clever but not unexpected outcomes. But the two leading ladies with their witty dialogue and very human personalities are just too much fun to watch. This is for those mystery lovers who need a light hearted break from the norm!