I’m going to
need you to be patient with me as this post is going to ramble a little, but I’ll
eventually get to the point…
Recently, I put
up a blog post applauding the joys of the Australian television show, The Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries
(currently streaming on Netflix) and the series of books by author Kerry
Greenwood on which the excellent series, set in 1920s Australia, is based.
After linking the post to various social networks, I figured it might generate
a few likes and maybe a couple of
brief comments. However, as soon as the post went up a strange phenomenon began
to occur – the post was generating an inordinate number of likes and – more specifically – an unusual number of enthusiastic
comments.
But here’s
where things got even more strange – the comments were 100% from men. I’m
talking guys who almost all make a living (or at least a hardscrabble
existence) writing over the top men’s action fiction. And, not only were these
macho skewing knuckle-draggers leaving comments, but all of them started their
comment with some version of, “I love this show!”
Now, most
comments on social networks would stop there – a brief declaration and nothing
more. But these comments went on to enthuse about where they watched the show,
how good the sets and production values were and (knock me over with a feather
boa) how amazing the clothes were.
Huh?
My
world view was shaken. Not one of the guys said, “My wife loves this show,” or
“I have to watch this with my girlfriend or I don’t get lucky.” Those female entities
didn’t even get a mention. The men commenting were very specific – “I love this
show!”
Frankly,
even though I had enthused myself about the show and the books, if pinned down,
I would have categorized The Miss Fisher
Murder Mysteries as targeted mostly toward a female audience. A liberated,
empowered, female audience, perhaps, but certainly not a show to spark overt
enthusiasm (if not adoration) from normally hairy-chested, reluctantly
communicative males. This is not intended as a slur of any kind, just an
observation based on knowing the viewership stats of other similarly themed
shows.
So
what was up with this outpouring of testosterone fueled love?
While
the show’s sets, period costumes, and production values get mentioned, I
believe the true male appeal is the actual character of Miss Phyrne (pronounced
Fry-nee) Fisher and the way the character is completely embodied by
actress Essie Davis.
I’m
not talking about physical appeal here – although the character and the actress
definitely outshine all the gym sculpted, liposuctioned,
boob-jobbed, twenty-something actresses who dominate American television. What
I’m talking about is the actual character traits with which author Kerry
Greenwood imbued her creation, and which are brilliantly captured by actress Essie
Davis.
Okay,
here is where we ramble…
Novels
and scripts are two completely different animals. When a novel has been
acquired for television, too often the ego driven producers and show runners
feel the overwhelming need to put their own stamp on the property. This is
rarely a good thing. This process almost
always leads to burying all the things that made the character and novel
special under an avalanche of second best, third best, and fourth best ideas –
all depending on how many cooks are in the
mix.
In
the case of The Miss Fisher Murder
Mysteries the two producers, Deb Cox and Fiona Eagger, clearly worked
painstakingly with author Kerry Greenwood to get the character of Miss Fisher
as close to the original source as possible – even adapting many
of the episodes directly from the book series.
The
changes the producers found necessary to adapt the books to the medium of
television were judiciously undertaken. Everything that made the character and
books special was preserved as much as the translation from one medium to
another would allow. But all of this could have been for naught if
the casting of both lead and secondary actors wasn’t exactly right – miscasting
being a quicksand quagmire too deep and binding to escape.
In Essie Davis, however, the casting director got it exactly right. Both fans of the books and fans of the show can imagine
anyone else in the role. Essie Davis is
Phryne Fisher.
But
the perfect casting for The Miss Fisher
Murder Mysteries goes well beyond its lead actress, extending to even the most minor
of secondary roles. To a person, the cast is excellent, and seem to know they
have been involved in creating something special.
Still,
even with all of this effort and creative business taken into consideration, I’m
in no doubt, it is specifically the character traits of Phryne Fisher that makes the show so appealing to a male audience.
Author
Kerry Greenwood has stated that in Phryne Fisher, she wanted to create a female
version of the Saint. An admirable
goal, she has mostly achieved.
Like Simon Templar, Phryne has a larcenous heart and a reckless streak tempered
only by a complete confidence in her abilities. This is not the obnoxious, blind
or silly confidence given to many female characters. Instead, again like the Saint, Phryne
has earned her confidence the hard way.
She
drives a Hispano Suiza very fast. When she’s not wing walking, she flies planes
with acrobatic abandon. She takes lovers as she chooses, while always remaining
in control of her emotions and responsibility for avoiding natural consequences
– she bluntly states she doesn’t like children and has no intention of becoming
a mother.
Raised
in grinding poverty in Australia, Phryne’s life changed when several unexpected natural
deaths in England bestowed on her father a title, lands,
a manor house with extensive grounds, and a huge fortune. While all of this
backstory is only briefly touched upon, it gives credence to how Phryne’s
character developed during the years she spent learning and earning her skills
across Europe and, specifically, in the Apache Quarter of Paris.
This
background also explains her ability to relate to the lower classes, and to
bring out their loyalty and best efforts. She easily wins both admiration for
the actions and despair for her safety from all those whom she befriends. But
the key is, Phryne is sincere and loyal right back. Lashings of ready cash also
help to lubricate situations when loyalty and friendship aren’t enough.
Gun
competent, knife fighter, knowledge of poisons, self-sufficient, fearless,
determined, suave, and cool under pressure, Phryne Fisher is the Modesty Blaise of
the 1920’s. As a friend described her, she's Agent Carter, Beryl Markham, and Ronda Rousey all rolled into one.
She is everything any guy who grew up on James Bond and the Saint
wants to be – except she’s female.
But
not just female…
She maybe fictional, but what reader doesn't long for certain fictional characters to be real (how about Mr. Darcy, ladies)? She's more than the idealized best friend...Phryne Fisher is female with a wink and a smile all wrapped in a conspiratorial attitude of
promise and possible attainability – if you behave yourself.
She can talk cars,
talk planes, and drink you under the table. If you were arrested, she wouldn’t
just go your bail, she’d be in handcuffs next to you saying, “Damn, that was
fun!”
I
think the truth is, every guy who says, “I love this show,” when referring to The Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries, is
actually declaring their love for Phryne herself – an everygirl with panache.
I don't love this show ..... I L O V E this show. I have never searched, looked up, dug, digged, went hunting for anything in my life > I am hooked - and that is HOOKED for more Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries. I am in awe of her clothing, she is sexy, without sex. And dear God, will you please let her and Jack just please .... you JUST PLEASE ! Here I am now, 60 and a dabble over today - yes these damn birthdays, and found a show that I adore .... My father and mother fell in love during the 1920's, or did they ? O well , I can't get enough of this show. I am in sales/marketing/have my own agency - I'm tellin ya > this is just a dead ringer... if these young whippersnappers would sit still, watch and take it in ............. LOVE LOVE LOVE this show.
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