Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
Director: Kevin Fair, Via Vision Entertainment.
What is it about society’s continued fascination with true and fictional crime? It’s not new, of course, but there’s no denying that we’re just drawn to compelling stories.
Maybe the attraction is in the experience of how most crime stories end with the villain’s defeat. After all, in some instances, justice tends to triumph in fiction more often than it does in real life. Surely that’s no accident.
Perhaps, it’s because we care to experience the adrenalin rush of a dangerous situation without the risk of actual involvement. Can it be that the exact nature of our attraction to crime stories goes deeper than what has been theorised?
Screenplays and novels thrive in the murk of human emotions. Some may be spies, but not all of us are criminals. At different times, we are good and bad, cops and robbers, heroes and villains. That’s good news as subtle escapism makes for good entertainment.
In this category is Morning Show Mysteries, a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries series, with episodes based on the Billy Blessing novels by Al Roker. The theme centres around a Seattle-based, television chef Billie Blessings (Robinson Peete) as she becomes involved in various murder criminal investigations, and her relationship with police detective Ian Jackson (Rick Fox), who is in charge of the homicide unit.
Blessings has gone from beloved chef, restaurant owner and morning show segment host to super sleuth, delving into murder and mysteries to uncover the guilty party.
A two-disc DVD, Collection Two, features a couple of rousing feature-length episodes.
In Death by Design, chef Blessings’ best friend Marian is hired to redecorate the TV studio. When Marian’s twin sister is murdered, Billie must investigate their close friends to find the killer.
Countdown to Murder sees restauranteur Blessings getting involved after a beloved supermarket owner is killed in the early morning hours before opening. It doesn’t take long for the investigation to uncover what quickly appears to be the work of a clever and darkly sinister serial killer. There is no shortage of suspects at hand.
