When the weekend arrives and the brain loudly requests a break from the external torments of daily life, the answer lies in the remote control. Excluding anxious thrillers, psychological torments that slide into true crime, there remains a highly appreciated subgenre that could become your tea cup of choice for Friday night: murders yes, but with irony and a pinch of lightness that never hurts. Those who are searching for that perfect mix between gruesome crime and brilliant humor tempered by a good sitting-room atmosphere are after cozy crime, a subgenre marked by light whodunits, stories where blood is present but doesn’t stain too much, where investigators can be amateurs or novices and equipped with a strong intuition joined to the sarcasm that makes the tale even more engaging and smooth. Here are three TV series that turn the puzzle of a whodunit into a game of logic and lightness, offering a perfect television refuge for the weekend.
Cozy Crime: 3 TV Series Among Whodunits, Irony, and Mysteries to Solve
Poker Face
Currently available for streaming on NOW in Italy, Poker Face introduces a protagonist with a gift: a nose for lies. It’s impossible to fool Charlie Cale, able to expose falsehoods without much effort, a gift that nonetheless exposes her to numerous risks. In fact, her story begins with an escape. Involved in the mysterious murder that occurred at a powerful casino, Charlie fires up her turquoise Plymouth Barracuda and roams the United States, allowing herself the occasional pit stop. And in every city she reaches, she stumbles upon a murder case that has been closed too quickly by local police. Created by Rian Johnson, the mind behind Knives Out, Poker Face consists of two seasons and follows Charlie as she grapples with continual lies and, thanks to her gift, dismantles the alibis of the so-called untouchables.
Only Murders in the Building
Back with a sixth season streaming on Disney+, Only Murders in the Building is another title that perfectly embodies the cozy crime subgenre. The protagonists are an unlikely trio who find themselves sharing a tragic experience in the same New York building where they live: the Arconia has been shaken by a brutal murder, and it will be up to Charles, Mabel and Oliver to solve the crime through a true crime podcast that suddenly becomes popular. Crafted by Steve Martin and John Hoffman, to date each season presents a different crime weaving together old and new characters and shows how the lives of the three leads spiral out of control only to regain balance. Making this series even more enticing, besides the quintessential New York setting, is the cast led by Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez.
Bodkin
Much less known than the first two titles, Bodkin comprises a single season and is available for streaming on Netflix. The story is set in a provincial milieu and follows a group of meddling podcasters obsessed with true crime. A dark comedy that prefers a pint of Guinness to the classic cup of tea, Bodkin is an isolated Irish seaside village hosting an unlikely trio of podcasters: Gilbert, Emmy and Dove. Their goal is to investigate the mysterious disappearance of three strangers that occurred 25 years earlier during the Celtic Samhain festival. Beyond the lush green remote landscape and the mystery enveloping the entire plot, the humor that accompanies it all is never lacking. Their attempt to uncover the truth about what happened so many years ago is not well received by the local community, which appears quite hostile. In the cast you’ll find Siobhan Cullen, Will Forte and Robyn Cara.
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