Agatha Raisin, the British mystery comedy-drama, returned last Christmas on U.S. streaming service Acorn TV with Kissing Christmas Goodbye. This feature-length episode is the first of the fourth series. The rest will follow next month (1).
Ashley Jensen (After Life, Catastrophe) plays the title role, an ex-London PR queen turned private investigator.
Agatha Raisin and Roy Silver (played by Mathew Horne) argue about the celebration of Christmas so she tells him to organize it this year. Phyllis Tamworthy, who owns the imposing Lower Tapor Manor and the village of Lower Tapor itself, wants the detective's protection. The old lady has decided to give the whole estate to a charity and she thinks the villagers, who hate her, and her family won't like the news. Aggie and Roy can't prevent her to be murdered soon after her announcement during an unpleasant evening. Sarah Bloxby (Lucy Liemann) is the new vicar. Toni Gilmour (Jodie Tyack) is taking driving lessons with the unfortunate Sir Charles (Jason Merrells) and she infiltrates a group of Satan worshippers! DS Bill Wong (Matt McCooey) leads the police investigation while DCI Wilkes is in Lapland. Mrs Boggle (Marcia Warren) is Agent 13 from Get Smart.
Adapted from the novel Kissing Christmas Goodbye by M.C. Beaton, this nice Advent calendar was penned by Julia Gilbert and helmed by Matt Carter. Both also work for Midsomer Murders (like music composer Evan Jolly) and it shows. The absence of Jason Barnett (Wilkes) is regrettable but Mathew Horne has a lot of fun lines and the fight at the end is totally zany. With Phil Nichols (Paul Chambers), Jo Wickham (Elsie Shufflebottom), Tim Woodward (Fred Instick), Maggie McCarthy (Phyllis Tamworthy), Kevin Bishop (Jeffrey Tamworthy), Zoë Telford (Sadie Tamworthy), Emerald O'Hanrahan (Alison Tamworthy), Emma Cunniffe (Fran Tamworthy) and Janine Duvitski (Doris Crampton). Produced by Free@Last TV and Company Pictures (an All3Media company).
Co-produced by Acorn Media Enterprises (a division of AMC Networks). Barry Ryan and David A. Walton exec produce for Free@Last TV. Michele Buck exec produces for Company Pictures. Catherine Mackin and Lesley Pemberton exec produce for Acorn Media Enterprises. Produced by Charles Palmer. Co-produced by Mick Pantaleo. Ian Strachan is the Head of production. Theme composed by Rupert Gregson-Williams. Cinematography by James Moss GBCT. Editing by James Hey. Titles by Light Creative. Filmed with the support of HM Treasury and DCMS' Film and TV Production Restart Scheme. Distributed by All3Media International and Acorn Media International. The episode is dedicated to M.C. Beaton (nom de plume of Marion Chesney), who died in December 2019.
(1) This fourth series is available as four feature-length episodes or eight 45-minutes episodes.
See also:
https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2020/06/agatha-raisin-series-3-episodes-3-4.html (Series 3, Episodes 3 & 4)
https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2020/05/agatha-raisin-series-3-episode-2-agatha.html (Series 3, Episode 2)
https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2020/04/agatha-raisin-series-3-episode-1-agatha.html (Series 3, Episode 1)
https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2020/04/agatha-raisin-series-3-episode-1-agatha.html (Series 3, Episode 1)
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