Being a fan of the books by Donna Leon, I was hoping for an adaption. When it finally happened, I was disappointed of the first results. After Uwe Kockisch took over the role of comissario Brunetti with the 5th episode, the series took off for me.
5 Reviews
A perfect TV-series
JohnDoes325 August 2010
I read half of the Donna Leon novels (which I liked) and the series is a very clever and very faithful adaptation of them. The writers/producers/director(s) have been able to add small charming details (of everyday life, such as the special relationship between Elettra and Brunetti) that make it even better, and delete those not absolutely necessary and required.
The series, made by the Germans (and not by the Americans or the Italians)(Italians do not know the novels since they are not translated into their language, oh!) is very well produced : budgets were obviously high, the series was shot in Venice, Italy, which means they have not made fun of the spectators All key players - Germans - not only pass for real Venetians but are simply perfect, especially (Brunetti's) Uwe Kockisch (he seems to be 45 y-o but has actually 20 more, huh!). My faves are ...all women characters/actresses, yes !
Strongly recommended !
The series, made by the Germans (and not by the Americans or the Italians)(Italians do not know the novels since they are not translated into their language, oh!) is very well produced : budgets were obviously high, the series was shot in Venice, Italy, which means they have not made fun of the spectators All key players - Germans - not only pass for real Venetians but are simply perfect, especially (Brunetti's) Uwe Kockisch (he seems to be 45 y-o but has actually 20 more, huh!). My faves are ...all women characters/actresses, yes !
Strongly recommended !
Simply Magnifico
LauraAnnG25 December 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Do you know how sometimes you'll start watching something and quite inexplicably, you will straight away fall in love with it? That is my relationship with the Brunetti mysteries.
The shows are simply magnificent. Everything about them: the actors, the scripts, the music, the plots, the scenery.
I have not read the books. Sadly, I have never been to Venice. I came into the series cold and at first, admittedly, I found the episodes a bit slow. But then I realized that this show is not your normal one-hour (or is that 40 minutes?) SVU. It takes its time. It is languid and although the subject matter can disturb, it is in essence calming.
So you need to go with the flow. The plots and subplots wrap around each other, and ebb and flow. The music swells and the beauty of Venice stupefies. There is really nothing finer than to sit down and fall into an episode of Brunetti.
Somewhere early on in the series the two lead actors (Brunetti and his wife, Paola) change. I was at first despondent. I liked the first Brunetti! But I have come to love the sexy, charming, yet boyish Uwe Kockisch. I have come to know his co-workers like my own co-workers, and his family has become my family. When his mother (and the actress who played her) passes away, I cried.
I have become invested in Brunetti's children, Raffi and Chiara, as they experience various growing pains and turn into wonderful adults. I laugh at his foolish and vain boss, and smile at the all-knowing and alluring secretary. And I adore Guido Brunetti. He is kind, loving, caring, progressive, funny, smart, determined, courageous and occasionally silly.
I see this review is more of a love letter than a critique. There you have it. I love this show. Each episode (movie, really, at 90 minutes) is a work of art. Brunetti makes me happy and I am so grateful to the MHz Network for airing it.
The shows are simply magnificent. Everything about them: the actors, the scripts, the music, the plots, the scenery.
I have not read the books. Sadly, I have never been to Venice. I came into the series cold and at first, admittedly, I found the episodes a bit slow. But then I realized that this show is not your normal one-hour (or is that 40 minutes?) SVU. It takes its time. It is languid and although the subject matter can disturb, it is in essence calming.
So you need to go with the flow. The plots and subplots wrap around each other, and ebb and flow. The music swells and the beauty of Venice stupefies. There is really nothing finer than to sit down and fall into an episode of Brunetti.
Somewhere early on in the series the two lead actors (Brunetti and his wife, Paola) change. I was at first despondent. I liked the first Brunetti! But I have come to love the sexy, charming, yet boyish Uwe Kockisch. I have come to know his co-workers like my own co-workers, and his family has become my family. When his mother (and the actress who played her) passes away, I cried.
I have become invested in Brunetti's children, Raffi and Chiara, as they experience various growing pains and turn into wonderful adults. I laugh at his foolish and vain boss, and smile at the all-knowing and alluring secretary. And I adore Guido Brunetti. He is kind, loving, caring, progressive, funny, smart, determined, courageous and occasionally silly.
I see this review is more of a love letter than a critique. There you have it. I love this show. Each episode (movie, really, at 90 minutes) is a work of art. Brunetti makes me happy and I am so grateful to the MHz Network for airing it.
UWE KOCKISH HIMSELF
marilejeanne18 January 2019
His interview for MHz I saw several years ago. It was very interesting and he talks about his training in dramatic arts in East Germany. East Germany had a way of training which was designed to make sure you would eventually be assigned to act in a way yhat offered something to the community. Inspector Brunetti I have watched for several years on MHz streaming. Crime dramas with the charm of Venice in the backgrounds. Plots and characters brilliantly developed. His knowledge of character acting brings life to many of the conversations in each dramatic scene.
Possibly the worst cop ever
pensman10 January 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Commissario Guido Brunetti is possibly the worst cop on a TV series. He has no imagination and wouldn't recognize a clue if he tripped over it. He is pretty much unaided by his second in command Sergente Lorenzo Vianello; and his superior, Vice-Questore Patta, does everything he can to derail cases as he is a political animal who responds to any pull of a string that his puppeteer masters can yank. The cases do get "solved" but it is pretty much due to dumb luck. And to make matters worse, Brunetti's family is even more boring than he is. In his first case, Vendetta, three well off men are murdered, and if the daughter of one of the murdered men hadn't been a casual friend of Brunetti's daughter Chiara, and passed on an incriminating video tape, then the killer would have gone free. And even then, when Brunetti offers the killer police protection if they will testify, they look at Brunetti and inquire if he is that naive or just stupid. He drops the ball of course and the suspect is killed while in police custody, so those really deserving punishment never do get caught. In the second story, The Anonymous Venetian, it is a persistent shopkeeper who helps Brunetti get his arrest. If the guy had just shrugged and said well I tried then that murderer also would have gone free. Maybe the books are better written but this series offers no compelling reason to watch. Even the setting of Venice gets short shrift as there are only so many times you can run a camera through Piazza San Marco without that becoming boring also.
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