Midsomer Murders, tv series, 1997-

3. Midsomer Murders

I love this show. It has run since 1997, with Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby (John Nettles, right) as its main character. His Detective Sergeant has changed a few times, but the one in the picture is Gavin Troy (Daniel Casey), my favorite, and he stayed on til series 8. (Just so you know: the British call seasons "series".)

My dear friend Holly introduced me to Midsomer and all its murders years ago! And now Netflix has them all as "watch instantly", which perfectly suits me when I'm in the mood for a quiet, English countryside murder.

Holly and I usually have the worst luck when we pick one of these to watch together though. We usually pick ones where the kids are the killers, or there is a seriously messed up, dirty relationship, or something like that. A lot of the episodes involve sexual relationships and scandals though. This is not a kid's show! But I do like how it isn't too gruesome. When the bodies are too gross, they don't show it. Unlike in Bones, which I love but can't watch while I eat.

But otherwise, I like this show. Barnaby is a totally lovable Inspector, and the episodes are long enough (100 minutes) so that you are very confused and it keeps you guessing til the very end. Actually, the other day I watched one and was proud of myself that I knew who the killer was right off the bat! But I just didn't like the way she looked. I didn't really solve anything.

Unforgettable, tv series, 2011-

I am currently out of commission with back trouble. I literally can't walk or stand for more than a few minutes at a time without lots of pain and discomfort. So, movies and television (and knitting!) are my friends right now.

1. Unforgettable

I just discovered this fantastic police drama Unforgettable! (Of course, it is brand new anyway, so there weren't a whole lot to discover.) The main character is a detective (played by Poppy Montgomery) who remembers absolutely everything. You can pick any day of her life and she can tell you what happened, where she was, who she was with, what was said, what people were wearing, etc. It's kind of cool! It's like a cross between Castle and Monk.

To make things interesting, she works with another detective, Al Burns (played by Dylan Walsh), with whom she had a past relationship. But now he's in a relationship, so there's a bit of drama, and of course, viewers are wondering how he's going to break up with his current girlfriend and get back with Carrie Wells (that's the main character). Well, I'm wondering.

I'm slightly annoyed with Poppy Montgomery's slightly Australian accent. I mean, I love accents, and it's not exactly annoying! I just mean, it is SOOOOOO obvious she is Australian so I think the writers should write something in, like that her father was from Australia, or that she spent a lot of time there when she was younger. Otherwise, she needs to try a lot harder on her American accent! Sorry.

It's Tuesday nights at 10pm on CBS. And you can full episodes on CBS.com!