Whitstable Pearl product reviews

If there is one genre of television that has withstood the test of time, it is the crime/mystery niche. From Sherlock Holmes to CSI, the gradual solving of a puzzle (with deadly consequences) has always been a safe bet to appeal to inquisitive minds, even more so when there is an opportunity for the audience to come to their own conclusions.

On the surface, the six-part series of Whitstable Pearl appears to be a very simplistic attempt at the genre; our lead primarily runs a restaurant, not a detective agency, and it never truly gives the impression that there are any significant stakes at play. Nevertheless, there is a subtlety to the clues and adequate red herrings to make these mysteries quite appealing.

Despite each episode starting off with a murder, Whitstable Pearl never has the pacing and tension that comes from an outright procedural crime show. With no real sense of time passing and curiously apathetic characters, Whitstable Pearl's comfortable restaurant location, and warm local personalities create a very comfortable and inviting atmosphere, somewhat unique to the mystery genre. Our lead Pearl (played by Kerri Godliman) is motherly but naive, and quick to jump to conclusions based on gossip, rumours, and "personal experience". The shows main police presence is in the form of Mike McGuire (played by Howard Charles) and his temperament is monotonous, melancholic, and unconcerned, despite his legal authority and position in this quaint village.

It's this quizzical combination of unusual lead characters that helps to keep things fresh. The show plays with the conflicting styles of the big city and small towns, it fights against gentrification and the unequal distribution of wealth and looks at the pros and cons of human interactions over clinical investigations. There is a sense of disbelief that the characters are put in these situations in the first place, but if you can suspend that disbelief, there are some fun times to be had.

The appeal in Whitstable Pearl's mystery-solving is not in its clues but in its character development and suspect list. In this small town, there is a limited pool of potential suspects, and many recurring characters have some peculiar unexplained behaviours and mannerisms. While the case may be solved by the end of each episode, not all of these behaviours are explained, and carry on to the next episodes, adding misdirection and red herrings along the way, gradually building intrigue and curiosity in an otherwise adequate series.

There are layers of complication and intricacies involved, but everything feels simple and easy to understand. It's the magic of Whitstable Pearl; it may not have you on the edge of your seat, but it will have you constantly analysing your suspect list while you sit cuddled up on the couch with a hot drink.