The Bletchley Circle

Are you watching The Bletchley Circle? I’m LOVING this show – in fact, my husband walked in the room when a commercial was playing for it, and he asked if they made it JUST FOR ME. 🙂 It’s a murder mystery thriller set in England during the early 1950’s, and centers around a group of women who worked together code breaking at Bletchley Park during WWII. 7 years after the war there’s a serial murderer attacking women in London, and the police are clueless where to start hunting. Unbeknownst to the police and behind their husbands’ backs, these 4 women work to find the murderer.


This won’t be a surprise to any of you, but I’ve got a thing for historical fiction. And I also love cozy* murder mystery stories. The thing is, I don’t love period shows and movies and books just because they’re set in the past — for example, I’m barely tolerating my way through Mr. Selfridge on Masterpiece right now (this show about the drama of shopping is kind of setting my teeth on edge). But The Bletchley Circle isn’t just surface drama, it digs deep into these women’s lives and roles in their post-war society and explores the issues without being melodramatic. These women are concerned about finding a killer, but *we’re* concerned about the lack of gender equality in their world.
The Bletchley Circle airs on PBS (on my station it’s 10pm after Masterpiece), or you can watch it online here. It looks like they’ve already taken down Episode One from the website, but I’m sure my enterprising readers can find a way to see it. Or knowing PBS, it will air again, and again, and again…
*a “cosy” mystery is a quaint mystery with an amateur detective solving the case. Miss Marple is the ultimate cosy heroine.
  1. Cottage Dreaming and Flea Market Wishes May 3, 2013 at 4:05 pm

    oh how I am looking foward to this one too….I don't care for the Selfridge series at all

  2. Hannah Haley May 3, 2013 at 5:59 pm

    I just saw the preview of this after watching Call the Midwife and it looks intriguing. Hopefully I'll find a way to watch the first episode, b/c I just have to start at the beginning. 🙂

  3. Binaebi Akah May 3, 2013 at 7:18 pm

    Call the Midwife is an excellent show that has me fascinated by pre-contraception lives of women, and am impressed by the visual metaphors they use to so accurately portray things they can't show on tv. Definitely give it a chance (though one of the main characters kind of annoys me).

  4. Laura May 3, 2013 at 8:52 pm

    I have the first two episodes of The Bletchley Circle recorded on my DVR waiting to be watched! I'm enjoying Call the Midwife but I am not impressed with Mr. Selfridge in the way I hoped I would be. Something about being not very believable for me, and I don't care for Jeremy Piven. **Off to get to those DVR recordings!**

  5. Kathleen May 19, 2013 at 3:59 am

    I've just awarded you with a "Very Inspiring Blogger Award" over at my blog!!

    You can view it here: http://midvalevintagepost.blogspot.com/2013/05/very-inspiring-blogger-award.html

  6. Lara June 23, 2013 at 8:32 pm

    Beth

    I sort of felt it was just for me too! Love vintage, history and good drama.

    Please come visit us @ https://www.facebook.com/TheBletchleyCircleWatchers

    The Bletchley Circle Watchers is a fan page for the series, with news on the second series, filming, discussion and a number of posts about vintage style on there, especially in some of the older posts. So have a look and like!

  7. Lara June 23, 2013 at 8:34 pm

    Well, did you enjoy Bletchley Circle? If so, please join other fans at https://www.facebook.com/TheBletchleyCircleWatchers

  8. Lara June 23, 2013 at 8:36 pm

    I enjoy both Call the Midwife and The Bletchley Circle. Even better, my husband watches them with me.

    With Midwife I enjoy the interaction with the nuns and community.

    With Bletchley, so many things – more @ https://www.facebook.com/TheBletchleyCircleWatchers

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