Agatha Raisin (TV Series) The Deadly Dance (2020) User Reviews

Murder on the dance floor

[safenoe · 7/10 · 22 November 2020]

Much has been written about this, with mixed reviews. Still the ending was quite ominous, with James struggling with something, but what? Does he know something we don't?

Jodie Tyack as Toni is a welcome addition to the cast, but I do miss the cast member she replaced, Katy Wix (Gemma). Hopefully Gemma can return in season 4 please! Also hopefully Rhashan Stone (who is married to Rushmore star Olivia Williams) can make a comeback in his role as Jez Bloxby.

So many double-barreled names in the cast! Anna Wilson-Jones, Abigail Carter-Simpson, Angus Castle-Doughty. I guess it's an English thing.

Anonymous guests appearances???

[wylldflower-95228 · 7/10 · 28 February 2020]

Firstly, I love James, but they seem to have over-settled in, phenomenally fast! I have a hard time buying they'd be taking each other for granted That fast so maybe Jamie got a plum offer elsewhere? (my best case scenario) And while Charles is a mega-cad sometimes I think they fit together better - both sincere, yet a bit swinging in the breeze too. Second, and my main point - is Sutton Foster the spa desk girl?!

I blame the script

[xbatgirl-30029 · 6/10 · 2 January 2022]

This episode had a foreboding feeling, and not just how things end with James. The writing has gotten weaker as the series goes on, and since they've made so few episodes, relatively speaking, that's not good. Overall, this episode was a fun bit of fluff. I like all the actors, and aside from some of the guests, everyone is doing a great job. I do think the direction improved a lot from the previous episode.

That aside, I was reminded one of the things I really liked about Agatha in the first season, and which set her apart from all the other detective shows, was the empathy that she had for people. She was actually sad when people where hurt. And even when she started out disliking someone, she would end up seeing their good side. Ashley Jensen was so good at this too. Unfortunately, that aspect of her character has disappeared.

I always find when the writers turn good characters into cartoons, they've either stopped putting in the effort or they just aren't the same quality as on earlier episodes. Sorry to be harsh. Another bad sign is the obvious romantic trouble James and Agatha are headed towards. Again, another bad sign writers are out of ideas is when they break up a couple.

I do really like this show but I just don't see it lasting for years to come. Such a shame for everyone involved.

Some good, some ridiculous, OK-to-decent with weak ending.

[skinnybert · 6/10 · 2 February 2024]

The good news is that there are memorable and fun moments in this episode - overall, a distinct step up from the previous episode. There is some cute business to gather info from a suspect's phone, and Jason Barnett is as entertaining as usual, as DCI Wilkes.

The bad news is that there are also some needlessly ridiculous moments (your mileage may vary on how many) and they impact the net results significantly. Most notable is the telling-the-villains-all-they-did denouement, which rarely goes well and doesn't here. And being last ten minutes, leaving a rather desultory final impression.

Of course, even bad moments can be smoothed over by cleverness, quotability, or great acting ... and there just isn't much of that. On the whole, a middling episode; the third season has yet to fulfill the promise of the second season, but hopefully getting there.

What has happened to this series?!

[dragsholm · 2/10 · 15 February 2020]

Episode two of season three was better than episode one, but since the latter was crap, that's not saying much. The direction had improved, and the cast seemed less stilted than the previous episode. The general atmosphere was more reminiscent of the first two seasons.

However, the script was awful--dull, plodding, and without enough material for one hour, let alone a two-parter. It lacked the zany wit and verve I had come to expect from this show. And they can't break up Agatha and James too quickly for me. Another problem was that Agatha herself was a bore. She was too "in command" of everything. She lacked the vulnerabilities and eccentricities that have made her an interesting and sympathetic character.

I hope this series can get back on track. It would be a shame if my favorite show went off the rails after only two seasons.

The Deadly Dance

[Prismark10 · 3/10 · 19 June 2020]

Agatha has a juicy case when wealthy and snobbish Tiggy Laggat-Brown tells of a death threat on her daughter Cassandra who is holding a lavish engagement party.

At the engagement party, there is a sultry Argentine Tango, fireworks go off prematurely an Agatha thinks she spotted a shooter. No one else believes her.

Later the would be assassin turns up dead. The father of the bride turns up not knowing anything about the engagement.

It is another sorry tale. The worse culprit is DCI Wilkes who is the most annoying character where a lot of the characters are annoying.

You really have to sense disbelieve that he would want to taste a cake that might have poison in it.

There is a lot of dancing going on as it is the title of the episode. A lot of it is bad dancing, it segues nicely with the episode as that is also bad.

Poor acting by the lead

[robertasmith · 5/10 · 21 June 2020]

I am sure this review will upset fans but Ashley Jensen just isn't a good enough actor to have the lead in this series. With a better lead this would be a nice series full of British humour and plots. As it is, every one is OTT and even Mathew Horne struggles to get the best out of the script. But it all comes back to Jensen being neither an actor of worth or a comedian who can make you laugh through presence.