After having watched the television series Fisher's Murder Mysteries, I wanted to see another series of similar themes, but I found a rather boring series, with characters without charisma, and some cases that did not interest me. Even the character, the policeman Mary Shaw, who is the same as in the series Houdini and Doyle, who represented a police, intelligent, determined and with great emotional depth, in Frankie Drake Mysteries, is a flat and ridiculous character. It's a shame, I'm still staying with Fisher's Murder Mysteries, it's a thousand times better.

I tuned in with real hopes for this series, having been a great fan of Miss Fisher and Murdoch Mysteries, but two episodes in I'm wondering whether to continue recording and watching it. It's the heroine... Just irritating and not convincing as an actress, sorry. Maybe if there was someone with more charisma and oomph playing the main lead we might be in for a treat, but at the moment I'm hard pressed to carry on. Reading other reviews it doesn't seem that it does improve, but I'll persevere for a bit and live in hope. I understand that the interracial friendships, which presumably would've been incredibly difficult in the era are good for the show, and I can suspend disbelief for these as I do on Murdoch, which at least does show some discrimination and problems for women, but the main character really does lack any get up and go, and some of the other actors also seem a bit wooden.

I expected Frankie Drake Mysteries to be at least somewhat similar in terms of writing and acting to Murdoch Mysteries (which I enjoy), but perhaps with plots that were somewhat more concentrated on just the murder mystery (Miss Fischer anyone?) without the somewhat stretched science stuff in Murdoch. Unfortunately, it doesn't come close.The main character is the first problem that comes to mind. She not only doesn't exhibit any real passion for the part, but she is one of the most irritating characters I can remember watching in series TV. She can't go through even a short scene without multiple head twitching and body twitching, usually accompanied by some kind of smile that is supposed to - I guess - be somewhat endearing. It's all simply distracting, irritating and doesn't add anything to the viewing experience. The plots & writing are next - simple, not even close to believable, and lacking any real suspense or action.And I finally figured out why the series lacks overall appeal, believability and some character tension. It's set in the 1920's. It's supposed to be showing women starting to assert themselves, which is a decent theme for the series. BUT.... In doing so they have basically populated the series with ONLY women. That's about as unrealistic a characterization of 1920's society that you can imagine. Murdoch does it right - men seem to be in charge but very strong women - wives, girlfriends, reporters, female private detectives, doctors, etc., are very prominent throughout and realistically portray the reality of the times as well as how strong women did, in fact, find ways to assert themselves, employ their talents, etc. Frankie Drake pretends men didn't exist in their little enterprise. No wonder there's no tension.I kept watching hoping to see improvement. False optimism, it turns out.

I am so delighted to find this series by accident. Frankie breaks every rule for women in the 1920s and most of society rules. e.g. black women partner and maybe lover. Never afraid of anything. I love every story.The minute I found them I started recording. They are like great cosy mysterious and the most fun part if the really unusual women characters who are always the heroines. Any one who likes period mysterious, women detectives who are not afraid, and not deal with the gore and violence--- with good writing and stories, will enjoy.