People want to know what entertains a thriller writer. One question I get asked all the time is What do you watch on TV?

What sort of content feeds a creative mind? I can’t speak for all thriller and mystery writers, but what I watch is all over the map and so are my reasons. Sometimes it’s simply for the entertainment value, other times it’s about learning what makes a good mystery tick.

And yes, I watch shows where poor souls get murdered. Midsomer Murders is a favorite. This crazy bit of British telly has been around for almost two decades and I’m surprised there are any people left in Midsomer. Every week so many get poisoned, shot, drowned, and strangled that overpopulation is never going to be a problem. One thing is for certain – I am not taking a holiday in Midsomer.

Why do I like that one? Well, the settings are cool – backroads England at its finest. Tiny villages with ages old cottages and pubs that have foot ceilings and thick Tudor-style beams. Then there are the ever-entertaining stream of wonky characters. Nobody is really normal (whatever that is these days) and just like an Agatha Christie mystery, all of them have a motive for killing the poor sot(s) who die with a regularity that puts a bus schedule to shame. Red herrings flop around like minnows in shallow water and false accusations fly – Midsomer has it all, including the strangest music ever.

What else?

I tried Luther, but it was a bit too violent for me. I did, however, love the Alice Morgan character that Ruth Wilson played. OMG – so over-the-top-creepy that I can’t get her psycho-gaze out of my head. That’s the sort of thing that inspires me to create really believable bad guys (and gals).

Doc Martin, with Martin Clunes as the acerbic county doctor is a hoot and always good for a laugh. Love the Portwenn setting (Port Isaac in Cornwall) as well. 

Netflix has some great series, Castles of England, Secrets of the Tower of London, and other documentaries of the same sort where they duck into creepy old places with lots of skeletons in the closets. The one they did on Highclere Castle (the set for Downton Abbey, of which I watched every episode) and it was a cool look into the backrooms of the famous castle. These are fodder for interesting, often macabre settings.

I binge-watched Poldark, and still can’t believe people can be as good looking as Aidan Turner (Ross Poldark) and Eleanor Tomlinson (Demelza). What kept me riveted to the TV on this series was Poldark’s character – he never lost his way despite some pretty awful stuff happening to him and his family.

Then there’s Inspector George Gently, a retro series that’s set in Britain in the 1960s. Gently is old-school and he struggles with how quickly things are changing. Cops aren’t a squeaky clean anymore and it’s getting harder to recognize the bad guys. I like this because there’s a lot of inner turmoil trapped in a really good man. Gently suffers and it’s tough to watch at times.

But it’s not all thrillers and cops. Queer Eye is right at the top of the list. This is a Netflix production where five gay guys parachute into someone’s life on each episode and install some sort of order. These five men are beyond cool – they tackle food, culture, grooming, fashion and renovations – with each one having their area of expertise. One client said something like, The world is upside down, and you guys make it right. Even the toughest drill sergeant – the guy who eats rusty nails for breakfast – is going to have a tear on his cheek as these vignettes roll out. I love this series for its honesty and compassion, which is sadly lacking in our world today. Go “Fab Five”!

There’s more, but what the heck, you get the idea. If you have a minute, let me know what shows inspire and entertain you.