As you all might remember, I’d never watched BONES until the end of last year when I spent four months watching the first six seasons, one show every night except for President’s Day weekend where I watched the entire truncated season three when I was sick for three days. (You can read more about my thoughts on this show over at Heroes & Heartbreakers, where I blogged about how they screwed up Booth and Brennan’s relationship.)

I’d become so accustomed my new schedule of late night television, that when I was all caught up on my series, I needed something else to obsess over. I picked NCIS. I’m a little over halfway through the nine seasons of this show, and plan to be finished before season ten starts in the fall. I don’t know why I never watched this show before (well, I know … I gave up television for three years, from 2002-2005, and this premiered in 2003 … completely off my radar!)

NCIS is the most watched show in the U.S., and I’m not surprised. It’s rare that I like all the characters in an ensemble show—usually there’s one or two I love above all others—but Special Agent Gibbs has a great team and it’s been so much fun diving into the series. It wins because of the characters, actors and writing, the key components of any successful show. (And it helps that the studio doesn’t skimp on production value.)

The show is both a crime thriller and a military thriller, plus includes a little psychology and a lot of forensics, two of my favorite things. But another thing I love is that the characters have complex backstories that are threaded through the series without being overwhelming. They don’t over-explain. Characters are flawed, they make mistakes, they get into trouble, they even break the law, but in the end, they are fighting for truth and justice–and they fight together, as a team. I can easily suspend disbelief and get sucked into the story.

My recent television series marathons have taught me a lot about writing. While I have more time and space in a book than script writers have for a 43 minute episode, I’ve learned a lot about pacing and story structure. I’ve also focused on character growth from season to season, and considered how to apply that sense to my own series. Lucy Kincaid needs to both grow as a character, but at the same time be accessible to new readers. The balance is hard, but watching shows like NCIS and how they integrate backstory and character for viewers new and old is a master’s class in storytelling. I also admire how character flaws can be strengths, and strengths can be flaws. For example, Tony’s love and memory for movies can be annoying, but his knowledge of plot helps on occasion to solve cases. Gibbs has made some questionable decisions, but always for the right reasons. I’ll admit, they’re my two favorite characters (though Abby is right up there, too. I like quirky!) No spoilers, because I’m only just beginning season six …

One show I’m thrilled is returning in the Fall is GRIMM. It started a bit rocky, but by episode three or four I was hooked. And of course JUSTIFIED will return … still the best show on television today! I’m considering NCIS: Los Angeles when I’m caught up on the original, but honestly? Over than L&O: SVU I’ve never liked any of the copies. (And I’ve always liked SVU more than the original.) Tell us what show you’re looking forward to returning next Fall, or a show you wish was returning.

Now for a Mother’s Day gift from us to you! For the next week only, the Murder She Writes digital anthology GUNS & ROSES is on sale for $2.99. It’s a meaty, ten-story anthology penned by us, including both short stories and novellas—over 150,000 words of romantic thrillers and mysteries! Perfect for you or a mom (or even a dad!) who deserves an entertaining escape ….

As I write this blog, I have three major things going on in my life (outside of the kids, which is always like herding cats or juggling knives, depending on the day.)

First, I’m writing a speech for the Desert Dreams conference this weekend in Arizona. When Rocki reads this, she’ll want to strangle me (fortunately, she lives 3,000 miles away) because she’s a staunch believer in writing, rewriting, and practicing speeches. I, on the other hand, usually have an idea, write it on the plane, read it out loud and edit when I get to the hotel, and then deliver something completely different than what I penned. In fact, I have one “stump speech” that I wrote for the New Jersey Romance Writers … and I have yet to give it. However, I’ve started it several times … Anyway, I had to give my speech a title. I called it “Through the Looking Glass.” I figure that’ll cover pretty much anything I want to talk about.

Second, I have a book due May 1. I was making great progress on it until I realized an entire branch of the plot did not work and yesterday I deleted over 6,000 words when that branch broke from the tree. I then wrote over 3,000 words to make up for it, but I’m still 3,000 words short of where I thought I would be. Meaning, I’ll be writing during my trip. This is not to say that I know what the final word count will be — my rough drafts (like this) are generally 70-80K words, and my final draft is generally 100-110K words. But I’m stuck on the ending because of that broken branch. Time to play what if games and see what sticks.

And finally, my 18th book was published on Tuesday.

SILENCED was hell to write, but in the end I was happy with it. When I read the final page proofs I was stunned that the story came together. I had a big picture in my head, but the details stymied me, so when everything was wrapped up I kind of surprised myself.

What surprises me even more, though, is that SILENCED is my 18th published book. I feel like I should know more about this business, that I should understand the hows and whys of decisions–the decisions of readers, of fellow writers, of publishers. And I don’t. I don’t even understand me sometimes … but I suppose I should take that up with my therapist (if I had one.)

SILENCED is the fourth book in the Lucy Kincaid series, but the first book with a new publisher. Last year, I moved from Ballantine who published all 17 of my previous books, to Minotaur/St. Martin’s Press. It was a good move for me, exciting, but scary nonetheless. Change always is.

Change is hard. I’m really going to miss Rocki on this blog. Rocki is a lot like me — we’re stubborn, opinionated, and passionate. Rocki can drive me crazy as much as she makes me happy. I tried to get her to stay, but I think that was more for me than it was for her. As you know, Rocki has another amazing book out this week: BAREFOOT IN THE SAND. It really doesn’t matter if she’s writing romantic suspense or women’s fiction or YA, you know you’re going to get a great story.

Good luck, dear friend. And you’d damn well better write another Bullet Catcher book or your name is mud.

I have some good news to share. Our own Laura Griffin hit the USA Today bestseller list with TWISTED. I can not tell you how thrilled I am! She is an amazingly talented writer. And organized — far more organized than me. I can say that with total honesty because we’ve co-written a couple articles for RT. The final product, I think, has been terrific, but it’s because Laura keeps me focused and directed. (I have a suspicion that she is a plotter, but I like her anyway.) In the RT Book Review newsletter for the June issue, Carol Stacy wrote:

“Allison Brennan and Laura Griffin talk about their new releases (SILENCED and TWISTED respectively) and their experiences writing gritty thrillers with their mom status intact. These “mystery moms” are always amusing when they write an article together, but this time we get a better idea of the duality of their lives.”

And on my own doorstep, SILENCED garnered my first ever Associated Press review. I don’t know all where it was printed, but it’s posted all over cyber news sites. In part:

“Brennan throws a lot of story lines into the air and juggles them like a master. The mystery proves to be both compelling and complex.”

Writing, for me, is always hard during release week, but I’m managing. Tuesday was kind of a waste, but yesterday was better, and today will be better still.

I write all day, take a break when the kids get home, then write at night. Late — usually around midnight or one — I call it quits and unwind with TV. For example, I watched the first six seasons of BONES in three months.

Anyone here watch GRIMM? I was thrilled it was renewed for a second season. And of course, JUSTIFIED’s season three finale was amazing. Can’t wait until next January! I’m currently on season four of NCIS (why, oh why, did I never watch this show before?) And I’m eagerly awaiting the return of HAVEN this summer. What are you happy about in TV land?

And I almost forgot! St. Martin’s created this fabulous trailer for SILENCED. What do you think?

As I think many of us agree, film and television often screw up our favorite books. Often, this is because they mess with the characters. The characters we’ve grown to admire develop different traits or, worse, act out of character!

The first Kathy Reichs book I read was her debut novel, DEJA DEAD, and I’ve been a fan ever since. So when the television show BONES came on, I had no desire to watch it. I was certain they were going to ruin the books.

Everyone told me I should watch the show. Maybe because everyone said I should watch it, I was dead set against it. I convinced myself that romance writers recommended the series because David Boreanaz was in it and they were going through Angel withdrawal.

Because I very much liked the books, I didn’t want to corrupt my reading experience with a sub-par television show which could not possibly be as good. I held firm to this opinion after watching the first four episodes of Rizzoli & Isles. I’m a huge Tess Gerritsen fan, and I could not accept the changes in character. Other than the names, occupations, location and some backstory, Jane and Maura were nothing like the books. Though the actors were great, watching the show was like nails on a chalkboard – painful.

I put the show aside. Then one night I couldn’t sleep and decided to watch it again. After all, my mom kept telling me that season two was even better, and it was one of her favorite shows.

I reflected that with a television series we can’t expect the same depth we get in a book series where the characters have the opportunity for self-reflection. We can’t condense a 100,000 word novel into a 43 minute show. Once I consciously put aside the Jane and Maura I knew from the books, I could enjoy the television series for what it was—a good show.

And that newfound ability led me to BONES.

One plus is that I hadn’t read the last couple Temperance Brennan books (lack of time, not lack of desire!) so while I remembered her character well (the hallmark of a great writer and character), she wasn’t at the forefront. I put her character as much out of my mind as possible, and watched Season One, Episode One as if I had never read any of the books.

Needless to say, four seasons later, it worked.

There are some basic similarities in the books, but for the most part the television show is completely different. The change of location and key changes in character helped to separate the books from the series. I wasn’t looking for similarities and differences, I wanted to enjoy the series so I wasn’t trying to “catch” them screwing anything up. I watched the series with fresh eyes.

There are many reasons why this show is a hit and why I love it, and while I really want to talk about character, I think it’s a given that the show is a hit because of the terrifically drawn and acted characters and well-written mysteries. But as I started writing this blog (with the thought of a character study) I remembered a conversation with my mom about a show that is rumored to be cancelled, BODY OF PROOF.

It doesn’t surprise me that BODY is on the chopping block. I’m disappointed, because I enjoy the show, but I understand why: it’s just another crime drama.

There are four things that must be in a successful television crime series:

• Character. Characters with depth, a complex or interesting backstory, fears and a realistic and compelling skill-set.
• Acting. Actors with the talent to bring the characters to life.
• Writing. Writers who can give the actors great material to work with, and a smart plot for me to enjoy.
• Premise/hook. What makes this crime show different than the other crime shows out there?

(As an aside, the above are identical to what makes a great crime novel as well—replace “acting” with “voice” – voice and writing are different. Voice is HOW the author tells the story; writing are the style and mechanics of how she tells the story.)

BONES blends the FBI/crime drama with forensic science in a new and compelling way, plus has the added bonus of larger than life characters and no easy “fixes.” The conflicts are organic to the characters themselves, which is very difficult in any series to pull off. We, the viewer, can understand why the characters do what they do, and when they disagree, they truly disagree–sometimes without conflict, but sometimes the disagreement is so fundamental we feel their pain. Another plus, which comes from the writing and acting, is the dark humor intricate in the storylines. This can be so difficult to pull off, which is why when it’s done so well, people are riveted.

The successful franchise of LAW & ORDER worked because they found a compelling way to blend the standard cop show with the inner workings of the legal system. What I love about this show (I only watch SVU) is that again, they don’t go with the easy answer. Everything is not wrapped up in a pretty bow. Two characters you like and admire can have a fundamental disagreement. I love these moral complexities, because they are true to life.

So why is BODY OF PROOF in trouble?

It’s not the actors. Dana Delany is very talented, and I really enjoy her in this series. I like the supporting cast for the most part, though I feel they are a little too stereotypical. For example, with BONES and L&O the ensemble cast might on the surface appear like a stereotype (example: conspiracy theorists Hodgins and Munch) but there’s far more to each than on the surface. In BODY, other than the main character, there isn’t anything substantive beneath the surface of any of the characters. The writing is good, with interesting storylines, but nothing is edge of your seat. There’s no “ticking clock” which to me, takes it out of the realm of crime drama into straight drama. And, if you look at BODY as a drama, it’s essentially a medical drama. The killer is rarely a threat to anyone but the victim, and there’s no urgency. It’s not ER where each episode deals with life and death. Ultimately, there’s nothing that makes the show stand out from other medical dramas or crime dramas, and there’s no unique hook that isn’t specifically related to character.

I don’t want the show to be cancelled, but I won’t be surprised.

Two other shows were axed that I felt were unjustified (because I liked them, dammit!) DETROIT 187 and PRIME SUSPECT, but I understand the reasoning. They both had solid acting (though PRIME had the stronger, better developed ensemble cast, IMO,) both had strong writing, and both had intriguing and quirky characters. But neither had a hook that differentiated it from other crime shows out there. The “tough female in a man’s job” doesn’t really cut it anymore because we’ve seen enough cop shows with a woman in a leading role. The sad thing is that the characters were so interesting, I really wanted to spend more time with them. For DETROIT, the city was the hook, and it simply wasn’t strong enough. I liked it because of the characters, but it wasn’t different enough from other big city crime shows.

BONES works on multiple levels. Each episode is a gripping story. The characters interact in an interesting and compelling way. Each is fascinating. Brennan and Booth carry the show, but the supporting cast is equally strong. The mysteries are interesting and even when predictable, they’re enjoyable. And like SVU, the writers don’t always have an easy fix for conflict.

My daughter Kelly isn’t normally a fan of crime shows, but she, too, is hooked on BONES. I’m nearly done with season four. NO SPOILERS or I’ll hunt you down, and it won’t be pretty.

What’s your favorite adaptation of book to film or television? What book series would you most like to see on television, or on the big screen? I know my daughter can hardly wait for THE HUNGER GAMES (and I promised her I’d read the book before the debut, so I’m taking it with me on my trip to NY next week.) My favorite adaptation is THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION which came from the Stephen King short story, “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption.”

One lucky commenter will win a $25 gift certificate to the on-line bookstore of their choice!

Vince Lombardi said, “Perfection is not attainable. But if you chase perfection, you can catch excellence.”

JUSTIFIED is back.

I’m in heaven.

It’s not just because I’m watching Timothy Olyphant. Though, he is nice on the eyes.

Talented actors; brilliant writing; pitch-perfect pacing. Justified is about excellence. I don’t say that lightly.

In fact, I’m such a big fan-girl, that a year ago—after the Season Two premiere—I blogged about this show over at Murderati.

You might think I’m blogging yet again about Justified so I can post pictures like this here at Murder She Writes. Not true. Not me, nope. That would be Lori

But I’ll let you enjoy this shot for a moment.

Or two.

Ready?

Okay, there are a lot of fantastic television shows out there—but most of them are no longer on the networks. Or, the big networks kill them too soon, without giving them an extra push or doing nothing to save them (PRIME SUSPECT & DETROIT 1-8-7 – two of my fave new shows – cancelled after one short season.)

Cable has succeeded because they’re lower budget and can achieve success with a smaller viewership. They break rules and take risks. They don’t fit the mold. This is good for television lovers like me who are frustrated with the ho-hum and predictable shows. Sure, I like BODY OF PROOF and CASTLE and others, but my favorite shows—the shows I put on my calendar—are all on cable.

As soon as F/X announced January 17th as the Season 3 premiere of Justified, it went on my calendar. I bought the season on iTunes, but because I could not wait for the show to air and download, I also recorded it on my DirectTV box and watched it last night

Justified, based on an Elmore Leonard short story “Fire in the Hole” about U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, is violent, edgy, and darkly humorous. I’ve often said that character is the single most important thing in a good book, and that’s true for television as well. Character is the foundation. Without character, it doesn’t matter how strong the writing is or how beautifully the film is shot, or how much money is spent on special effects. If the foundation crumbles, everything else falls with it.

Justified has the acting, writing, and pacing. But it’s foundation is rock solid. It’s about the characters.

Raylan Givens himself (played by Timothy Olyphant) is a flawed hero. Self-confident (cocky); smart; dedicated; bad-ass Western lawman in every sense of the word. DEADWOOD was just preparing him for this role.

Yet, if this show was just about Raylan, it wouldn’t be half as good. Boyd Crowder—played by the amazing Walton Goggins)—is even more complex than Raylan. He’s the bad guy … most of the time. But like any good villain, he’s not pure evil. In fact, he’s not evil, just not good. Boyd has his own code of honor, and when he and Raylan are on the same side, they can fight together. When they’re not? Raylan’s put him in prison a few times.

The other characters are all equally outstanding. Raylan’s boss, his colleagues (I hope they do more with Tim and Rachel, who have been strong secondary characters who add to the show, and can add much more as hinted in some past episodes.) The two primary female characters—Raylan’s whiny, bitchy, cheating, pregnant ex-wife Winona (yes, the baby is Raylan’s. I don’t have to like it.) and Ava, widow of Boyd’s brother who was with Raylan for season one and is now with Boyd. I like Ava. She has spunk, she stands up for herself, and she’s complex just like Boyd and Raylan.

Season three promises to be as good as the first two. Maybe better—and that’s hard to do. But if the opener is any indication, they’re on that road. My only skepticism at all is that the writers think that Winona can be redeemed. Because I trust them, I’m willing to give them the chance—but I think she should leave Raylan and go elsewhere. I mean COME ON. She cheated on him with GARY, a realtor. Divorced Raylan and married the weasel. I actually liked Gary more than her! (And I didn’t like Gary.)

At it’s core, though at times morally murky, JUSTIFIED is about good versus evil. No one is all good, or all bad. It’s also about all the shades of gray in between. It’s about choices you make and living with the consequences. It’s full of action, suspense, humor, crisp dialogue, and–of course–great characters.

And with it, Graham Yost and his crew have caught excellence.

Here’s a little commercial that played last year as a Super Bowl commercial:

And a teaser for Season Three:

I wish I could find the opening scene of season 1, episode 1 to show you — the scene that sold me on the series, where Raylan shoots Tommy Bucks. That scene has lasting consequences, even in Season Three.

Instead, here’s a music video of the opening song with some fantastic clips from season one. Gangstagrass performs the song, and because I loved it so much I bought their album, which inspired IF I SHOULD DIE. They were so gracious to give me permission to quote lyrics from another of their songs in the opening of DIE.

What show do you evangelize for? What show has characters so real you believe? Is there an opening scene that drew you in immediately, sold you on a show hook, line and sinker? Comment below for a chance to win season 1 or 2 of JUSTIFIED on DVD or iTunes; or season 3 gifted from iTunes … winners choice.

It’s no surprise to long-time MSW readers that I love television. I use TV as a reward. I get my work done, I can watch TV at night. (Late at night, usually after midnight.) I haven’t watched commercials outside of football or kids shows because I no longer watch television shows when they’re on. I don’t even DVR them (and even if I did, they’d be quickly erased because of all the shows my kids DVR.)

I spoil myself because television is a reward. I buy the shows I like through iTunes.

A series can cost anywhere from $5 to $40, depending on the popularity, the number of episodes, and whether there’s a promotion. Most series, however, are between $20-25, less than the cost of waiting for the series to come out on DVD three months after the season is over. At $25, that’s the price of one movie and popcorn for a couple, and to me worth the price because not only can I watch at my convenience, I can re-watch.

But because I pay for television, when most people watch for free, I tend to be a bit more critical than I used to. My time is valuable, but so are my limited television dollars. I’ve very much appreciated that television, like much of the entertainment business, is making necessary changes: they’re releasing new series mid-season so summer is not just reruns; they’re running edgy and experimental series with both stars and young up-and-comers; they’re taking changes and cable networks are competitive with network. In fact, almost all my favorite shows are on cable, with only a few exceptions.

Some shows have blown me away—not just in the quality of production, or the actors, but the storylines are head and shoulders above most everything that’s out there.

Two years ago, I “discovered” JUSTIFIED and have evangelized for this show ever since. This year, I found HAVEN, a brilliant supernatural drama loosely based on the Stephen King book THE COLORADO KID. But today, I want to talk about LUTHER.

First: no spoilers! I’m only halfway through the short season two. But already, I am mesmerized by the raw, brilliant storytelling made even better by the quality of both filming and acting. I love it.

LUTHER is a psychological crime drama produced by the BBC. It’s set in England, and for the first episode or two I had to get used to not only the accents, some of which are quite thick, but the different police procedures in that country. (And, to be honest, I don’t even know if they get them right, but there’s a feel of authenticity so I’m definitely willing to go along for the ride.)

From IMDb:

“Luther” follows the cases of a troubled yet brilliant English police detective, DCI John Luther (Idris Elba). Separated from his wife, whom he loves passionately, he is torn between an unrelenting approach to solving serial killings and his attempts to rekindle his marriage. Luther is a highly charged emotional man who is not above stretching the law to solve a case or save a life. In episode one, Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson) proves she is equally brilliant by committing the perfect murder of her parents, which challenges Luther as never before. Alice develops a strange fascination for Luther and their continued exchanges and interplay serve as a backdrop for the rest of the season. Luther’s edgy police tactics make him a serious concern to his superiors, who feel that he is a threat to their reputations and that of the Police force. From the opening credits to the end of season one, “Luther” is a fast paced mystery presented with many plot twists and insights into the human psyche.

The scripts are tight, gritty, and multi-dimensional. The filming compliments the tone and feel of the show. A crime drama like CASTLE is lighter, with brighter colors and a deeper hue, but less contrast and artistic framing. LUTHER, which is a much darker show, is as overcast and gray as England’s reputation. There’re no bright colors, but the sharpness of the imagery even in the grayness adds depth and emotion. (I’m sure Toni, or resident photography expert, would be able to explain all this better than me.)

But to be honest, Idris Elba, the actor who portrays DCI John Luther, makes the show. Not only is he a physically imposing character compared to all the others around him, he is a flawed and tragic hero.

I’ve been thinking about this show a lot while teaching a class over at the Kiss of Death chapter this month. Participants have been asking a lot of questions about how to create flawed characters that readers will still like. Today, I pointed them all to John Luther.

In the first episode, he’s coming back to work after being on administrative leave while being investigated for the injuries a suspect sustained while Luther pursued him. The suspect, a child murderer, is a loathsome person. Did he, or did he not, wait a fraction too long in trying to save the killer from a fall? While the killer is on life support at the hospital, Luther is investigated. The day he returns, he’s called to investigate a double homicide, introducing him to Alice Morgan, one of the most complex and compelling psychopaths created in a long, long time. The intelligence of Hannibal Lecter without the crudity and rather disgusting habit of cannibalizing his friends.

Luther is far from perfect. But what draws me to his character is that he it’s his drive to do what is right for others that ultimately puts him into danger or forces him to choose between two morally or ethically reprehensible choices. Sometimes, there is no good answer, only a lesser evil.

Luther is a brilliant cop. Sherlock Holmes without the arrogance or drug habit. He doesn’t smooth things over or play nice just to get along, but he’s not deliberately or intentionally abrasive. He’s extremely loyal, and his loyalty is also his Achilles Heel.

For example, in the second season he’s guilted into helping an underage prostitute get out of a vile fantasy rape (where a pervert pays to rape her, but where often the prostitute is killed in the process.) Guilted because, while underage, she’s still 17 and as Luther said, she’s made her own choices. She chose to do drugs, to be a prostitute and to leave home. But, as her mother says, Luther drove her to drugs and prostitution because he arrested her father for “accidentally” killing a prostitute, and while in prison he killed himself. Luther goes to the location, talks to Jenny, she doesn’t want to leave, and he walks out. The agony of his decision is evident on his face you can almost hear his internalization.

It’s Jenny’s choice. No one is forcing her.

She’s too scared to leave. She’s going to be killed. She’s only 17.

In the end, he walks in and grabs her while she fights him.

That decision sets up a whole chain of events that are still playing out as I’m about to watch the third of four episodes.

Luther does many illegal things, always for the right reasons. His ethical dilemmas are complex and torture him. Luther is an amazing character, and while Idris Elba deserves much of the credit for his creation, the show itself is truly a well-done masterpiece blending the lead character with an equally talented supporting cast, and compelling, top-notch writing. Crime drama lovers, you won’t be disappointed. And writers? You’ll learn a lot.

It doesn’t get much better than LUTHER. I am hugely thrilled they have contracted for a third season. Two, four, six, ten episodes — I’ll take whatever they want to give me.