It’s no secret my wife and I find comfort in British mysteries and thrillers. Especially from the north, like Shetland and Vera. Yes, we enjoy our Midsummer Murders and our Brokenwood Mysteries (I pray for Frodo’s sanity every time I see him. He’s been through enough!) But Vera, in particular, holds a lovely spot in our heart. I mean, this is the avatar of avenging justice in that show:
In the US, the lead would be Vera’s DS’s – handsome, young, male with designer jackets. But, no, this is a lady who’d be most comfortable chatting with Columbo and talking about how they don’t make raincoats like they used to back in the day.
Watching recent episodes, and mysteries in general with a longer format (Vera runs just 4 eps a series, but they’re 90 minute episodes – television movies) – I spotted something about the investigations. There are usually two crimes: Big Crimes – and Personal Crimes. And the mystery is often “Which one motivated the killing?”
Often as not, it’s not the big crime. And big crimes are things like corruption, fraud, embezzlement, drug smuggling, etc. In the course of investigating the murder, Very often digs up institutional crimes – big crimes – while seeking who’s actually responsible for this episode’s death.
Inevitably, it’s the persona crime that is the true motive. Love. Anger. Jealousy. Desperation. They feed into the killing, usually leading to the moment on the rocks or some other lovely northern spot where, when confronted with the evidence, the killer comes clean. (Oh, there’s a series of fantasies for you). But, I think it says something about intensity and outlets in these stories.
No one murders to cover up massive corruption: they don’t have to because the institutes themselves will help. Get the whistleblower fired. Lose that box of evidence. Hide the paperwork that shows you were married to the drug lord. They don’t have to bludgeon someone to death and dump them in a boat. That would call to much attention to things. They’ve got other ways of dealing with it.
But, there’s no other way of dealing with the personal problem. Not for our killer. Embarrassed or threatened or just pushed to far they lash out or make a bad decision, with fatal consequences. They have no tools, no resources, no choices – they are trapped within their own mind and a selection they make just once.
Which is interesting – it basically says, “Hey, if they had the tools and means to deal with this issue another way, there would be no murder.” Meanwhile, the white collar crime – well, there are tools and options for abetting that action. Not necessarily catching it. And the bigger and richer (or more private) the institution the harder it is to get caught. Until it “goes too far” and “makes too much noise.”
And this is in some way more terrifying than the murders. The idea we’re OK with big companies ruining many lives, and just slap them on the wrist, but one person making a stupid decision with terrible consequences and they will never see the daylight again.
How did Megadeth put it?
And when you kill a man, you’re a murderer
Kill many, and you’re a conqueror
Kill them all… Ooh-oh you’re a god!
Vera and Dave Mustaine. Now, that’s interesting TV.
Biomechanoid Blues 