I've really enjoyed "Murdoch," from the CBC. No idea if it's streaming, but probably. Set at the end of the 1800s in Toronto. Definitely some mansplaining that happens--but it usually goes badly for the person doing the mansplaining, and they generally learn that it was not the best choice they ever made. :) There's a recurring character who I *don't* like, but that person is avoidable, if needed (I can give you the name if you want it, but I don't want to give spoilers if you don't want them!)
I've not seen the most recent few seasons (I think I am partway through season 6, haven't watched any of 7, and 8 is just being released on DVD), but my mom (to whom I introduced the series) has and continues to really like them (other than that one character I mentioned--interestingly, she's been watching the series with some friends who are *much* less disturbed by psychological scary stuff and violence than Mom is, and they don't like that character either).
Bonuses: the main characters is sometimes clueless and sometimes a bit dense, but generally well-meaning and has a strong moral core. It doesn't always agree with current cultural norms, but I find it very interesting how the writers, director, and actor deal with complicated issues (birth control, premarital sex, things other than heterosexuality, gender norms, religion, bigotry--religious, racial, sexual).
There are also some kick-butt female characters (yes, one is a love interest for Main Character, who is a white dude--but at least he's a Roman Catholic White Dude in a protestant city at a time when that was a big deal), and I love some of the supporting characters--Crabtree is wonderful (and the actor, and how amazingly good he is at that character, is apparently part of why the character got a rather larger role than planned), Dr Grace (doesn't show up for a few seasons) is wonderful, the clueless (and progressively less-clueless) chief constable.
tl;dr: Mysteries set in Canada in late 1800s, early 1900s, main character is a (not-completely-socially-normal) White Dude but there are lots of really good female characters. Frequently tackles challenging social and cultural issues with both awareness of current mores and without discounting historical realities (mostly ;) ). Not generally bloody, sometimes a bit psychologically spooky for those of us who don't do well with that. Oh! Also great costumes, and a number of really amusing guest characters (like Tesla and Alexander Graham Bell and Emma Goldman--who was an US-based labo(u)r organiz(s)er about whom I knew nothing before seeing the show!).
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Date: 2015-06-01 11:24 pm (UTC)I've not seen the most recent few seasons (I think I am partway through season 6, haven't watched any of 7, and 8 is just being released on DVD), but my mom (to whom I introduced the series) has and continues to really like them (other than that one character I mentioned--interestingly, she's been watching the series with some friends who are *much* less disturbed by psychological scary stuff and violence than Mom is, and they don't like that character either).
Bonuses: the main characters is sometimes clueless and sometimes a bit dense, but generally well-meaning and has a strong moral core. It doesn't always agree with current cultural norms, but I find it very interesting how the writers, director, and actor deal with complicated issues (birth control, premarital sex, things other than heterosexuality, gender norms, religion, bigotry--religious, racial, sexual).
There are also some kick-butt female characters (yes, one is a love interest for Main Character, who is a white dude--but at least he's a Roman Catholic White Dude in a protestant city at a time when that was a big deal), and I love some of the supporting characters--Crabtree is wonderful (and the actor, and how amazingly good he is at that character, is apparently part of why the character got a rather larger role than planned), Dr Grace (doesn't show up for a few seasons) is wonderful, the clueless (and progressively less-clueless) chief constable.
tl;dr: Mysteries set in Canada in late 1800s, early 1900s, main character is a (not-completely-socially-normal) White Dude but there are lots of really good female characters. Frequently tackles challenging social and cultural issues with both awareness of current mores and without discounting historical realities (mostly ;) ). Not generally bloody, sometimes a bit psychologically spooky for those of us who don't do well with that. Oh! Also great costumes, and a number of really amusing guest characters (like Tesla and Alexander Graham Bell and Emma Goldman--who was an US-based labo(u)r organiz(s)er about whom I knew nothing before seeing the show!).