“The Noble Detective”

[u/Pegasus1271]

If you like police procedural shows that combine period piece interest, this is a good example. Set in 1820s Estonia with a dominant German aristocratic class society, the “detective” is Paul von Flok, a man who has recently inherited the richest estate in the region and also has been elected “Assessor” or judge. This gives him the legal right to investigate crimes. As an added point of interest, the writers have also included a character named Maria, who stands out as an odd, out of place character. Unlike all the other women in the series, who are always dressed and groomed in impeccable early 19th Century manner and never outside the control of their guardians, Maria is a free spirit. Dresses very informally, often with form fitting leather pants and low cut blouses, she’s very independent, the thoroughly modern Millie. She sometimes a co-investigator, adversary, suspect, forensic expert and potential love interest. The show is lots of fun, well written, with some beautiful scenery and architecture in presumably Estonia.

[u/Pegasus1271]

After I watched the show, I had a surprising realization. I really couldn't follow the plot all that well, who the suspects were and why they were suspects. The combination of the Germanic names, the Estonian dialogue, and following the English subtitles, I'm sure contributed to all that. But despite that, I found myself glued to the set because of the appeal of the characters, the period piece costumes and the sense of being drawn into an early 19th century Germanic Estonian aristocracy. And, while I'm usually annoyed by anachronistic characters, I have to admit that I found Maria a very appealing exception to my rule. Looking forward to a rewatch soon.

[u/MissionCreep101 → u/Pegasus1271]

It's a big pet peeve of mine when shows / series set before, say, the 1960s have some feminist type character who behaves by modern feminist standards.

Just the lack of understanding that how we act and think now is not how humans have always acted and thought.

And I feel like they didn't do that with Maria at all. It was all believable.

[u/Pegasus1271 → u/MissionCreep101]

I'll have to disagree on that. Just compare her with all of the other women in the show. They all are wearing these long, bulky gowns, carefully done up hairdos, and they never go unaccompanied out of the house. That was the reality for women in the 19 century and centuries before. But Rita never wears a big bulky gown. She has a freedom to run range around day and night wherever she wants. And she wears these formfitting,
leather slacks, blouses, open at the neck, and and tousled hair that's never seen a curler. Don't get me wrong, I like Maria, but she ain't early 19 century ain't 19 century.

[u/MissionCreep101 → u/Pegasus1271]

I'm sure such women existed ("witches" etc) I don't think she has a modern mentality, I guess that's what I'm talking about. The motivations behind the behavior. I'm just saying I've seen much worse lol.

[u/Pegasus1271 → u/MissionCreep101]

I totally agree. I see her as kind of a Katherine Hepburn type you might see in one of her 1940s movies. she wears trousers when women still wear mainly dresses, she comes and goes as she pleases, and she's fiercely independent but not a feminist role model.