Sexual tension & Ms. Fisher’s swinging ’60s

It’s the Swinging ’60s in the world of Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries but for sleuth extraordinaire Peregrine Fisher her free-spirited personality is clashing with Detective James Steed.

All of which makes for ideal unresolved sexual tension between stars Geraldine Hakewill and Joel Jackson.

Season 2 of the Miss Fisher spin-off premieres in Australia on Acorn TV (it will air at a later date on 7TWO) next week.

“Their relationship’s really advanced physically and they’re sort of negotiating what happens next? Do they go down a traditional path of getting married?,” Hakewill tells TV Tonight.

“She’s only just finding her place in the world”

“Obviously, he’s a more traditional kind of guy, and she’s very unconventional, so that doesn’t sit so well with her. The idea of kids isn’t making her jump for joy. She’s got big ambitions for her work and she’s only just finding her place in the world.

“It’s how they negotiate a working relationship together and having opposing opinions about their romantic relationship.”

So in the Ms. Fisher world, have the two characters done the deed?

“Early in the episodes, they definitely haven’t yet. One of them is pushing for it more than the other,” she continues.

“James has a traditional mindset of ‘No sex before marriage’ probably holds. But I think it’s up to the audience to decide for themselves a little bit.

“It’s about the negotiation of being in a relationship with somebody”

“There’s a third party that becomes involved as a bit of a rival for James’ affections. So it differs from the original series. But then it’s about the negotiation of being in a relationship with somebody, what that looks like, and how you define yourself as a woman in particular in that time period as separate from the man that you’re in a relationship with. That becomes a really interesting source of conflict.”

Acorn TV were very supportive of the Every Cloud produced series, which fits perfectly into their predilection for mystery dramas. This season shifts from the previous telemovies format to weekly instalments. Across 8 episodes, that allows for more colourful backdrops.

“This is an hour, which I think works really well with the murder mystery genre. It was nice to have longer telemovies to establish the characters, but we just have so many more worlds that we get to explore this time round,” Hakewill explains.

“We have Swingers first up, very 1960s. Episode two is a Flight Attendant School. We’ve got a Country Wedding. We have a Dog Show, Pigeon Racing, a Bowling Alley, New Year’s Eve party -it’s a really interesting group.

“The clothes are even more outrageous”

“I think it’s a really great season. The scripts are really wonderful, we’re all really comfortable in the characters, having a lot of fun, playing with the physicality and the clothes are even more outrageous. So I’m hopeful that people love it.”

Returning cast also include Catherine McClements, Louisa Mignone, Toby Truslove, Greg Stone with guests Michala Banas, Bert La Bonté, Ming-Zhu Hii, Jacek Koman.

But for all the fancy costumes and period themes, it wouldn’t be part of the Fisher franchise without a little murder. Hakewill, who by necessity appears in the majority of scenes, admits she has to stay match fit for the role.

“The most challenging thing with this show is just the speed at which we film and the amount of stuff we shoot each day, which is pretty normal for Australia. It just requires a lot of stamina. Your brain has to be on all the time.

“There’s always a big monologue where I tell the murderer why and how they did it”

“I think the biggest challenge for me is staying buoyant throughout the whole shoot and, and staying on top of the lines. It’s quite a wordy, especially towards the end of each episode, there’s always a big monologue where I tell the murderer why and how they did it. So you have to gear up for those days.

“I’m just really lucky that I have such a great cast and crew. Everybody works together so well. We all keep each other very alive and functional.”

Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries Monday, June 7 on Acorn TV.