Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries "Deadweight" #2.4 (2013)

Constable Collins gets in a bit of boxing, 19 May 2017

Phryne investigates the murder of a street gang leader. Was the murder committed by a rival gang member or maybe even a policeman? The victim's body was found outside a carnival tent used for boxing matches. How does that fit into the murder?

Boxing – as a general rule, I do not like movies or television shows that prominently feature boxing. Sure, there are exceptions, but boxing movies are usually so terribly clichéd. You know, it's either a fixed fight or a down-and-out Joe who does good or something like that. Not much to enjoy. At first, I thought that would be my feelings toward Deadweight – a clichéd boxing show. But this one was a bit different. These were true amateurs fighting in a tent for a few dollars. There was no ring – just a piece of plywood to stand on. Yes, Deadweight does include fixed fights and crooked promoters, but a 1920s Australian carnival sideshow setting is not your run-of-the-mill boxing show.

So what about the rest? The plot did take a while to get going. I found myself getting confused at first (I'll chalk it up to my initial negative reaction to the boxing) with character and street gang names that meant nothing to me. But it all came together quite nicely in the end. The solution to the murder is satisfactory even if I knew the outcome early on. The sets and costuming in Deadweight are particularly good. Some of the carnival trappings are fantastic looking. The acting is solid. I was especially impressed with Hugo Johnstone-Burt as Constable Collins. His role here is larger than usual and he handles it nicely. Overall, it's a pretty good episode.

7/10