Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (2012)

Essie Davis's Phryne Fisher solves murders in late-1920s Melbourne in beaded gowns, with a pearl-handled pistol, a sharp wit and a long line of admirers. The costumes, jazz clubs and flirtatious sparring with Nathan Page's Detective Inspector Jack Robinson make this the most glamorous show here, and Phryne's household of loyal oddballs gives it a found-family warmth. The cases sometimes touch on real 1920s injustices, but the spirit is pure escapist fun.