Jemima Shore Investigates

Jemima Shore Investigates was not the first time the character, created by Lady Antonia Fraser for her 1977 novel, Quiet As a Nun, had appeared on television. The story was adapted in six parts for an Armchair Thriller presentation in 1978, in which Jemima is asked to investigate the death of a nun in mysterious circumstances. Jemima was played by Maria Aitken.

Much of the action is set in a convent, a location, reported the TV Times in April 1978, that 'Antonia herself knows a little about.' She went to St. Mary's Convent in Ascot, Berkshire, at the age of 14, and it left a lasting impression on her. "Anyone who knew me at St Mary's will recognise one of the characters in the book, she told the publication. This was the Reverand Mother. "Sister Elizabeth is based on one of my old English teachers at another school. She had a charming habit of quoting Wordsworth. "

The central character is, of course, Jemima Shore, a go-getting lady TV reporter. "I wrote the book before women reporters and newsreaders really started making their way in television," she said. "I based the professional side of Jemima on my good friend Joan Bakewell. I let her read the manuscript when I'd finished to make sure I hadn't made any obvious howlers.

"Most of all I wanted Jemima to be a fantasy figure, someone who was a complete opposite of myself. Through writing about Jemima, I could be all the things I'm not. So I made her unmarried with no children, a dream girl who is successful at her career, has a lovely flat with lots of boyfriends. A truly liberated figure. I gave her every quality I could never have. She's aggressive but vulnerable and loves driving a sports car fast."

It was another five years before Thames Television turned Jemima Shore into a 12-episode series.

The show is set against a backdrop of British society and culture, and it often plays with themes of class, social expectations, and the difference between appearance and reality. The series is a bit of a blend between a cozy mystery and a more conventional crime procedural.

Jemima, now portrayed by Patricia Hodge (Miranda), is a unique blend of sleuth and TV personality. She’s not your typical hard-nosed detective. Instead, she’s a charming, intelligent, and somewhat glamorous figure who works as a television presenter—often interviewing prominent figures or dealing with high society. This connection to the media world gives her an interesting angle on solving mysteries, as she can access various social circles and often finds herself in situations where she can use her media savvy to uncover secrets.

Jemima solves various mysteries—sometimes related to her TV work, sometimes personal. It’s not just about solving crimes but also about navigating through layers of social expectations, superficial relationships, and hidden agendas.

Her investigative methods are often unconventional. She has a sharp mind and a tenacious nature that helps her solve cases. Jemima's cool, not a blood-red nail out of place, her lipstick never smudges and there’s a certain irony in how she uncovers the darker sides of her seemingly perfect subjects whilst her charm and social skills are integral to her problem-solving process. In many circumstances, her inquiries often place her in social situations where her natural curiosity gets the better of her, leading to deeper involvement in cases.

The series follows the detective genre but with a more comedic or satirical slant. Some episodes take a light-hearted approach, while others lean into darker, more serious topics. The world Jemima navigates is one of privilege, wealth, and power, and the contrast between the public personas of her suspects and the secret lives they lead is often a central theme.

The series boasted an impressive collection of guest characters played by Ian Hendry, Tom Baker, Stratford Johns, Bill Nighy, Brian Cox, Donald Houston, Larry Lamb, John Junkin, George Coulouris and Hugh Paddick. Even so, the show wasn’t a massive hit and yet it’s fondly remembered for its witty writing, charming lead performance by Patricia Hodge, and its unique take on the detective genre.