Review: Harry Wild, amateur sleuth

Jane Seymour as Harry Wild

Harry Wild stars Jane Seymour as a former professor of literature at an Irish university. She retires from teaching and quickly becomes an amateur sleuth solving cases that hearken back to famous works of literature.

The storyline in Harry Wild is very contrived and improbable, but I don’t think you’re meant to care. What you are meant to do is enjoy the charm, humor, and cleverness of Jane Seymour as Harry. She drinks far too much, she sleeps with inappropriate men, and she solves crimes faster than the police can blink.

I’m totally down with the notion that a woman of Jane Seymour’s age (#EldersRock) is the lead character in a lighthearted detective story.

Kevin Ryan in Harry Wild

Harry’s son Charlie (Kevin Ryan) is one of the cops she outthinks. No one is happy to have her amateur meddling into police business, especially Charlie. Except she keeps solving things.

Charlie’s boss, the chief Ray Tiernan (Stuart Graham), is one of those inappropriate men who shows an interest in Harry. He’s quite the complication.

Nohan Nedd and Jane Seymour in Harry Wild

Just before Harry retires she’s mugged by Fergus (Rohan Nedd). She finds him and confronts him. When she realizes he’s actually a good kid, she turns him into her sidekick and they solve mysteries together. She also helps him study for his literature exams.

Harry has a strained relationship with her daughter-in-law, Orla (Amy Huberman). Orla rightly considers Harry a bad influence on her daughter Lola (Rose O’Neill). Lola thinks her grandmother is the coolest, and she doesn’t take long to get interested in Fergus. She wants in on the crime solving!

Comic relief comes in the form of Glenn (Paul Tylak). He’s a brainless, pompous idiot, but Harry finds him useful in her adventures. It’s a feel good series with obscure trivia for the literature lovers.

By the end of the first season, Harry and Fergus are calling themselves detectives and taking cases. They even have a website. I haven’t heard that a second season is in the works, but the storylines are ready to grow if it is approved.

This charming and lighthearted mystery series is streaming on Acorn TV. Acorn TV is home to many series like this one. For comparison I’ll say that Harry Wild is not as good as My Life is Murder, but better than The Madame Blanc Mysteries.


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11 thoughts on “Review: Harry Wild, amateur sleuth”

  1. Kia ora Virginia. I’ve been watching and enjoying this one too. It’s a bit of lightweight fun. Have you watched Candice Renoir on Acorn? That quickly became my absolute favourite. Haven’t seen you mention it.

    1. Hi, Miraz! I was just wondering how you were doing the other day. I did review the first season of Candice Renoir but haven’t tried to write up more than that. There are so many seasons! Thanks for visiting. Good to hear from you.

      1. Aha! I probably watched it because you’d mentioned it… I’ve run out of episode to watch, but I know another 4 seasons exist. I hope they turn up soon. Hope you’re well. Things are going great for me.

  2. Ileene Mittleman

    We discovered this light heart crime fest just recently and are enjoying it. nice change of pace from the heavy dramas we usually watch – love Jane Seymour’s character. Nice to see that “ old ain’t dead”… to steal your wonderful handle ! Thx

    1. Glad you found a use for my key phrase. She’s 71 years old and still has “it.” I loved the expression on her face when one of the young characters in the story wondered aloud if someone who was 50 could still have sex.

  3. christopher swaby

    this was a fun series. Ms. Seymour is about 10 years older than i so i loved that she was living her life right out loud. the characters were all likeable, and the relationship btwn the older white woman and young Black man made me smile. i am hoping there is a second season. from interviews i’ve read, so does Ms. Seymour.

    btw, i enjoyed My Life is Murder, the Madame Blanc Mysteries and Candice Renoir too

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