Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker

Let's start of with this taking place in Texas. Nope, not even close. Nowhere in Texas looks anything like the location of this show. In fact, it was actually filmed in Victoria British Columbia, almost 1800 miles from the closet border of Texas. I cannot for the life of me figure out why this was supposed to be Texas. There are no lakes surrounded by mountains anywhere in Texas. Next, none of the characters sound like or dress like Texas. Plastering Texas flags all over the set cannot make up for the glaring 2000 miles difference. I'm just blown away by the cluelessness of trying to pass this off as Texas. Next, just to beat a dead horse, there are no Mexican Americans, even as extras. Are the producers so dense they don't know how many Hispanics there are in Texas. If you're going to try to continue this silly charade, at least bring some actual Texans to fill in as extras.

The tropes are overflowing. Civilian female "criminologist" is smarter than all the local yokel sheriffs (with four stars on his collar no less. Acting and writing are meh.

Having read all of the Teagarden mysteries. When they were turned into TV movies. I was quite excited. Unfortunately Candace Cameron Bure had other ideas.

She created a totally vacuous character. Unlike Teagarden in the books. Who continually evolves with each successive adventure. Bure set to defile the character and make her very unlikeable.

She always has to be right. She tampers with police evidence. She obstructs police enquiries. { I could not fathom why she was not arrested at least once ? } And is dangerous and destructive to all around her. With a ' friend' like her, you'd need no enemies.

Another observation is that the Teagarden of the novels, although chaste never appears sexually repressive unlike the Bure ' Teagarden ' Now I have not read any of the Ainsley McGregor books. But I will wager the Bure ' Mc Gregor ' is once again a fiction of her perverted imagination.

And since she is now pushing fifty. Isn't it about time she dropped the teenage character who resembles a ' gerbil on steroids ' ?

That aside, the script for this production was very tortuous. It wound all over the place and in and out. It was so easy to lose track.

Not helped by the incompetent sound engineers. They have very sophisticated equipment today. So why do they turn out such poor soundtracks ? Unlike their counterparts of the classical period of Hollywood.

Camera angles. Well there weren't any. It gave the impression of all been filmed on cell phones. Held by persons suffering from St Vitus dance. I'll make no comment on the lighting. But I think you would know what I might have said.

I have read other reviews about this production. From people who actually read the novels.

And with regard to the characters they appear to be in lockstep.

I do hope the production team is not contemplating throwing good money after bad. By filming further of these novels. Without they make very, very drastic changes.

I haven't read the books, and I know that a new series requires dialogue that sets up to explain a lot of relationships and characters quickly. But this dialogue was rough. The interaction between Ainsley and the other booth-owners at the artist shop is very promising! But the interaction between her and her brother is flat and cheesy. They have a great opportunity there to make a little sibling banter or warmth so I hope that improves. The storyline was fine. Had enough suspects. It was a little weird that the wine owners were losing tons of money but didn't know how.

Ainsley did overstep quite a few legal boundaries inserting herself which as a criminologist she wouldn't have, but it was a catalyst in the story so necessary and easy to overlook :) We all know it's not a true crime type drama, it's a feel good mystery :) But the fact that she had to pepper in that she's too small to do harm or too little to make an impact twice and then that she is into fitness not sports three different times was weird.

Acting was fine, setting was pretty, plot worked, hopefully by the 2nd or 3rd movie they will have their groove! I'm looking forward to the rest of this series!

I feel like they were trying to differentiate this character from Aurora Teagarden. You know, a real criminologist versus an amateur sleuth. But one of the things that made the Aurora movies great was the supporting characters.

I just never believed the actor playing her brother as the sheriff. Although I did like the brother and sister dynamics between the two of them. Maybe he needs a demotion so a stronger sheriff can come on board.

The love interest character is handsome but didn't really seem like a good match for someone who had worked for the Chicago police department. I didn't buy their connection.

I always like Cameron so I will wait to see future episodes, but if this movie plays at the same time as an Aurora movie, I'm watching Aurora.

I agree with others that this is too much like an Aurora Teagarden movie (minus Marilu Henner).

But my real issue is Willing Suspension of Disbelief. This movie supposedly takes place somewhere in Texas, but is so obviously filmed elsewhere (Hello, British Columbia) that I just couldn't go with it.

Also, as with other GAC movies, there's a lack of "oomph". There needs to be more emotion and energy. I am not sure why this is so consistent across all their efforts. I wish they'd show more zip.

Candace is cute, the mystery is okay, the production values adequate, the cast is trying, but...nope.

Better luck next time!