The next generation.
A Spin-Off of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. It stars Geraldine Hakewill as Phryne Fisher's long lost niece, Peregrine, who has inherited Phryne's estate after she has apparently gone missing, presumed dead.
Having had dozens of odd jobs, Peregine Fisher is capable of filling in her aunt's shoes better than the vast majority of individuals. Assisting her in this is the Adventuress Club, a Amazon Brigade of genius women who were all helped in their careers by Phryne Fisher. Unfortunately, the Melbourne police are now controlled by a dirty cop named Sparrow who attempts to stymie her efforts at every turn.
Provides examples of:
- The '60s: The series is set in the early-mid 1960s. This even affects the style of the series itself, which plays not unlike the beach movies of the era.
- Amazon Brigade: The Adventuress Club is Phyrne Fisher's legacy to promote the dreams of ambitious women as adventurers, spies, scientists, and detectives.
- Armored Closet Gay: The leader of the rockers in "Death Alley" turns out to have been this.
- Artistic License – History: This series is set in the 1960s, but the title "Ms." didn't come into vogue until the '70s.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: Oddly, only develops after Peregrine and James break up in Season 2.
- Beta Couple: Samuel and Violetta.
- Call-Back: Chief Inspector Sparrow was being held back in his corruptoin by Phryne, who had evidence of him being present at a brothel managed by a Madam Lyon - who appeared in the Miss Fisher episode "Murder Most Scandalous".
- Contrasting Sequel Main Character: All over the place.
- Peregrine and Phryne were both born poor, but Phryne had Aunt Prudence's influence and 10 years of wealth to acclimate her to both society and the freedom money buys, while Peregrine, a new sudden inheritor, is more measured and less brash. She also has to live in her aunt's shadow, while Phryne forged her own path.
- James Steed is as devoted to good policework as Jack Robinson, but Jack was the head of major station, with an impeccable record that put him beyond the reach of less upright cops. James is much lower on the totem pole and often has to work around superiors who want secrets hidden.
- Peregrine and Steed are far more open about their attraction, and both make moves to advance it, unlike Jack and Phryne's slow and close waltz. On a professional level, Jack was often frustrated by Phryne's investigations, while Steed welcomes Peregrine's presence and helps pull her into detective work.
- Did Not Think This Through: Peregrine breaks off her engagement with J. Steed in Season 2 because she's not ready to give up her house or freedom but instead of discussing it with him, just announces it. As such, he (justifiably) believes they're broken up and becomes heartbroken as well as cold to her.
- Distant Sequel: Set some forty years after the original series, in the early-mid 1960s.
- Dirty Cop: Chief Inspector Sparrow blatantly flaunts his badge and power. His response when Peregine confronts him for breaking into her house and stealing one of her aunt's notebooks is that he has the power to go anywhere he wants. He takes bribes, and even betrays Peregrine's ex to a mobster, putting Peregrine's life in danger.
- Eternal Sexual Freedom: Since The '60s was the dawn of the Sexual Revolution, Peregrine faces fewer uphill battles as a PI than her aunt did in The Roaring '20s. There's certainly still a great deal of institutionalized sexism, but Peregrine's activities are far less scandalous than they would have been forty years earlier.
- Everybody Did It: "Reel Murder", which deals with a body fished out of a river of a murderer as well as the fact everyone who knew the man had a reason to kill him.
- Hidden Depths: Violetta is an incredibly gifted Italian pop singer.
- The Mafia: The Mafia plays a role in "Dead Beat." Ironically the murder in the episode is virtually unconnected to the Mob's activities, to the point where their involvement is almost a coincidence.
- The Main Characters Do Everything: Lampshaded in "Reel Murder", when James (whom she's watched growing close to Sally) arrives:Peregrine: (to herself) Are there no other detectives in Melbourne?
- Put on a Bus: Pretty much the entire cast of Miss Fisher. In large part it makes sense because almost forty years have passed and many of the cast would have either passed away or retired due to age. However the only characters from the original who receive mention at all are Phryne herself and Mr. Butler, and neither actually appears. Even Jane, who would be about the same age as Birdie, is never discussed. The latter is particularly egregious since Jane was Phryne's adopted daughter, yet in this show Peregrine is the sole heir to Phryne's fortune.
- Romantic False Lead: No one believes Sally Whedon and James Steed are going to get married but, well, Sally herself.
- Setting Update: The setting is moved from The Roaring '20s to The '60s.
- Sexy Stewardess: "Come Die With Me" is a story about dealing with the unrealistic standards imposed on flight attendants during this time.
- Ship Tease: Between Peregrine and Detective Steed. Unlike Phryne and Jack, they're much more open about their attraction early on.
- Shout-Out: A sixties investigator named J. Steed? Sounds a bit familiar.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Samuel and Violetta have some issues with the fact he's not a Catholic (implied to be an atheist) and Violetta is from a traditional family.
- Stealing the Credit: A focus of Series 1 is Peregrine annoyed that Sparrow keeps getting credit for "solving" her cases.
- Theme Naming: There's a bird theme to some of the characters' names: Peregrine Fisher, Inspector Sparrow, Birdie, and Pansy Wing. The first two are an example of Meaningful Name when one considers their friction and the predator-prey relationship between their namesakes.
- Uncertain Doom: Phryne Fisher is said to have disappeared during one of her explorations but no body has been found. Given she's possibly in her eighties, this is not as sad as it might be.
