There is nothing about this I don't love. I rewatch 'Edgar Allan Poe's Murder Mystery Dinner Party' at least once a year, and like the ghost of someone cut down in their prime, it just doesn't get old.
Murder mysteries, dinner parties, and murder mystery dinner parties all make for fun premises on their own, but when every attendee is a famous, well-reputed writer, the possibilities are endless. Throw in the added mystery of seeing them picked off one by one, and let mayhem begin.
Every young actor in the principal cast is absolutely wonderful. I truly hope they all have big things in their futures, because they 100% deserve it. Everyone gives their characters such wonderful personality, some clearly conflicting, some meshing very well. I'm hard-pressed to even name a favorite because each cast member I consider in turn gives an equally inspired performance, though at length I think it would be between Tom DeTrinis as Oscar Wilde, or Lauren Lopez as George Eliot. Even more than anyone else, they inject their characters with such madcap, exaggerated comedic energy that they often steal the scene. But then, the deeply sarcastic, put-upon air affected by siblings Sean (Edgar Allan Poe) and Sinead Persaud (Lenore) is no less entrancing. Utmost praise for all!
It is very tempting to list every single person among the crew, named in the credits, that worked on this series. This is very much an instance where everyone went all-in to bring it to fruition, but more to the point - where in some productions the contributions of some departments are more subtle, here the series almost seems designed to showcase the great talents of all involved. The costumes are fantastic, and the props brilliant. The setting is wonderful, and the lighting and photography crisp and clear yet appropriately dark. The original music by Dylan Glatthorn is dellightful, and it's a fun little addition to the series that the opening theme is slightly altered with each subsequent iteration. Sound above all is an area that often goes unappreciated, but great care was taken to ensure that not one crash, scream, or dull thud goes unremarked. Every last part of this is simply outstanding.
And we've not yet even discussed the exquisite writing by the Persaud siblings, nor the keen direction of William J. Stribling that realized it. There are heaping platefuls of mystery, suspense, and tension, and they are intelligently complemented with one liners, physical comedy, screwball antics, and plenty of referential humor. If there is a joke or quip that can be made relative to a represented author's famed repertoire, behavior, or disposition, it does not go unnoticed. These dueling focal points keep each other in check, with one never totally drowning out the other. Above all else, this is purely fun: One doesn't need to watch behind-the-scenes videos or the blooper reel to clearly see how much of a blast had by all involved during production - but these are also very much worth viewing on their own merits, too.
Shipwrecked is no multi-million dollar production company. All involved with their features are very hard-working writers, actors, and crew members who put everything they have into their work, and into making their films they very best they can be. They don't have all the money in the world (though they deserve it) - but that lack doesn't show. 'Edgar Allan Poe's Murder Mystery Dinner Party' is a wildly fun, funny, and smart series with more heart and dedication than many of the most lavishly funded pictures can claim.
On one last worthwhile note, the series is quite accessible: despite the themes and the thrust of the narrative, there are no scenes in this that exceed a PG rating. As such, I must recommend it to literally everyone. Some references may go over the head of anyone who isn't familiar at least in passing with the writers showcased as characters, but that doesn't at all inhibit the fun herein.
Highest possible recommendation. Don't pass this up!
