@merryapril said:

While writer/producer of the show Chris Murray seemed to mock (somewhat anyway) the fashion industry, in part by making the top-secret development of fungal-based thread a contributing motive for murder, such a product actually exists:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2020/08/31/fashion-musrhooms-mycelium-climate/?arc404=true

Was the writer mocking the fashion industry? I thought he knew about the use of fungi in the sustainable eco-fashion and put it in the plot as a clue to solving the case. If it was a murder of someone writing about the diamond industry, then I'd expect the clue would be a new component of synthetic diamond.

While fungal-based thread may indeed be an obscure development so far when it comes to textiles, a fact that Chris Murray obviously came across and chose to use, judging from the general mocking tone of the entire fashion plot line - YES! - I suspect the writer may have planted his tongue firmly in his cheek when he wrote some of the screenplay. Do you think Gustav's speech I referred to wasn't mockery of the fashion industry? What about the narcissistic vlogger and her crocodile tears? Then there was the pill-popping grande dame of design, staggering in the wrong direction on the runway before she collapsed, wig falling off, all the while people stood around with their phones in hand taking photos. If this isn't mockery, then I don't know what IS!

I agree. Of course the writer is mocking them. On the other hand it is an amusing depiction of 'that world'. Most people there are just average and pedestrian, but there are those in the social media, fashion, entertainment, etc. who act like that. Do they really believe in what they're saying, even when they contradict themselves? Who knows. It's no surprise that these exaggerated stereotypes are the ones selected to make the show more appealing to the viewers.

Curators around the world have found it lucrative to put on fashion exhibits at an accelerated rate because they're dependable crowd pleasers and money makers, drawing many who'd otherwise never step foot in a museum. An exhibit of the work of Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garcons was at the Met in NYC a couple of years ago and drew THOUSANDS, following a glam opening that attracted all of the Usual Suspects. And while I have a few relatively tame CDG items in my wardrobe, I submit that her runway shows have become parodies, featuring many totally unwearable garments that I'm certain are rarely if ever produced for sale. It's as though the taciturn, sphinx-like Ms. Kawakubo is herself mocking fashion and fashion writers, who worship her with nothing short of fanatical religious zeal, never daring to suggest the emperor's new clothes are a joke:

https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2020-ready-to-wear/comme-des-garcons/slideshow/collection#5

PS - I'm liking the episode more and more, the more I think about it. I'm even warming up to the frying pan.

I liked this episode, because it was so simple and easy to follow, something like a live murder mystery game or Cluedo. The characters acted as expected, a bit over the top sometimes. The main story and the darker subplot coming together in the end, and the explosive denouement where once again the innocent and the guilty were caught in the crossfire.

So many things that were said and done in one scene connected later to another.

Two examples.

Example 1.

Scene 1: In Danhei House Van der Valk sees Dani put away something in the ceiling of Heidi's office.

Scene 2: With Moghadam's help he enters Danhei House and finds the briefcase in the ceiling with samples of Heidi's fungi research. This proves that Dani did know all about it and could have been the one who used it to stitch Lohman's eyelids.

Example 2.

Scene 1. Outside Dahlman's house:

Dahlman: "And if someone had come, what would you have done?"

Davie, sitting in his car, showed Dahlman his scalpel.

Dahlman: "Yeah, well, that would've made all the difference."

Scene 2. In the car with one of the criminals in the back seat pointing his gun at Dahlman:

Davie: "It's funny yeah. You asked what use I might be in this situation."

Dahlman: "Indeed, and I remember very clearly what you showed me."

Then Dahlman distracted the criminal and Davie stuck his scalpel in the hand holding the gun.

Yup. At first when VdV pulled down the case from above the lay-in ceiling, I thought sheesh, how on earth did he know exactly where to look? It didn't make sense until I remembered that earlier glimpse he caught of Dani up there, so brief but so key.

Maybe it's the effect of COVID but it kind of bothers me that Davie is so willing to lick or stick his nose in clues. Yuck.

Using your five (six ) senses to examine things seems to be necessary in solving mysteries. Was Sherlock Holmes the first? I always have to smile when I see someone taking a sample of urine and then tasting or even drinking it. Then saying something like 'this victim or suspect has diabetes and that means...'

Davie smelling Claudia's mouth and then saying 'Almonds' is so typical. Nothing complicated, just your usual means of murder: cyanide. Hercules Poirot 's cases often include that, so he's always using his nose and not only his 'little grey cells'.

😱🤮

I hope some of you were able to catch last night's premier episode of the new All Creatures Great And Small on PBS Masterpiece. I've just started a discussion of it, in case anyone's interested.

https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/108255-all-creatures-great-and-small