Calling Ch10’s new series Mr and Mrs Murder solely a drama does it a disservice, just as pigeon-holing it as a comedy series does. It’s certainly a broad mix of both those things but it’s the light and shade in the central character’s relationship that make it endearing.

Charlie (Shaun Micallef) and Nicola Buchanan (Kat Stewart) are the owner/proprieters of “ToxiClean” – an industrial cleaning service that specialises in the clean up of crime scenes. They come in after all the dangerous stuff and fight the coagulating blood and inevitable spatter that may wreak havoc with your home/business/shopping centre. They’re regulars for the task so often come across Detective Peter Vinetti (Johnny Pasvolsky) as they get about Melbourne, plying their trade… it’s just when they move from being professional cleaners to amateur sleuths that they run into trouble (or create it themselves). Nicola’s niece Jess Chalmers (Lucy Honigman) is often dragged into their self-created web of intrigue through no fault of her own – how else is a Uni student going to make some money?

The sweet and obvious love that Charlie and Nicola share, along with their passion for amateur sleuthing, is completely disarming and full testament to the long-standing off-screen friendship of Micallef and Stewart that it works so well. They are DIVINE together and Charlie & Nicola’s constant banter is the source of great genteel hilarity. The core cast all acquit themselves exceedingly well and they’ve drawn together a guest cast full of awesome – Kate Ritchie, Merrick Watts, Anthony Hayes, Jessica Tovey just for starters… It’s very clear a lot of fun has been had by a lot of people.

From the comic book titles to the solid script-writing Mr and Mrs Murder is a delightful sleuthing/comedy (slomedy?) series that’s light, inoffensive fun. I just want to join their book club…

Mr and Mrs Murder – Wed 20/02 8:30pm, Ch10.