(dramatic music) - Human beings just love to make and to be told stories.

We've got a whole industry that's based on it, and it seems to be booming and booming and booming.

And I think crime drama, in all its different forms, is as compelling as ever.

- Fabulous characters, delicious writing, fantastic setups, and if you can throw in some good costumes and wigs and things for good measure, then.

- I think audiences love a good crime drama for the very reason of being a fly on the wall in some extraordinary circumstances.

- It's about having crime at a distance.

There is a thing, a lovely expression, the romance of crime.

And I'm a great believer in that, especially in the distance.

If it's in the past and people have nice clothes, then poison doesn't seem as bad.

(laughing) (cheerful music) - I think they're very good at revealing aspects of human nature that fascinate us.

You know, jealousy, love, hate, anger, all of these things come out in a kind of extreme way in murder mysteries that kinda shine a light on our human psychology.

- We're fascinated by evil.

- We can put ourself in the position of each of those persons, and there's a kind of thrill in that, I think.

- Who doesn't love a good murder mystery?

Total escapism, and you feel like you're an active participant 'cause you're trying to work out all of these things.

- Four simple questions, that's all it comes down to.

Who, why, what, and where?

- If it's like a parlor game, if it's like a puzzle, it's something we've always responded to, I think.

- You also need the opportunity for the audience to work out who might be the killer, so clues dotted around, laced around so that they can feel like they are the detective.

- I mean, I think I've learnt how to watch a great mystery now.

People who are passionate about reading and watching crime, they go, "Ah, so she's mentioned the light switch.

That's gotta be a clue," and it goes into their heads and they remember it because I would never do that.

- It's a great thing to watch with your friends and family because you can all talk about it, and you can feel smart and intelligent, and somebody else comes up with a theory and you think, "Oh no, I hadn't thought of that."

- If the author is good at their game, that they will trick you, and there's a great pleasure in that.

- Deep down, everybody wants to solve a mystery.

Everybody wants to be a detective.

Everybody wants to find the solution before it ends, and usually they don't if it's a good drama.

(cheerful music)