Past Malice (TV Series) Site Unseen: An Emma Fielding Mystery (2017) User Reviews

Soembody doesn't dig Emma's dig.

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 11 June 2017]

In this Canadian production which is set in Maine the title role in Site Unseen: An Emma Fielding Mystery, Emma is played by American actress Courtney Thorne-Smith. She's an archaeologist following in the footsteps of her dad who was a world renown professor of archaeology. But during this film she must feel like Indiana Jones with all the bad things happening around her.

This is what you call a bait and switch mystery where you are led to believe the villain is one individual though he's trying real hard to pin two murders on Thorne-Smith and other crimes in order to shut down her dig. She's in Maine looking to find proof of an offshoot of Puritan colonists who were rumored to settle there and coincidentally enough it's where she grew up. She has a team of students that include Tess Atkins and Adam DiMarco and those two prove to be very valuable in more ways than just on the dig.

The ending was a real let down when the real villain tries to kill Thorne Smith. The jig was clearly up and even he had to see that.

Still this is a nice new entry into Hallmark's stable of with it professional red state women who take up mystery solving as an avocation.

The Maine problem with this film

[epalmer1 · 5/10 · 12 August 2018]

I could accept the formulaic script, predictable plot, and two-dimensional characters of this film-I watch this kind of movie to relax and not have to think too hard. But trying to pretend that British Columbia was Maine was more than my imagination could handle! If an east coast location and American actors were too expensive, why couldn't they have tweaked the story to suit a west coast setting? Professor Fielding could just as easily have been searching for artifacts of Spanish expeditions to the Pacific Northwest or Native American burial sites as trying to prove the existence of an early Pilgrim settlement. It was so ridiculously obvious that this was not Maine that I couldn't think of anything else throughout the entire movie.

OK movie, but odd, distracting casting

[professor_of_gamez · 6/10 · 23 September 2020]

This movie was OK. Not as good as a Garage Sale, Aurora Teagarden or Mystery Woman Mystery, but OK.

But what I found REALLY distracting was the casting of the actor who played Will.

There were repeated references to Emma having spent her summers there in Maine as a teenager, with Will.

However, Emma appears to be in her early to mid 50's (yes, the figure of a young woman, but facial close-ups reveal an "appearance age" or early to mid 50s).

Will, despite his dime-store dye job, appears to be in his early to mid 30s.

So when Emma would have been a teenager, Will would have been somewhere between a toddler and not-yet born.

Creepy.

ok mystery

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 9 March 2021]

Archaeologist Emma Fielding (Courtney Thorne-Smith) is trying to prove her father's theory of a lost colony in their home town. She has a map and her group of young students. She has a confrontation with angry old acquaintance Augie and the next day, she finds his dead body in her dig site. FBI Special Agent Jim Connor (James Tupper) arrives to investigate.

It's an ok mystery. It's comparable to anything Lifetime or such channels. CTS seems to have gotten stiffer in her acting over the years. The story has an interesting premise although the movie should start with a young Emma listening to her father talking about the lost colony. This is fine for a TV mystery movie.

Not well thought out

[rhodabike · 3/10 · 17 September 2017]

I knew this was going to be a groaner in the very first scene, when some immaculate archaeology students who'd supposedly just been working a dig stood up with perfectly clean clothes and shoes, neat coiffed hair, and not a trace of dirt under their fingernails. It got worse from there. It's a bit of bubblegum, not even close to the level of even the worst British mysteries. Don't waste your time with this potboiler.

I Enjoyed It !

[carolynocean · 8/10 · 4 March 2021]

Yikes folkes, there is a lot of negativity in the reviews, which surprises me a little, especially towards Courney Thorne Smith, regarding her acting , her age and her looks. I like her very much and found the ageism comments very harsh, and as for her face ?, name any actress that has NOT had a bit of help along the way!!

So , back to the movie, I really enjoyed it for what it is, a light hearted daytime mystery thriller, kept me interested and I really liked the cast members , not as wooden as many other mystery dramas ( namely Garage Sale Mystery movies ) I give a 7 rating, well worth a watch!!

We need a rule.

[susan5096 · 5/10 · 19 January 2019]

Actors need to look at themselves in the mirror and ask these questions.

1) Am I under thirty-five? 2) Am I handsome? 3) Does my beard fill in completely? 4) Do I have the self-discipline to keep my beard well trimmed? 5) Again, am I handsome?

If the answer to those questions is not a firm yes, that actor must refuse to be shot with the kind of whiskers that make them look like they haven't bathed. The lead actor in this movie may be self-disciplined about shaving but he's a firm no on the remainder. Therefore, he must either cease seeing himself as someone whose looks can be enhanced by the kind of scruff.

This movie would have been more relaxing if the lead actor had asked himself those questions. He should also button another button on his shirt and reconsider the necklace.

Make more

[somelikeithotz · 9/10 · 20 August 2018]

Make more of these please. I've been following Courtney Thorne Smith for over 20 years since Melrose Place (yes I'm old). She always puts in solid and believable performances. We need more strong female leads and Courtney is the one to do it. Love the mystery, setting, and chemistry. Hoping there will be more this year and next.

As an actress she sucks

[krichter-24724 · 1/10 · 10 March 2020]

She can't act. When any of her movies come on I change the channel. Also her face looks like she has had too much work done.

Totally clued out writers

[ryanolaf · 1/10 · 25 March 2019]

I watched this thing until the star accused a fellow of murder, alone.. Apparently this is an educated person, so the stupidity of her action went beyond any semblance of reality and the entertainment factor went right out the window.. Horrible writing..! Will not watch another E. F. Mystery..

Very good movie

[superpjenica · 10/10 · 21 May 2023]

Actually, as far as archaeology is concerned, this movie is a great deal better than many I've seen (from the digg to the students!), and trust me, I am an archaeologist. I mean, everything is there - buckets, wheelbarrows, unmanned aerial vehicles, total stations...The main actress Courtney Thorn-Smith, who plays the archaeologist Emma Fielding, is amazing, and she looks 10 years younger than her real age. The character of Emma Fielding is very convincing, she is a convincing professor of archaeology and her relationship with students is accurately presented. All in all, a nice, easy plot and good actors make this a great film for relaxed weekend afternoons. From me 10 out of 10.

mediocrity

[Gaslog · 18 October 2022]

A typical Hallmark mystery...sometimes they are interesting but many time they are rather boring. This episode falls into the latter category. IIenjoy mysteries and have given these Hallmark efforts a chance, hoping I will come across a decent effort. Courtney, who appears to have had some facial surgery, has a tight face which usually has a smile/grin in place regardless of the situation. The acting of the supporting cast is mediocre and at times amateurish. As several other reviewers pointed out,there is a lack of realism in the situations..the students digging away at the archeological site with no hint of dirt.

Authenticity?

[westsideschl · 2/10 · 8 September 2018]

Positives: 1. Hmmm, well let's move on to negatives. Negatives: 1. The dig site w/lots of closely spaced-out shallow rectangular excavations had just a small element of what most look like. 2. The actors' characterization/portrayal of students and archeologists artificially resembled just acting. 3. They dialogue was middle class, party level type socializing, and came across as forced memorization. 4. Not much dirt being moved about, not even on their clothing. Everyone was so spiffy clean. 5. Script - usual love interests; a dead body; possible treasure to tempt the baddies. A bit of sleuthing to solve our mysteries that might challenge a middle schooler.

good small budget movie

[tayyabahassan · 8/10 · 27 August 2017]

it's a good little movie. with a few things missing in the story. but I have watched many hallmark suspense movies and they all have the same character who have some super investigating powers and is attracted to all of the troubles. The person at the end is always girls left hand.I mean always with the girl but not too much into the scene so it was easy to guess who the murderer was.

Bland!

[davyd-02237 · 5/10 · 8 June 2021]

First goof. This is a "dig" for artefacts, yet NO student gets dirty during any digging-must be a 1st! The FBI agent (who is supposed to be "super smart") appears to be incredibly lacking in intellect!. For me, it seemed the villain was obvious from very early on. "Emma" the title character is equally unbelievable in the role. If you have zero else to do, worth a watch! If not, dont bother! And artifacts are rarely buried only 4 inches below ground level.

Faux-Indiana Jones at a snail's pace

[gil-584-874802 · 1/10 · 16 April 2020]

Emma hasn't a brain in her body, making a neverending series of logistical mistakes and exhibiting good old-fashioned Maine stupidity. The dramatic tension is of the slackwire variety and the pacing has all the visceral excitement of a soap opera. Not even worthy of a "meh".

Perfect viewing for a damp Monday morning

[hindsonevansmike · 8/10 · 16 May 2022]

Caught this by accident one morning, then realised that my wife and I have both enjoyed one of the other films in this series. It is well-shot, with just-plausible characterisations and we enjoyed the adventure.

No spoilers here, just an enjoyable hour or so enjoying the scenery. The BC settings are lovingly filmed and the adventure hangs together. We shall probably buy the DVD box set or await the appearance on Amazon Prime.

Courtney Thorne's eyelashes

[heather-greg · 4/10 · 26 January 2020]

Mediocre but adequate to kill time when you're sick and need something to snooze along to. Which is good because actually watching it would be scary. Nobody should wear those oversized fake eyelashes, but Courtney Thorne is way too old and should know better. They look like centipedes sitting on here eyelids.