If you are a fan of crime dramas, you might have heard of the Jesse Stone movies, starring Tom Selleck as a former LAPD detective who becomes the police chief of a small town in Massachusetts.
The movies are based on the novels by Robert B. Parker, who also created the popular Spenser series.
But how should you watch the Jesse Stone movies in order?
Should you follow the release date order or the chronological order of the story?
In this article, we will answer these questions and give you some trivia and reviews about the Jesse Stone movies.
Release Date Order vs Chronological Order
The Jesse Stone movies were first aired on CBS from 2005 to 2012, and then on Hallmark Channel in 2015.
There are nine movies in total, and they are not all based on the same books by Parker.
Some of them are original stories written by Selleck and other writers.
The release date order of the movies
- Stone Cold (2005)
- Jesse Stone: Night Passage (2006)
- Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise (2006)
- Jesse Stone: Sea Change (2007)
- Jesse Stone: Thin Ice (2009)
- Jesse Stone: No Remorse (2010)
- Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost (2011)
- Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt (2012)
- Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise (2015)
However, if you want to watch the movies in the order of the story, you might want to start with Jesse Stone: Night Passage, which is actually a prequel to Stone Cold and shows how Jesse became the police chief of Paradise.
The chronological order of the movies
- Jesse Stone: Night Passage (2006)
- Stone Cold (2005)
- Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise (2006)
- Jesse Stone: Sea Change (2007)
- Jesse Stone: Thin Ice (2009)
- Jesse Stone: No Remorse (2010)
- Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost (2011)
- Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt (2012)
- Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise (2015)
The advantage of watching the movies in chronological order is that you can follow the character development of Jesse and his relationships with other characters more smoothly.
You can also see how some cases and events are connected or referenced in later movies.
However, some fans might prefer to watch the movies in release date order, as they were originally intended by the creators.
This way, you can enjoy the surprises and twists that come with each movie, and appreciate how the quality and style of the movies evolved over time.
Trivia and Reviews
The Jesse Stone movies are not only popular among viewers but also among critics.
Jesse Stone movies have received mostly positive reviews for their performances, scripts, cinematography, and music.
Some of the highlights and trivia about the movies are:
- Tom Selleck is not only the star but also an executive producer and a co-writer of six of the movies. He has said that he is very passionate about the characters and the stories and that he hopes to make more movies in the future.
- The movies feature a talented cast of supporting actors, such as Kathy Baker, Kohl Sudduth, William Devane, Stephen McHattie, Viola Davis, William Sadler, Saul Rubinek, and Gloria Reuben.
- The movies are filmed mostly in Nova Scotia, Canada, which doubles as Paradise, Massachusetts. The scenery and atmosphere of the small town are captured beautifully by director Robert Harmon, who directed eight of the nine movies.
- The music for the movies is composed by Jeff Beal, who also composed for House of Cards and Monk. The score is mostly jazz-based and reflects the mood and personality of Jesse.
- The movies have won several awards and nominations, such as an Emmy nomination for Tom Selleck for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for Jesse Stone: Sea Change, and a Canadian Screen Award for Best TV Movie or Limited Series for Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise.
Conclusion
The Jesse Stone movies are a great choice for fans of crime dramas who enjoy complex characters, intriguing mysteries, and captivating stories.
Whether you watch them in release date order or chronological order, you will not be disappointed by the quality and entertainment value of these movies.
