Midsomer Murders - General Discussion

[Lisin]

Discuss the original here. 

[M. Darcy]

We got to see the Orlando Bloom episode the other day in DC. And, they are actually showing it again right now.

Edited July 29, 2014 by M. Darcy

[BindsTheTuna]

I'm watching this via Netflix (am on Season 5 or so) and am starting to think this is the UK's version of Law & Order with the whole "Before They Were Stars!" thing. Orlando Bloom! Tom Ford! Tobias Menzies! 

[TeslaNewton]

I watched the series 13 episode with Rose's mom (Doctor Who). I think it's like a UK Murder, She Wrote with all the guest stars and deaths.

[TeslaNewton]

I just saw Tom Barnaby's last episode. *sniff* I hope Netflix get the later seasons. I really like this show. I may have to start over from the beginning.

[Biosynth]

I'm just a beginner watcher.  I've seen a lot of the episodes with Sgt. Troy, and a few episodes with Dan Scott, but depending on showings from our local British PBS station. 

 

One of these days I'm going to get the series on DVD and watch them all!

[Biosynth]

Who is everyone's favorite?  Since I've only really watched the beginning episodes, I favor Troy, but I hopefully will see them all in the future.

[kat165]

I'm so happy this show has its own forum. I watch it every Friday night. So far, I've only seen season 5 or 6 which keeps repeating ad infinium. I've only seen John Nettles playing Tom Barnaby, who I really like. I liked Sgt. Troy the best, but now that I've seen Sgt. Scott several times I'm appreciating him also. These are the only 2 sidekicks I've seen so far. I just love the scenary in this show.

[kat165]

I don't have Netflix so I've only seen the eps our local PBS runs. They seem to be stalled at Season 5 or 6. I've seen each ep about 4 times. I can't imagine John Nettles not being the lead. I think he's great. And although at first I missed Troy, Scott is kind of growing on me. I wonder why he was only there for 1 season.

[Biosynth]

Kat, I feel the same.  I thought Dan Scott was fitting in very nicely.  And he was certainly cute enough. 

 

Right now PBS in the Washington DC are seems to have a thing for "Talent for Life" because the episode it constantly on.  It wasn't even the best one either. 

 

I'm hoping to catch "Written in Blood" again.  That one got to me!

[Biosynth]

Me too!  And I love the names for the different locations. 

 

It's funny, I've got a friend who is from England.  She has been living in Scotland for many years though.  I posted on Facebook that I enjoy this show and she chimed in that she enjoyed it too but that where they are there aren't nearly as many murders.  Hahaha.  Midsomer does seem to be bad news.  I'm not sure I would live there!

[TeslaNewton]

It's like Cabot Cove in England.

[LakeGal]

I watched all the seasons that were on Netflix and then started getting the DVDs.  I am up to the end of 24 where Ben Jones has his last episode.  I haven't seen the new guy yet.  But I liked Troy, Scott and Ben.  They were all appealing in their own way.  I have even warmed to John after missing Tom.  I do like John's dog Sykes.  I do not miss Cully.  She annoyed me so often.

[TeslaNewton]

Cully was annoying. She seemed not to realize her father was a police officer.

[Writing Wrongs]

Donna Noble's (Doctor Who) granddad and mom were in the same episode.

 

Game of Thrones Catelyn Stark was in one.

[Writing Wrongs]

I liked Ben Jones best. I can't believe he didn't get a proper send off.

 

I just finished the latest season and I like Nelson ok. But why doesn't he have to wear a suit like the previous Detective Sergeants?

 

Does Sykes count as a sidekick? He is adorable.

[TeslaNewton]

Squeeeee!!! Netflix added seasons 14 and 15!!!!!

[cheeztoast]

I've been re-watching the older seasons on Netflix and it makes me sad because the newer ones are not up to snuff - particularly in the writing department - the cases just aren't that interesting, the episodes' characters aren't as charming or eccentric, and the odd ethnic person thrown in (after what feels like hundreds of episodes of no ethnic characters whatsoever) feels very pasted on.  The older episodes have a very distinct feel about them that is old-fashioned and "English" in that very television/film way that charming British villages full of murder are supposed to feel.  The newer ones are going for some grittier stuff that doesn't really fit with the Midsomer way.

 

With that said, I miss Tom Barnaby/John Nettles the most.  And Troy.  I do not miss Jane Wymark or Cully.  The Barnaby women were always the weakest link on the older episodes - Mrs. Barnaby was like a zombie housewife and Cully was the most stunted late-20-something I've ever seen portrayed on TV outside of "Girls".  I like Mrs. John Barnaby because at least she has a real job and a brain.  And their dog is more interesting than Cully ever was.

[cheeztoast]

Troy was the best - they made him innocent and a little provincial (a little homophobic more out of ignorance than hatred).  Dan Scott, I felt, was given short shrift - his character was supposed to be at odds with Tom but he was so low-key about it that Tom came off as constantly irritated by almost nothing.  I feel like the writers just didn't like that particular character/actor.  I like John Hopkins (the actor) personally.  I think he's the hottest of the sidekicks.  Ben Jones is as boring as his name.  He also seems too old to be playing a sidekick - more like he'd be moved up to Chief Inspector.  I haven't seen Nelson yet.  I'll give it a chance as I am addicted to even the worst episodes of this show.

[cheeztoast]

Henry Cavill (Man of Steel, The Tudors) is in the episode where schoolboys are harassing a homeless man in the woods and having affairs with one of the boy's mums.  He has long hair and looks very young.

[Biosynth]

I agree with you about the Barnaby women.  At times I thought Cully was sweet, but a lot of times I thought she was a little bitchy.  And the wife, also times I liked her...like when they would all go to a fair or something, but in the house, not so much.

 

It drives me a little nuts when they would get all huffy that Tom had an emergency call from work.  Hellooooo, he's an inspector.  It's not a 9-5 job. 

[BizBuzz]

A place to discuss particular episodes, arcs and moments from the show's run. Please remember this isn't a complete catch-all topic -- check out the forum for character topics and other places for show-related talk.

[TeslaNewton]

Mrs John Barnaby is kind of scary. I think I like her more than Joyce. I love Sykes.

[novhappy]

What are people's favorite methods of injury or death? Mine are the eye-pecking in Birds of Prey. And the force feeding of poisoned pesto pasta in the one w the rich nasty woman who is converting the beloved town garden to a tea shop. I believe it is called Garden of Death.

(The Garden of Death ep was a missed opportunity to have a crossover with Rosemary and Thyme)

[Featherhat]

Wasn't there death by church bells? Or certainly murder because of a bell ringing competition. That was my favourite.

[SFoster21]

Orlando Bloom murdered with a scythe.

The wine guy getting it while his wife watched.

The author shot with an arriw in the middle of a festival in broad daylight.

[Featherhat]

IIRC the Orlando Bloom ep was a bit ironic because it had several LOTR references, and this was *before* he was Legolas, or had he already been cast in it but it hadn't opened yet?

[novhappy]

Oh yeah the Church bells was probably my favorite episode ever.  So much weirdness!  The craziest thing may be that Joyce only wanted to go see the ringing competition and that she had not actually joined a bell ringing team!

[limecoke]

Creepiest for me was the episode where children committed the murders.  Can't remember the name of the episode but it was weird.  

[limecoke]

Notable was the actor who is now playing John Barnaby showing up in an early episode as an amorous gardener.  

[Zahdii]

Yeah, that one was just on a few days ago.  The three siblings, right?  I can't remember if they were triplets or just born very close in age, but it was astounding that their mother the great psychiatrist/therapist was completely unaware that all of her children were mass murdering psychopaths, and that all the victims were people that her children resented due to their associations with mummy.

[novhappy]

Oh that's a great one! Also in that episode we get the Cully and Troy kiss! And don't they get busted by Barnaby? Yeah that is a classic.

[BookWitch]

Henry Cavill (Man of Steel, The Tudors) is in the episode where schoolboys are harassing a homeless man in the woods and having affairs with one of the boy's mums.  He has long hair and looks very young.

The old man in the woods was played by the actor that was Argus Filch in Harry Potter. The episode with the mortician living with his mother had the actress that played the "Fat Lady" in the painting at Hogwarts. There are a lot of HP actors. Oh! and the guy that plays Bill in True Blood is in there too!

[proserpina65]

I liked Troy, but preferred Scott, probably because, like cheeztoast, I thought he was the hottest of all the sidekicks.

[proserpina65]

I've only ever seen the ones with John Nettles and, as much as I adore Neil Dudgeon, I simply can't imagine Midsomer Murders without him.

[Featherhat]

I've been re-watching the older seasons on Netflix and it makes me sad because the newer ones are not up to snuff - particularly in the writing department - the cases just aren't that interesting, the episodes' characters aren't as charming or eccentric, and the odd ethnic person thrown in (after what feels like hundreds of episodes of no ethnic characters whatsoever) feels very pasted on.  The older episodes have a very distinct feel about them that is old-fashioned and "English" in that very television/film way that charming British villages full of murder are supposed to feel.  The newer ones are going for some grittier stuff that doesn't really fit with the Midsomer way.

 

Well the adding in of ethnic characters was the direct result of the old (basically "forcibly retired" IIRC) producer saying a few years ago they deliberately didn't have non whites because this was essentially a middle England series, which got him in all sorts of trouble as you can imagine. I have no problem with adding in minority characters, I have lived near a couple of places they've filmed in the Chilterns and whilst they're very much mostly white English its not totally (and it is silly to think that Causton at least had no minorities) I do miss the more eccentric dark fantasy of "English Village Life" plots...bell ringing....orchids....village school closure...watercolour societies...local charity evenings...WI.......historical societies and many more that aren't as insane in recent series.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Featherhat

[Zahdii]

nm

Edited December 1, 2014 by Zahdii

[limecoke]

Just watching the new episodes on AcornTV and loving them - much better than the last set released.  I'm getting used to Charlie and, yeah, I think he'll do as a replacement for Ben.  I was a huge fan of Nettles' Tom Barnaby but Neil Dudgeon is growing on me and these newest episodes really make me like him.  He doesn't try to be Tom Barnaby 2.0, he's making John Barnaby his own character with all of his own quirks and personality traits.  I like him.  The dynamic with his wife, the impending baby and my beloved Sykes have been a treat.  Not to mention the latest and oddest methods of doing people in make for continuing a great show.  Seriously, covering a guy with truffle oil and letting a wild boar eat him is off the charts, even for Midsomer.  

[limecoke]

What are people's favorite methods of injury or death?

May I humbly add the death by truffle oil/wild boar in "Wild Harvest"?  Gross.

[Zahdii]

I'm watching Midsomer Murders from the beginning on Netflix, and I've got to tell you, I need a score card to keep up.

 

I love seeing the beautiful countryside, the old houses and estates, listening to they way they talk and act, etc.  I'd move to Midsomer county in a heartbeat if it weren't for their unfortunate habit of killing each other.  Real estate there has got to go for a steal.

 

But watching the episodes, I can't keep up with all the various people, how they're related, who knows who, etc.  And so many of them seem to have a motive for the crime.  Even with the extra scenes that the audience sees that Chief Inspector Barnaby doesn't have access to, I'm seldom able to figure out the perp and the motive, unless it's very late into the show.

 

I'm used to the (more common) American shows that give us the same characters each week and only introduce a few new people to act as suspects and victim(s).  The shows I watch pretty much have each character play a set part:  the smart guy who knows everything, the strong woman who can run the show and can't be played, the ditz, the buffoon, the steady righthand man or best gal pal, and so on.  It makes for easy watching, but not as many surprises.

[Zahdii]

Just watched 'Birds of Prey'.  The plot seems straightforward enough, but I couldn't quite understand Eleanor and Jane Macpherson.  I take it that they lived together and had taken in Eddie Darwin as a border, and then he turned into an abusive man who took their money, made them his servants, and emotionally terrorized them.

 

They confessed later they realized that when he came home injured, they soon realized that the injuries were life threatening, and they not only didn't call for help, but they actively kept watch until they knew for a fact that he was dead.  They said they never turned to anyone for help from this horrible man because they were ashamed.  At first I thought that they were lesbians, and when Mr. Darwin realized that he blackmailed them by threatening to out them.  I thought that after spending a lifetime hiding their secret they couldn't bear for it to come out even when it was likely that most of the people they knew had already guessed and such things are a lot more open now.  Then I heard DI Barnaby refer to them as "Eleanor and Jane Macpherson", and I thought they were either married (so no way could they be blackmailed over that), or they were related.

 

So what were they ashamed of?  Being bullied and terrorized by a psychotic border?  They wouldn't even have to tell anyone what he was doing to them, they'd only have to turn in his illegal egg collection and the police would be happy to find him new quarters in the local jail.

[Writing Wrongs]

I guess the new season has started. Anyone watching?

[AmyVS]

They've got to stop all the cutesy crap with the dog. It's getting nauseating.

[Fiddler1]

I've been binge watching this on Netflix starting with Season 1, and  keep IMDB open on another tab because I'm constantly stopping to say, "I KNOW that person!  Who IS that??" :)  Just saw both Hugh Bonneville and Phyllis Logan from Downton Abbey, and Honor Blackman :)

[Fiddler1]

I'm still in Season 6 (just lately discovered this on Netflix) and I'm a little confused.  One minute Cully is an actress with an actor boyfriend, and suddenly she's driving a library bus and kissing Gavin?  I feel like I missed something in the middle?

[Zahdii]

I'm also watching through Netflix, and I saw those episodes not too long ago.  I'm not certain we get all of the episodes that were filmed.  Anyway, the best thing to do is assume that Cully's boyfriend moved on to bigger and better things, and Cully is always switching jobs, and Gavin is someone she has a mild on and off again relationship with in the meantime.  Not the best answer, but the only one I could come up with when I also noticed things had changed and I didn't know why or how.

[kat165]

In my area they are endless running only seasons 6 & 7 so I've seen these eps about 20 times. Spotted Jim Carter who plays Carson in Downton in one. In that same episode was Henry Ian Cusack who played Simon Foster on Fringe (I think he was also in Lost, but i never watched that show). And also Anne Reid who played Mrs. Dingley in an ep of Doc Martin. It's really fun to see all these actors I've seen elsewhere.

[kat165]

Zahdii, I was confused about those 2 old ladies also. I thought they were poor and lived with the egg collector as his hired help and didn't want to lose their jobs by fighting with him as they had nowhere else to go. Then I thought maybe the more dim witted one was poisoning him. It was very confusing.

[kat165]

Joyce Barnaby always seemed miscast or miswritten. I could never picture Tom Barnaby with such an ineffectual, Stepford like wife. It was jarring that his character would find her character attractive. She always came off like "the little woman."

[kat165]

There was something very charming about Scott so it seemed off when Barnaby would get irritated with him and give him a hard time.