Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.5

Midsomer Murders, Set 21 Blu-ray Movie Review

Hello, Stranger

Reviewed by Michael Reuben February 13, 2013

In the latest four episodes of Midsomer Murders to be released by Acorn Media (Set 21, representing the first half of the show's fourteenth season or "series"), actor Neil Dudgeon boldly stepped into the shoes of former series lead John Nettles, who had been the show's beloved cornerstone from 1997 through 2010. At the same time, Dudgeon's character, Det. Chief Inspector John Barnaby, faced the daunting task of replacing his well-known cousin, Tom Barnaby (Nettles), as the chief investigator for Causton CID (Criminal Investigation Division) in the fictional rural county of Midsomer. As everyone keeps reminding the new man, he's an outsider—and he isn't the DCI his cousin was.

Perhaps no one is more of a challenge to Barnaby than his partner, Det. Sergeant Ben Jones (Jason Hughes), who entertained hopes that he might be considered for promotion to his former boss's slot. As far as Jones is concerned, he's paid his dues. Why shouldn't he be the next chief inspector? Jones has apparently forgotten that, on Tom Barnaby's last case, the now-retired chief let Jones take charge—and routinely had to bail out the junior man.

Fan reaction to Dudgeon's transition has been mixed in the U.K., both when these episodes first aired from March 23 through May 25, 2011, and in subsequent episodes. My own response is favorable. Midsomer Murders remains a classic mystery series with intricate tales of bad behavior and multi-layered plots stuffed with red herrings and often delightfully bizarre turns. But the show's true distinction is the endless parade of English eccentrics that populate the quaint countryside of Midsomer. Nothing brings out the provincialism in small-town folk like the presence of an outsider (and, even worse, a policeman). As the new DCI Barnaby introduces himself around his adopted home, sometimes in the course of an "inquiry", sometimes for a simple task such as finding a daytime "minder" for his terrier Sykes, this stalwart cop from the big city of Brighton provides the perfect foil for the myriad oddballs of Midsomer.

(For an overview of Midsomer Murders and its history, see the review of Set 19, the first set released on Blu-ray.)

DCI and Mrs. Barnaby

Death in the Slow Lane (disc 1)

Much of "Death in the Slow Lane" is occupied with introducing DCI John Barnaby to his new colleagues and environs. These include the new house he currently shares with moving crates and his terrier, Sykes, to whom Barnaby speaks aloud about his cases. ("He's a Sprechhund", Barnaby explains to Jones. "That's German for a dog you talk to.") All the new neighbors knock on Barnaby's door bearing gifts of welcome, eager to glean whatever information they can about the new arrival. Married? Single? Straight? Gay? With the practiced poker face of a police interrogator, Barnaby gives them nothing.

Before long, there's a case to investigate. The upscale Darnley Park Girls School operated by Harriet Wingate (Susan Engel) is hosting a classic car competition to raise money for its struggling finances, which have led to a proposal to convert the school from a private to a public institution, a prospect that horrifies Ms. Wingate. Sergeant Jones is a member of a team working to restore a top contender, a legendary race car driven by former champion Duncan Palmer, who faked his death in the 1960s but whose body was then found many years later in Midsomer, near the school, where he had apparently committed suicide.

One of the judges is Palmer's former partner, Peter Fossett (screen and TV veteran David Warner, familiar to Star Trek fans for having played a human in Star Trek V, a Klingon Chancellor in Star Trek VI, and a Cardassian Gul in Star Trek:TNG). Fossett arrives in a classic car driven by another contestant, his red-headed daughter, Kate Cameron (Samantha Bond, almost unrecognizable as the former Miss Moneypenny to Pierce Brosnan's Bond). Kate is appalled to learn that her despised ex-husband, Jamie Cameron (Tim Dutton), is also present, visiting their daughter, Charlotte (Clara Paget), a student at the school—although Jamie Cameron may have other reasons for being there. The entire event seethes with hidden agendas.

To Peter Fossett's annoyance, his fellow judge is a local DJ named Dave "Doggy" Day (Luke Allen-Gale), who knows nothing about cars. But "Doggy" is a friend of the headmistress' daughter, Jessica (Lucy Briers), because they both volunteer at a local council estate named Moor Park (in American-ese, "the projects"). It may or may not be a coincidence that a Moor Park boy named Thomas Brightwell has recently been seen loitering near the Darnley School.

In the end, the school's veneer of respectability proves to be thin indeed. Infidelity, drug-dealing and murder may not be listed on the syllabus, but they might as well be part of the curriculum. Even a policeman isn't safe. By the episode's conclusion, circumstances have forced Barnaby and Jones into the beginnings of a working partnership. Welcome to Midsomer, Mr. Barnaby!


Dark Secrets (disc 1)

The second criminal case of the set is somewhat overshadowed by an even more momentous event: the arrival of the series' new Mrs. Barnaby. Sharon (Fiona Dolman), DCI Barnaby's other half, is a school headmistress who remained behind in Brighton to finish out the term at her former post before joining her husband in Midsomer, where she has already secured a new position. She arrives to find that John Barnaby, like so many men who are highly accomplished in their field, is useless in the home. Not one of the moving boxes has been unpacked. Sharon clearly has her work cut out for her. As it turns out, though, her assistant at her new school, Josie Parker (Abigail McKern), is a font of local gossip, who will prove indispensable to her husband's next investigation.

To provide a suitable dramatic counterbalance to the arrival of Sharon Barnaby, the producers of Midsomer Murders recruited two thespian heavyweights as guest stars: venerable British actors Edward Fox and Phyllida Law (mother of Emma Thompson). They play wealthy, upper class William and Sarah Bingham. In an opening flashback set in 1975, William Bingham is seen having a furious argument with two of his children, Robin and Jennifer, who drive off angrily, passing the youngest Bingham child, Selina. Robin is so upset that he loses control of the car, which plunges into a nearby lake and sinks to the bottom.

Overcome with grief, the Binghams retreat into their mansion and become recluses. Only Selina (Beth Goddard, as an adult) is allowed in to see them, along with her husband, Eddie Stanton (Neil Pearson), and their daughter, Verity (Lucy Briggs-Owen). A solicitor, Laurence Fletcher (Simon Dutton), manages their affairs.

In the present day, the Binghams' dotty routine is disrupted by a visit from a nosy social worker, Gerry Dawkins (Jeff Rawle), who is the kind of bureaucratic stickler that even his colleagues despise. Dawkins also nags the inhabitants of a nearby artists' colony presided over by Adam Grace (Nick Brimble) and his long-time partner, Maggie Viviani (Haydn Gwynne). Maggie's son, Ben Viviani (Julian Ovenden), is a hunk who does odd jobs at the Bingham place, where Verity Stanton has fallen in love with him, but the two keep their relationship secret, because a Bingham isn't allowed to consort with riff-raff.

Gerry Dawkins' inquiries stir up the "dark secrets" of the title, which go all the way back to 1975 and are important enough to incite murder in the present. More than one body has dropped by the time Barnaby and Jones unravel the mystery, the solution of which has elements of both Greek tragedy and Harold Robbins.

Welcome to Midsomer, Mrs. Barnaby!


Echoes of the Dead (disc 2)

"Echoes of the Dead" is an unusual episode for Midsomer Murders simply because the structure is so conventional. It opens with the discovery of a body and proceeds through the pursuit of what turns out to be a serial killer. With minor adjustments, the story could be adapted to any number of other police procedurals, although the supporting characters manage to supply the distinctive quality that always reminds us we're in Midsomer.

Jo Starling (Sarah Smart) returns home from her job at a sanctuary for donkeys (yes, that's right: a sanctuary for donkeys) run by Liz Tomlin (Pam Ferris of Call the Midwife) to find water pouring down from the ceiling above. Her roommate, Dianne Price, has been submerged in the bathtub under running water, and the scene bears all the signs of a ritual killing. Dianne was strangled before being put into the water. Though neither married nor engaged, she is arrayed in a wedding gown. The words "Blessed Be the Bride" are scrawled in lipstick on the mirror.

Other victims follow, all bearing similar references to marriage, but Barnaby and Jones are hard-pressed to find a connection. The case becomes especially challenging when the killer's targets expand beyond young women.

Sergeant Jones suspects the involvement of the local publican, Matt Rowntree (Lee Boardman), a former cop of dubious repute whom Jones knew when he was in uniform. Rowntree's wife, Nikki (EastEnders' Kacey Ainsworth), has an even less savory reputation, and is known to have a past connection with at least one of the victims. But in true Midsomer Murders fashion, there's no shortage of suspects, including the stereotypical stutterer, Malcolm Merryman (Andrew Buckley), who runs the local gas station, where cheap bouquets of flowers are easily purchased (or stolen)—the same kind that keep turning up at the murder scenes. Malcolm does nothing but work and wait on his aged parents (Malcolm Terris and Jane Thorne), who take him for granted. He's a textbook case for repressed rage. Then again, so is Sam Tomlin (Thomas Arnold), whose mother seems to care more for her donkeys than for him.

A key to unlocking the mystery comes from DCI Barnaby's quaintly grim hobby of reading about famous murders from history. It makes for odd dinner table conversation, but Sarah Barnaby suffers her husband's interest with the resigned but patient look of a spouse who understands that some things about a person just can't be changed.


The Oblong Murders (disc 2)

The episode takes its title from the Oblong Foundation, an eccentric New Age cult that believes in appreciating imperfection in all things, such as the fact that the earth isn't perfectly round but (you guessed it) oblong. The Foundation makes its headquarters in a country mansion formerly owned by the Lamberts, a wealthy couple who died in a gas explosion on their boat. Their daughter, Ruth (Charity Wakefield), inherited the property and leased it to the Foundation. She has grown close to its leaders, the Svengali-like frontman, Dominic (Paul Hilton), and the businesswoman, Freddie (Josephine Butler).

Barnaby begins looking into the Foundation as a favor to the venerable coroner, Dr. George Bullard (Barry Jackson). Close friends of the doctor, the Olivers (Richard Albrect and Heather Tobias), lost all contact with their daughter, Lucy, after she became an Oblong devotee. Then she vanished entirely. Bullard asks Barnaby to look into Lucy's disappearance, and Barnaby has special incentive to cooperate, because Bullard's sister, Millie (Barbara Flynn), just happens to be the most highly regarded dog minder in all of Midsomer, so much so that she routinely turns down new business. Both John and Sarah Barnaby want only the best for their terrier, Sykes, and the DCI asks his coroner to put in a good word with sister Millie.

As luck would have it, Sergeant Jones has just returned from a course in undercover work. With his new training and several weeks' growth of beard, he is ideally suited to infiltrate the Oblong Foundation as a new recruit using the unlikely name of "Cosmo". While Jones deals with ticklish issues like the confiscation of cell phones and the amorous advances of both a fellow recruit, Blaze Leadbetter (Christine Bottomley), who seems a bit too inquisitive, and of Ruth Lambert herself, Barnaby continues looking into the Foundation. One of his most fertile sources is a local pub run by Paddy and Claire Powell (Kevin Doyle and Holly Aird), where gossip and local history are available in abundance.

It doesn't take Barnaby long to begin questioning whether the Lamberts' death was an accident. (Really? A gas explosion on a boat? What a shock!) But who killed them and why remains a mystery, and several more bodies will have to be accounted for by the time Barnaby cracks the case. As is so often true in the county of Midsomer, a pastoral surface masks an ugly underside. If one considers Sykes, who is eventually accepted into Millie Bullard's privileged circle, the phrase "it's a dog's life!" gains a whole new appeal. Perhaps that is why, at the end of the episode, Dr. Bullard decides to follow Tom Barnaby into retirement. Farewell, George!

Midsomer Murders, Set 21 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Further research into the shooting format of Midsomer Murders indicates that its early years (1997-2004) were filmed in 1.33:1 format. These episodes were probably shot on film, as were the transitional years (2004-2009), when the show adopted an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. Since 2009 (or series 12), it appears that Midsomer Murders has been shot on hi-def video. Its presentation at 1080i on the previous two sets from Acorn Media would be consistent with HD origination, given the practice to date with British TV.

However, as with the BBC's recent release of The Hour Season 2 on Blu-ray, Acorn Media seems to be coming around to the understanding that HD-originated material deserves the same quality of treatment as film. The four episodes in Set 21 arrive on two 1080p, AVC-encoded Blu-ray discs, and the result is the best-looking set of Midsomer Murders to date. Clarity, detail, depth of field, color and black levels remain superb, and the image has gained an additional smoothness and sheen from the 1080p encoding, with no noticeable video noise remaining and no more signs of aliasing or artifacts (with the sole exception of the end credits, which look like they've been poorly upconverted from an interlaced source). Let us hope that this move to all-1080p remains permanent, because the source materials are clearly worth showing off at their best.

Midsomer Murders, Set 21 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The third time was the charm! The jacket copy now accurately states that the sound format for Midsomer Murders on Blu-ray is DTS-HD MA 2.0, as it has been on the previous sets. The sound design continues to be basic and functional, with emphasis on dialogue and sparing use of music. The DTS lossless track conveys the dialogue clearly, and Jim Parker's signature theme continues to provide the appropriately macabre note of fascination, especially in the signature theremin version that opens and closes every episode.

Midsomer Murders, Set 21 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

In contrast to the previous two sets of Midsomer Murders, no extras of any kind were included. At startup, disc 1 plays trailers for Acorn Media, Vera and Single-Handed. These can be skipped with the chapter forward button and are not otherwise available once the disc loads.

Midsomer Murders, Set 21 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Old-time fans of Midsomer Murders, who grew up with John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby, may never be able to accept his replacement. For them, the show will always belong to Nettles, and without him it won't be the same. However, for relative newcomers (and those willing to consider adopting Midsomer Murders 2.0), Dudgeon is an intriguing presence, and his chemistry with Fiona Dolman as Sarah Barnaby is evident from their first scenes together. The writing remains inventive, the casting intriguing and the technical quality unimpeachable. Highly recommended.