One of my favorite movies is Hot Fuzz, where a hotshot detective from London is transferred to a quaint English village, because he is trying too hard. It turns out that the village is a hot mess of criminal activity and villagers start dropping like flies. I love the movie, which is utterly hilarious, but I never realized just exactly what it’s poking fun at until a friend mentioned Midsomer Murders to me.
Midsomer Murders is a British TV series set in a quaint conglomeration of English villages in a beautiful countryside, with Causton being a kind of administrative center. In Causton works Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby, who is assisted by a variety of Detective Sergeants, one a time, over the course of the series. DCI Tom Barnaby is never so excited as when there is murder afoot, which his wife Joyce and adult daughter Cully have learned to tolerate. In every episode, there is a murder, usually followed by more murders, so many, in fact, that I am wondering how this village hasn’t gotten depopulated by now. It goes like this.
MIDSOMER MURDERS IV – ‘TAINTED FRUIT’ on Sunday 23 September 2001.
The show is well written and based on a series of books by Caroline Graham. Somehow it manages to be lightly humorous and so charming, despite the horrible murdering left and right. It’s like comfort murder? Not sure what it says about us, but Gordon and I really enjoy it. We are watching it through Amazon on Acorn TV, but it’s also available on Netflix, iTunes (paid per episode) and so on. There are 19 seasons and episodes are an hour and a half long, so in our house it’s the pre-go to bed TV.
Another hilarious thing – there are a lot of actors who got their start on Midsomer. For example, this fresh-faced gentleman with Patric Swayze haircut and an earring.
It took me a second, but once I got it, I laughed for half a minute.
So if you haven’t watched this before, Gordon and I definitely recommend it.
Funny how all these small towns have such high homicide rates. I always wondered about Cabot Cove, where Murder She Wrote was based, and that tiny village where Miss Marple lived. Honestly, I wonder if anyone has been put off on small-town living because of this premise. 🙂
Can’t wait to check out Midsomer Murders, though!
Enjoyed reading comments of all Midsomer Murders fans. Very entertaining. Am subscribing to Acorn.
My mum loves watching Midsummer Murders, the actor who plays Barnaby was in a show called Bergerac…not sure about spelling, also a cop but the smooth type that got all the women and such. Who is the actor shown in the pic? I don’t recognise him. Also if you want to see the whos who of English actors you should watch I Claudius, so many well known actors.
I LOVE I Claudius. I gave away my boxed set of DVDs, which I now regret.
I think the actor is Stephen Moyer (Bill Compton)? (I haven’t read the previous comments, but I’m sure someone else knows for sure.)
While I really enjoyed Midsomer Murders and Death in Paradise, my favorite murder mystery series will always be “Life”. It is set in Los Angeles and Damian Lewis -a British actor- plays an American police officer. The whole series is wry, clever, and full of suprises, kinda like the unexpected Ilona Andrews plot twists – you never see them coming. The acting is amazing, the murders unusual, and even though it is only two seasons, the series is complete and the ending highly satisfying. Totally worth watching.
I love Midsomer and Death in Paradise and don’t forget Miss Fischer!
Vampire Bill!! *giggle snorts*
The Russian Blue kitten named Killmousky? Oh, yeah. Best cat name ever!
And it IS comfort murder. I watch it when I am not feeling well or want to relax. Also amusing: Brokenwood on Acorn. The Russian mortician is hilarious.
Also seconding Murdoch Mysteries, shown in the US as “The Artful Detective.” Absolutely adorable.
Rosemary and Thyme was another series I enjoyed, only three seasons though.
Blurb: Set amongst the stunning gardens of Europe, Rosemary Boxer and Laura Thyme, two professional gardeners, find themselves drawn into solving mysterious crimes.
Love, Love, Love Midsummer Murders. Watched all the episodes.
You might also enjoy Brokenwood Mysteries – another AcornTV gem. 🙂
Very similar premise, but set in New Zealand.
It’s not just one village though, it’s the fictional county of Midsomer. Loads of people for killing without making a significant dent in the population. Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and Poirot are my all time favourite mystery shows. Lewis is pretty good too.
I was hoping that someone pointed out that Midsomer actually takes place over a bunch of villages so it is not quite as implausible as it seems. I echo the comments on Miss Fischer and Brokenwood. I would add Vera (split over Acorn and Britbox) is another great one. I adore the British style murder mysteries that have some darkness but there is also some levity–not unlike the AL’s books. If they get too dark, they lose me. Lewis is great and so is Endeavor (Morse in his early years). For a sometimes campy and short show, Murdoch Mysteries can be fun especially since they have all sorts of nonfiction characters appearing in the turn of the century (20th C) show. Also Murdoch is often “inventing things” that give us all a little giggle. Guest stars that you recognize start showing up later in the series.
Yes, I’ve watched all of the Miss Fischer and Poirot. I’m not familiar with Brokenwood or Vera? Have enjoyed Lewis and have only watched a very few episodes of Endeavor. But watched almost all of the Morse. All are so much fun!
I grew up watching Midsummer Murders and really like it, but Foyle’s War is even better and made by the same people, I believe.
I’m a vet in the north of England……I read your blog on a few days ago and then a funny thing yesterday. A gentleman came in with his gorgeous Labrador who had hurt her paw. He’s was visiting from a small village down south and we got chatting about villages. His village has a lovely common with a duck pond and is where Midsummer Murders is filmed. He’s even appeared in a few episodes with his old black Lab. I couldn’t believe it and he thought it was fabulous that you we’re watching it. ???
OMG, I am a big fan of Midsomer Murders as well, I am so happy that you also enjoy this brilliant series!!! Also, like you said, the series features SO many well-known British actors (and some appear in more than 1 episode) :D.
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Thank you for the movie recommendation. It was great fun and I laughed until my sides hurt. I loved it
Okay I give up who is the guy? The blonde one with the eating?
Earring?
Hi! Useful article!.
If you want a fairly dark crime series “Shetland” is the one for you (and is based on the books of Ann Cleeves, who also writes the “Vera” books). Beautiful scenery, Scottish accents, sunshine and rain (and storms and sea and ships and ferries). The current story on UK BBC 1 has some very nasty characters in (last episode in this series Tuesday night (20 March 2018)).