Cheap Midsomer Murders, Set Three (DVD) (John Nettles) Price

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Customer Reviews of Midsomer Murders, Set Three

I do not wish to nitpick but the name of Sgt. Lewis was Robbie.

Much as though this series is an enjoyable puzzler, the plots are nowhere as complex as those of Morse but they are pleasant enough sojourns into the bloodied fields of merrie Englande.

Complex plots and enjoyable viewing
Many of you might have watched "Midsomer Murders" over the commercial-ridden A&E channel and have joined millions on both sides of the Atlantic in becoming devoted fans. For you, good news. Acorn Media has issued the third set that includes five more episodes in boxed sets of 5 DVDs.

Briefly, in the first set, "Death's Shadow" deals with several weird murders in Badger's Drift, "Strangler's Wood" with the seeming renewal of serial killings after many years, "Blood Will Out" with the effect of nomadic groups on local problems, and "Beyond the Grave" (the most gothic of the four) with ghostly doings in a museum.

In the second, we have "Dead Man's Eleven" dealing with a cricket bat as a murder weapon and a cricket game as the scene of yet another murder; "Death of a Stranger" dealing with fox hunting, strange tramps, Oscar Wilde, and murder; "Blue Herrings" dealing with suspicious deaths in a home for the elderly; and "Judgement Day" dealing with a "perfect" village trying to win an award as the bodies pile up.

In this latest set, "Garden of Death" involves local outrage at the commercialization of a local treasure; "Destroying Angel" is about murders concerning a hotel; "The Electric Vendetta" centers around those who do and do not believe in UFOs; "Who Killed Cock Robin" is about a love affair, while "Dark Autumn" is about multiple love affairs.

In a former review, I said that I found the first two series just a little less striking, a little more low-key, than those I have raved about in the Wimsey, Poirot and Miss Marple series. I added that "Midsomer Murders" seems a recycling of the Inspector Morse series but without that character's idiosyncrasies. But by now, I am pretty hooked on the show and complain only about extremely complex plots that will make you want to view them a second time. But that is the point in owning recordings.

I should interject here that some television series are rich and enjoyable enough to deserve repeated viewings. Poirot for its humor and period settings, Marple for its characters, Wimsey for all three of those elements, and now "Midsomer Murders."

John Nettles plays Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby with a droll sense of humor that is most appealing and most of his ongoing problems stem from his job's keeping him away from his lovely wife (Jane Wymark) and daughter (Laura Howard). His sidekick, Sergeant Troy (Daniel Casey) is simply Barnaby's sidekick but there is a humorous interplay between them. Notice that Inspector Morse's assistant is also named Troy.

And it is very good to see that gorgeous English scenery with its old inns and the like. Oh yes, and no foul language, but some unnecessary nudity of the "we may do it so we must do it" variety adds nothing to the quality of the show.