Midsomer Murders - Set Six (1998)

The cozy villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in these contemporary British television mysteries. Inspired by the novels of Caroline Graham, modern master of the English village mystery, the series stars John Nettles (Bergerac) as the unflappable Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby with Daniel Casey (The Wingless Bird) as his eager young assistant. Guest stars include Honor Blackman, Susan Wooldridge, Isla Blair, Christopher Good, Phoebe Nicholls, Trevor Cooper, and Neville Phillips.

The Mysteries:
A Talent For Life—Sordid affairs and financial secrets boil silently beneath the surface in the village of Malham Bridge until a double murder stirs the waters.
Death and Dreams—Investigating a string of deaths in Midsomer Worthy, Barnaby follows a trail of strange clues, nearly to his own demise.
Painted in Blood—When Joyce Barnaby finds a fellow painter from her Midsomer Florey watercolor class stabbed to death, two National Intelligence Squad agents take over the case.
A Tale of Two Hamlets—Someone is decimating the ancient Smyth-Webster family, and the bad blood between the villages of Upper and Lower Warden is renewed with a vengeance.
Birds of Prey—Investment in a secret invention leads to an apparent suicide in Midsomer Magna, and a plan to steal valuable falcon eggs leads to another death. Can Barnaby and Troy find the link?

Family

Tom, Joyce and Cully are family. I will watch this show as long as they keep making and will replay it frequently. When I am working on the computer, I love to hear the show.... it's like family in the other room. September 17, 2008

I love British mysteries

My husband and I love to watch British mysteries and we especially love the Midsomer Mysteries. The characters are believable and the scenery is beautiful. The stories always have a twist that keeps you guessing until the end. August 25, 2008

Large (dead) body count for small English villages

One needs to employ the "willful suspension of disbelief" before viewing these wonderful programs, but well worth your trouble. I can't imagine murder being so popular in these beautiful English hamlets, as to render them barren and lifeless in just a few years. "Murder in the country" as it were. John Nettles plays Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, assigned to investigate each and every one of Midsomer County's seemingly endless murders. Barnaby is played as an "everyman" detective. Nothing flashy. Suit and tie, quiet and respectful in his demeanor, and has a very normal family life (wife and daughter) waiting for him at home each day. The fact that each episode is 90-100 minutes is crucial. It takes that long for each story to unfold properly. Each episode includes some of Great Britain's finest character actors and new "up and comers" who have since made it big. Honore Blackman and Orlando Bloom come to mind. Some even make it into more than one episode as different characters. In addition, the location shooting in some of England's most gorgeous villages make the locations themselves an important reason to watch. The quaint village pubs and thatched roofs make one want to live there, if it weren't for those murderous townfolk. March 12, 2008

great show

I used to watch this series on the Biography channel until they stopped broadcasting it. Now I can watch it any time I want. It's a great mystery series. March 9, 2008

Murder mysteries in magnificent Midsomer

If British Detective stories are to your liking, the Midsomer Murder Mysteries will completely captivate your attention and your pleasure.

Set in the most English of English countrysides, Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby (played, admirably, by John Nettles) solves the most devious of crimes with intuition, common sense, luck - and humour. Occasionally, a bright suggestion from his Sergeant leads to the solution and, if this happens, Barnaby is the first to admit it.

Barnaby's Sergeant, his 'side-kick', plays an integral part in every story. In the beginning Detective Sergeant Troy, played by Daniel Casey, was Tom Barnaby's 'bag carrier' but, later, Detective Sergeant Dan Scott (played by John Hopkins) took over the role. Both these men were admirable in the part - although each had an individual slant to it.

Barnaby's devoted and supportive wife, and his intelligent daughter, both play a role in the series' - to advantage. Without intruding, they manage to instill a realism to the story which is pleasing.

If British Detection stories are your 'thing', this magnificent series' is for you. You will NOT be disappointed. You have my word for it! November 9, 2007

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