Midsomer Murders, Set 21

Macabre Midsomer
Midsomer County is oddly rife with peculiar mysteries and creative demises, but DCI John Barnaby is as gifted with powers of keen observation as his cousin, retired DCI Tom Barnaby. Sykes, John Barnaby's expressive dog, is also welcome! Neil Dudgeon, as the new DCI Barnaby, is an excellent addition to Midsomer, with his capacity for nuance; humor and seriousness shadow his countenance. The Barnabys are an old Midsomer family; in this verdant environment there are often recurring family resemblances (recall the funereal duo in first Midsomer mystery, "The Killings of Badger's Drift"). An amorous "look-alike" gardener was featured earlier in Midsomer, likely DCI John Barnaby is also good with plants. As always, the intrepid Jason Hughes is a wonderful foil as Detective Inspector Ben Jones, his wry humor adds another level of complexity to the series. The U.K. boasts many fine, underrated actors. Catch Dudgeon as a WWI vet/chauffeur in...

Set 21
My wife and I are huge fans of Midsomer Murders. We just watched all four episodes of Set 21 on Acorn Streaming. We were most unhappy with the "new" show. The new Barnaby seems aloof and has no sense of humor. It was sad to see Jones be his second in command. It would have been nice to see Jones move into the Barnaby role. He has the personality and could have carried it off. My personal choice would have seen the actor who played "Dangerous Davies" take over the lead role.

The stories were dull and uninteresting.

As an unwelcome parting shot; George the medical examiner anounced that he was retiring and that would be his last show. I used to purchase these sets on Amazon. I have them all. Sadly Set 20 was and will be my last purchase.

We miss our old friend John Nettles.

Harpers
Newport News, Va

Is Midsomer becoming CSI?
Midsomer Murders used to provide a mystery to unravel at a slow, leisurely pace amid the lovely setting of an English village and its eccentric inhabitants. Murder was the propelling force for action, but the real focus was on characterization, personal interaction, the setting and the culture of the English village as interpreted in the series. In particular, the viewer normally faced with the carnage of popular movies and television could find respite with a cerebral journey as Barnaby and Jones unravelled the mystery of the day. Enter Season 21 of Midsomer and the gruesome visage of a dismembered body in Echoes of the Dead and giggling, invasive school girls in Death in the Slow Lane. Dark Secrets fared a little better but salacious elements, gratuitous sex and incest, occupied center stage too readily and too much. I have not viewed The Oblong Murders yet, so perhaps all is not lost if it contains some saving grace.

Ironically, the formidable acting skills of...

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