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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She-Wolves: England's Early Queens

Valuable insight
An intelligent, and compelling series of three one hour documentaries by Dr Helen Castor who demonstrates a passion, understanding and deep knowledge of her subject. She focuses on the reigns of 7 phenomenal women, Queens of England. In a time when power was seen as the prerogative of men, the exercise of power by a woman was seen as unnatural, unfeminine and even monstrous and the early queens such as Empress Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine , Isabel of France and Margaret of Anjou were vilified as she-wolves, often demonstrating power and waging war, and certainly displaying ruthlessness but no differently from many kings of the same time.

All of these women were certainly multi-faceted, all , with the exception of the ill fated Lady Jane Grey, were capable of great ruthlessness. But perhaps Dr Castor if incorrect when she insinuates that Matilda was driven out of London because the people because the people did not want a woman ruler , when it was in fact because of the...

She-Wolves rife with intrigue, murder and naked ambition
Women throughout history who have expressed any inkling of ambition have traditionally been disparaged by the world's predominantly paternalistic societies as either harlots or traitors to their own sex. Britain's women who would rule were no different and branded as she-wolves by the men who sought to claim sovereignty even without the prerequisite royal blood line. It is the lives of these women of Britain that are explored in Acorn Media's series "She-Wolves: England's Early Queens" based on a book of the same name by medieval scholar Dr. Helen Castor. Castor produced the series for the BBC and serves as its host throughout the program.

In opening remarks, Castor points out that men rose to power by demonstrating their superiority in military leadership and prowess as warriors. But women in the royal line of succession were often ignored or married off to males deemed unfit because of fragile health or mental instability so other powerful men could assert their...

Early English female monarchy strive to rule
Fascinating UK history presented skillfully. An educational, but entertaining look at Medieval-Tudor ladies of the ruling monarchy. Footage showing reenactments, art, current locations, historical sites, maps, photo stills, artifacts, interior architectural views, and musical background all contribute to the narration (SUBTITLED) telling this history.
Intellectual enchantment.
"HOW FAR WE'VE COME, & HOW LITTLE HAS CHANGED"
Narrator, host, and writer of the book, Dr. Helen Castor separates from hundreds of years of rule, the 7 earliest women to challenge the idea that women are too weak to rule. Her book
She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth,
UK Book of the Year in 2010 is the She-Wolves DVD basis. Her vocabulary is an intellectual challenge occasionally, but doable. She points out the surprising courage of Medieval and Tudor world ladies who would rule with a crown...

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