"Midsomer Murders" (1997) TV series 1997-????

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

Release Date:

28 June 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

The deadliest county in England.

Plot:

A veteran DCI and his young Sergeant investigate murders around the regional community of Midsomer.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Suspect | Police | Sergeant | Detective

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

John Nettles	...	DCI Tom Barnaby / ... (77 episodes, 1997-2009)
Jane Wymark	...	Joyce Barnaby (73 episodes, 1997-2009)
Barry Jackson	...	Dr Bullard / ... (64 episodes, 1997-2009)
Laura Howard	...	Cully Barnaby (41 episodes, 1997-2009)
Jason Hughes	...	DS Ben Jones / ... (34 episodes, 2005-2009)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:PG (some episodes) | Iceland:12 (some epiosodes) | UK:12 (DVD rating) | Australia:M (some epiosodes) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Albury Park, Guildford, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Bentley Productions

Trivia:

The solo instrument that produces the melody in the title music is a theremin. It was invented by Russian scientist Leon Theremin and was first demonstrated in 1920. It predates the modern synthesizer by about 40 years, but its uniqueness stems from the fact that it is the only instrument that is played without actually being touched. Its electronic circuits are controlled by two antennas, left and right of the instrument, toward which the player moves his or her hands. The closer the right hand to one antenna, the higher the pitch. Similarly the proximity of the left hand to the other antenna controls the volume. The theremin has a range well in excess of eight octaves, and is capable of all kinds of strange effects. These sounds have been put to use in science fiction and other films including Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound (1945) and Robert Wise's The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951). This unique instrument has also been used on The Beach Boys' song "Good Vibrations." The late Clara Rockmore was the theremin's greatest virtuoso, and the instrument and its inventor were profiled in the documentary Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey (1994).

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Little Britain: (#2.5)" (2004)

Another take on the series

At about the third episode, I realized that at least three murders had to be committed before Barnaby and Troy got the killer. The more I watched, it seemed that the entire series is really a subtle spoof of the English detective mystery genre, that is Country English. The series captures the beautiful countryside, these lovely villages, the wellington boots, the country architecture and interior decor, all to perfection. And underneath it all seethes the violence, greed, sexual anomalies and jealousy of a country village. Reality in rural England has got to be much different, I hope. The murder rate is astronomical in this Midsomer part of England! And poor Barnaby and Troy. They plod along until the killer just about leaps into their hands. I thoroughly enjoy it all and have my chuckles throughout the episode. The local library recently purchased 10 episodes. I still have one to watch.

Margaret, an avowed Anglophile