S15E1, The Dark Rider: I really like the opening scene, full of booming thunder, an old castle at night, and a mysterious headless horseman! It's like Halloween in the Summer (watching this in late June)! Spooky, but not seriously sinister. The first episode of season 15 has John (still jolly), Sarah (still academic), Sykes (still cute), Ben (still skeptical) and Kate (still morbid). The guest cast is a family of snooty, unlikable, rich jerks, with a couple of exceptions. Particularly annoying are Diana and Sasha (do women really strut like that? How ridiculous). Gorgeous scenery, pretty interiors, ancient family fueds, horses, and a pair of identical twins--tra la! Sarah and her historical society are involved as well. The plot gallops along at a steady pace, keeps me wondering. The conclusion might be a tad too unlikely for some, too obvious for others, but for me, good enough.
Starts off quant with lovely scenery, some curious conflict, and light-hearted exchange between the Barnabys. We've got birds, ballet, and murder--its all right by me! Guest actors are convincing, several characters are also likable and interesting. Love the sweet sounds and scenes of nature, and of course the usual village building exteriors and interiors. Dr. Kate Wilding, here on her 4th episode, is still as seemingly cold as her mortuary. She'll need time to thaw out her character, totally natural.
The plot slows down half an hour in, but we see the detectives enjoy an ice cream cone, so hey! An hour in and we get our 2nd murder and a couple of possible motives. I notice that whenever Jones has a theory about the murder, Barnaby doesn't try to see it, usually replying, "Maybe, maybe not," which does start to irk me. Not very encouraging leadership here. Anyway, the house full of stuffed dead animals is indeed creepy. And we see John cooking a tasty meal (guess he's been practicing) while we discover Ben is getting some action elsewhere. And like many times before, even since Season 1, the DCI's wife provides the detail that clicks in the final piece of the puzzle. Overall, the atmospheric quality of the episode let's me forgive its flaws (such as its ending). A good one!
A vulgar opening scene as we see 2 teens having sex in the dirt (they will no doubt regret their poor choices as much as we regret having to witness them). A few more idiots take to doing idiot things, and there's our unfortunate set-up. But moving on to the Nunnery adds some charm to the atmosphere, thankfully. A beautiful, peaceful sanctuary with dignified characters-- more of this, please. Sister Catherine is a lovely character as are the other nuns, portrayed with a genuine respect. Here we learn that Kate, just like John, is a proud Atheist. It seems weird to have 2 main characters be openly anti-God. I mean, we know from the past that Tom and Ben don't fancy church on Sundays, but they at least left it ambiguous and weren't too openly smug about it. An Atheist can be just as self-righteous as any religious person, and here's a fine example. Anyhow, we see Mrs. Barnaby in her element, putting a bunch of school bullies in their place. There's still no believable suspect half way in, which I actually enjoy, since it adds to the mystery of it all. And oh what a tangled web we weave! Except for the first crass minute of the episode, I love it all! Almost perfect.
The opening scene of the (now infamous) episode is intriguing, a man being chased in the darkness of the night. We've got a cider festival and craggily drunken characters, balloons, flower crowns, and local honey. But wait--it's not just any old festival, it's a literal puke fest. Guest actors are convincing, except maybe Greg Hicks as Rev. Norman Grigor--he is a tad too melodramatic in portraying his zealous character. On the other hand, Bernard Lloyd was a delight to watch as Byron Street. I personally did not appreciate the Barnaby's smug attitude about "working in the orchard" as being a waste of life and brain, but that's the sort of cultural superiority our "educated" society accepts without question.
Anyway, the first half is interesting enough, and things start getting sinister around the 40 minute mark--a "creepy old man" vibe sets itself up. DCI Barnaby is still seeming capable, after all, he understands "lateral thinking," as our Tom used to say. The character of Rev. Conrad Walker is a good representative of what a man of God should be: devout and reasonable.
What once was a fertility refresher/ritual (hey, the bees do it too) has become corrupted by the evils of alcohol and an abusive father AKA the psychotic Queen Bee rapist of Midsomer Abbas (played too convincingly by Warren Clarke) and his fellow drunken snakes. And people wonder why I don't drink. Very dark indeed as it's not just one evildoer, but the violent mob mentality that justice is up against. But there have been much darker episodes such as the recent "Echoes of the Dead." And for the viewers saying the rape aspect was ignored: Why did Rev. Walker get killed? He tried to stop it happening. Why did Jones and Barnaby rush to the village? They tried to stop it happening. Who stopped it happening? Barnaby and Jones. The point is that justice is served, the bad guys don't get their way, but put away to rot.
There's an intriguing opening scene with an ancient history vibe (including a gruesome murder scene, so turn away). Here we meet Dr. Kate Wilding, the new resident pathologist--seems straightforward and cold, which we should expect from a coroner. Funny bits throughout (Jones kicking in a door that is already open, poor lad, haha). Lovely crisp atmosphere and the classic English scenery here. Squabbling over land, pub conversations, and county maps included. A late night chase among historic ruins--yes, please! Guest acting is very convincing, though most characters were extremely unpleasant. DCI John is confident and curious. Our modern career woman Sarah rarely has time to cook a full meal, in stark contrast to Joyce (and as we know, that's probably a good thing, haha!) and her husband is completely daft in the kitchen. The plot got quite slow, I felt sleepy, and I must have missed a few irrelevant details. Disgusting portrayal of the murders, not viewable in the slightest bit. This is just my peasant opinion and reflects nothing on the proper work put into creating this episode.
A memorable opening scene, an immediate murder under the cover of night and an opera song. Then we switch to the congenial Sykes the dog taking a scenic walk in the scenic village. This is Dr. Bullard's swan song and as such, he plays out his most prominent Midsomer role yet: brother to the town's dog whisperer. Actually he's on a mission to find a missing girl. I wish he could've played more prominenty in every episode. This one includes a cast of ecentric characters, all a bit wacky amid a setting of a self-improvement foundation, AKA a silly cult. DCI Barnaby has taken command and he is settling into the role. The new age clap trap is reminiscent of an early episode in the early seasons, except this time, Jones participating undercover makes it easier to sit through. Lovely Autumn atmosphere and manicured gardens move the viewing experience along nicely. Some subtle comic relief (poor Jones caught up in cringe-flirty "Free Love') helps as well. And actually it was actually more like poor Jones, being sexually harassed, "I won't take no for an answer tonight." And yes, Jason Hughes uncovers his rear end. That display and the plot was not very interesting to me, but still, the mystery was solved, and justice dished out. Farewell to our beloved Dr. George Bullard, taking a page from Tom's book, and retiring peacefully to fish his days away on holiday in Ireland. Loved his last words to John: "Tom was a tough act to follow. You're getting there." And rest in peace Barry Jackson, who died only two years later.
The opening scene is both quaint countryside and village murder. Intriguing (and the reason many of us watch the show). Wonderfully acted and directed. And of course the killer is demented and his motive insane, but the atmosphere is just like the original few episodes of Season 1, echoes of the past, indeed. The murders are definitely gruesome, and that I can't justify as entertainment, but, nevertheless, I watch to see the bad guy get caught and the victims get some earthly justice. And that's what our detectives do--solve the mystery and capture the evil one! Hell was created for demons like him. WARNING: Do not look directly at any dead bodies ever on this show, especially the 2nd one here (it was the absolute WORST of the series)! And references to deviant sexual toys will slap the innocence out of anyone, (why did Jones have to say it, though? Well, better than Barnaby saying it). Poor George, these terrible murders are getting to him. He may want to retire soon. Some brief nudity in this one. The ending had my full attention, very gripping, and nice gesture at the end with an obviously upset Barnaby taking some time to wipe away a bit of the horror. ANYWAY, the exterior of the Barnaby's home is so lovely, just like all of the Barnaby homes have been, and watching the couple discuss historical killings over dinner remind me of Tom and Joyce.
With a compelling opening scene, the mystery starts strong. Sarah arrives and well, here she is, inviting everyone over for a visit. Several unlikable characters are immediately introduced, though Jeff Rawle does an entertaining job as the harmless and unfairly bullied Dawkins. And clearly Mr. Bingham is in old man make up and using a fake old man voice--Oh, wait, he wasn't? Fooled me! Anyway, Jones is so awfully irritable these days, no wonder he hasn't found the "right one." Anyhow, the topic of (SPOILER) incest harkens back to the very first creepy use of the topic in S1E1, which is just...creepy.
We all know Jones should be in charge now, but since it'd be virtually impossible to change his name to "Barnaby," we're left with the OG's cousin, John. Still, it's nice that this point was mentioned in the episode. And our Gail has gone AWOL. John seems a tad aloof and worn thin already. But still, he's very sharp with the details, perhaps due to his fancy Psychology degree. He has a teacher wife and a dog, and is not naturally neighborly, except for the quick wit that got him accepted with the locals at the pub. Now then, if the guest actors were meant to come across as shallow, dull, and utterly unlikable, well, they succeeded. Boring. I was hoping they'd all be killed immediately. DCI John, being knocked out and strung up in a barn, and a proud Atheist even on the verge of death, not a good first impression for me. Did we ever see our Tom in such an undignified position? Well, we still have Jones, Bullard, and the lovely scenery, so let's turn the page.
Oy! NO ONE can compare to the way John Nettles speaks, his booming voice and enunciation. Unparalleled. He could win an Oscar for reading a list of groceries. I still have yet to see this, I'll need to put it on my to do list. See the trailer below, from ACORN TV.
"Presented by John Nettles, the original DCI Barnaby, this anniversary special features stars past and present discussing the peculiar quirks of the delightful yet deadly county. Hear stories from the set and revisit the show's most memorable moments, from famous guest stars to fatal festivals, with appearances by Neil Dudgeon, Daniel Casey, Jane Wymark, Jason Hughes, Nick Hendrix, and more."
