S19E2: Crime and Punishment

S19E2: Crime and Punishment begins with a lovely opening scene of the detectives driving through the scenery: vast swaths of greenery, church yard, leaves swaying in the breeze, winding country road. A special-- but too short -- appearance by Clive Swift of "Keeping Up Appearances." We discover that Jamie and Kam have a flirtatious past together, but if the romance will rekindle  remains to be seen. The plot uses the familiar neighborhood feuds and family secrets to move the rather dull characters along as it reaches the absurd motive and insane killer.  Next episode will feature the return of our dear Ben Jones, so let's go. 

S19E1: The Village That Rose From the Dead

S19E1: The Village that Rose from the Dead 

Excellent acting all around in this first episode of season 19. A competition over land development creates a killing in classic form. Our wee baby Betty is growing into an energetic toddler now, but sadly our loyal companion Sykes has passed on to frolic in doggy heaven-- be free ol' boy! And as we say aloha to Sykes, we say hello to the new DCI -- Charlie Nelson's replacement -- fashionable Sergeant Jamie Winter. He's got a lot of subtle charm no doubt. He's a familiar face to Dr. Kam-- do they have a history? And unlike the tense negative dynamic between Nelson and Karimore, the vibe between Jamie and Kam is refreshingly cheerful. And although Charlie can be easily replaced, it's not so easy to find a replacement for Sykes. But there's a new dog in town, and he's a cute little pup, indeed!  One negative in the episode has to do with all those creepy snakes-- and I don't mean the shady characters! Still, it's a solid, steady mystery set against the lovely backdrop of English scenery-- a fantastic start to season 19!  

S18E6, Harvest of Souls.

S18E6, Harvest of Souls. There's an eardrum- piercing screeching in the opening scene, and it doesn't come from any murder victim. Buy it's the kind of screaming that's made me want to die in fact, nothing worse than it. I mean-- "fun fair," more like "un-fair," am I right?! Well, I digress--just brace yourselves for the impact! Now then, let's settle into the calming oasis that is the Barnaby household--ooh la la, there is a French adventure ahead-- unless of course, duty calls. Oh, dear, God, here comes another horrendous sound! Motorbikes just zooming and booming -- where are my ear plugs? And though these excruciating noises are brief, the time it's taking to give a rat's arse about any of these characters is indeed crawling at snail's pace.

Fair-fair warning: the screaming runs throughout the episode, not even murder on the premises shuts it down. The kids yelling, the characters yelling--had to watch it mostly on mute, thanks be to closed captioning. Was a chore to get through, but the last 15 minutes eased my burdened by boredom soul. Sadly, for those of us who know what's coming next season, it was bittersweet to see sweet Sykes drive off into the sunset. And oh yes, aur revoir to our boy Charlie-- on to greener pastures perhaps.  

S18E5, Saints and Sinners

 S18E5, Saints and Sinners

In S18E5, Saints and Sinners, the first murder is particularly gruesome (even by Midsomer standards!) in its cruelty --I would have done well not having to realize the manner of that crime. Then there's the usual feuding groups, obnoxiously overachieving Dr. Karimore, and a run of red herrings building up the mystery. I think we're meant to wish Charlie would make a romantic move on Kam now that her boyfriend, Harry, is due to visit, but that's as confusing to us as it is to Detective John. And though we find Kam annoying -- are we really ready to see her meet her Maker? Will she or won't she? Watch to find out!

S18E4, A Dying Art

S18E4, A Dying Art: Murder happens early on: In the opening scene for us and before dawn for Detective Barnaby. It's the grand opening of a sculpture garden, and where there is a grand opening in Midsomer county--there is someone homicidal! And, of course, the main red herring has to be the trouble-making tree hugger buggers! But around every corner is a liar with a lie--so everyone has a motive. Lovely interiors and exteriors in this one, except maybe for a cheesy metal skull and except definitely for the a grossly gross character in his boxers, eww.. A couple more garish art pieces later, I'd figured it out! In other news, Detective Barnaby's feeling very nervous having to give a speech to a room full of children, and as those of us who've been around kids know: that's more frightening than bloody murder! 

****

Best lines from this episode, encapsulating why we keep watching MM: 

"Cliche is what I say."

"I rekon thats the point."

Watch it above! #midsomermurders #murder #mystery @officialmidsomer #british #acorntv #itv #neildudgeon #fionadolman @fiona_dolman #benjones #detective #detectivebarnaby #blog #writer #crime #justice #midsomermurders @mrgwilymlee @manjinder23 #charlienelson #drkamkarimore  

S18E3, Breaking the Chain

S18E3, Breaking the Chain begins with our quaint English countryside and switches swiftly into the rough and tumble world of... bicycle racing. Not my favorite subject, but let's see where this leads. But you know, brightly colored bicycle shorts are not really the lovely sight that makes this show so viewable usually. Luckily for us, the violence starts early on and now there's something here to ponder. There's a jarring grotesque bit about 20 minutes in (beware the box opening!). Charlie and Kam get in on the competition and Baby Betty's parents are in a race to get her to say Da-da vs. Ma-ma--who will win--oh, must we care? Ok, yes, we are not so cold-blooded as to not care! And well, by the one hour mark, baby babble is the only noteworthy mystery. Seasoned viewers will realize the truth path of interest comes in the last half hour. So we get a nice kick out of the twist(s) as we near the finish line!

Watch it on my blog (link in bio) #midsomermurders #murder #mystery @officialmidsomer #british #acorntv #itv #neildudgeon #fionadolman @fiona_dolman #benjones #detective #detectivebarnaby  #blog #writer #crime #justice #midsomermurders @mrgwilymlee @manjinder23 #charlienelson #drkamkarimore  

S18E2, The Incident at Cooper Hill

 

S18E2, The Incident at Cooper Hill begins with an extra-terrestrial vibe immediately. Now, we don't believe in aliens, of course, but there is definitely something mysterious happening around here. A couple of detectives asking a couple hundred questions might seem redundant, but the guest cast's acting skills and a few intriguing sub-plots keep our old eyes and hard-of-hearing ears glued to the screen. In other news, it's John's birthday and he wants it to be low key. Will he get his wish or wish for more? Charlie boy is still sullen and negative--he does not like the new girl Dr. Kam because she is smart and good at everything else. It really gets on his nerves,  but she is just happily living her best life full of random facts and detailed explanations (which obviously means these two should get married, right?). Ha! The murder motive scene is a bit lackluster, so you may or may not want to phone home about this episode, but the truth is out there--just watch!