Midsomer Murders
Midsomer Murders
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Midsomer Murders

"The deadliest county in England."

7.5
Yr 1997
Rt 90m
Status Returning Series
Crime Drama Mystery
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Series Brief

Overview

The peacefulness of the Midsomer community is shattered by violent crimes, suspects are placed under suspicion, and it is up to a veteran DCI and his young sergeant to calmly and diligently eliminate the innocent and ruthlessly pursue the guilty.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 82 /100

Since its debut in 1997, Midsomer Murders has established itself as one of Britain's longest-running television mysteries and a global phenomenon. Critics broadly celebrate the show's distinct formula, which delivers a specific blend of cozy English charm, quaint settings, and melodramatic, quirky crime scenarios.

Praise for the series often highlights its core components: strong central characters, atmospheric background music, dark humor, and meticulous attention to detail. Enthusiastic reviews brand it as one of the most engaging, thought-provoking, and finest detective shows in the history of the medium.

On the other hand, the show's deliberate structure does not appeal to every critic. Some note that the extended episode runtimes can occasionally feel infuriatingly slow, comparing the narrative pacing to plodding through peat-bogs. Despite these minor pacing complaints, its clever mysteries and enduring charm continue to command wide appeal.

“one of the best detective television shows in the history of the medium”

“this series offers a very specific blend of cozy English charm and melodramatic crime”

“plods its way through soused peat-bogs of plot at an infuriatingly slow pace”

Why fans love it

Midsomer Murders presents a recurring contrast between verdant English landscapes and the dark impulses of the local residents. Since 1997, the series has leaned into the formula of the small-town mystery, where domestic tranquility serves as a thin veil for increasingly elaborate crimes. The tone remains grounded while finding humor in the sheer frequency of homicides in such quiet villages.

The police work relies on a steady process of elimination rather than frantic action. John Nettles anchors the series by moving through these communities with a persistent, methodical demeanor. His interactions with a rotating cast of young sergeants supply the necessary internal friction for a procedural that turns the pursuit of justice into an endurance test. It is a mystery series that trades on institutional stability, keeping the pace deliberate while ensuring the guilty rarely escape the local inspector.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 7
Longest run 81 eps
John Nettles
John Nettles
as DCI Tom Barnaby
81 episodes
Gwilym Lee
Gwilym Lee
as DS Charlie Nelson
15 episodes
Jane Wymark
Jane Wymark
as Joyce Barnaby
81 episodes
Tamzin Malleson
Tamzin Malleson
as Doctor Kate Wilding
23 episodes
Nick Hendrix
Nick Hendrix
as DS Jamie Winter
34 episodes
Laura Howard
Laura Howard
as Cully Barnaby
73 episodes
John Hopkins
John Hopkins
as Sgt Daniel Scott
15 episodes
Kirsty Dillon
Kirsty Dillon
as WPC/DC Gail Stephens
30 episodes
Show 67 more
Fiona Dolman as Sarah Barnaby 63 episodes Manjinder Virk as Dr. Kam Karimore 12 episodes Annette Badland as Dr. Fleur Perkins 28 episodes Barry Jackson as Dr. George Bullard 75 episodes Neil Dudgeon as DCI John Barnaby 66 episodes Daniel Casey as Sgt Gavin Troy 29 episodes Jason Hughes as DS Ben Jones 53 episodes Nicky Henson as Terence Charteris 2 episodes Annabelle Apsion as Ellen Barker 2 episodes Richard Johnson as Rex Masters 2 episodes Rosie Cavaliero as Judy Tyler 2 episodes David Troughton as Miles King 2 episodes Emily Joyce as Valerie Fergus-Johnson 2 episodes Jonathan Hackett as Rev Jim Hale 2 episodes Stuart Milligan as Victor Karras 2 episodes Harriet Thorpe as Elaine Trim 2 episodes Samuel West as James Oswood 2 episodes Morris Perry as Pub Landlord 2 episodes Cyril Shaps as Sebastian Renwick 2 episodes Peter Eyre as Leonard Pike 2 episodes Richard Cant as Dennis Rainbird 2 episodes Dominic Jephcott as Henry Marwood 2 episodes June Whitfield as Molly Darnley 2 episodes Desmond Barrit as Raymond Clandillon 2 episodes Philip Martin Brown as George Barkham 2 episodes Caroline Goodall as Grace Starkey 2 episodes Elaine Donnelly as Elaine 3 episodes Anton Lesser as Eddie Darwin 2 episodes Sara Stewart as Miranda Darnley 2 episodes Derek Hutchinson as Richard Budd 2 episodes Rupert Vansittart as Desmond Harcourt 3 episodes Alwyne Taylor as Kath Bullard 5 episodes Isabel Shaw as Betty Barnaby 7 episodes Clare Holman as Rose Southerly 3 episodes Alex Belcourt as WPC 3 episodes Neville Phillips as Vicar 6 episodes Clare Higgins as Gina Colby 3 episodes Toby Jones as Dan Peterson 4 episodes Tony Haygarth as Jack Tewson 3 episodes Timothy Bateson as James Jocelyne 3 episodes Samantha Bond as Kate Cameron 3 episodes Gabrielle Lloyd as Mary Bishop 3 episodes Adrian Scarborough as Tony Pitt 3 episodes David Bamber as Daniel Fargo 3 episodes Clive Wood as Geoffrey Larkin 3 episodes Neil Conrich as Police Constable Angel 8 episodes Victoria Lennox as Ghost Walk Tourist 4 episodes Caroline Blakiston as Sylvia Lennard 3 episodes Malcolm Sinclair as Alan Bradford 3 episodes Sam Hazeldine as Simon Dixon 4 episodes Adrian Rawlins as Reverend William Gideon 3 episodes Maggie Steed as Lynne Fox 3 episodes Caroline Lintott as Researcher 4 episodes Selina Cadell as Phyllis Cadell 3 episodes Richard Cordery as Atticus Bradley 3 episodes Chris Wilson as Police Officer 5 episodes Sykes as Sykes the Jack Russell Terrier 18 episodes Ian Peck as Wilberforce 3 episodes Richard Banks as Festival Goer 3 episodes Marlene Sidaway as Mrs. Bundy 3 episodes Hannah Blamires as CID Officer 3 episodes Raj Awasti as Villager 8 episodes Susan Fordham as Circulus Worker 3 episodes Lee Byford as Police Officer 6 episodes Manoj Anand as Brewery Guest 3 episodes Ruth Clarson as Health Club Member 5 episodes Frank Mills as Fred Rodale 3 episodes
Production Board

Crew

Director
Christine Lalla Matt Carter Roberto Bangura Nicholas Laughland Leon Lopez Jeremy Silberston Darcia Martin Richard Holthouse Toby Frow Jennie Darnell Peter Smith Peter Cregeen Andy Hay Gill Wilkinson Paul Harrison Simon Langton Sarah Hellings
First Assistant Director
Steve Robinson
Stunt Double
Elliot Hawkes
Camera Operator
Chris O'Dell James Moss
Stunts
Andreas Petrides
Second Assistant Director
Simon Morris
Director of Photography
Doug Hallows
Costume Assistant
Kirsten Gair
Makeup Artist
Jeanette Stamp
Costume Designer
Reg Samuel
Casting Director
Louise Cross
Art Direction
Paul Cowell
Production Design
Christine Ruscoe
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Midsomer Murders overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

england murder police detective murder investigation police inspector midsomer cosy crime depressing disgusted
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
March 23, 1997
Status
Returning Series
Episode Runtime
90 minutes
Origin
GB
TMDB Votes
365