Midsomer Murders – Set Six

 

Picture: C+     Sound: B-     Extras: C     Telefilms: B-

 

 

When we last looked at Midsomer Murders, we went back to the very beginning with Set Five showing the earliest shows.  Now back on track, Set Six is also season six, the first time the set and season numbers are the same.  We have covered al the previous sets in two reviews elsewhere on this site.  The continuing adventures of two detectives (John Nettles and Daniel Casey) figuring out the murders in the title location went on even longer than this critic could have imagined.  It is nice to see a high quality show be a hit for a change, especially one with mystery and detectives.

 

With no slacking off at this point, the telefilms this time are as follows:

 

1)     A Talent For Life (guest star Honor Blackman)

2)     Death & Dreams

3)     Painted In Blood

4)     A Tale Of Two Hamlets

5)     Birds Of Prey

 

 

Nettles and Casey peak in the development of their roles as investigators Barnaby & Troy, as the TV grind almost hurts the show this season out, but it manages to keep its energy.  Some surprises kick in too, with Honor Blackman (Ms. Catherine Gale on the original Avengers) playing against type as a true bitch on wheels, being as reckless as possible.  It is the highlight of the set.  The epilogues with Barnaby’s wife are still here for the most part, not eliminated as hoped.  It is all still worth a look, if not steeped in as much dark mystery as the series began in.

 

The 1.78 X 1/16 X 9 anamorphically enhanced image is a bit softer than on the third and fourth sets for whatever reason.  There are still some good shots throughout the five films here, but the darkness from the early-filmed shows is still missed.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo continues its Pro Logic-type surrounds, a staple of the show from telefilm one.  Jim Parker’s theremin-oriented theme does hold up, but is the only trace of the Classical Mystery style left in the show at this point.  Extras repeated include production notes, cast filmographies, a Midsomer map and biography of author Caroline Graham, but sadly nothing new.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo