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Category:    Home > Reviews > Mystery > British > Telefilms > MidSomer Murders – Set Seven (Acorn Media DVD)

Midsomer Murders – Set Seven

 

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

 

 

It has been over a calendar year since we last looked at the stunningly successful series Midsomer Murders, the show is now in its tenth season and Set Seven continues Acorns pretty consistent releasing of the telefilm series, but this represents only four of the seven shows done this 2003 – 2004 season.  In what looks like the last of the continuing adventures of two detectives (John Nettles and Daniel Casey) figuring out the murders in the title location, but Barnaby (Nettles) and Troy (Casey) would eventually part ways as John Hopkins’ Dan Scott joins the series this time around.

 

The telefilms this time are as follows:

 

1)     The Green Man

2)     Bad Tidings

3)     The Fisher King

4)     Sins Of Commission

 

 

Though the show is still good, it has become its own formula and what was fresh to start with has become a little worn, so the addition of Hopkins at least gives the show something and someone new to work with.  I want to see where this goes before his stint wraps up, which I guess will call for a second volume to this set.  As before, I would recommend the earlier shows first and for the record, it is Set Five that actually has the first episodes, so start there than in numerical order.  All previous sets are covered elsewhere on this site.

 

The 1.78 X 1/16 X 9 anamorphically enhanced image is a still bit softer than on the third and fourth sets for whatever reason, maybe HD being part of it.  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 was weaker this time, without the clear Pro Logic-type surrounds previous shows had, a staple of the show from telefilm one.  Jim Parker’s Theremin-oriented theme is maybe all too familiar and cutting back on the Classical Mystery style was a mistake in the long run.  Extras repeated include yet again production notes, cast filmographies, a Midsomer map and biography of author Caroline Graham, but sadly nothing new.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo


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