Midsomer Murders: Set Twelve (Acorn Media DVD)

 

Picture: D     Sound: C-     Extras: D     Episodes: C

 

 

We continue our extensive coverage of the BBC series Midsomer Murders with its latest collection in Set Twelve, you can read all about the previous sets here.  While we have thoroughly enjoyed covering this series, it’s losing much of it’s momentum in the later volumes and if you’re not a fan at this point, than Set Twelve is unlikely to sway you.  However, fans of the show will be glad to get their hands on the latest volume and includes the mysteries Four Funerals and a Wedding, Country Matters, Death in Chorus, and Last Year’s Model, which are fairly strong in their depth and are considerably good considering the length of the shows formula at this point.

 

Like the previous sets we get the episodes broken down into four discs, presenting the show in it’s original 1.78 X 1 anamorphic widescreen presentation, which like previous installments is a bit too soft and even grainy considering the newer standards of high definition most people will be disappointed with it’s delivery here.  While the show has an interesting and unique look, it wears thin by this point as resolution becomes more of an issue as newer programming is being shot and shown in true high def.  Likewise the Dolby Digital 2.0 is solid and sufficient, but does not highlight the show well enough to attract with it’s sonic qualities, we are curious what shows like this would be like in uncompressed sound on Blu-ray when they do arrive. 

 

For the most part Set Twelve keeps the show in consistent fashion with previous volumes, but even fans at this point are certainly hoping that a Blu-ray release will eventually arrive.  We do too.

 

 

-   Nate Goss