Judgement Day (29 Jan. 2000)

The residents of Midsomer Mallow fear for their chances in the Perfect Village competition when a local thief and womanizer is brutally killed with a pitchfork.

Director:

Jeremy Silberston

Writers:

Anthony Horowitz (screenplay), Caroline Graham (characters)

Stars:

John Nettles, Daniel Casey, Jane Wymark

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
John Nettles	...	DCI Tom Barnaby
Daniel Casey	...	Sergeant Gavin Troy
Jane Wymark	...	Joyce Barnaby
Laura Howard	...	Cully Barnaby
Timothy West	...	Marcus Devere
Hannah Gordon	...	Bella Devere
Richard Hope	...	Gordon Brierly
Marsha Fitzalan	...	Laura Brierly
Maggie Steed	...	Rosemary Furman
Nickolas Grace	...	Frank Mannion
Josephine Tewson	...	Samantha Johnstone
Barbara Jefford	...	Barbara Drinkwater
Moray Watson	...	Edward Allardice
Shelagh Fraser	...	Jane Rochelle
Orlando Bloom	...	Peter Drinkwater

Storyline

The village of Midsomer Mallow is in competition for the title of the "perfect village". Joyce Barnaby has already won her own competition and is now one of the "perfect village" judges. Meanwhile, Barnaby and Troy are investigating a series of break-ins in the area. When the thief, Peter Drinkwater, is found murdered, there are no end of suspects: a jealous husband; a spurned girlfriend and her irate parents; one of the robbery victims who is not being entirely truthful with the police; and finally several members of the village committee whose only concern is how the death will affect their chances in the perfect village competition. In the end, Barnaby must establish the link between these most recent events and a murder some years earlier.

---

Plot Keywords:

pitchfork | burglary | gigolo | interview | actor | 

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

---

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 January 2000 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Chenies Manor House, Chenies, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bentley Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min 99 min (DVD)

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the gardening expert is shown filming his TV show, the crew in the background are actually the real Midsomer Murders production crew, including the director hunching over his monitor.

User Reviews

Top-notch episode with all the puzzle pieces of the plot fitting together neatly at the end

Midsomer Mallow hopes to win the Perfect Village competition on what is ominously called Judgement Day, but the village representatives are worried about their chances when a local young burglar and gigolo (Orlando Bloom) is found stabbed to death with a pitchfork. Barnaby and Troy are on the case. Meanwhile, Joyce ends up in Mallow, too, when she wins a contest to be one of the judges for the competition. Cully also has business there: interviewing a famous retired actor for her book about the theater.

"Judgement Day" is a top-notch episode with all the puzzle pieces of the plot fitting together neatly at the end. The prologue takes us to 1955, where we meet a little girl, her parents, the housekeeper and a stuffed toy with a bloody knife. Then the story proper starts and once again we meet a village full of interesting people with dirty little secrets - some more likable and more forgivable than others. As in all the best whodunits, the secrets seem inevitable and perfectly in character, even though we usually can't guess them in advance and don't really know our characters until their secrets are revealed.