Midsomer Murders (TV Series) Things That Go Bump in the Night (2004) User Reviews

Decent Midsomer Murders mystery.

[poolandrews · 6/10 · 1 September 2007]

Midsomer Murders: Things That Go Bump in the Night is set in the Midsomer village of Fletcher's Cross where strange things are afoot, a local woman named Rosetta Price (Liza Sadovy) holds séances in which she attempts to contact the dead for a fee paying audience. Then one night Janet Pennyman (Mary Jo Randle) discovers her undertaker husband Patrick dead with his wrists slashed, an autopsy confirms that Patrick was hit over the back of the head & then had his wrists slashed & the lack of any knife at the scene means DCI Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) & Sgt. Dan Scott (John Hopkins) have a murder on their hands. As Barnaby investigates he finds there are plenty of people with motives & when another Fletcher's Cross resident named Elizabeth Key (Dearbhla Molloy) is found murdered in the same way the pressure to find the killer or killers intensifies...

Episode 1 from season 8 this Midsomer Murders mystery was directed by Peter Smith & was a pretty uninspired way to kick off the 8th season. The script by Peter Hammond has a spooky edge to it as indicated by the title which does seem a little out of place in a normally straight murder mystery series, I thought the ending was particularly out of sorts with the series in general. I like Midsomer Murders as a series, it's a generally excellent series especially during it's earlier seasons so I still definitely like Things That Go Bump in the Night but it isn't up there with my favourite episodes. The character's are good, there's not too many suspects or red herrings in this one, the twists aren't that good & the whole spirits of the dead angle essentially comes to nothing. The killers motives here aren't great & rather lacklustre, the final revelation isn't as surprising or shocking as I would have liked either. Things That Go Bump in the Night is a decent Midsomer Murders episode but hardly a classic or one that stands out.

This episode makes fun of itself as it has a brass band at a local fair play the Midsomer Murders theme! A nice touch I thought. As usual the locations are very nice & I would like to think ITV will stump up the extra cash to make this visually rich series in HD (high definition) as this is one show which would really benefit from it, the Crystal Goddess shop seen in Things That Go Bump in the Night was in fact a real shop in Chesham in Buckinghamshire & this story also features some classic British steam engines as several scenes are set at Quainton railway station in Buckinghamshire. There are three murders in this one, none are graphic although there's a bit of blood including some slit wrists & there's the unpleasant sight of seeing an old age pensioners bare bum. This is well made with high production values & good acting from all involved.

Things That Go Bump in the Night isn't classic Midsomer Murders & a fairly average way to kick off season 8 but it's still a watchable murder mystery & a must if your a fan of the series like me.

enjoyable episode, and Scott is starting to grow on me

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 30 October 2014]

Det. Supt. Barnaby and DS Scott go to the village of Fletcher's cross to investigate the murder of an undertaker in "Things that Go Bump in the Night." At first it looks like a suicide, in fact, that's what his wife thinks, but the man was killed upon his return from a spiritualist church.

The organization is disliked by the village because a woman, Liz, conducts séances there. The man's wife thinks he committed suicide but the pathologist determines he was killed. He wasn't well liked, so there are plenty of suspects.

Barnaby isn't one to give credibility to psychics, so he believes the head of the church is a fraud. When there are more murder victims, he is able to put the pieces together.

I wouldn't call this a fabulous mystery as far as motives and twists, but it's good enough. I didn't care for Barnaby's assistant Scott that much at first, but I like him better in each episode. Unfortunately he'll be gone soon, but all the assistants were good.

A Bad Undertaking

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 14 March 2016]

The disreputable, thieving local undertaker is found by his wife, his head crushed and his wrists slit. It doesn't take long to reveal that it is not a suicide. Religion is at a standstill in this little village which once boasted quite large church attendance. A new church, one where spiritualism is practice (using a medium to call up the dear departed), has reared its head and has a relatively faithful falling. A strange woman is plying her trade and collecting money for her services. We never know how legitimate she is. She admits to jazzing things up a bit, but her trances are quite dramatic. There is a woman who befriends Joyce. She reveals that she blames this new church for the heart attack death of her mother. She is spying and gets in over her head. She is murdered the same way as the undertaker. There is obviously someone out there who is not happy. There are several suspects because there are at least two men (the undertaker being one of them) that are not very popular with the populace. There are others who just have a violent bent who could be responsible. Soon some very strange goings on start to multiply. I rather enjoyed this episode.

Not really that creepy to be honest.

[harrykivi · 6/10 · 16 April 2020]

After the seventh season ended with a very good "Ghost of Christmas Past", I was ready for the eighth. "Things That Go Bump in the Night." is sadly not a great episode, but could have been a lot better.

Starting with positives.

. The production values of this episode are usually great with nice direction and wonderful music. Some of the atmosphere is suitably creepy too.

. The acting is very good. Julian Curry, Liza Sadovy and Mary Jo Randle being particularly good.

. Some of the script is thought- provoking and the character are interesting enough to keep one watching.

But..

. The spiritualism plot should have been more developed and does unfortunately go nowhere at the end.

. Agreed, "Things That Go Bump in the Night" could have had a lot more twists. The ones here feel done before.

. The solution wasn't also the best. The murderers here- an old man and a middle-aged woman come close of being uncomfortably weird. The motives too felt mediocre.

Overall, fine not great "Midsomer Murders"

6/10 HK

Ghostly goings on in Midsomer.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 15 May 2017]

Things that go bump in the Night has always really appealed to me, many reasons, the spooky storyline, the performance of Liza Sadovy, and the truly messed up ending.

It looks so good, the filming is brilliant, it's so atmospheric, the music too is so in keeping, all the elements combine to make this feel like a ghost story. The characters are fantastic, Rosetta, Elizabeth, Janet. Mary Jo Randle and Liza Sadovy steal the show, and John Hopkins had started to bring Scott somewhat more to life, a very handsome chap, but somehow he felt out of place.

I absolutely love the scenes in the Medium's room, they are so strong, so wonderfully over the top, and it seems the events there have an impact on Joyce. The conclusion is perhaps the most messed up and dark one in the show's history, so twisted and nasty, I don't think they've bettered it since.

You are really thrown off the scent at the beginning, I don't think many would have guessed the outcome.

Fasten your seat-belts 'Midsomer Murders' fans, it's going to be a very bumpy night

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 25 January 2017]

All joking aside, "Things that Go Bump in the Night" is a decent episode if also a bumpy one. There are definitely worse 'Midsomer Murders', before and particularly since, but there are much better as well.

"Things that Go Bump in the Night" could have fared a little better with more twists and turns, there are some but they are a little blander and not as clever as a lot of those of other episodes before and since. The spirits of the dead idea could have been agreed elaborated upon much more, that was pretty underdeveloped and almost neglected.

Had mixed feelings on the ending. It is notable for two of the show's most repulsive ever murderers and its over-the-top strangeness and spookiness but it wasn't all that shocking, the motives were pretty flimsy and it came dangerously close to being uncomfortably weird.

On the other hand, John Nettles is superb as Barnaby, and is supported with enthusiasm and intensity by John Hopkins. The two share a very spirited chemistry together. Also love the loving chemistry between Nettles and Jane Wymark as Joyce, one can tell that they love each other dearly but that she is frustrated at how much his work gets in the way. The guest supporting turns are very good, Mary Jo Randle, Julian Curry, Phillip Martin Brown and Dearbhla Molloy particularly note-worthy.

Production values are top notch, with to die for scenery, the idyllic look of it contrasting very well with the story's darkness, and quaint and atmospheric photography. The music fits perfectly, and the theme tune one of the most memorable and instantly recognisable of the genre.

Meanwhile, the script is smart and thought-provoking with the odd bit of nice humour, a suitable dark grimness, a suitably spooky atmosphere and good characters. The story is compelling, and doesn't make either mistake of being simplistic or convoluted, though more twists and turns and a couple of parts elaborated upon more would have made it even better.

In summary, decent if bumpy. 7/10 Bethany Cox

A Few Bumpy Nights in Fletcher's Cross

[sherondalewis-20531 · 7/10 · 22 August 2022]

I really liked this episode of MM. Also, I am in agreement with some of the comments on here about the 2 murderers. Very vile and evil and with no qualms about what they did.

I will get to the point: you have a medium name Rosetta Price that leads a church where, for a fee, she can connect the dead with loved ones. There are a lot of people in said village that doesn't like that.

Then you have the undertaker, Penny pincher Pennyman, who was found dead by his wife, Janet. Horrified of his death, she runs out and is escorted by two neighbors back into her cottage. Barnaby and Scott investigates what looks like a suicide at first, only quickly to be found out is a murder.

There are quite a few people who didn't like Patrick Pennyman and quite a few who doesn't like the spiritual church lead by Rosetta, especially Elizabeth Key. She is a woman who befriends Joyce and they get on nicely and she goes out to dinner and talks to her about Rosetta and and said church.

Joyce accompanies Elizabeth to said sèance and is in quite a shock when Rosetta touches a nerve in Joyce. Tom reassures her that somehow, they knew she was married to the DCI investigating.

And then one night, Joyce is told by Elizabeth WHY she is into said church: she blames them for her mom's death. And then, she gets murdered the same way, after Joyce leaves.

Towards the end, you will understand why not only Patrick and Elizabeth are murdered....but, the caretaker/husband of Rosetta's assistant.

And it all has to do with Janet Penny man and Ronald Burgess! The unhappily married choir director of his church who has been having a relationship with Mrs. Pennyman (and as we see, whomever else he can screw around with) because Mr. Pennyman had to go because....the Mrs. Was tired of him, Elizabeth had to go because she was getting too close to finding out that the undertaker was stealing things off of the dead (found her mum's broach at a second hand shop she wanted her to be buried with) and the caretaker because he CAUGHT the two in a embrace and would tell everyone. These 3 people had to go.

I have never seen any murderer or murderers soo entertained by they killings in all the episodes of MM (until the John Barnaby years, that is, "Night if the Stag").

John Nettles and Jane Wymark as Tom and Joyce can do no wrong. Liked Scott in this one (and the scene where a healer, who deals with gems, tells Scott the ones he picked were good fortune for travel, as if she knew something was going to happen for Scott).

What I didn't like..well, they never explained How and Why they decided to kill in the first place. What triggered them to do it.

Anyway, was this the best episode? No, but it was a pretty good one to get a 7 from me.

Two of the characters were repulsive, even by Midsomer standards!

[safenoe · 7/10 · 11 March 2016]

I know the killers can be repulsive in Midsomer, but Things that go bump in the night really takes the cake!!

It still sticks in my mind is the ending, where the killer reveals how her husband was killed. He caught her in a stranger's bed, and then that stranger, the church organist whacked him over the head from behind, and then he and the wife (now widow I guess) started cackling big time over the dead body of the husband.

I never really warmed to Dan Scott (John Hopkins). Not sure why, but he came across as a bit too mean and tough without the sensitivities. But I think he would be suited for his own spin-off show where he plays a tough-as-nails politically incorrect DCI in the London East End and rails against any minority that celebrates "diversity" and "rainbow", etc.

Very good episode

[vitoscotti · 7/10 · 24 October 2019]

Besides the excellent main characters, the series brilliantly casts the supporting cast. Interesting peek into crooked spiritualists, and their pitiful followers. Barnaby and Joyce are getting older but still fit into their roles perfectly. MM has wild endings. But, that's what makes it fun. The good episodes are appealing because of their total unpredictability. I'll probably stop watching when John Nettles leaves. But, I'm mostly loving the series so far. Ever notice Barnaby never reports to a supervisor? Vito S 10-23-19

Dull & Creepy This One

[ummajon2003 · 3/10 · 19 April 2016]

The only good things in this episode were the regular cast, they seem to be able to jazz up any old plot line. Still, the story was slow going and the suspects/characters were utterly dull except perhaps Elizabeth Key. The TWO killers are exceptionally evil and creepy beyond MM's usual ! The reveal at the end indicate them to be pure evil with a joy-taking in their murders --however weak their motives seem. I asked myself, well why didn't they just run off together instead of having to murder 3 people?! but that wouldn't have been as fun for these twisted twits. I've been watching these old eps on Netflix and am hoping the next episode is more intriguing !

Storyline ERROR

[colinwparker · 18 January 2022]

Tom Barnaby is a Chief Inspector and NOT a Superintendent, as stated.

I cannot see how I can edit and therefore amend entries in the Storyline section.