Who Killed Cock Robin? (9 Sep. 2001)

Barnaby and Troy are drawn to Newton Magna where their search for a horse whisperer allegedly struck by a car is complicated by the discovery of a body in the town well.

Director:

David Tucker

Writers:

Jeremy Paul (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	...	Sgt. Gavin Troy
Jane Wymark	...	Joyce Barnaby
Patrick Drury	...	Robin Wooliscroft
Mick Ford	...	Frank Lightbourne
Jonathan Hackett	...	Reverend Thorne
Polly Hemingway	...	Bubbles Stockard
Noah Huntley	...	Noel Wooliscroft
George Innes	...	Jackie Marsh
Barry Jackson	...	Dr. Bullard
Larry Lamb	...	Melvyn Stockard
Jane Lapotaire	...	Mary Mohan
Gabrielle Lloyd	...	Valerie Megson
Polly Maberly	...	Julie Stockard
Linda Marlowe	...	Bridget Wooliscroft

Storyline

While driving home from a party in the village of Newton Magna, Dr. Burgess accidentally hits someone with his car. He goes to a nearby pub for assistance, but when they return to the scene of the accident, there's no one to be found. The pub owner seeks Tom Barnaby's assistance but all he and Sgt. Troy can find is a bloody handkerchief by the side of the road. Barnaby does meet up with Melvyn Stockard, now a buyer and seller of horses, but who was once convicted of robbery. They know that the person struck by the car was a recently arrived Irishman who claimed to be a horse whisperer. When a body is found in the village well, the police uncover a complex web of marital infidelities and deceit. When another villager is found murdered, Barnaby finds that the horse whisperers appearance in the village some weeks before may been for a very specific purpose.

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Plot Keywords:

pub | goat | father of the bride | ballerina | detective series | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 September 2001 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bentley Productions, A&E Television Networks

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

DCI Tom Barnaby: Last I heard you were living the life of Riley down in Costa Blanca.
Melvyn Stockard: Yeah, well, it's amazing what a triple bypass operation will do for a man's view of himself.

User Reviews

early entry into the Midsomer series

Barnaby (John Nettles) is still with his old partner, Troy (Daniel Casey) in the 2001 "Who Killed Cock Robin?" Dr. Burgess (Ian McNeice) is driving home late one night when he accidentally hits someone. When he summons help, however, the body is nowhere to be seen. Tom Barnaby is brought in. Since the person hit allegedly was an Irishman known as the horse whisperer, the obvious person to talk to is Melvyn Stockard (Larry Lamb), who buys and sells horses. He also has a criminal record.

Later, a body is found in the village well and the case becomes much more complex -- involving infidelity, more murder, and an important business deal with a lot of money involved.

Pretty good if not heart-pounding, with the attractive team interviewing various members of the village, including a former ballerina, a bitter husband and a delusional wife. The acting all around is good, but there are too many characters for us to really get to know them.

Beautiful scenery. For so much murder going on, the town sure looks idyllic.