"Midsomer Murders" Days of Misrule (2008)

Director:

Renny Rye

Writers:

Elizabeth-Anne Wheal (screenplay)
Caroline Graham (characters creator)

TV Series:

"Midsomer Murders" (1997)

Original Air Date:

5 July 2008 (Season 11, Episode 6)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

During the Christmas days Barnaby has to solve an explosion as well as a number of murders near a freight company while trying to cope with his acting CS who has very strong beliefs about teamwork.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Suspect | Police | Sergeant | Detective

Cast

John Nettles	...	DCI Tom Barnaby
Jason Hughes	...	DS Ben Jones
Jane Wymark	...	Joyce Barnaby
Barry Jackson	...	Dr Bullard
Kirsty Dillon	...	WPC Gail Stephens
Tim Pigott-Smith	...	Matt Parkes
Joseph Millson	...	James Parkes
Niamh Cusack	...	Penny Galsworthy
Judy Parfitt	...	Caroline Halsey
Nick Fletcher	...	CS John Cotton
Gus Gallagher	...	Dale Mitchinson
Sydney Livingstone	...	Don Mitchinson (as Sidney Livingstone)
Tom Beard	...	Tim Galsworthy
Elspeth Rae	...	Layla Barkham
Alexandra Morris	...	Daisy

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

The Windmill pub, Chipperfield, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Bentley Productions

Goofs:

Factual errors: WPC Stephens uses a computer to scan in the picture of the speeding car and then zooms to get details of the overalls on the back parcel shelf of the car. Speeding camera pictures do not have sufficient resolution to be able to zoom in to that level of detail (especially after being scanned).

Christmas can be murder...

I quite enjoyed this festive outing from Barnaby and the gang. There were some great performances from stalwart actors Tim Pigott-Smith and Judy Parfitt, and the returned-to-form Nettles/Hughes duo.

This Christmas story is set against the backdrop of a haulage firm owned by ex-Army type Matt Parkes (played by Pigott-Smith) and his wayward son James. As a sideline, Parkes is involved in running 'team-building' Army games for various organisations, which is where Barnaby and Jones come in. Son James is involved in a sideline of his own...

There are some comedic moments as we see dyed-in-the-wool Barnaby go through the exercises with less enthusiasm and ability than his younger police colleagues, providing light relief from a festive tale of subterfuge and classic Midsomer murder.

There are plenty of carols to keep you in the Yuletide spirit, and as it was filmed at the beginning of the year, it looks festively cold too.

I won't go into much detail as I understand this is the Christmas 2008 episode for the UK, but I think Series Eleven is a great return to form after some disappointing story lines and ham-laden performances - Shot At Dawn, Picture Of Innocence - had me convinced that this franchise was past its sell-by date.