A Wild West show comes to Ford Florey and a serial killer starts to eliminate villagers in a "wild west" fashion related to a parcel of disputed swamp land.A Wild West show comes to Ford Florey and a serial killer starts to eliminate villagers in a "wild west" fashion related to a parcel of disputed swamp land.A Wild West show comes to Ford Florey and a serial killer starts to eliminate villagers in a "wild west" fashion related to a parcel of disputed swamp land.
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Antony Sendall
- Cowboy Fair Attendee
- (uncredited)
Chris Wilson
- Police Officer
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe poker hand of Aces and Eights is known as the Dead Man's Hand because that is the hand legend alleges Wild Bill Hickock held when he was assassinated. The term "dead man's hand" predates Hickoks death, the composition of the hand varied with place and time. It wasn't until the 1920s that the hand was aces and eights, two each with any kicker. it also wasn't until the 1920s that Hickok was alleged to hold a "dead man's hand" of any kind.
- GoofsWhen Adam Burbage lassoes Jack Fincher, we see that the rope settles around his waist. But in the next shot the rope is suddenly around his ankles, and Burbage has had no opportunity to make the change.
- Quotes
[last lines]
DS Ben Jones: You took a hell of a risk. He could have shot you as soon as you stepped into the yard.
DCI Tom Barnaby: Oh, no no, Jones, that's not the way it works. He called me out, so he had to wait for me to draw first. Code of the West.
- ConnectionsReferences The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
Featured review
Well and truly dunked
As has been said by me a number of times, 'Midsomer Murders' is one of my most watched and most re-watched shows. It is nowhere near as good now and the Tom Barnaby-era wasn't alien to average or less episodes, but when it was on form or at its best boy was it good.
'Midsomer Murders' has a number of classics and a larger number of solid episodes (with a few average ones, mostly in the show's middle period particularly Seasons 10-13), but once in a while the Tom Barnaby-era has mediocre episodes and even less. "Blood on the Saddle" is to me and many others one of the worst 'Midsomer Murders' episodes, have seen all the episodes to date (and re-watched) and "Blood on the Saddle" is a bottom 10 (even bottom 5) episode.
There are saving graces, always look for redeeming qualities in films, shows and episodes that are bad and have yet to see an irredeemable 'Midsomer Murders' episode. John Nettles, Jason Hughes and Jane Wymark do what they can with their roles, still enjoy Barnaby and Jones' chemistry (though it has been much better written in other episodes) and Wymark brings some charm and humour. "Blood on the Saddle" is a rare case of the supporting cast disappointing on the whole, but Richard Harrington and Caroline Langrishe are good.
As always, the music fits perfectly, with some lush jauntiness and sometimes an ominous quality. The theme tune one of the most memorable and instantly recognisable of the genre.
However, "Blood on the Saddle" is a rare case of the production values and most of the acting not impressing. The scenery is lovely, but elsewhere the episode looks garish and dull and there is a lack of the gritty and idyllic look seen in 'Midsomer Murders' usually. Not everybody comes off badly but most of the acting sees the actors seeming to not know what to do with their roles. Daniel Ryan in particular overacts dreadfully in a cast full of ham and blandness.
The script is plodding and sketchy, and when it comes to the humour the gentle touch is replaced by an over-the-top farcical nature that indicates the show having lost its maturity. The characters are both lifeless and over-the-top, and the pacing both dull and cluttered. The story is a complete mess, pastoral village life and the Wild West just don't mix while everything just suffers from over-obviousness, convolution, an uncomfortable overdose of ridiculousness and too many characters and situations that don't amount to much and are not delved into properly. The ending, even for what they were trying to do, is like a cartoonish parody and really feels out of place in the show, definitely feeling like it belongs somewhere else entirely.
Overall, a 'Midsomer Murders' low-point. 2/10 Bethany Cox
'Midsomer Murders' has a number of classics and a larger number of solid episodes (with a few average ones, mostly in the show's middle period particularly Seasons 10-13), but once in a while the Tom Barnaby-era has mediocre episodes and even less. "Blood on the Saddle" is to me and many others one of the worst 'Midsomer Murders' episodes, have seen all the episodes to date (and re-watched) and "Blood on the Saddle" is a bottom 10 (even bottom 5) episode.
There are saving graces, always look for redeeming qualities in films, shows and episodes that are bad and have yet to see an irredeemable 'Midsomer Murders' episode. John Nettles, Jason Hughes and Jane Wymark do what they can with their roles, still enjoy Barnaby and Jones' chemistry (though it has been much better written in other episodes) and Wymark brings some charm and humour. "Blood on the Saddle" is a rare case of the supporting cast disappointing on the whole, but Richard Harrington and Caroline Langrishe are good.
As always, the music fits perfectly, with some lush jauntiness and sometimes an ominous quality. The theme tune one of the most memorable and instantly recognisable of the genre.
However, "Blood on the Saddle" is a rare case of the production values and most of the acting not impressing. The scenery is lovely, but elsewhere the episode looks garish and dull and there is a lack of the gritty and idyllic look seen in 'Midsomer Murders' usually. Not everybody comes off badly but most of the acting sees the actors seeming to not know what to do with their roles. Daniel Ryan in particular overacts dreadfully in a cast full of ham and blandness.
The script is plodding and sketchy, and when it comes to the humour the gentle touch is replaced by an over-the-top farcical nature that indicates the show having lost its maturity. The characters are both lifeless and over-the-top, and the pacing both dull and cluttered. The story is a complete mess, pastoral village life and the Wild West just don't mix while everything just suffers from over-obviousness, convolution, an uncomfortable overdose of ridiculousness and too many characters and situations that don't amount to much and are not delved into properly. The ending, even for what they were trying to do, is like a cartoonish parody and really feels out of place in the show, definitely feeling like it belongs somewhere else entirely.
Overall, a 'Midsomer Murders' low-point. 2/10 Bethany Cox
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- TheLittleSongbird
- Feb 21, 2017
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