Midsomer Murders is a British
televisionA television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
detective drama that has aired on ITV since 1997. The show is based on the books by
Caroline GrahamCaroline Graham is an English playwright, screenwriter and novelist.Graham was born in Nuneaton, studied with the Open University, and received a degree in writing for the theatre from the University of Birmingham. Her first published book was Fire Dance, a romance novel...
, as originally adapted by
Anthony HorowitzAnthony Craig Horowitz is an English novelist and screenwriter. He has written many children's novels, including The Power of Five, Alex Rider and The Diamond Brothers series and has written over fifty books. He has also written extensively for television, adapting many of Agatha Christie's...
. The lead character is DCI
Tom BarnabyDetective Chief Inspector Thomas Geoffrey "Tom" Barnaby is a fictional detective created by Caroline Graham. DCI Barnaby is featured in the Chief Inspector Barnaby book series which began with The Killing at Badger's Drift in 1987. Barnaby is also the main detective in Midsomer Murders, a popular...
(
John NettlesJohn Vivian Drummond Nettles, OBE is an English actor, historian and writer who is best known for playing the lead roles in Bergerac and Midsomer Murders.-Early life:...
) who works for Causton CID. When Nettles left the show in 2011 he was replaced by actor
Neil DudgeonNeil Dudgeon is a British actor best known for his many television appearances, most often in crime drama.-Early Life:Dudgeon was born 1 January 1961 in Doncaster, Yorkshire, and attended Danum Grammar School among others. He established himself as an actor in school plays and went on to study...
who plays Tom's younger cousin DCI John Barnaby. The stories revolve around the Barnabys' efforts to solve the numerous murders that take place in the
fictional English county of Midsomer. Barnaby has had several Sergeants throughout the run of the show: DS Gavin Troy (
Daniel Casey-Early life:The son of journalist and television presenter Luke Casey, he grew up in Stockton-on-Tees and attended Grey College, Durham, graduating with a BA in English Literature before pursuing a career in acting.-Career:...
), DS Dan Scott (
John HopkinsJohn Hopkins is an English actor, known for playing Sgt. Dan Scott on Midsomer Murders.-Career:Hopkins trained at RADA. He read English at the University of Leeds from 1993-1996 and whilst studying joined the Leeds University Union Theatre Group student society, and performed in a number of plays...
) and currently DS Ben Jones (
Jason HughesJason Hughes is a Welsh actor born in Porthcawl, Wales in 1971 best known for playing lawyer Warren Jones in the BBC TV series This Life from 1996 to 1997 , and as Detective Sergeant Ben Jones in Midsomer Murders since 2005.Hughes was a very good rugby player, but was persuaded to take up acting...
).
Cast
| Character | Portrayed by | Actor Status | Years |
| DCI John Barnaby |
Neil Dudgeon Neil Dudgeon is a British actor best known for his many television appearances, most often in crime drama.-Early Life:Dudgeon was born 1 January 1961 in Doncaster, Yorkshire, and attended Danum Grammar School among others. He established himself as an actor in school plays and went on to study...
|
starring |
2011–present |
| DS Benjamin Jones |
Jason Hughes Jason Hughes is a Welsh actor born in Porthcawl, Wales in 1971 best known for playing lawyer Warren Jones in the BBC TV series This Life from 1996 to 1997 , and as Detective Sergeant Ben Jones in Midsomer Murders since 2005.Hughes was a very good rugby player, but was persuaded to take up acting...
|
starring |
2005–present |
| Sarah Barnaby |
Fiona Dolman Fiona Dolman is a British actress best known for playing Miss Pamela Andrews in the ITV daytime drama series and spinoff to The Royal, The Royal Today, and for the role of Jackie Rosemary Lambert Bradley, PC Mike Bradley's solicitor wife in Heartbeat...
|
starring |
2011–present |
| DC Gail Stephens |
Kirsty Dillon Kirsty Dillon is an English actress who works in film, television and theatre. She is perhaps best known for her role as WPC Gail Stephens in the British television drama Midsomer MurdersKirsty Dillon was born and brought up in Portsmouth...
|
supporting |
2007–2011 |
| Dr Kate Wilding |
Tamzin Malleson Tamzin Malleson is an English actress. She trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama, London.She played one of the starring roles in the Channel 4 comedy, Teachers, for three of the programme's four series and starred in one of ITV's Poirot adaptations, "Evil Under The Sun." She has...
|
starring |
2011–present |
| DCI Tom Barnaby |
John Nettles John Vivian Drummond Nettles, OBE is an English actor, historian and writer who is best known for playing the lead roles in Bergerac and Midsomer Murders.-Early life:...
|
starring; former |
1997–2011 |
| Joyce Barnaby |
Jane WymarkJane Wymark is an English actress. The daughter of well-known actor Patrick Wymark , she is best known for playing Morwenna Chynoweth Whitworth in the 1970s BBC television period drama Poldark , and more recently Joyce Barnaby in the hugely popular ITV detective series Midsomer Murders, a role...
|
starring; former |
1997–2011 |
| Dr. George Bullard |
Barry Jackson |
starring; former |
1997–2011 |
| DI Gavin Troy |
Daniel Casey -Early life:The son of journalist and television presenter Luke Casey, he grew up in Stockton-on-Tees and attended Grey College, Durham, graduating with a BA in English Literature before pursuing a career in acting.-Career:...
|
starring; former |
1997–2003, 2008 |
| DS Daniel Scott |
John HopkinsJohn Hopkins is an English actor, known for playing Sgt. Dan Scott on Midsomer Murders.-Career:Hopkins trained at RADA. He read English at the University of Leeds from 1993-1996 and whilst studying joined the Leeds University Union Theatre Group student society, and performed in a number of plays...
|
starring; former |
2003–2005 |
| Cully Dixon |
Laura HowardLaura Howard is an English actress. She is probably best known for her role as Cully Barnaby in the long-running British crime-mystery drama Midsomer Murders....
|
supporting; former |
1997–2000 and 2003–2011 |
Characters
Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby—John Barnaby transferred from Brighton to Midsomer's Causton
CIDThe Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
to replace his older cousin, DCI Tom Barnaby upon the latter's retirement. He has a degree in psychology which earned him some ribbing from DS Jones, when he first arrived; however despite a rocky start, the two make a formidable team. John lives in a large country cottage with his wife Sarah, and their dog Sykes.
Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby—A former senior member of Causton CID, Barnaby handled the considerable number of murders that occur in the county. A patient, tolerant man whose style of investigation is methodical and fair. However, despite his methodical nature he is an extremely sagacious and perceptive individual, able to recognise seemingly obscure clues in order to close an investigation. He also formerly worked for MI6. Much of his social life seems to revolve around his wife and daughter. In fact, they both often provide a personal connection with the crimes that he is investigating. His other relatives are his parents, who by the episode "Blue Herrings" are both deceased. Though only his mother is referred to, he also has an aunt Alice Bly who appears only in the aforesaid episode, to whom he is devoted. In Barnaby's last appearance ("Fit for Murder") we learn that his father died on his birthday, at Tom's present age.
Joyce Barnaby—Tom Barnaby's long-suffering wife. She is enormously tolerant of her husband, despite his being a workaholic who spent their honeymoon solving the case of the "
PimlicoPimlico is a small area of central London in the City of Westminster. Like Belgravia, to which it was built as a southern extension, Pimlico is known for its grand garden squares and impressive Regency architecture....
Poisoner", which suggests that they met in London, where they both possibly lived and worked. Joyce is an easy-going and friendly woman who likes to get involved in community activities. She has long possessed a desire to move out of their Causton home and into one of the picturesque Midsomer villages—only to be put off by the grisly murders that occur there.
Cully Dixon—Tom's and Joyce's only child takes her first name from a village on Lake Geneva in Switzerland, where she was conceived during her parents' honeymoon. She is an inquisitive and bold young woman, who seems to have inherited many of her parents' friendly attitudes and community spirit. Early in the series she attended Cambridge University and dated a drama student, Nico. This fell through and she returned to live with her parents in Causton. She is an actress and frequently takes temporary jobs in the Midsomer area when "resting" between assignments. Like her mother, her tendency to do community work often leaves her personally involved with the murders that take place. She meets Simon in the Axeman Cometh, and marries him in Blood Wedding. Actress Laura Howard was said to have left the show after "The Magician's Nephew", but Cully appeared again in "The Glitch".
Detective Inspector Gavin Troy—Barnaby's first deputy. He is a local man and attended a local comprehensive. He is young to be a detective sergeant, a point often commented on. He is very bright and ambitious, though it is usually his boss who solves the crime, often after Troy has made the slightly wrong conclusion. In contrast to the tolerant Barnaby, Troy is one to make non-
politically correctPolitically Correct may refer to:*Political correctness, language, ideas, policies, or behaviour seeking to minimize offence to groups of people-See also:*Politically Correct Bedtime Stories, book by James Finn Garner, published in 1994...
remarks. He was promoted to Inspector and transferred to
MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
in the first episode of the seventh series, "The Green Man". His relationship with Barnaby has always been warm and the two make a formidable pair. He makes a one off re-appearance in the Series 11 episode "Blood Wedding", to attend the wedding of Cully Barnaby.
DS Daniel Scott—is a lot cockier than his predecessor DS Troy; he is a Londoner who was not thrilled at being transferred from the
Metropolitan Police ServiceThe Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
to Midsomer, which he regards as the "sticks". His relationship with Barnaby was prickly at first but it mellowed into a slightly awkward marriage of convenience, with Barnaby still disapproving of Scott's methods and Scott grudgingly starting to respect him. In "The Straw Woman", Scott develops a love interest who is subsequently brutally murdered. This episode is notable for Barnaby's lack of sympathy with Scott's situation. Scott's departure from the show was also abrupt. In "The House in the Woods", Barnaby describes Scott as being ill. Barnaby invites PC Ben Jones (see below) to assist him on that case. After this incident, no more is heard from Scott and Jones becomes the new assistant.
DS Benjamin Jones—the third character to act as Barnaby's assistant. Unlike the his predecessors (DS Troy and DS Scott), who first appeared on the series as sergeants, Jones was a uniformed police constable when first introduced. He was first appointed as a Detective Constable (after assisting Barnaby in DS Scott's absence), and later promoted to Detective Sergeant by the end of his first series. Jones is considerably less naive than his predecessors, often possessing an insight into cases that neither Scott nor Troy would have. He is Welsh, and remarks about his love for Wales when he and Barnaby travel there in the episode "Death and Dust". He is formerly a
FreemasonFreemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, as revealed in "King's Crystal". In the episode "Death in Chorus" Jones exhibits a remarkable vocal talent and is recruited to sing
tenorThe tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
in the Midsomer Worthy choir. In "Death in the Slow Lane" it is revealed that he was interested in replacing Tom Barnaby upon his retirement, and was a little put out by Tom's cousin John being transferred to the position instead.
Doctor George Bullard—Causton's resident pathologist. Bullard goes about his work with a professional skill and a cheery demeanour. He is a good friend of Barnaby. He has been a regular throughout the series (save for a brief spell, when his place was taken by Dr. Dan Peterson played by
Toby JonesToby Edward Heslewood Jones is an English actor.-Early life:Jones was born in Hammersmith, London, the son of actors Jennifer and Freddie Jones...
). In later episodes he has often played a greater role in the plot, even making a sterling appearance in the Midsomer Worthy Choir in "Death in Chorus". In one episode he admits to the "accidental" death of his wife while on tour at a slaughter house.
DC Gail Stephens—a colleague of Barnaby and Jones who often helps them in their cases, sometimes providing valuable insight. Stephens is cheery but emotional, breaking down in tears when, after initially serving as a uniformed Constable, she was appointed as a full-time detective. There was the brief potential for a relationship between her and Jones, but Jones made a decision which went against it on the grounds that she was a work colleague.
Other minor characters have also spanned their appearances across more than one episode. Olive Beauvoisin, the estate agent, (played by Eileen Davies) appeared in '"
Death's ShadowDeath's Shadow is the first episode of the second season of Midsomer Murders and the sixth episode overall. It stars John Nettles as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby and Daniel Casey as Detective Sergeant Gavin Troy.-Summary:...
"' and '"Dead Man’s Eleven"'. She also appeared in '"Hidden Depths"' but in this particular episode she was credited as "Estate Agent". Charles Jennings (played by Terence Corrigan) also featured in the same two episodes. David Whitely (played by
Christopher VilliersChristopher Francis Villiers is an English actor.He is known for his part in the top rated ITV1 soap opera, Emmerdale in which he plays the role of the solicitor Grayson Sinclair. He also played the part of Captain Nigel Croker in Mile High from 2004 to 2005...
) appeared in the pilot episode '"
The Killings at Badger's DriftThe Killings at Badger's Drift is a mystery novel by English writer Caroline Graham, the first in her Chief Inspector Barnaby series. In 1997, it was adapted as the pilot of Midsomer Murders, a popular ITV television series based on Graham's books...
"' and also in '"Death's Shadow"'. John Lightbody has played the role of two different characters. In '"Hidden Depths"' he is gardener Steve Hope, but in "Death and Dust" he plays the role of Jason Slater.
Richard HopeRichard Hope is a British actor.-Career:Born in Kettering and brought up in Norfolk, Mr. Hope attended Oakham School in Rutland from 1967–1971 and trained at the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain from 1972 - 1976. He is a member of the National Youth Theatre Association and an Associate...
appeared in "Judgement Day" as Gordon Brierly, the local veterinarian and seven years later reappeared in the episode '"They Seek Him Here"' as local actor and historian Neville Hayward.
Elizabeth Spriggs-Early life and career:Born in Buxton, Derbyshire as Elizabeth Jean Williams, Spriggs had an unhappy childhood and grew up entirely without affection, particularly from her distant, domineering father, a master builder and farmer. She studied at the Royal College of Music and taught speech and...
and
Richard CantRichard Cant is a British actor, best known for his roles in the hit ITV1 television series Midsomer Murders.He is the son of actress Mary Gibson and actor and children's television presenter Brian Cant...
appeared in '"The Killings at Badger's Drift"' as mother and son Iris and Dennis Rainbird; they appeared again as Iris' sister Ursula Gooding and her son Alistair in '"Dead Letters"'. Causton's Mayor, David Hicks appears in both '"Shot at Dawn"', and '"The Sword Of Guillaume"'. And Acting Chief Superintendent John Cotton (Nick Fletcher), appears in '"Days of Misrule"' and '"The Dogleg Murders"'.
Setting
Midsomer is an
EnglishEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
fictional county. The
county townA county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
is Causton, a middle-sized town where Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby lives with his wife and where the Criminal Investigation Department is located. Many of the villages and small towns of the county have the word Midsomer in their name; this is inspired in part by the real county of
SomersetThe ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, and specifically the town of
Midsomer NortonMidsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, south-west of Bath, north-east of Wells, north-west of Frome, and south-east of Bristol. It has a population of 10,458. Along with Radstock and Westfield it used to be part of the conurbation and large civil parish of Norton...
. The county is notable for its particularly high crime rate, the Midsomer Constabulary inundated with the number of murder cases that come their way. This has even become a running joke among the British public. When Mrs. Barnaby proposed they move out of Causton and suggested various villages, her husband countered with recollections of particularly grisly murders that occurred in each community.
List of villages in Midsomer
- Aspern Tallow
- Badger's Drift
- Bow Clayton
- Broughton
- Burwood Mantle
- Calham Cross
- Causton / Causton Town
- Devington
- Draycott
- Dunstan
- Elverton-cum-Latterley
- Ferne Basset
|
Finchmere
Fletcher's Cross
Ford Florey
Goodman's Land
Great Pelfe
Great Worthy
Haddington
Little Upton
Little Worthy
Lower Warden
Luxton Deeping |
Malham Bridge
Malham Cross
March Magna
Marsh Wood
Martyr Warren
Midsomer Abbas
Midsomer Barton
Midsomer Chettham
Midsomer Deverell
Midsomer Florey
Midsomer Herne |
Midsomer Holm
Midsomer Magna
Midsomer Malham
Midsomer Mallow
Midsomer Market
Midsomer Mere
Midsomer Morchard
Midsomer Morton
Midsomer Mow
Midsomer Newton
Midsomer Parva |
Midsomer Priors
Midsomer Sonning
Midsomer St. Michael
Midsomer Wellow
Midsomer Worthy
Milton Cross
Monks Barton
Morton Fendle
Morton Shallows
Newton Magna
Upper Warden |
Filming locations
Causton was represented by Wallingford, Oxfordshire. Causton police station was represented by the former
RAF Staff College, BracknellThe RAF Staff College at Bracknell was a Royal Air Force staff college active for most of the second half of the 20th century. Its role was the training of staff officers in the administrative, staff and policy aspects of air force matters...
. Favourite filming locations include
Hedsor HouseHedsor House is a Georgian style mansion in England in the southern most point of Buckinghamshire in the village of Hedsor, Taplow. Perched overlooking the River Thames, a Manor house at Hedsor can be dated back to 1166 when the estate was owned by the de Hedsor Family...
,
BuckinghamshireBuckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
,
BeaconsfieldBeaconsfield is a market town and civil parish operating as a town council within the South Bucks district in Buckinghamshire, England. It lies northwest of Charing Cross in Central London, and south-east of the county town of Aylesbury...
,
AmershamAmersham is a market town and civil parish within Chiltern district in Buckinghamshire, England, 27 miles north west of London, in the Chiltern Hills. It is part of the London commuter belt....
,
Great MissendenGreat Missenden is a large village in the Misbourne Valley in the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, England, situated between the towns of Amersham and Wendover. It closely adjoins the villages of Little Missenden and Prestwood. The narrow High Street is bypassed by the main A413 London to...
,
PrestwoodPrestwood is a village in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located in the Chiltern Hills, about a mile west of Great Missenden, four miles north of High Wycombe.-Early history and creation of parish:...
, The Lee,
WendoverWendover is a market town that sits at the foot of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, England. It is also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district...
,
Stoke PogesStoke Poges is a village and civil parish in the South Buckinghamshire district of Buckinghamshire, England. It is in the south of the county, about three miles north of Slough and a mile east of Farnham Common....
,
Princes RisboroughPrinces Risborough is a small town in Buckinghamshire, England, about 9 miles south of Aylesbury and 8 miles north west of High Wycombe. Bledlow lies to the west and Monks Risborough to the east. It lies at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, at the north end of a gap or pass through the Chilterns,...
,
TurvilleTurville is a village and civil parish within Wycombe district in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located in the Chiltern Hills, about five miles west of High Wycombe and five miles north of Henley-on-Thames....
,
Long CrendonLong Crendon is a village and civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England, about west of Haddenham and north-west of Thame in neighbouring Oxfordshire.The village has been called Long Crendon only since the English Civil War...
,
PennPenn is a village and civil parish in Chiltern district in Buckinghamshire, England, about north-west of Beaconsfield and east of High Wycombe...
,
MarlowMarlow is a town and civil parish within Wycombe district in south Buckinghamshire, England...
,
DenhamDenham is a village and civil parish in the South Buckinghamshire district of Buckinghamshire, England. It is north west of Uxbridge and north of junction 1 of the M40 motorway. Denham contains the Buckinghamshire Golf Club.-Origin:...
,
BledlowBledlow is a village in the civil parish of Bledlow-cum-Saunderton in Buckinghamshire, England. It is situated about a mile and a half WSW of Princes Risborough, and on the border with Oxfordshire....
, the
AshridgeAshridge is an estate and house in Hertfordshire, England; part of the land stretches into Buckinghamshire and it is close to the Bedfordshire border. It is situated in the Chiltern Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, about two miles north of Berkhamsted and twenty miles north west of...
Estate,
AldburyAldbury is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England, near the borders of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, in a valley close to Ashridge Park. The nearest town is Tring; Tring railway station, 1 mile west, is in the parish of Aldbury...
,
Little GaddesdenLittle Gaddesden is a village and civil parish in the English county of Hertfordshire three miles north of Berkhamsted. As well as Little Gaddesden village , the parish contains the settlements of Ashridge , Hudnall , and part of Ringshall .Part of the parish was formerly in Buckinghamshire...
,
CheshamChesham is a market town in the Chiltern Hills, Buckinghamshire, England. It is located 11 miles south-east of the county town of Aylesbury. Chesham is also a civil parish designated a town council within Chiltern district. It is situated in the Chess Valley and surrounded by farmland, as well as...
,
LatimerLatimer is a village and civil parish that sits on the border between Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, in England. The parish forms part of the Buckinghamshire district of Chiltern. Latimer parish includes the villages of Latimer, Ley Hill and Tyler's Hill.Latimer was originally joined with the...
,
FolkinghamFolkingham is a village and civil parish at the northern edge of the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies on the A15 road of north of Bourne. The civil parish and ecclesiastical parish have the same boundaries. The 2001 census recorded a population of 729.-Village:The village...
,
CheniesChenies is a village in the very eastern part of south Buckinghamshire, England, near the border with Hertfordshire. It is situated to the east of Chesham and the Chalfonts. Chenies is also a civil parish within Chiltern district....
,
HambledenHambleden is a small village and civil parish within Wycombe district in the south of Buckinghamshire, England. It is about four miles west of Marlow, and about three miles north east of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire....
,
HaddenhamHaddenham is a large village and is also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England. Its estimated population in 2011 is 8,385 It is about south-west of Aylesbury and north-east of Thame.-History:...
, and
WaddesdonWaddesdon is a village within the Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England, 6 miles from Aylesbury on the A41 road. The centre of a civil parish, including the hamlets of Eythrope, Wormstone and Woodham, Waddesdon was an agricultural settlement with milling, silk weaving and lace making...
; in
HertfordshireHertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
,
Hemel HempsteadHemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire in the East of England, to the north west of London and part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2001 Census was 81,143 ....
town,
ChipperfieldChipperfield is a village and civil parish in the Dacorum district of Hertfordshire, England, about 5 miles southwest of Hemel Hempstead and 5 miles north of Watford. The parish includes the hamlet of Tower Hill....
,
FlaundenFlaunden is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England on the Bucks/Herts border. Old Flaunden was on the banks of the River Chess in Buckinghamshire but owing to constant flooding was moved up the hill into Hertfordshire in the early 19th century...
, Bulbourne,
Hadley WoodHadley Wood is a suburb of North London, close to the border with Hertfordshire. It is located in the London Borough of Enfield, about north north-west of Charing Cross and is situated close to Barnet...
,
SarrattSarratt is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England, on the border of the county with Buckinghamshire. Sarratt is near Chesham, and the River Chess passes through the village....
, and
WatfordWatford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
; and, in
OxfordshireOxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
,
WarboroughWarborough is a village and civil parish in South Oxfordshire, about north of Wallingford and about south of Oxford. The parish also includes the hamlet of Shillingford, south of Warborough beside the River Thames.-History:...
,
IslipIslip is a village and civil parish on the River Ray, just above its confluence with the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, England. It is about east of Kidlington and about north of Oxford. This village in Oxfordshire is not related to Islip, New York...
,
NettlebedNettlebed is a village in England in the Chiltern Hills about northwest of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire and southeast of Wallingford.-History:Archaeological finds show that the area around Nettlebed has been inhabited since Palaeolithic times....
, Henley on Thames,
DorchesterDorchester-on-Thames is a village and civil parish on the River Thame in Oxfordshire, about northwest of Wallingford and southeast of Oxford. Despite its name, Dorchester is not on the River Thames, but just above the Thame's confluence with it...
,
WaterstockWaterstock is village and civil parish on the River Thame about west of the town of Thame in Oxfordshire. The parish is bounded to the north and west by the river, to the south largely by the A418 main road, and to the east largely by the minor road between Tiddington and Ickford Bridge across the...
,
Stoke TalmageStoke Talmage is a village and civil parish south of Thame in Oxfordshire.Stoke Talmage seems to have had a parish church since the 11th century, although the first clear historical reference to it dates from 1219. The Church of England parish church of Saint Mary Magdalene was restored in 1758....
, Stonor Park,
ThameThame is a town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, about southwest of the Buckinghamshire town of Aylesbury. It derives its toponym from the River Thame which flows past the north side of the town....
, Thame Park House and
AstonAston is a village about south of Witney in West Oxfordshire, England. It is also 3.3 Miles from Ducklington. The village is part of the civil parish of Aston, Cote, Shifford and Chimney. The southern boundary of the parish is the River Thames.-History:Until the 19th century Aston was a township...
. Bekonscot Model Village in Beaconsfield features in one episode, and
Twyford railway stationTwyford railway station is a railway station in the village of Twyford, Berkshire, England.It is served by local services operated by First Great Western from , east, to...
repeatedly features as the fictional Causton railway station.
The Six Bells pub in Warborough, Oxfordshire repeatedly features as the Black Swan pub in the Midsomer village of Badger's Drift.
Production
Initial filming of
Midsomer Murders was undertaken in autumn 1996 with the first episodes transmitted in the United Kingdom on March 23, 1997. Viewing figures for the series are healthy, and the feature-length drama attracts a number of actors from the stage and screen in guest-starring roles. The majority of the early episodes were adapted by
Anthony HorowitzAnthony Craig Horowitz is an English novelist and screenwriter. He has written many children's novels, including The Power of Five, Alex Rider and The Diamond Brothers series and has written over fifty books. He has also written extensively for television, adapting many of Agatha Christie's...
from the original Caroline Graham works. Horowitz and the original producers Betty Willingale and Brian True-May, created the series. Current writers include David Lawrence, Michael Aitkens and David Hoskins.
In early 2009, John Nettles announced he would retire after the 13th series of 10 episodes, at the end of 2010. Neil Dudgeon replaced him in the 14th series playing Barnaby's cousin DCI John Barnaby. The character is first seen in the episode "The Sword of Guillaume".
Episodes
Midsomer Murders first aired as a pilot on 23 March 1997. Since then, 88 episodes have been aired from 14 series and 2 Christmas specials (as of 26 October 2011). The episodes within each series are often aired many months apart.
Soundtracks
Composed by Jim Parker, the iconic main theme is a moderate-tempo waltz, performed (though not exclusively) with an unusual electronic musical instrument—the
thereminThe theremin , originally known as the aetherphone/etherophone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without discernible physical contact from the player. It is named after its Russian inventor, Professor Léon Theremin, who patented the device...
—which has a sound not unlike a low whistle or a human voice. The theremin part is played by Celia Sheen. With the commencement of series fourteen, the soundtrack was altered so that during the closing titles, a standardised version of the theme is played with a solo violin in place of the theremin.
Three soundtrack CDs have been released so far, containing musical cues from various seasons. The first two sold out quickly and are now out of print, making them extremely hard to find. The most recent soundtrack is currently being given away to subscribers of the Midsomer Murders DVD/Magazine package in the U.K. and the Netherlands.
Midsomer Murders
The first soundtrack release contains music from the first two seasons.
All music composed and conducted by Jim Parker
The Best of Midsomer Murders
The second soundtrack release contains music from the first five seasons of Midsomer Murders, featuring both recycled cues from the previous release, as well as some new material.
All music conducted by Jim Parker except for track 17 conducted by
Don LusherDon Lusher OBE was a jazz and big band trombonist best known for his association with the Ted Heath Big Band...
The Music of Midsomer Murders
This third release was given away to anyone subscribing to the series' DVD/Magazine package, and once again contains a few new cues, while largely recycling old material.
All music conducted by Jim Parker except for track 14 conducted by
Don LusherDon Lusher OBE was a jazz and big band trombonist best known for his association with the Ted Heath Big Band...
Other countries
Midsomer Murders has been sold to a large number of countries and territories around the world—in 2004 it was among the 3 most sold British TV-shows worldwide whether as either TV Programming or DVD.
In
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the series originally aired on the
Nine NetworkThe Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
. First-run episodes from series 11 onwards screened on
ABC1ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
, which as of 2009 began showing in prime time older episodes previously screened on Nine Network. Repeat screenings are also aired on the subscription channels UKTV and
13th Street13th Street Universal is a television channel specialising in action and suspense shows and movies. It is owned by NBCUniversal and was launched in France on November 13, 1997 and in Germany on May 1, 1998...
. Series fourteen commenced screening on ABC1 in July 2011.
In
AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, the channel
ORF2ORF2 is an Austrian television channel owned by ORF.ORF2 was launched on 11 September 1961 as a technical test programme. Since 1970, ORF2 broadcasts on seven days a week. Today it is one of the three public TV channels in Austria.Where as ORF1 focuses on tv series and movies, ORF2 broadcasts...
airs the series as "Inspector Barnaby".
In
BelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, the series is shown subtitled on Dutch language channel één and dubbed in French on RTL-TVI, Club RTL, where it has also been retitled
Inspecteur Barnaby.
In
BulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, the literal translation of the title
Убийства в Мидсъмър is used. The series first appeared subtitled on the
Hallmark ChannelThe Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
, which continues to premiere the newest episodes and repeat the older ones. A Bulgarian distributor has selected the show and it aired dubbed on TV7 and after that on numerous other cable or regional channels. On July 25 2011 the series began on Nova Television from Monday to Friday at 14:30.
In
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the series is broadcast on public broadcaster
TVOntarioTVOntario, often referred to only as TVO , is a publicly funded, educational English-language television station and media organization in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is operated by the Ontario Educational Communications Authority, a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Ontario...
and the Book Television in
OntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, and on Knowledge in
British ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, which in 2009 is showing Series 9 through series 10. Season 13 is scheduled to begin showing on October 30, 2010 on Knowledge.
In
CroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, the series is broadcast on public station
HRTCroatian Radiotelevision is a Croatian public broadcasting company. It operates several radio and television channels, over a domestic transmitter network as well as satellite...
, typically in the Friday late evening slot, about a year after the original airing, with the title translated as
Umorstva u Midsomeru. Most of the seasons have been rerun. Various cable channels that carry the series are also available (such as
Hallmark Channel CroatiaThe Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts in over 100 countries. They specialize in series and movies that are appropriate for the whole family. In all countries except the United States they are owned by NBC Universal. The Hallmark name is licensed from Hallmark Cards,...
and
BBC PrimeBBC Prime was the BBC's general entertainment TV channel in Europe and the Middle East from 30 January 1995 until 11 November 2009, when it was replaced by BBC Entertainment.-Launch:...
).
In the
Czech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, the series is known as
Vraždy v Midsomeru (Murders In Midsomer), and it is broadcast on
TV PrimaTV Prima is a Czech private television station. Its channel is broadcast from Prague. Its current owner is FTV Prima, spol. s r. o., general manager Marek Singer....
, one of the four major TV channels there. It was also shortly broadcasted by Nova Cinema, 2nd channel of the largest commercial TV company in CZ, Nova TV.
In
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, it is called
Kriminalkommisær Barnaby and is shown by DR (Danmarks Radio). DVDs are currently being sold with a weekly magazine called Billedbladet.
In
EstoniaEstonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, the series is known as
Midsomeri mõrvad (Midsomer Murders) and is broadcast on national public television channel
ETVEesti Televisioon is the national public television station of Estonia. It made its first broadcast on 19 July 1955.The bulk of ETV's funding comes from government grant-in-aid, around 15% of which is in turn funded by the fees paid by Estonian commercial broadcasters in return for their...
.
In
FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, the series is known by its translated name in Finnish
Midsomerin murhat (Midsomer's murders) and shows on the channel YLE1 with Finnish subtitle.
In
FranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the series is shown on
France 3France 3 is the second largest French public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5, and France Ô....
and has been retitled
Inspecteur Barnaby.
In
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the channel
ZDFZweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
airs the series as
Inspektor Barnaby, but only in loose connection and not all the shows, especially from the earlier series many are missing.
In
HungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, the series is shown on the Universal Channel (former Hallmark Channel) and on Film+ Channel. It is dubbed in Hungarian in 2 different versions. Its title is
Kisvárosi gyilkosságok (Small-town Murders) on Universal, and
A Midsomer gyilkosságok (The Midsomer Murders) on Film+.
In
IcelandIceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, the series is aired as
Barnaby ræður gátuna (Barnaby solves the puzzle) on
RÚVRíkisútvarpið is Iceland's national public-service broadcasting organization.Operating from studios in the country's capital, Reykjavík, as well as regional centres around the country, the service broadcasts a variety of general programming to a wide audience across the whole country via radio...
.
In
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the series is shown on the state broadcaster,
RTERTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
.
In
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, it is called
L'ispettore Barnaby (Inspector Barnaby) and is one of the most viewed shows of the private channel
La7La7 is an Italian television channel owned by Telecom Italia Media and operated by Telecom Italia.-History:In 2001, Lorenzo Pellicioli and Roberto Colaninno, of Telecom Italia announced they had acquired Telemontecarlo, in order to create a strong competitor against the six other national channels...
. Reruns also air on satellite channel
Fox CrimeFox Crime is a television network, launched by the Fox International Channels, which airs across several countries of Europe and Asia, such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia and Bulgaria...
.
In
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, the series is shown on the
BBC entertainmentBBC Entertainment is an international television channel showcasing comedy, drama, light entertainment and children's programming from the BBC and other UK production houses...
Channel.
In
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the series is shown on the "AXN Mystery" Cable Channel. It is called "Bānabi Keibu" (Inspector Barnaby) and shown with Japanese subtitles.
In
LithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, the series is shown on
TV1TV1 is a TV channel in Lithuania, launched in 2003. It is a sister channel of LNK television....
and has been retitled Midsomerio žmogžudystės.
In
MacedoniaMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, the literal translation of the title
Убиствa вo Мидсoмeр is used. The series first appeared (subtitled in Serbian) on the
Hallmark ChannelThe Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
, which continues to premiere the newest episodes and repeat the older ones. A Macedonian TV channel Sitel has selected the show and it started to air from the very first episode in June 2011 .
In the
Middle EastThe Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, it airs on the Saudi channel
MBC 4MBC 4 is the first free-to-air national television channel in the Middle East aired specifically for American programs. The downside of this all is that MBC 2, MBC 3, MBC 4, MBC Action, MBC Max,and MBC Drama all show movies and TV programs that are edited: taking out all drug use, sexual content,...
.
In the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
,
KROKRO, or Katholieke Radio Omroep , is a Dutch public broadcasting organization founded on 23 April 1925. Broadly Catholic in its spiritual outlook, KRO broadcasts the bulk of its television output on the Nederland 1 channel. KRO is also responsible for managing broadcasts made by the Catholic Church...
on channel
Nederland 1Nederland 1 is the first national television station in the Netherlands, it was launched on 2 October 1951. It provides public broadcasting and currently exists next to sister channels Nederland 2 and 3. The several broadcasting organisations of the Publieke Omroep deliver programmes. A wide...
airs the series as
Midsomer Murders, the series is subtitled in
DutchDutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
.
In
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, the series has been broadcast for a number of years on free-to-air channel
PrimePrime is the seventh national free-to-air television station in New Zealand. The station airs a mixed group of programmes, largely imported from Australia, the UK and the United States, as well as free-to-air rugby union, cricket and rugby league matches....
.
In
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, the series is called
Mord og Mysterier (Murder and Mysteries) and has developed a steady and loyal fanbase. It is broadcast on the second-largest TV channel,
TV 2TV 2 is the largest commercial television station in Norway. Over 30% of the time Norwegians spend watching TV is spent watching TV 2. The station has 65% of the market for TV commercials in Norway....
.
In
PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, the series is called
Morderstwa w Midsomer (Murders In Midsomer) and is aired on the Hallmark Channel (currently called 13th Street Universal).
In
RomaniaRomania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, the series is called
Crimele din Midsomer (Midsomer Murders) and is aired on the Diva Universal.
In
RussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
it is called A Very English Murder ("Purely English Murder") and has been repeatedly shown on various channels. The reason for such an unusual choice of title is the great success of the 1974 Soviet film
A Very English MurderA Very English Murder is a 1974 Soviet teleplay directed by Samson Samsonov, based on the novel An English Murder by Cyril Hare.The film has been shot on stage with multiple television cameras running simultaneously. Originally the film had been cut in two versions: a television version had three...
adapted from the novel
An English Murder (1951) by
Cyril HareCyril Hare, the pseudonym of Alfred Alexander Gordon Clark was an English judge and crime writer.- Life and work :...
.
In
SerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, the series is called "Ubistva u Midsomeru" and is aired on Fox televizija and the Hallmark Channel.
In
SlovakiaThe Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, the series is aired on JOJ Plus as
Vraždy v Midsomeri (Murders In Midsomer).
In
SloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
, the series is aired on
POP TVPOP TV is a Slovenian commercial television station operated by the multi-media company PRO PLUS d.o.o.It is a TV channel with the highest ratings in Slovenia , and at the same time the most popular and trustworthy...
and its sister channel POP BRIO and the
Universal ChannelUniversal Channel is a television channel specializing in movies and television series in the thriller, drama, comedy, horror, crime and investigation genres, owned by Universal Networks International, a division of NBCUniversal and available on satellite and cable platforms...
and is called
Umori na podeželju (Murders in the Countryside). DVDs of the series have been sold via newspapers.
In
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, the series is aired every Sunday on the Universal Channel on
DStvDStv is MultiChoice's multi-channel digital satellite TV service in Africa, launched in 1995. It operates from two satellites over Africa, broadcasting on Ku band via Eutelsat W7 and Intelsat 7 , which only requires a small satellite dish...
, channel number 108.
In
South KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, the series is aired every Friday evening on the BBC Entertainment channel on Sky. It has done from series 12 onwards on channel number 334.
In
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, the series is called
Los asesinatos de Midsomer (Midsomer Murders). Only the first episodes were aired on City TV.
In
Sri LankaSri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, the series is aired on Channel Eye every Sunday Night.
In
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, the series, translated to
Morden i Midsomer (The Murders in Midsomer) and airing on
SVT1SVT1 is the primary television station of the Swedish public service broadcaster Sveriges Television in Sweden.-History:The channel began broadcasting in 1956 and was known as Radiotjänst TV, A year later, it was renamed Sveriges Radio TV. In 1969, the second television station TV2 was launched and...
, is hugely popular and has become a traditional part of summer television schedules. Older seasons are currently aired on TV3 and TV8. DVDs of the episodes were previously sold weekly with copies of a
tabloid newspaperExpressen is one of two nationwide evening tabloid newspapers in Sweden, the other being Aftonbladet. Expressen was founded in 1944; its symbol is a wasp and slogans "it stings" or "Expressen to your rescue", always on the reader's side....
.
It is also aired in
ThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
,
Malaysia, the Philippines and
IndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
on the Hallmark Channel every week.
In
UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
the series is called "Суто англійські вбивства" (Purely English Murder), and has been shown on some channels, recently (2009 — now) on НТН Channel. The reason for the choice of title is the same as in Russia.
In the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the series was aired by Arts and Entertainment Television for a time and is sporadically broadcast by various Public Broadcasting affiliates.
Controversy
In March 2011, producer
Brian True-May was suspended by All3Media after having told the TV listings magazine
Radio TimesRadio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
that racial diversity in the programme was non-existent because the series was a "bastion of Englishness". When challenged on the term Englishness and whether that should exclude different ethnic minorities, True-May said "Well, it should do, and maybe I'm not politically correct". He later went on to say that he wanted to make a programme "that appeals to a certain audience, which seems to succeed". True-May's comments are now being investigated by the production company Mr. True-May has now been reinstated but will step down as producer after the filming of the remainder of the current series has been completed.
DVD releases
All thirteen series thus far of
Midsomer Murders have been released in Australia and New Zealand (Region 4). All 65 episodes that have been aired so far have been released in the UK (Region 2) including the 2008 Christmas Special "Days of Misrule" released 2 February 2009.
In January 2006,
Midsomer Murders started a DVD & Magazine Collection, available at newsagents in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Acorn Media has released 18 DVD sets of
Midsomer Murders in North America as well as a 19-disc collection available as
The Early Cases. This set, which restores the episodes to their UK broadcast order, includes Acorn's set one, two, three, and five, as well as a bonus disc featuring a behind-the-scenes documentary. The North American releases lag well behind UK releases.
Books
The following list is a collection of published works connected with the series.
- Caroline Graham, "The Killings at Badger's Drift", 1987.
- Caroline Graham, "Death of a Hollow Man
Death of a Hollow Man is a work of detective fiction by Caroline Graham, the second in her Chief Inspector Barnaby series, which has been adapted into the successful ITV drama Midsomer Murders.-Plot summary:...
", 1989.
- Caroline Graham, "Death in Disguise
Death in Disguise is a crime novel by Caroline Graham, the third in her popular Chief Inspector Barnaby series, which has been adapted into the successful ITV drama Midsomer Murders.-Plot summary:...
", 1993.
- Caroline Graham, "Written in Blood
Written in Blood is a crime novel by English author Caroline Graham, the fourth book in her popular Chief Inspector Barnaby series, which has been adapted into the equally successful ITV drama Midsomer Murders.-Plot summary:...
", 1995.
- Caroline Graham, "Faithful unto Death
Faithful unto Death is a work of detective fiction by Caroline Graham, the fifth in her popular Chief Inspector Barnaby series, which has been adapted into the equally successful ITV drama Midsomer Murders.-Plot summary:...
", 1998.
- Caroline Graham, "A Place of Safety
A Place of Safety is a crime novel by Caroline Graham, the sixth in her popular Chief Inspector Barnaby series, which has been adapted into the successful ITV drama Midsomer Murders.-Plot summary:...
", 1999.
- Caroline Graham, "A Ghost in the Machine
A Ghost in the Machine is a work of detective fiction by Caroline Graham, the seventh in her popular Chief Inspector Barnaby series, which has been adapted into the equally successful ITV drama Midsomer Murders.-Plot summary:...
", 2004.
- Jeff Evans
Jeff Evans is a British writer and journalist. He is the author the Good Bottled Beer Guide, and was the editor of the Good Beer Guide from 1991 to 1998. He has also written about television.-Biography:...
, "Midsomer Murders: The Making of An English Crime Classic", 2003.
External links