DVD Corner

Midsomer Murders Series 1 and 2 DVD Reviews

“Midsomer Murders” will charm fans of Detective series.

“Midsomer Murders” (which is based on Caroline Graham’s novels) is a long-running series that revolves around a kind hearted Detective Chief Inspector (Tom Barnaby) and his young brash assistant Sgt. Troy. The British drama is essentially your standard “whodunit?” Detective series.

Series 1 contains 5 episodes which revolve around a murdered elderly woman who was at the wrong place at the wrong time, a dead member of a Writers Group, a man who is found dead amidst preparation for a theatrical production of “Amadeus,” a kidnapped wife and some strange craft center goings on, and a murdered man at a strange commune.

Series 2 (which is comprised of 4 episodes) involves investigations into the death of a property developer, a strangled woman (which may have ties to a previous case), the death of a Cricket Captain, and the death of a grouchy and wealthy village man. Viewers can expect to see key plotlines involving Barnaby, his wife, and his daughter Cully as well.

While “Midsomer Murders” is a standard procedural with several run-of-the-mill plots (like “Death of a Hollow Man”), this series is surprisingly better paced and more engaging than the usual fare. One would think it would be the lead characters that would make the show worthwhile, but it’s the quirky supporting cast that steals the show here. The focus on Tom’s family was particular noteworthy here as it made the character of Tom more human and less like a robotic DIC who lives and breathes his work (which we see far too often). In fact, we often see Tom’s life being interrupted by murder cases as evidenced by episodes such as “Dead Man’s Eleven” (a highlight of the two series). To further comment on the supporting cast, the show boasts plenty of great acting talent in the first two series such as David Troughton, Jessica Hymes, Stephen Moyer, Colin Farrell, Toby Jones, and Imelda Staunton. You never know who will pop up which is part of the fun.

On the downside, I have to say the score is positively silly. Usually I wouldn’t comment on a show’s music, but it is so distracting and out of place here that it needed to be addressed.

Video/Audio:

Video Presentation: The picture quality is a bit fuzzy, but the production values are actually quite impressive for 1997 and 1998 British TV.

Audio Track: Dolby Digital Stereo. How does it sound? A solid if unspectacular Stereo track.

The only extras for both seasons are Acorn trailers, Midsomer maps, and text production notes.

January 5, 2016 - Posted by nicklyons1 | DVD review | Midsomer Murders Series 1 DVD Review, Midsomer Murders Series 2 DVD Review