Friday Review: Midsomer Murders

A regular feature of sweaty bloggopotamus, Friday Reviews is a look at from one to a google plex things I've read, watched, heard, felt, tasted and/or smelled. While I hope these reviews to be of recent or interesting things, they will always be of things I love or hate or which have surpassed or sorely missed my expectations. In other words, its my two cents (which after adjusting for intellectual inflation and multiplying by the 'insight factor' and dividing by the quality of the review, is actually one cent - and that's on my better days).

Midsomer Murders on itv (and DVD)

Midsomer Murders is long running (since 1997 until now) detective drama airing in the UK. They're based on the books by Caroline Graham, and follow the many, many murders in the fictitious Midsomer County, and their eventual solution by Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby and Detective Sergeant Gavin Troy, at least through the first six series. The web tells me that Barnaby eventually gets a couple of different assistants and that with the most recent season, there is even a new Barnaby.

I really like this series. I really like a lot of series, to be fair, but this one is special. There are no super cops, top forensics labs, former Marines-turned-Intelligence officers. it's just a couple of "flat-footed country cops" (6x23 - "Painted in Blood"), and sure this term is used derogatorily, but accepted later by the two as a badge of honor. They are good detectives who solve crimes by doing the legwork and persevering. I've watched about 25 episodes now and have yet to get to the point where they feel formulaic. I have gotten to the point where I am fond of the characters, not to mention noticing all the guest stars. I watch a lot of BBC television, so I tend to see a lot of faces that I recognize.

The other day, one of the librarians when explaining the show to another librarian who had not seen it, said, "it's like Murder She Wrote, but with british detectives instead of a little old lady in New England". I was quick to deny this, but upon further reflection, especially after she explained that it was meant as a compliment, I think I agree with her. Except not so formulaic.

I feel like I should recommend an episode or two, well that's not a bad idea. It just so happens that the first I would recommend is the very first episode, "The Killings at Badger's Drift". It's very eccentric and the cast of characters are, um, eccentric. And by eccentric, I mean they are crazy, cooky, zany.

I give this series, 5 out of 5 badges.