Midsomer Murders: Series 23 – DVD Review
By Karl Hornsey
What is there left to say about Midsomer Murders that hasn’t already been said? More than 27 years have passed since the series first aired and, far from running out of steam and ideas, it seems to simply be going from strength to strength instead. That can be verified by the quality of the four episodes in the latest series – series 23, remarkably, which are available on this DVD release from Acorn Media, along with a bonus ’25 Years of Mayhem Special’ disc, going behind the scenes of the series and offering fans some fabulous snippets into the making of the show.
When the original main character of Tom Barnaby, played so magnificently by John Nettles, retired in 2011 there was the possibility that the show would never quite hit the heights again, and there’s a danger in any series of losing so much of the initial attraction. But, clearly, the introduction of Neil Dudgeon as John Barnaby worked an absolute treat, and the ingenuity of the astonishing number of deaths continues to surprise. Perhaps the series will continue until Dudgeon has overtaken the number of episodes that Nettles appeared in, and he’s certainly gaining fast.
“Quality guest stars”
Ever since it first came to TV screens, other than the idyllic settings that make Midsomer Murders such a visual treat, the main topic of conversation has tended to be around quite how such a seemingly peaceful area can be home to so many murders, and very much not run-of-the-mill ones either. The long, long list of fiendish and unique ways in which characters are bumped off is one of the pleasures of the show, but remains just the right side of caricaturist and being that bit too unrealistic.
For series 23, Dudgeon and the regulars are joined by some quality guest stars, including Tom Conti, Nina Wadia and Jo Martin in episodes ‘The Blacktrees Prophecy’, ‘The Debt of Lies’, ‘A Grain of Truth’ and ‘Dressed to Kill’, and it will come as no surprise that series 24 is already in the bag and ready to air. The makers of the series know they’re onto a winner and this remains one of those quintessentially British shows that is lapped up all around the world, having aired in more than 220 territories across the globe. Working to the adage of “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it”, then it wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see Midsomer Murders go on to notch up its 30th anniversary in 2027, and keep on going strong for many years after.
‘Midsomer Murders: Series 23’ is released on DVD by Acorn Media International
