Midsomer Murders delightfully entertaining

Thursday, October 29, 2009

By CAINE GARDNER

Film Critic

For fans of murder mystery and cop shows, Midsomer Murders is the must catch series for you. It blends all the elements of both genres to make a perfectly pleasant viewing experience.

Midsomer Murders is a series on British television that has been on the air since 1997 and continues to produce mind tingling intrigue with every episode.

The series follows Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) and Detective Sergeant Ben Jones (Jason Hughes) and the crimes they investigate in the small English county of Midsomer.

Midsomer Murders: Set 13 hit shelves on Sept. 29, featuring episodes 'Dance with the Dead', 'The Animal Within', 'King's Crystal' and 'The Axeman Cometh'. With a run time of an hour and a half each, this is six-hours of entertainment you definitely don't want to miss out on.

The showcase episode of the set is 'Dance with the Dead'. In it Barnaby and Jones are called in after a young man is found asphyxiated and his girlfriend Laura (Lizzy Watts) has gone missing. As the story unfolds layer upon layer, it becomes obvious that most everyone's life in town is in some way intertwined with Laura.

From the pervy older photog to the local postmaster, everyone seems to have a hidden aspect to their lives where Laura is in some way involved. Now it's up to Barnaby and Jones to sift through the multitudes of secrets and find the truth behind her boyfriend's murder and her own whereabouts.

As all those involved with Laura start coming up dead, Barnaby and Jones begin to fit the pieces together and it all adds up to one likely scenario -- a scorned love. And when a crucial piece of evidence is left after an assault, the duo is in prime position to nab their killer.

It's a shame that we don't have something this enthralling and intriguing on American television. The characters and settings are rich and the stories have a tautness that leaves the viewer breathlessly awaiting the next turn.

Some might think that jumping into a series after it's been on the air for 12 years is impossible, but Midsomer Murders is like a pair of comfortable cabin slippers. This is a dynamite series.

Final Cut: Midsomer Murders has become my newest television addiction. From the moment the opening credits pop, you'll find yourself at home in Midsomer County and welcomed warmly by its inhabitants This Christmas, surprise the mystery lover in your family with this superb box set.

Midsomer Murders: Set 13

Four-Disc set

* Dance with the Dead

* The Animal Within

* King's Crystal

* The Axeman Cometh