Midsomer Murders
The peacefulness of the Midsomer community is shattered by violent crimes, suspects are placed under suspicion, and it is up to a veteran DCI and his young sergeant to calmly and diligently eliminate the innocent and ruthlessly pursue the guilty.
Episodes
The Killings at Badger's Drift
An elderly woman is found dead in her cottage and DCI Tom Barnaby is convinced the death is not down…
Written in Blood
Gerald Hadleigh, secretary of a writers' circle, is found battered to death the morning after the group's meeting with best-selling…
Death of a Hollow Man
The body of Agnes Gray, a woman who loved only animals, is found in the river - but she did…
Faithful Unto Death
A craft centre in the old mill at Morton Fendle is losing money. Several locals have invested in the business…
Death in Disguise
At a local New Age commune (fancifully called the Lodge of the Golden Windhorse) William Carter is found dead with…
Death's Shadow
Barnaby and Troy are in Badger's Drift again, this time to investigate the murder of an unpopular property developer called…
Strangler's Wood
Nine years after a series of unsolved murders at Midsomer Worthy, a new death which follows the same pattern (a…
Dead Man's Eleven
Troy is in the Midsomer Worthy cricket eleven for the annual match against Fletchers Cross, so he is on the…
Blood Will Out
The sleepy village of Martyr Warren is invaded by quarrelsome New Age travellers, some of whom fall out with Hector…
Death of a Stranger
When a tramp dies fleeing from fox hunters, the investigation uncovers a trail of murderous deceit.
Blue Herrings
A series of deaths at a nursing home causes the residents to suspect foul play.
Judgement Day
Midsomer Mallow has a shot at the Perfect Village title, provided it can keep a murderer at bay.
Beyond the Grave
Unearthly happenings in and around a local museum create an atmosphere of terror.
Electric Vendetta
A man's naked body is found in a crop circle, then another dead man electrocuted at the wheel of his…
Who Killed Cock Robin?
Dr Burgess, on his way home from a party at the glamorous Francesca Ward's riding school, knocks a stranger down…
Garden of Death
The Inkpen family has bought back its ancestral home, Inkpen Manor at Midsomer Deverell, and they plan to turn a…
Destroying Angel
Barnaby attends the funeral of the owner of the Easterly Grange Hotel and hears that the hotel manager has gone…
Dark Autumn
A postman is brutally murdered on his morning round in the hamlet of Goodman's Land. Local WPC Jay Nash helps…
Tainted Fruit
A wealthy young landlady fears for her life after she callously ignores the plight of an elderly tenant.
Market for Murder
A ladies reading group in Midsomer Market starts losing members to murder.
A Worm in the Bud
A suspicious suicide note has Barnaby wondering if foul play was involved in a young woman's death.
Ring Out Your Dead
In the village of Midsomer Wellow, someone is killing off the bellringers of the parish church, in the week before…
Murder on St Malley's Day
Members of an elite student club close ranks after a murder at the Devington School.
Death and Dreams
Barnaby investigates a death which looks very much like suicide. The dead man was a troubed and depressed gambler on…
Birds of Prey
Julian Shepherd, who has most of his money invested in Charles Edmonton's new invention, is found drowned, and there is…
A Talent for Life
Accusations of unsportsmanlike conduct on the river are bedevilling the Midsomer game fishermen, and Barnaby has to interview elegant widow…
Painted in Blood
Barnaby's wife, Joyce, finds a dead body on the Midsomer Florey village green while taking part in a watercolour painting…
A Tale of Two Hamlets
Someone is decimating the ancient Smythe-Webster family of Upper Walden, and the bad blood between the villages of Upper and…
The Green Man
The Barnaby-Troy partnership is about to come to an end, as Troy has passed his inspector's exam and is moving…
Bad Tidings
Barnaby's new partner, Sergeant Dan Scott, arrives from London's Metropolitan Police and expects to have a quiet life. But then…
The Fisher King
Midsomer Barrow landowner Gareth Heldman is murdered with an Iron Age spear, on the same spot where his father was…
Sins of Commission
The Midsomer Literary Festival opens with the real-life murder of a famous author at Midsomer St Michael. In investigating the…
The Maid in Splendour
Jamie Cruickshank, a bartender at the Maid in Splendour public house, is keen on Bella Monday, a barmaid, and follows…
The Straw Woman
When a traditional festival is revived at Midsomer Parva, it goes disastrously wrong, with the curate (or assistant priest) being…
Things That Go Bump in the Night
DCI Tom Barnaby and Sergeant Dan Scott investigate a link between a murder spree and a spiritualist church.
Dead in the Water
The Midsomer Regatta is halted by the discovery of the body of the chairman of the Midsomer Rowing Club floating…
Ghosts of Christmas Past
An elderly woman is found dead in her cottage and DCI Tom Barnaby is convinced the death is not down…
Orchis Fatalis
When a rare orchid is smuggled illegally into Midsomer Malham it releases the heady scents of passion, jealousy and death.
Bantling Boy
DCI Tom Barnaby and Sgt Dan Scott investigate the murders of a horse-racing syndicate.
Second Sight
John Ransom is found murdered with suspicious burn marks to his head. The investigation leads to two feuding families -…
Hidden Depths
When local solicitor Nick Turner falls to his death from his house roof, it is not clear whether it was…
Sauce for the Goose
Barnaby and Scott investigate when the dead body of rival employee, Dexter Lockwood, is found in the Plummer family's factory…
Midsomer Rhapsody
When retired music teacher Arthur Leggott is battered to death with a torch, Barnaby and Scott investigate a web of…
The House in the Woods
A couple who have been searching the Midsomer area for a suitable property to renovate, Peter & Caroline Cave, are…
Dead Letters
The village of Midsomer Barton is celebrating Oak Apple Week when a local single mother, Marion Slade, is found drowned…
Vixen's Run
The elderly Sir Freddy Butler has invited both his ex-wives, Annabel & Lucinda, to stay with him and his current…
Down Among the Dead Men
Barnaby and Jones investigate the shooting of a blackmailer, Martin Barrett. But he had so many victims, they are spoiled…
Four Funerals and a Wedding
Barnaby's mother-in-law comes to visit, and insists on being taken to the village of Broughton, which has seen a war…
Country Matters
Frank Hopkirk, an environmental adviser on the proposed site of a controversial Goodfare supermarket in Elverton-cum-Latterly, is found stabbed to…
Death in Chorus
The Midsomer Worthy local amateur choir includes Joyce Barnaby & Dr Bullard amongst its members. Their conductor, Laurence Barker, has…
Last Year's Model
Annie Woodrow, a charity worker from Midsomer Malham, is standing trial for killing her best friend, Frances Trevelyan, in a…
Dance with the Dead
Suicide pact or murder? Barnaby quickly discovers it's the latter when the body of a young man turns up in…
The Animal Within
Faith Alexander arrives in Midsomer Deverell to visit her estranged Uncle Rex, much to the surprise of his friends and…
The King's Crystal
When factory owner Alan King, owner of the Kings crystal glass company, meets his death in Shanghai the repercussions are…
The Axeman Cometh
Barnaby rocks!!! Barnaby dusts off his LPs and reminices about his younger days as a member of a rock band,…
Death and Dust
When Dr Alan Delaney is killed by a hit and run driver, Barnaby realises the real target was Delaney's senior…
Picture of Innocence
There's a shock for Joyce when she and Tom visit a photo exhibition in Luxton Deeping. Barnaby also gets a…
They Seek Him Here
Nick Cheney was once a successful director, but he has now ended up mainly directing low-budget films. We meet him…
Death in a Chocolate Box
Reformed criminal Ronnie Tyler prepares to leave Midsomer Holm, a tranquil village and halfway house. In the village is an…
Shot at Dawn
Although it's 90 years since the end of WW1, the feud between the Hammond and Hicks families still festers. Much…
Blood Wedding
An upper class wedding results in an evil and sudden death, which becomes another challenge for Barnaby. These people are…
Left for Dead
The building of a new road attracts protesters to a small Midsomer village, and it seems to be motive for…
Midsomer Life
Guy Sandys is a retired City financier, who has bought Midsomer Life magazine, almost as a hobby, and enjoys using…
The Magician's Nephew
Jean Wildacre dies suspiciously during a performance as assistant to local magician Aloysius Wilmington, and Barnaby & Jones are called…
Days of Misrule
It is Christmas and DCI Barnaby deals with an explosion and some killings near a freight company, at the same…
Talking to the Dead
Two couples disappear in the tiny village of Monks Barton amid rumours of witchcraft and haunted woods. As Barnaby and…
The Dogleg Murders
On the Midsomer Golfclub Whiteoaks a member is killed with a golfclub. In the course of the investigation they discover…
The Black Book
The sale of a previously unknown painting by an 18th century painter sends Barnaby into an investigation of murders as…
Secrets and Spies
A number of murders near a government safe house in Midsomer appears to be connected to a group of British…
The Glitch
Midsomer University science fellow George Jeffers threatens to make public a problem with his state-of-the-art invention Kernel Logic, but American…
Small Mercies
Richard Tanner is found murdered in a model village, stabbed and trussed up like Gulliver in a macabre tableau. The…
The Creeper
Midsomer's Chettham Park House, once owned by Sir William Chettham, has been bought by entrepreneur Jack Filby to save Sir…
The Great and the Good
The night time peace of Badger's Drift is shattered horribly when teacher Connie Bishop screams in fright, convinced there is…
The Sword of Guillaume
Barnaby decides to join Causton's annual trip to Brighton when he become suspicious about the mayor's plans to buy up…
The Made-to-Measure Murders
The residents of Milton Cross, a feudal estate with a church, farms, houses and acres of land, depend on lord…
Blood on the Saddle
Ford Florey is a town with a Wild West Society and many grudges. During a Wild West show at the…
The Silent Land
On a dark night in the village of March Magna, Barnaby's wife Joyce swerves her car to narrowly miss a…
Master Class
Piano student Zoe Stock has won a place at the Devington Manor Winter School led by internationally renowned musician Sir…
The Noble Art
Local boxer John Kinsella's successful world title bid stirs up hidden passions among the residents of Midsomer Morchard. As plans…
Not in My Back Yard
A planning dispute turns to murder after a leading light in the Midsomer Conservation Society suspects her neighbours are involved…
Fit for Murder
Barnaby reluctantly accompanies Joyce on a spa weekend to Swavely Manor. But as he attempts to de-stress, a woman is…
Death in the Slow Lane
New DCI John Barnaby arrives in Midsomer and is bemused by the quaint villages and their quirky residents. But when…
Dark Secrets
The reclusive lives of elderly eccentrics William and Mary Bingham comes under police scrutiny when a social services investigator is…
Echoes of the Dead
When a young woman is dressed like a bride and drowned in a bath, it triggers a spate of ghoulish…
The Oblong Murders
Bullard asks Barnaby to investigate the disappearance of a friend's daughter who was a member of the Oblong Foundation, a…
The Sleeper Under the Hill
When the body of a farmer is found in the middle of a stone circle in Midsomer Mow, suspicion points…
The Night of the Stag
A tax inspector goes missing as he tries to track down the maker of an illicit, potent cider popular among…
A Sacred Trust
Barnaby and Jones investigate the cloistered world of Midsomer Priory when a nun is strangled to death. The detectives uncover…
A Rare Bird
A row breaks out between some birdwatchers in Midsomer-in-the-Marsh ends things end up turning nasty after their president is killed.…
The Dark Rider
When a headless horseman makes an an appearance at Quitewell Hall it foreshadows a number of deaths amongst an aristocratic…
Murder of Innocence
After convicted killer Grady Felton returns to his childhood home after 18 years, it causes anger and raw emotion for…
Written in the Stars
As darkness covers Midsomer Stanton during a total eclipse of the sun, amateur astronomer Jeremy Harper is killed by blow…
The Sicilian Defence
After having been in a coma since the night she attempted to elope, Harriet Farmer wakes up. A killer then…
Death and the Divas
The murder of a journalist leaves reminders of a 1960's horror movie starring Midsomer’s Stella Harris. After Stella’s more famous…
Schooled in Murder
A woman ends up being crushed to death with a giant wheel of Midsomer Blue cheese. Secret and controversial plans…
The Christmas Haunting
DCI Barnaby and DS Nelson investigate the fatal stabbing of a man with an antique sword during a ghost-hunting party…
Let Us Prey
A series of murders in Midsomer St Claire seem to be inspired by macabre images on a medieval fresco recently…
Wild Harvest
When farmer Martin Strickland is covered in truffle oil and mauled to death by a wild boar, the investigation leads…
The Flying Club
The owner of Finchmere airfield is dropped from a plane to meet a gruesome death. Are anti-craft campaigner's behind Bernard…
The Killings of Copenhagen
Barnaby and Nelson join forces with two female Danish police detectives after Eric Calder is poisoned by Strychnine coating when…
The Dagger Club
The unveiling of a newly-discovered novel by deceased Midsomer crime-writer George Summersbee at the Luxton Deeping Crime Festival is jeopardised…
Murder by Magic
When a pub landlady is crushed to death during a magic show in Midsomer Oaks, Barnaby and Nelson uncover conflict…
The Ballad of Midsomer County
Could a ballad made famous by late, lamented folk singer Johnny Carver be an inspiration for murder? Did someone want…
A Vintage Murder
The fizz goes out of a sparkling wine launch when the glasses are laced with poison. Who is targeting the…
Habeas Corpus
When wealthy landowner Gregory Lancaster's body goes missing on the night of his death, a sinister web of secrets and…
The Incident at Cooper Hill
Forest ranger Felicity Ford is blinded by mysterious lights while driving at night in the village of Cooper Hill and…
Breaking the Chain
An international cycling competition goes through the village of Burwood Mantle and after the race leader is murdered, DCI Barnaby…
A Dying Art
A new sculpture park is set to open in Angel's Rise, but it's launch is soon marred by murder. Barnaby…
Saints and Sinners
A Saint's bones are discovered during an archaeological dig, causing a stir in the village of Midsomer Cicely. However, when…
Harvest of Souls
The annual harvest fair and the daredevil riders of the Wall of Death arrive in the Midsomer village of Whitcombe…
The Village That Rose from the Dead
The Village of Little Auburn has stood abandoned since World War Two but plans are afoot to restore it to…
Crime and Punishment
The Bleakridge Watch patrols the streets of their remote village, exposing anyone who steps outside the law. When one of…
Last Man Out
Tensions run high in Lower Pampling as a new type of cricket threatens a century of tradition. When a star…
Red in Tooth & Claw
At the annual Bellville Hall Small Pet Show, a local estate agent is found stabbed to death amid a herd…
Death by Persuasion
A young journalist, seemingly interested in the village's healthcare drone delivery program, is murdered when she slips away from a…
The Curse of the Ninth
When a prize-winning violinist is killed with his Stradivarius stolen, Barnaby must sort through a myriad of suspects and motives…
The Ghost of Causton Abbey
Causton is buzzing at the opening of a new brewery on the site of a famously cursed Abbey. But excitement…
Death of the Small Coppers
A butterfly collector is found pinned to a wall like one of his specimens.
Drawing Dead
Carver Valley’s comic festival is in full swing when the village is shocked by the murder of a former supermodel.…
The Lions of Causton
Barnaby gets to relive his former sporting glory when a death at the local Rugby Club sends Barnaby and Winter…
Till Death Do Us Part
Barnaby is less than impressed when Sarah drags him to a wedding. But things go from bad to worse when…
Send in the Clowns
Things take a gruesome turn when Ferabbees Circus comes to town, bringing with it a chain of sinister clown sightings,…
The Point of Balance
When a former ballroom-dance champion is found dead with tulle stuffed in her mouth after the opening gala of the…
The Miniature Murders
The worlds of miniature dollhouses and real houses collide when a prolific real-estate agent is shot in front of a…
The Sting of Death
Barnaby and Winter are called to the stately home of a master beekeeper after he is injured attempting to apprehend…
With Baited Breath
Tensions run high in the village of Solomon Gorge when a fishing competition and extreme obstacle course are scheduled for…
The Wolf Hunter of Little Worthy
After a local photographer wins an urban myth competition with his creation of The Wolf Hunter, it unexpectedly gains a…
The Stitcher Society
A local outcast, who was controversially acquitted of murder years previously, is the latest inductee into a post-operative heart rehab…
Happy Families
Barnaby is investigating the murder of Victor Karras, a manufacturer of exclusive board games, who appears to have been poisoned.
The Scarecrow Murders
The annual scarecrow festival in Midsomer takes a terrible turn when dead bodies are found placed on piles next to…
For Death Prepare
The Midsomer Mummers, a company for amateur opera, is in the middle of rehearsals for a charity concert when a…
The Witches of Angel's Rise
Each year, the village of Angel's Rise hosts the Psychic Fayre. Founded by the Saint-Stephens family in memory of their…
The Blacktrees Prophecy
When a doomsdayer is found murdered in his bombproof shelter, a dark conspiracy is revealed - how far people will…
The Debt of Lies
The latest resident of a police retirement community is found dead.
A Grain of Truth
Tom and Chrissie Larkton are baking superstars. They run a bakery from an old water mill, but rumor has it…
Dressed to Kill
The residents of the village of Elverton-Cum-Latterly gather for the annual domino tournament. This year, the tournament has interim competition…
The Devil's Work
An inheritance dispute turns toxic when the eldest son tries to split up his ancient family estate.
Book of the Dead
Barnaby must crack the clues to find the killer of a writer who sparked a nationwide treasure hunt.
Claws Out
The murder of a pet detective draws Barnaby and Winter into the world of dognapping.
A Climate of Death
When an entire village is bought by a Texas oilman, a string of grisly murders ensues.
Treasures of Darkness
After a series of death threats by a group of rival mudlarkers, Barnaby and Winter are drawn into a complex…
Lawn of the Dead
Barnaby and Winter investigate when Wilf, a groundsman and referee for Midsomer Deverell's lawn bowling club, is found murdered after…
Death Strikes Three
When a booby-trapped cuckoo clock kills a guest at Godley Manor's engagement party and turns the celebration into chaos, Barnaby…
Top of the Class
After a strict headteacher is brutally murdered during a PTA meeting, Barnaby and Winter dig into the case. To catch…
Where to watch
Drama Serie Review
*Midsomer Murders* stands as a peculiar titan of British television, enduring for over a quarter-century by perfecting a brand of "cosy lethality" that shouldn’t work as well as it does. The series thrives on a sharp, ironic contrast: the lush, postcard-perfect greenery of the English countryside serves as a backdrop for some of the most imaginative and bizarre homicides in the genre. This juxtaposition is the show’s greatest strength, transforming the mundane—a village fete, a local winery, or a chess tournament—into a labyrinth of ancient grudges and modern greed.
The narrative structure is famously methodical. While the transition from John Nettles to Neil Dudgeon as DCI Barnaby marked a shift in tone, the core remains a diligent procedural. Dudgeon brings a steady, intellectual warmth to the role, while Nick Hendrix provides a necessary, energetic foil as the younger sergeant. Together, they navigate a community that feels frozen in time yet is perpetually plagued by contemporary malice. The series excels at world-building; each episode introduces a micro-society with its own rules, making the eventual reveal of the killer feel like the inevitable collapse of a fragile social ecosystem.
However, the show’s longevity is also its Achilles' heel. With 25 seasons and 144 episodes, the formula occasionally wears thin. The "whodunit" mechanics can sometimes feel strained, relying on increasingly eccentric motives that border on the absurd. While the creative kills are a trademark, they occasionally overshadow the emotional weight of the crimes, turning human tragedy into a stylistic exercise. Furthermore, the pacing can feel sluggish for audiences accustomed to high-octane thrillers, as the series prioritizes atmosphere and red herrings over narrative momentum.
Ultimately, *Midsomer Murders* is a masterclass in escapist mystery. It doesn't aim for the gritty realism of modern noir, and it’s better for it. For those who appreciate a slow-burn investigation led by a veteran detective who values logic over theatrics, this remains an essential, albeit predictable, staple of the genre. It is a comforting, murderous constant in an ever-changing television landscape.
