During my battle with paranoia and since the onset of the lockdowns last year, I drew strength from distractions, and one of the best ones, I had was binge-watching tv Series. Tired of the usual American setting I set my eye on shows from the UK and came across Midsomer Murders.
The show is set in a town called Midsomer with a detective-murder theme. The lead character here is Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, played by John Nettles. DCI Barnaby lived with his wife Joyce Barnaby (Jayne Wymark), and daughter Cully (Laura Howard). He was assisted in his investigative duties by Detective Sergeant Gavin Troy, played by Danie Casey.
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| DCI Tom Barnaby and D.Sgt. Troy |
This show has been around for quite a while and has under its belt already 21 series or seasons. The first series dates back to 1997 and according to its official Facebook page, series 22 will be released sometime in October this year. The chemistry of the actors here is I think the secret towards the long-running success of this tv show.
Unlike detective-crime dramas, in the United States, there is not a lot of gore and violence, that one would typically expect from a show with such a theme. Instead, viewers are treated I should say to a fresh plot and set of characters. The protagonist here is a happily married man, with a very stable character and uses his wits and acumen, more than brawns to solve crimes.
Watching the shows have also given me the chance to see actors like Orlando Bloom and Henry Cavill, when they were young stars and not yet very popular. In the months that I have been watching all 21 series, I have grown a certain kind of attachment to the show and its characters. I have also learned something about the British police system, most interesting was that not everyone carried a gun. DCI Barnaby and Detective Sgt. Troy never carried any weapons, apart from their wits, which greatly contrasts with its American counterparts.
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DCI John Barnaby and D. Sgt. Jamie Winter
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In 2011, John Nettles (Tom Barnaby) left the show, offering no explanations other than the fact that he believed someone else should take his place. And so he was replaced by Neil Dugeon and of course a new sidekick (although the character of Detective Sergeant has been replaced three times already prior to the current one) by Detective Jamie Winter, played by Nick Hendrix.
For those of you out there who have not seen this series, I invite you to watch it, especially if you are a fan of murder mysteries, this show will definitely become one of your favorites.
