Midsomer Murders - Destroying Angel [1997] [DVD]

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As always, the production values are top notch, with to die for scenery, the idyllic look of it contrasting very well with the story's grimness, and quaint and atmospheric photography. The music fits perfectly, and the theme tune one of the most memorable and instantly recognisable of the genre. The will of late hotelier Karl Wainright causes ructions amongst his staff, and soon a serial murderer begins hunting down the beneficiaries, dispatching them in increasingly gruesome and imaginative ways. Meanwhile, Barnaby and Troy discover the bizarre village tradition of exposing dark secrets - through cryptic Punch and Judy shows.

Sarah Barnaby ( Fiona Dolman) (series 14–present)—John Barnaby's wife is the headmistress of a local secondary school. As she has a full-time career of her own (unlike Joyce), she does not figure as much in her husband's cases; and they don't have any children (until the end of the sixteenth series), although you may consider Sykes, their dog, as their child. They have a loving marriage and celebrated their fifteen-year anniversary in "Schooled for murder". Throughout the sixteenth series Sarah is pregnant and in the last episode of the series she gives birth to their first child, a daughter, called Betty. Neil Dudgeon, Chief Inspector John Barnaby, appeared for the first time as Daniel Bolt [7] a character in the episode "Garden of Death" (2000). Then Tristan is poisoned with "destroying angel," a type of mushroom, and not much can be done for him. Then there's another death. As the bodies mount up, Barnaby and Troy have to figure out whodunit. Cully Barnaby (later Dixon) ( Laura Howard) (series 1–13)—Tom and Joyce's only child takes her first name from a village on Lake Geneva in Switzerland, where she was conceived during her parents' honeymoon. An inquisitive and bold young woman, she's inherited her parents' friendly attitudes and community spirit. Early in the series, she attended Cambridge University and dated a fellow drama student, called Nico ( Ed Waters). After that, she sometimes went out with and secretly flirted with DS Troy and DS Scott. She is an actress and frequently takes temporary jobs in the Midsomer area when "resting" between assignments. Like her mother, her tendency to do community work often leaves her personally involved with the murders that take place. She meets Simon Dixon ( Sam Hazeldine) in "The Axeman Cometh", becomes engaged to him in "Death In A Chocolate Box", and marries him in "Blood Wedding". If you know me, you know that I’m a huge Midsomer Murders fan. Since 2015, I’ve been blogging every new episode in the show for this very paper, and I’m always keen to sing its praise. I do admit, however, that the show’s quality is incredibly variable, and that each episode of Midsomer may be a dud just as easily as a classic. This was less so in the series’ classic days, with many favourite episodes coming from the earlier series. And that’s where you’ll find an instalment that, to my mind, is the pinnacle of the show – series four’s ‘Destroying Angel’.DCI Barnaby and DS Troy investigate the murder of Gregory Chambers who was killed when out in the woods mushrooming. He was one of four people who had recently inherited a portion of his employer's estate, principally a local hotel. With his death, his one-quarter share now passes to his wife, Suzanna, who has been having an affair with Tristan Goodfellow. It would also appear that Gregory was having an affair with Annie Tyson, who is four months pregnant. When Tristan is poisoned with a type of mushroom known as Destroying Angel and the other heirs of the estate are put at risk, Barnaby looks to find a common connection. Evelyn is a beloved former puppet master in Midsomer Magna. Her shows of Mr. Punch and Judy were iconic from entertaining the kids, but usually placing innuendos about the villagers' worst actions and secrets she found them deserving to be ruined by. Tom Barnaby himself regarded her for exposing a husband beating his wife, which preceded a successful arrest. Evelyn was the godmother of the village aside her loving husband Woody, her two closest confidants for the show being her dear niece Clarice Opperman and local mushroomer and all around do-gooder Gregory Chambers.

Rupert Vansittart appeared in three episodes: as Selwyn Proctor in "Market for Murder" (2002), as Desmond Harcourt in "The Axeman Cometh" (2007), and as Alistair Kingslake in "The Dogleg Murders" (2009). Evelyn and Woody go to the fete. They ask Suzanna about Tristan. She says he is dying. Evelyn tells Suzanna that the Punch and Judy show is a tribute to Gregory using the script he wrote before he died. SPOILERS FOLLOW: I'm adding this for other viewers who would like to refresh their memory about the solution without having to watch the whole thing again.Rosalind Knight played Eleanor Macpherson in "Birds of Prey" (2003) and Mother Jerome in "A Sacred Trust" (2011). VKK Birgitte Poulsen ( Ann Eleonora Jørgensen) appears in "The Killings of Copenhagen" and "Death of the Small Coppers". Detective Constable Gail Stephens ( Kirsty Dillon) (series 10–13)—a colleague of Tom Barnaby and DS Jones, who often helps them in their cases, sometimes providing valuable insight. Gail was transferred to Midsomer from Binwell. Gail is cheery but emotional, breaking down in tears when, after initially serving as a uniformed woman police constable, she was appointed as a plain-clothed CID detective. Throughout Gail's appearances, it is implied that she is on the point of having an affair with Sgt Jones, but when it came to the crunch he decided that he did not want to get too heavily involved with a colleague, after which Gail effectively snubbed him. Strangely, Gail has not been seen since "Fit For Murder". Hotel owner Karl Wainwright has recently died, and his will divides his estate among four beneficiaries - staff members of the hotel, including the manager, cook, and accountant. However, on the day of his funeral, one of the beneficiaries—hotel manager and Punch-and-Judy showman, Gregory Chambers—goes missing. When a search for him is conducted, a severed hand is found in the woods; it proves to belong to him, which soon prompts a murder investigation. When DCI Barnaby and DS Troy investigate the matter in the village of Midsomer Magna, and determine what happened to Gregory, death threats are sent to the remaining beneficiaries, and soon enough, the hotel cook is fatally poisoned with a dangerous mushroom called Destroying Angel, while the accountant's husband is crushed under his own drinks cabinet. Barnaby soon begins to wonder if all the deaths are linked to the same killer, but when it turns out Gregory was in possession of an important document, he soon has to find out what it was, and who knew about it... Karl and Gregory were very close. Gregory was the only one he could trust with the new will. Suzanna, Kenneth and Tristan knew Gregory would have the will on him. So they decided to murder him. Suzanna also tried to kill Evelyn and Clarice. Barnaby and Troy go to talk to Tristan. He tells them that Suzanna called him about Julia being upset and he told Suzanna to silence her. Tristan says they should have got away with Gregory's murder but when disposing of the body parts, he saw Colin Salter and Florence in the woods. The bag must have split. He didn't realize the hand had dropped out. Then they decided to implicate Annie. Tristan reaches under his pillow and pulls out the new will. It was his insurance. He thought if Suzanna could murder one husband, she might just be tempted to murder another.