Within Midsomer County’s Causton CID there is plenty of change and action going on. In regards to Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby (played by Neil Dudgeon) he is having to adjust to live without his rock Detective Sergeant Ben Jones. Jones has moved on to the DCI position in Brighton. It is now up to Barnaby to break in a newbie. Charlie Nelson (played by Gwilym Lee) is joining the team but some adjustment has to be made to small town ways as he hails from London. He also ends up renting a room from Dr. Kate Wilding (played by Tamzin Malleson) with whom he begins an entertaining Felix and Oscar (messy vs. neat freak) relationship. Barnaby also has to deal with a wife (played by Fiona Dolman) who is about to give birth to their first child.
The cast now seems complete and the show has settled into a nice groove.
Episode 1: The Christmas Haunting: DCI Barnaby meets his new detective on the occasion of a murder of Conor Bridgeman (played by Jonah Russell). Conor met his death at a what was supposed to be a fun ghost hunt at a haunted mansion. He met his end via a medieval sword in the chest. His murder had happened while he away from the group with his girlfriend (played by Perdita Avery), a woman and situation known to his wife (played by Susie Trayling). Finding out who killed him will not be simple as he had more than his share of enemies. Barnaby and Charlie worry that they will not make it home in time for Christmas dinner.
Episode 2: Let Us Prey: In the basement of a church in Midsomer St. Claire a medieval fresco is discovered. The church’s new pastor Reverend Martha Hillcott (played by Rebecca Front) believes it will become a magnet for tourists if it is restored. Art historian Professor Philip Hamilton (played by Vincent Regan) is assigned the task of overseeing the restoration so he hires young female artist, Nancy Dewar (played by Sarah Lochlan). Nancy and Philip are also romantically involved. The restoration of the fresco causes a lot of rumblings in the small town. More occur when Nancy’s body washes up ashore and she is hooded like a figure in the fresco. It turns out that her murder is just the beginning.
Episode 3: Wild Harvest: Midsomer is the home town of celebrity chef Ruth Cameron (played by Sharon Small), who is head chef at Wyvern House. Her husband Johnny (played by Clive Wood) handles the business and public relations portions of the business. The House is owned by a farmer. He is not thrilled about his tenants and has had some angry discussions with them. When his body is found in the woods strapped to a tree and having been mauled by wild animals people are shocked. When the investigation begins it begins to turn up a whole bunch of secrets and sorting through it all will be anything other than an open and shut case.
Episode 4: The Flying Club: Midsomer regards Finchmere Airfield as an important historical site as it was an important base used during World War II. Trouble at the Airfield starts when the owner’s, Bernard King (played by Chris Nightingale), body is dropped from a plane. Once Barnaby and Charlie start the investigation they unearth a hornet’s nest of arguments about Finchmere. Some respected its historical value while others were tired of the noise.
Episode 5: The Killings of Copenhagen: For its 100th episode the show returns to the story it used in its pilot. A resident of Badger’s Drift has been murdered. Eric Calder’s (played by Marcus Hutton) body is found in Copenhagen. He was there on business. Calder was the owner of the biggest business in Badger’s Drift so his funeral is huge. The rest of his family and chief employees attempt to keep the business going. Barnaby and Charlie work in tandem with two female detectives in Copenhagen.
Special Features: Photo Gallery, Gwilym Lee Interview, Behind the Scenes, Celebrating 100 Episodes, Trailers for Still Life: A Three Pines Mystery, Republic of Doyle
