Midsomer Murders is the eternal TV mystery, and long may it reign

Midsomer Murders is TV’s most timeless mystery series. Find out why the ITV drama is still top of the class after 22 years in the latest Deeper Cut.

Midsomer Murders is more than 22 years old, but the ITV series isn’t showing its age at all. In fact, it’s still better than the majority of what’s on TV today.

You’d think that after 21 seasons, more than 120 episodes, and hundreds of victims, things might slow down in the fictional county of Midsomer. After all, the area appears to have a higher body count than even Cabot Cove from Murder, She Wrote. But the British crime drama still has a spring in its step, and if you somehow still haven’t watched it, you’ve definitely missed out.

Originally based on Caroline Graham’s Inspector Barnaby novels (though quickly outdoing them), the series follows a detective duo as they investigate all manner of deaths throughout the villages and towns of the picturesque Midsomer County. And there are a lot of deaths, involving everything from white-collar crime, to a ghost, to a wheel of cheese. You’ll be surprised at how many ways the writers find to kill off characters, usually more than one in each episode.

And in a morbid way, that’s the appeal of the series. It takes the classic British detective mystery and is able to apply it to all kinds of stories. One episode can be about a business deal gone wrong and the next involves the circus. You never know what kind of plot you’ll get watching Midsomer, except you know it won’t be familiar — which is an accomplishment when the writers have come up with stories for two decades.

There’s a certain whimsical tone to it, too, or at least as whimsical as one can find murder and all that goes with it. Midsomer Murders lacks the doom, gloom and melodrama that bogs down many U.S. crime shows. It comes with picturesque views, an underlying sense of humor, and characters who are as quirky and/or charming as they are likely to have committed a felony. So despite the fact that there’s a horrible life expectancy, you can’t help but feel like Midsomer would be a lovely place to live.

The lifeblood of Midsomer Murders, though, is unquestionably its heroes. With a series this long, there have been numerous cast changes, and normally when that happens on a show, you see a downturn in quality. That’s not the case here — all of the regular actors have been spot-on, and so while fans have their favorites, there’s something to like about every combination of stars.

John Nettles led the first 13 seasons as the veteran Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, who never saw a case he didn’t like and mentored three different junior officers: Gavin Troy (played by Daniel Casey in seasons 1-7), Dan Scott (John Hopkins in seasons 7-8), and Ben Jones (portrayed by Jason Hughes, who actually outlasted Nettles by appearing in seasons 9-15).

After Nettles’ departure, his role was filled by current star Neil Dudgeon, who portrays Tom’s cousin, DCI John Barnaby. John initially partnered with Jones, but after his departure, he worked with Charlie Nelson (Bohemian Rhapsody star Gwilym Lee in seasons 16-18) and now Jamie Winter (Nick Hendrix from season 19-present).

That’s a lot of names, but they’ve all shown up to play, and each pairing has a different chemistry that keeps Midsomer Murders fresh. Each team feels like a different era of the show, and each of the actors has something that’s unique to them.

John Nettles cast a very long shadow as the quintessentially English Tom Barnaby, but Neil Dudgeon was the perfect replacement as John Barnaby — just as tenacious, but even funnier and more charming. The one episode in which they appear together, “The Sword of Guillaume,” is a wonderful double act between two great actors (which also happens to involve someone getting beheaded and a high-strung priest played by Doctor Who alum Mark Gatiss).

A particular standout is Jason Hughes, whose character, Ben Jones, goes through the most of any junior detective, thanks to Hughes sticking with the show for as long as he did. He starts off as a mere Police Constable and leaves having been promoted twice to Detective Inspector. For some reason, Jones has a knack for quietly and suddenly appearing in the background of scenes as if he has developed some kind of stealth capability.

And Hughes’ reaction shots and deadpan line deliveries, often as Jones’ brain has broken trying to figure out what the heck has happened this time, provide some of the best comedy throughout his run. He fleshes out that junior role more than any other co-star and makes Jones an intriguing character in his own right, not just the Barnabys’ right-hand man.

The most underrated award, though, goes to Gwilym Lee as Charlie Nelson. Lee’s three seasons have a fresh energy; it’s not easy following Jason Hughes, but he does so with a character who’s witty, engaging and quick on the draw. So far, he has yet to make a return appearance, but Charlie is welcome back in Midsomer any time.

Midsomer Murders surrounds its cops with a fun supporting cast, including each DCI’s respective spouse — Joyce (Jane Wymark) and Sarah (Fiona Dolman, whose banter with Neil Dudgeon is like the natural progression of her character from Ultraviolet) — various medical examiners, and Sykes the adorable dog. Which brings us to the third reason the show works: its forays outside of crime are uncommonly entertaining.

One massive pitfall many shows stumble into is getting bogged down in subplots. Particularly with dramas, sometimes writers get more worried about who’s sleeping with who or what plot twist is possible, and things become a mess. Maybe life is just simpler in Midsomer because this series is efficient and never feels like it’s dragging.

There’s usually at least one scene of Tom or John’s home life (a classic is John’s first episode as the star, “Death in the Slow Lane,” where fans realize he’s completely procrastinated at unpacking his new house). The wives, particularly Sarah, are more fleshed out and included, whether it’s having their own stories or helping to solve a case. And Sykes, in addition to being cute, is actually used as a sounding board! So many good moments give the show excellent rewatch value.

It all adds up to a recipe for a great long-running TV series. Midsomer Murders is creative, well-cast, and has built an interesting world for audiences to spend time in. Despite the deaths and the scheming, it actually makes for uplifting viewing — because this is a show that isn’t trying to make a statement or be too complicated or do too much. It’s good fun that hasn’t gotten old yet and it probably never will.

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