Midsomer Murders, Set 24 [DVD] [Region 1] [NTSC]

Good old fashioned Midsomer Murders, there are three discs, two stories from the 15 series and one from series 16.

Like watching midsummer murders

MIDSOMER MURDERS, SET 24 here makes its North American and Blu-Ray debut. The British television series premiered in the United Kingdom in March 1997 and has been one of its most popular, longest-running mystery series. More than 100 feature-length episodes have aired since then, with more new episodes still in production. In the United States, the British mystery series has been seen on A & E, the Biography Channel and public television stations. However, these episodes of set 24 are the second half of Series 15 (2012-13), which broadcast first exclusively on Acorn TV. The current release consists of three contemporary feature-length standalone police procedurals, set, as their predecessors, in the gorgeous, picture perfect, but evidently dangerous precincts of Midsomer County. The DVD release is a boxed set of three disks, runs approximately 279 minutes, plus an extra and subtitles, though the latter are hardly needed as the cast speaks the Queen’s English and the sound is crystal clear. In the current series, DCI John Barnaby, (Neil Dudgeon, LIFE OF RILEY), has capably taken over the duties at the cop shop formerly performed by his cousin Tom Barnaby, (John Nettles). Barnaby is assisted by his earnest, efficient protégé, Detective Sergeant Ben Jones, (Jason Hughes, THIS LIFE). Guest stars include Martine McCutcheon, (LOVE, ACTUALLY); Cheryl Campbell, ( CALL THE MIDWIFE); Maggie Steed, (PIE IN THE SKY); Kate Ashfield, (LINE OF DUTY, SHAUN OF THE DEAD); Georgia Mckenzie,(WATERLOO ROAD) and Julie Graham,(THE BLETCHLEY CIRCLE, WILLIAM AND MARY). Barnaby’s dog, Sykes, gets an extra of his very own; his biography. MIDSOMER is based upon the novels of Caroline Graham, modern master of the English village mystery, lauded as “the best detective writer since Agatha Christie” by the Sunday Times, UK. And it is amazing what goes on behind the carefully-trimmed hedges of the county: homicide, blackmail, betrayal. And equally amazing that anyone should choose to live in these cozy looking villages that are so dangerous. The episodes are: Disc 1 WRITTEN IN THE STARS An amateur astronomer is killed by a blow to the head during a total eclipse of the sun. Barnaby and Jones investigate the local star-gazing community of Midsomer Stanton and wonder: was the victim the victim of a curse on the land on which the observatory is built, a straying spouse, corporate greed, or a secret astrological discovery? Disc 2 THE SICILIAN DEFENCE The detectives investigate the murder of a chess society president and find a connection to an attack the previous year on a young couple trying to elope: the chess society president’s comely daughter and the village’s handsome young womanizer. Championship chess is at play; a killer leaves chess notations at the crime scenes. Barnaby finds a 13-year-old chess prodigy helpful in breaking the case. Disc 3 SCHOOLED IN MURDER A young woman is crushed to death by a giant wheel of cheese. She had been embroiled in controversy both at the dairy where she worked, which produces the famous Midsomer Blue cheese, and at the local prep school, endowed by the dairy, which she had once attended and her daughter now attends. There are several gruesome murders: are they related to secret plans to modernize the dairy? A group of young prep school alumnae with ties to the dairy finds their bitter curdled secrets coming to light. Some disturbing images in this episode. Well, the scenery is lush, the mysteries are light, without bloodshed or violence, the acting is good, the plots are imaginative and original, laced with humor. There’s no secret to the series’ appeal.

This set contains THREE CASES from Midsomer Murders Season 15 - if you have bought the Midsomer Murders Seasons and are up-to-date - DON'T BUY THIS SET - the last OFFICIAL RELEASE in season is NO. 23 which is now available on Pre-Orders.

Been watching Midsomer Murders TV since childhood. God plots and unexpected killers. All episodes are highly entertaining, which consists of: WRITTEN IN THE STARS THE SICILIAN DEFENCE SCHOOLED IN MURDER

This mystery Set 24 has only 3 episodes, but they're 93 minutes each, for 279 minutes of excellent viewing time. If you have not visited Midsomer County before, you're in for a treat, because people are killed off left and right. In addition, there's the a bit of melodrama and humor - death by cheese, for example! What a way to go. The 3-disc DVD set has only one Bonus Extra, on the 3rd disc. The show is presented in 16:9 widescreen and sound is in stereo. English subtitles are available. The Region 1 (US) DVDs are published by Acorn Media, who divides up the British series. The 3 episodes in this Region 1 Set 24, originally aired in England from May-August, 2013. In England, these 3 episodes are the last episodes of the 6-episode Series 15. It can get confusing when the American and British series numbers are different. Episode 1 "Written in the Stars" A solar eclipse is coming! One of the perfect places to view it is on the hilltop called Moonstone Ridge, outside the village of Midsomer Stanton. While everyone is watching the eclipse, through telescopes with filters or the funny little glasses, Jeremy Harper is murdered in the eclipse's dark - by an apropos chunk of meteor. Barnaby first interviews Mystic Mags = Margaret Dormer, the local astrologist. [Sidebar: Do astrologists and fortune tellers HAVE to wear scarves and shawls?] She found the body, and has an explanation: "Moonstone Ridge is cursed." Barnaby: "Really. With all your powers of divination, perhaps you can tell me who did this." Mags: "No. I foretell the future, Inspector. The past, and all its mysteries, is your department." Episode 2 "The Sicilian Defence" [No, it's not misspelled! The Brits spell it with a "c".] A year before, young Harriet Farmer had been crowned May Queen in the Bishopwood May Festival. That night, she snuck out, still dressed in her May Queen long white dress, and ran through the woods to elope with her young man. Instead of happily ever after, she was found unconscious with a blow to the head, and her intended had disappeared. Today, after spending a year in a coma, she awakes. This is going to be a problem for someone, as her memory starts coming back. Comedic touch: Sara, DCI Barnaby's wife, wants to clear out their loft, and has divided a carload of boxes into stuff for recycling and stuff for charity. Of course, Sykes, their doggy, and Barnaby have different ideas about what's disposable, including, to John's horror, two sombreros from a Mexican vacation. He tells Sara, "You can't give these to charity!" Sara: "No, you're right. No one's that desperate. Recycling it is, then." John: "Have you no heart, woman? These are part of our history, our memories!" Sara, firmly, "These are $10 sombreros." John, triumphantly: "Exactly. They weren't cheap." Episode 3 "Schooled in Murder" Midsomer Pasture Preparatory School is having a sedate Parent's Council Meeting. All veddy proper, until Deborah Moffat, in red heels and lipstick, crashes the meeting. She threatens to air the school's dirty linen, since "sunshine is the best bleach". While driving away from the school like a storm, she receives a phone call. We can't tell who it is, but Deborah agrees to meet the caller at the cheese caves of the local dairy. No, No, you want to shout at her - don't go! In the meanwhile, poor Sykes, the Barnaby doggy, has to wear a full-body bandage and collar because he got into a fight with another dog. Or did he? DVD Bonus Extra - Biography of Sykes This is 3 pages of of written commentary on the "actor" who plays the Barnaby doggy, Sykes. He was found by his trainer as a stray, and his intelligence and over-all cuteness have made him a star. Neil Dudgeon, who plays John Barnaby, is quoted, "You have to be careful, as he is a bit of a scene stealer." Midsomer Murders is a very recommended mystery series. Edited to Add: Now you can catch the 25th series, with a new Sargeant for D.I. Barnaby Midsomer Murders, Set 25 Happy Reader

Midsomer and Poirot are my faves. Have them all. I prefer John Nettles in the lead charming and sexy. But the stories remain consistent and I love the English country side.

Set 24 IS NOT SERIES 24

John Nettles along with the other actors of his entourage who left Midsomer Murders were a hard act to follow and yet Neil Dudgeon's character, while different, brings a good deal of energy and pleasure to the series. This Inspector Barnaby is more cynical and less forgiving than his 'cousin' but certainly a man of depth and humor no less. He is just as shrewd and resourceful as his predecessor and his wife is so well portrayed as a woman both empathetic and independent. Not least, Sykes, the dog, is just enchanting. These Midsomer stories are always just a little far fetched but they are supposed to be fanciful and viewers need only sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery and superb acting. Great entertainment.

Excellent and followed in the tradition of the previous head character. very good - however very limited in the number of stories - that was a disappointment - However for what was obtained it was very good