Midsummer Murders used to be better. Tell me it’s not just me

[Tamzo85]

Why oh why did Midsummer Murders have to get so much worse? I get it that John Nettles couldn’t stay forever and was fine with the change even though he was the best detective.

BUT, despite at first the shows writing with Neil Dudgeon being about on par with later seasons with John it the. started to go down hill, first no one was allowed to just be a prick or a total cow anymore - they all had to be somehow redeemable. The whole cruel snobby gossipy feel of the small village was what made the show great in the first place. But no, there can be nothing mean said and characters can’t be genuinely unpleasant lest some pc type be offended by whatever random thing they say. How can the whole snobby village be written if no one in it is actually a snob or holds offensive snobby opinions or does anything mean?

Then you have the home life of the new Barnabys. Now I don’t mind either Neil Dudgeon or the actress who plays his wife but it’s all so modern sitcom and unrealistic. Perfect wife ruling the roost who knows better than her husband.
contrast that with Joyce and Tom who were very much a believable old married couple - sometimes one would (in a lighthearted way) mock the other or vice versa and sometimes one would show the other up, but mostly they were just stuck in a happy little rut of two old marrieds. I liked how Joyce always had her thing, some course she was taking a painting class, a walking tour etc and Tom was the stereotypical pipe and slippers type in contrast to that. I used to get a laugh out of those family scenes but with the new ones it’s just kind of bland.

Seriously, watch some early episodes of the show and compare them to now. The delicious viciousness of the small village, the hilarious unpcness of Troy (best sidekick), believable if slightly over the top characters. It was great. Now, less so than ever.

Yes, it's just not the same any more. Somehow the "new" Barnabys are not a believable couple. It's rather boring now.

@Clawdy Agree. There was a sense of fun in how deliciously bitchy and cruel the characters were in the older ones too, now everyone has to have some sympathetic side which sucks the fun out I feel.

I think it is awful, so ridiculously unbelievable. Haven't watched for ages. Used to love it

It's been on air since I was a teenager. Time to put it to sleep. And Silent Witness too please. They both need to go.

Haven't watched it since Dopey Dudgeon was cast. He should just play second bloke on the left in a hat rather than any lead role.
Some of the very early MM were very dark- especially those adapted from the books- remember the one where someone kept a rotting relative's corpse sitting in bed. Fab!

@PAFMO

Yes I actually just watched that one which is what prompted this post. It’s the book club one where they invite a writer to give a talk to the club. The unlikeable pretentious high school drama teacher is truly hilarious “Scum scumbag scum!” Lol

@Classica

Honestly I don’t find any of the new police drama’s hold a candle. They’re all bland and trying so hard to be “dark” and “edgy”. There isn’t a single one that is actually any fun.

I totally agree with you - have you read the books? They are absolutely delightful!

@Pacidove

No I never have, I might get them on audiobook but I feel like I’d be disappointed if there were major differences in Tom or Joyce or Troy.

How many books were there actually?

There are 7 with The Killings at Badgers Drift being the first. There are differences but if anything the TV versions are a bit more toned down for example Troy is homophobic in the books which was erased for the TV. The newer versions have a foreword by the main man John Nettles himself so if they have his seal of approval....!

@Pacidove

Thanks for the info! I think I will give them a listen. Thanks!

Thanks for jogging my memory about them, going to give a re-read :)

Troy is very obviously homophobic in the programmes . Although I agree that the last series wasn’t particularly good there have been some cracking episodes with Barnaby 2 and Sykes was excellent .

Here in the USA I have watched it for years on PBS. We called Monday "Midsomer Monday" and seldom missed it. It started downhill when Jason Hughes aka Det. Ben Jones left. Then the writing became erratic and the village became "woke" with a token non-white family in every episode. In a London setting it would be believable but not in Midsomer Mallow. Bring back Ben and the older writers or let MM die gracefully.

Time to put it to sleep. And Silent Witness too please. They both need to go.

I agree. Bored with them both.

They seem to find a winning formula and just regurgitate it non-stop.

I'm starting to get the same with Death in Paradise, which I love.

Although I think it's a pandemic thing too, not being able to film new drama screenings over the last couple of years.

finding lots on Netflix though, could be cos I haven't had it that long

I think it's run its course now. It was of its time as an insular, non-diverse, non-PC setting and that was part of how the show worked. Better to let it die gracefully than make it something it's not.

I much prefer Sarah to Joyce just seemed flaky and bored to me. I miss Tom, but would love Tom and Sarah together

I totally agree with you OP. I’ve tried hard to like the new Barnaby but when I go back to the original episodes, I realise there’s no comparison. John Nettles was such an integral part of Midsomer Murders that replacing him was always going to be an issue; and as you say the storylines have become so PC that the show has lost its original identity. I didn’t realise MM was based on actual books btw and will now read them, so thanks for starting the thread.

Show is now so woke it’s cringe worthy .. it’s obvious people have got the role because they tick a BOX , not due to acting skills .
pathetic … used to be a decent watch .. now … horrible .

They need a new Barnaby.

I feel the exact same! It just sucks, and feels like a different show even forgetting about the old Britain charm that the show was once so good at portraying. Did all the writers quit with John Nettles? There is zero character depth, for instance, take the leading man John Barnaby—nothing to his character. His wife is an unlikable narcissist, cold and all about me type. Unbelievable is right about their relationship. Now settings, where did all the authentic old Brit charm go that I once looked forward to, due to, how good the show was at nailing how someone would picture Britain— crumbling mansions with ivy growing up the sides. None of that anymore. When watching it seems like any other modern city in a western civilization— boring. One last thing, why did the writers feel like back in season 15 did Ben Jones have to be dumbed down and JB pretend to be so highly intelligent? JB being an intellect is not connecting— detectives are common sense, street smart, sharp types.

Yes, the original first few episodes, especially, were based off of Caroline Graham’s books written around Tom Barnaby as a true “Who done it” series. Graham only wrote seven books in the series so those were pretty much covered in the first season. There’s a great interview with the author and original characters out there discussing this— great watch!

I couldn't stand Joyce Barnaby. She was so prissy and soppy. I don't mind most of the recent ones but actively dislike the pathologist - Fleur? I hate the way she is always alluding to her riotous sex life - boke.