Midsomer Murders: The Sword of Guillaume starts as DCI Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) decides to join a coach trip of Midsomer Parva locals to Brighton including Mayor David Hicks (Brian Capron) who Barnaby has his suspicions about, Lady Matilda William (Janet Suzman) also has her suspicions. Various other Midsomer Parva residents join the trip to Brighton including local despised property developer Hugh Dalgleish (Tim McInnerny) who is found with his head chopped off, Barnaby is on the case & teams up with his cousin DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) to investigate the murder & Mayor Hicks dodgy dealings. It seems everyone had a motive to kill Dalgleish so finding the true murderer will not be easy...
Episode 2 from season 13 this Midsomer Murders mystery was directed by Renny Rye & is particularly notable because it features the first appearance of DCI John Barnaby played by Neil Dudgeon who will be John Nettles permanent replacement once he leaves the series at the end of this season, other than that The Sword of Guillaume is yet another average episode in a long line of average episodes. Besides the gimmick of having the two Barnaby's investigate a murder together this episode takes place in both Midsomer & Brighton with the burnt down pier & several other landmark's including Brighton Pavilion & the town hall making an appearance although the sight of Barnaby trying to solve a murder with Seagulls flapping & squawking around him is not one that I warmed to. There's a few eccentric character's here including a guy paralysed stuck in a wheelchair, a gay Vicar who has lost his faith, a middle aged body building maid & an evil property developer who likes to play tricks on people in wheelchairs. It's difficult to take this one seriously & the overwrought biblical, religious & righteous overtones feel tired. Next to nothing happens for the first thirty minutes, seriously this has to be one of the slowest Midsomer Murders around & with only two kills (& the second one coming very late in the game) I did get a little bored. There's a bit of political corruption, fraudulent property dealings, antiques theft (come to think of it, we never find out what happens to those two dealers...) & huge concrete blocks placed in the middle of the road but it doesn't come together that well. The motives for murder are alright, while not as bland as has been the case recently they are a little silly.
After a great opening sequence in an old Gothic Church set against a thunder & lighting storm as a shadowy figure lifts a huge medieval sword in the air which becomes silhouetted against a stained glass window it's pretty much all downhill, sure the Brighton scenes offer something a bit different to the usual settings but, well, put it this way I wouldn't want to go there. The murders here are quite good & pretty strong, both feature shots of decapitated heads & their headless bodies complete with bloody neck stumps. Nicely shot as usual the acting is also pretty good, Neil Dudgeon tries to bring a bit of humour to the role of chief detective with a few one-liners & slightly more cheeky demeanour. Get used to him as it will be his series soon enough. British TV celebs Tim IcInnerny & Mark Gatiss provide decent support.
The Sword of Guillaume is really only notable in that it gives Midsomer Murders fans a first glimpse of Tom Barnaby's replacement, personally I will reserve judgement until he has done a few episodes otherwise this is a pretty average episode only enlightened by a couple of pleasingly gory & brutal murders.
Episode 2 from season 13 this Midsomer Murders mystery was directed by Renny Rye & is particularly notable because it features the first appearance of DCI John Barnaby played by Neil Dudgeon who will be John Nettles permanent replacement once he leaves the series at the end of this season, other than that The Sword of Guillaume is yet another average episode in a long line of average episodes. Besides the gimmick of having the two Barnaby's investigate a murder together this episode takes place in both Midsomer & Brighton with the burnt down pier & several other landmark's including Brighton Pavilion & the town hall making an appearance although the sight of Barnaby trying to solve a murder with Seagulls flapping & squawking around him is not one that I warmed to. There's a few eccentric character's here including a guy paralysed stuck in a wheelchair, a gay Vicar who has lost his faith, a middle aged body building maid & an evil property developer who likes to play tricks on people in wheelchairs. It's difficult to take this one seriously & the overwrought biblical, religious & righteous overtones feel tired. Next to nothing happens for the first thirty minutes, seriously this has to be one of the slowest Midsomer Murders around & with only two kills (& the second one coming very late in the game) I did get a little bored. There's a bit of political corruption, fraudulent property dealings, antiques theft (come to think of it, we never find out what happens to those two dealers...) & huge concrete blocks placed in the middle of the road but it doesn't come together that well. The motives for murder are alright, while not as bland as has been the case recently they are a little silly.
After a great opening sequence in an old Gothic Church set against a thunder & lighting storm as a shadowy figure lifts a huge medieval sword in the air which becomes silhouetted against a stained glass window it's pretty much all downhill, sure the Brighton scenes offer something a bit different to the usual settings but, well, put it this way I wouldn't want to go there. The murders here are quite good & pretty strong, both feature shots of decapitated heads & their headless bodies complete with bloody neck stumps. Nicely shot as usual the acting is also pretty good, Neil Dudgeon tries to bring a bit of humour to the role of chief detective with a few one-liners & slightly more cheeky demeanour. Get used to him as it will be his series soon enough. British TV celebs Tim IcInnerny & Mark Gatiss provide decent support.
The Sword of Guillaume is really only notable in that it gives Midsomer Murders fans a first glimpse of Tom Barnaby's replacement, personally I will reserve judgement until he has done a few episodes otherwise this is a pretty average episode only enlightened by a couple of pleasingly gory & brutal murders.