When in its prime (a vast majority of Seasons 1-9), 'Midsomer Murders' was a great show and one that is watched and re-watched frequently. Seasons 10-13 became more uneven, with three of the show's worst episodes coming from Seasons 11 and 13, but there were a few solid episodes and "Blood Wedding" and especially "Master Class" were gems.
After John Nettles retired and Neil Dudgeon and the new character of John Barnaby took over, 'Midsomer Murders' just hasn't been the same, most of the reasons being detailed later in this review. Not all the John Barnaby-era episodes are awful, but too many were average at best and some were lame. After an okay at best "Death in the Slow Lane" and a marginally improved but still lacking "Dark Secrets", "Echoes of the Dead" is Season 14's worst and not just one of the worst John Barnaby-era episodes but one of the worst of the entire show.
Not completely terrible by all means. The production values as usual are wonderful, the idyllic look of it contrasting very well with the story's grimness, and quaint and atmospheric photography. The music fits perfectly, with some lush jauntiness and sometimes an ominous quality, and the theme tune one of the most memorable and instantly recognisable of the genre.
Of the performances/characters, the scene stealer is Sykes, one of the cutest dogs on television and so endearing and funny. Ron Cook and Sarah Smart give the best performances of the human cast, and there is a very eerie moment in the build-up to the climax with the murderer whistling 'Lohengrin's "Bridal Chorus", that tune that has never been more chillingly ironic, unfortunately that is the one atmospheric moment in the whole episode there is.
However, Neil Dudgeon is at his least comfortable and most smug so far, again playing the role too heavily and humourlessly, while Fiona Dolman is pretty charmless and poor Jason Hughes really struggles trying to do something with a dumbed-down-beyond-belief and badly demeaned Jones. There is very little chemistry here, Barnaby and Jones' is far too mean-spirited (Barnaby's demeaning treatment easily counts as bullying, just for the record Tom didn't always treat his sergeants well but never to this extent, this is taking the biscuit) rather than the gentle and playful one that was such a huge part of the show's charm in the Tom Barnaby-era. Neither is there much chemistry here between John and Sarah, one never gets the sense that they are in love, let alone husband and wife.
In general, the supporting cast have very little to do, other than be saddled with underwritten characters that are bland, pantomimic and thoroughly unpleasant. A sad waste of the talents of Adrian Rawlins and Pam Ferris. The script is in the top 5 'Midsomer Murders' scripts that should never have been approved beyond first draft, again taking things too seriously, with all the humour and charm completely taken out (with the sole exception of Sykes), and full of ridiculous and illogical moments.
The story is grislier than usual, but while one doesn't mind different the grisliness is done to overkill and gratuitous effect and feels really out of place not just for the show but (for when it first aired) for something airing barely past the watershed. Let's not get started on the insultingly farcical ending, with a far too obvious killer and one of the most intelligence-insultingly absurd motives in 'Midsomer Murders' history.
On the whole, a 'Midsomer Murders' low-point and an embarrassment. 3/10 Bethany Cox
After John Nettles retired and Neil Dudgeon and the new character of John Barnaby took over, 'Midsomer Murders' just hasn't been the same, most of the reasons being detailed later in this review. Not all the John Barnaby-era episodes are awful, but too many were average at best and some were lame. After an okay at best "Death in the Slow Lane" and a marginally improved but still lacking "Dark Secrets", "Echoes of the Dead" is Season 14's worst and not just one of the worst John Barnaby-era episodes but one of the worst of the entire show.
Not completely terrible by all means. The production values as usual are wonderful, the idyllic look of it contrasting very well with the story's grimness, and quaint and atmospheric photography. The music fits perfectly, with some lush jauntiness and sometimes an ominous quality, and the theme tune one of the most memorable and instantly recognisable of the genre.
Of the performances/characters, the scene stealer is Sykes, one of the cutest dogs on television and so endearing and funny. Ron Cook and Sarah Smart give the best performances of the human cast, and there is a very eerie moment in the build-up to the climax with the murderer whistling 'Lohengrin's "Bridal Chorus", that tune that has never been more chillingly ironic, unfortunately that is the one atmospheric moment in the whole episode there is.
However, Neil Dudgeon is at his least comfortable and most smug so far, again playing the role too heavily and humourlessly, while Fiona Dolman is pretty charmless and poor Jason Hughes really struggles trying to do something with a dumbed-down-beyond-belief and badly demeaned Jones. There is very little chemistry here, Barnaby and Jones' is far too mean-spirited (Barnaby's demeaning treatment easily counts as bullying, just for the record Tom didn't always treat his sergeants well but never to this extent, this is taking the biscuit) rather than the gentle and playful one that was such a huge part of the show's charm in the Tom Barnaby-era. Neither is there much chemistry here between John and Sarah, one never gets the sense that they are in love, let alone husband and wife.
In general, the supporting cast have very little to do, other than be saddled with underwritten characters that are bland, pantomimic and thoroughly unpleasant. A sad waste of the talents of Adrian Rawlins and Pam Ferris. The script is in the top 5 'Midsomer Murders' scripts that should never have been approved beyond first draft, again taking things too seriously, with all the humour and charm completely taken out (with the sole exception of Sykes), and full of ridiculous and illogical moments.
The story is grislier than usual, but while one doesn't mind different the grisliness is done to overkill and gratuitous effect and feels really out of place not just for the show but (for when it first aired) for something airing barely past the watershed. Let's not get started on the insultingly farcical ending, with a far too obvious killer and one of the most intelligence-insultingly absurd motives in 'Midsomer Murders' history.
On the whole, a 'Midsomer Murders' low-point and an embarrassment. 3/10 Bethany Cox