I watched this with high hopes. I have seen Endeavour and found it exquisite, and I've been watching Inspector Morse - also quite good, but not as excellent as Endeavour. Then I come across Midsomer Murders, seeing that the program has run over twenty years, hopeful that this would be another great British mystery series.
The program isn't bad. Production values are high, it looks terrific, and it's funny from time to time. Our main character, Tom Barnaby, is delightful and I have no problem with Sargeant Troy either. In particular, I enjoyed seeing Barnaby politely hide his disappointment with his wife's ambitious cooking. It's charming, in a way.
So why am I disappointed?
Because the dialogue from time to time repeats the clues, as if the producers of the show think I'm so stupid I need to be reminded of what's going on. Apparently all C. I. Barnaby's thoughts have to be externalized. It's a common story-telling technique used in mysteries, so I guess some people like it.
I do not. I am not an idiot and I do not need the clues spoon fed to me over and over through the course of two hours. I don't need to be told what the detective is thinking. I just need to watch him work. Like Morse. Or Foyle, or Columbo, or Philip Marlowe.
This is light entertainment. If you like to turn your brain off for a while and laugh a bit, Midsomer Murders may well be your cup of tea. Myself, I prefer more intellectual challenge to my mysteries.
The program isn't bad. Production values are high, it looks terrific, and it's funny from time to time. Our main character, Tom Barnaby, is delightful and I have no problem with Sargeant Troy either. In particular, I enjoyed seeing Barnaby politely hide his disappointment with his wife's ambitious cooking. It's charming, in a way.
So why am I disappointed?
Because the dialogue from time to time repeats the clues, as if the producers of the show think I'm so stupid I need to be reminded of what's going on. Apparently all C. I. Barnaby's thoughts have to be externalized. It's a common story-telling technique used in mysteries, so I guess some people like it.
I do not. I am not an idiot and I do not need the clues spoon fed to me over and over through the course of two hours. I don't need to be told what the detective is thinking. I just need to watch him work. Like Morse. Or Foyle, or Columbo, or Philip Marlowe.
This is light entertainment. If you like to turn your brain off for a while and laugh a bit, Midsomer Murders may well be your cup of tea. Myself, I prefer more intellectual challenge to my mysteries.