After a good, but decent start of the series with "Garden of Death", the classic episode, "Destroying Angel", the miserable "The Electric Vendetta", and the slightly better one "Who Killed Cock Robin", "Dark Autumn" is a fine fifth episode from the fourth series of Midsomer Murders.
"Dark Autumn" is set in the Midsomer village of Goodman's Land when David "Dave" Cutler gets his throat slashed the same early morning he was supposed to have been delivering mail. It seems that Dave was a womanizer, and had slept with many woman in the village. Before Barnaby and Troy even get the chance to start investigating, Debbie Shortland is also found murdered, and later on, both Simon Reason and Owen August are found murdered as well.
During the episode, Troy grows a fonding interest in Jay Nash, a woman helping them with the investigation, but it seems they grow too close, when the murderer, revealed to be the bartender John Field, tries to murder Jay Nash. Troy, who wants to see Jay the same evening, then comes along with Barnaby and they rescue her from John Field
"Dark Autumn is a fine fifth episode of the fourth series of Midsomer Murders", and it is a lot better than "The Electric Vendetta" and "Who Killed Cock Robin?", but it is not a classic episode either. The first murder of Dave Cutler, happens after just a couple of minutes, and that is something I really like, when the first of hopefully many murders happen so quickly. It is wonderful that the next murder happens so quickly afterwards. The episode also features the aunt sally game, and these scenes shine of humour, as a contrast to the dark theme which I believe the story of "Dark Autumn" contains.
Unfortunately, the murderer's identity was not a big shock, something that has happened so many times before in Midsomer Murders. But what's bother me more, are the motives for the murders. I find it to be one of the weakest of all Midsomer Murders episodes. I do understand the love John Field has for his deceased mum, but honesty, why would he kill Dave Cutler just because he was prying on women? John Field should have had another focus on his own life instead of bothering with other's? The motives for the murder of Debbie Shortland is absolutely incom. The Murders of Simon and Owen are a bit more credible, as it seems they both rejected to publish John Field's book, "Dark Autumn", a work Written about his mother. Even though these murders are credible, John Field could easily have found another publisher. I find it a bit sad that John Field seems to have a hatred relationship with all the people he killed.
I really did like Gillian Kearney as Jay Nash in this episode. Celia Imrie as Louise August and Alan Howard as Owen August, play their parts wonderfully as well. Marian McLoughlin is also likeable as Barbara Judd. Robert Glenister plays the murderous John Field in a credible way, but I do have to say, I wanted to see some other aspects with his character.
"Dark Autumn" is a fine episode, and it really is a dark autumn in Midsomer, but the episode itself, could have been a lot darker, with some other suspects, and maybe a more credible murderer. 7/10 Hossy Christie.
"Dark Autumn" is set in the Midsomer village of Goodman's Land when David "Dave" Cutler gets his throat slashed the same early morning he was supposed to have been delivering mail. It seems that Dave was a womanizer, and had slept with many woman in the village. Before Barnaby and Troy even get the chance to start investigating, Debbie Shortland is also found murdered, and later on, both Simon Reason and Owen August are found murdered as well.
During the episode, Troy grows a fonding interest in Jay Nash, a woman helping them with the investigation, but it seems they grow too close, when the murderer, revealed to be the bartender John Field, tries to murder Jay Nash. Troy, who wants to see Jay the same evening, then comes along with Barnaby and they rescue her from John Field
"Dark Autumn is a fine fifth episode of the fourth series of Midsomer Murders", and it is a lot better than "The Electric Vendetta" and "Who Killed Cock Robin?", but it is not a classic episode either. The first murder of Dave Cutler, happens after just a couple of minutes, and that is something I really like, when the first of hopefully many murders happen so quickly. It is wonderful that the next murder happens so quickly afterwards. The episode also features the aunt sally game, and these scenes shine of humour, as a contrast to the dark theme which I believe the story of "Dark Autumn" contains.
Unfortunately, the murderer's identity was not a big shock, something that has happened so many times before in Midsomer Murders. But what's bother me more, are the motives for the murders. I find it to be one of the weakest of all Midsomer Murders episodes. I do understand the love John Field has for his deceased mum, but honesty, why would he kill Dave Cutler just because he was prying on women? John Field should have had another focus on his own life instead of bothering with other's? The motives for the murder of Debbie Shortland is absolutely incom. The Murders of Simon and Owen are a bit more credible, as it seems they both rejected to publish John Field's book, "Dark Autumn", a work Written about his mother. Even though these murders are credible, John Field could easily have found another publisher. I find it a bit sad that John Field seems to have a hatred relationship with all the people he killed.
I really did like Gillian Kearney as Jay Nash in this episode. Celia Imrie as Louise August and Alan Howard as Owen August, play their parts wonderfully as well. Marian McLoughlin is also likeable as Barbara Judd. Robert Glenister plays the murderous John Field in a credible way, but I do have to say, I wanted to see some other aspects with his character.
"Dark Autumn" is a fine episode, and it really is a dark autumn in Midsomer, but the episode itself, could have been a lot darker, with some other suspects, and maybe a more credible murderer. 7/10 Hossy Christie.