Midsomer Murders (TV Series) The Great and the Good (2009) User Reviews

I didn't guess whodunit

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 19 April 2010]

While this wasn't the best episode in the series it had a decent story which kept me guessing till the end and when the killer was revealed it wasn't one three people I'd suspected. As the episode opened school teacher Connie Bishop is screaming about somebody being in her house but when other villagers get there nobody is to be seen; is she imagining things, is she setting up a way of explaining a murder or is somebody acting against her? In the morning she appears to be unsure about what she did or didn't hear. Claiming to be trying to ease the pressure on Connie fellow villager Zukie usurps her position organising a long running village fund raiser leading to some bad feeling when she tries to stop villagers going so higher spending outsiders can get tickets. She isn't the only person involved in Connie's life who could be victims or suspects; she also has two men competing for her affections, one of whom isn't above slandering his rival. When murders start happening in Connie's garden she fears that she is doing more than walking in her sleep.

I liked the fact that the killer was not too obvious although some viewers might be a bit disappointed as there is little evidence to point to the killer earlier in the story. I thought Nancy Carroll did a good job as school teacher Connie and I can see why several men in the village were enamoured with her. Suzanne Burden also did well as Zukie, a character so odious I kept wanting her to be the next victim.

A decent episode.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 28 August 2018]

The Great and the Good is a pretty good episode, one which I remembered as a classic, but on watching it again I wouldn't put it in that bracket.

It's a decent storyline, well written, with the ending coming as a complete surprise, I certainly didn't see it coming. This episode's major strength lies in the acting, there are truly some fantastic, natural performances here, Paola Dionisotti is excellent as always, do are Nancy Carroll, Paul Kaye, Bertie Carvel and Monica Dolan, there really is some quality acting here. The character of Zukie was great, very memorable, many actors try and make characters loathsome, the actress succeeded here.

I felt they could have upper the scare/terror factor up a bit, Connie's nightmares weren't exactly tense or scary, a lot more could have been done. It does have a few funny moments, Joyce adds a few laughs. 7/10

A great and unique mystery perfect for a first viewing

[lbowdls · 9/10 · 27 April 2019]

This is the very first episode I ever saw of Midsomer Murders and it was just a year ago and it made me a convert and now I've seen every episode- I believe- of every season. So I totally disagree that this is a poor episode. As at the time I was searching for something interesting and different to watch and I read the synopsis and thought that sounded great. And I was right. For some reason I believed this series was a more crime police procedural like Taggat or a Touch of Frost and it was set in olden days. Neither of which were true( however some episodes which don't have an early murder tome do become a more boring type police procedural) luckily this isn't one of them as I realised what a great mystery show this is. Though subsequent viewing of this (and other episodes) haven't been as thrilling this is still a good one. Even good enough to be the first episode you ever see of Midsomer Murders!

Nancy Carroll as Connie was spectacular

[vitoscotti · 10/10 · 18 February 2020]

I absolutely loved "The Great and the Good". Nancy Carroll as Connie is not only pleasing to the eye, but nailed her part in a brilliant performance. One of MM best performances ever. Also Monica Dolan as Imogen was so good.

I thought Imogen the goofy, kinky bi webcammer was the villian until electronics popped up. All around solid performances. At the very end Barnaby hoping for a good nights sleep and Joyce replies "Don't count on it" was cute.

A bit flawed how did the locksmith figure out who the real killer was, was never revealed. Barnaby goes goofy for a hottie again. Never doubting her innocence, and what cop gives out his home phone number? Barnaby's superiors are no where to be seen. Does he concentrate on one case only 24 hours a day? No pressure from his bosses bodies are dropping like flies? No Cully a bummer.

Most episodes are enjoyable. But, I wish they all could be 10s like this one. Vito S 2-18-20

Imaginative and keeps the little grey cells on edge

[coltras35 · 9/10 · 14 May 2022]

Sleepwalking, paranoia of house intruding, killings and the secret of a cottage are all linked together in this rather good MM entry with Barnaby and his assistant looking really perplexed when tackling a case of a schoolteacher sleepwalking and not long afterwards a dead body is found near her cottage. Could she be the murderer? Or is someone trying to frame her? I was on the edge of seat towards the end, thinking that she could be just guilty and making the sleepwalking interludes up. The denouement is satisfactory, but of course the pains the killer made to set things up was farfetched. However, that's perfectly fine as MM is gloriously farfetched series with eccentric characters. Just how I like it. This entry is refreshing and a little different than the usual spate of bizarre Murders and a line of suspects questioned.

One giant unexplained plot ho;e

[anasazi-145-682127 · 6/10 · 16 January 2018]

This would rank among the best episodes but for one gaping plot hole. And that is: just how does the locksmith know who the killer is? Never explained.

A schoolteacher keeps crying 'wolf'

[blanche-2 · 6/10 · 25 September 2013]

In the finale of season 12 of Midsomer Murders, "The Great and the Good," an attractive schoolteacher is a bother to the neighbors with her nocturnal screaming, "There's someone in my house!" Pretty Connie Bishop, who teaches at the local school, is not only a sleepwalker, but she continually hears things that go bump in the night. The neighbors dutifully trudge their way to her house but can't find anything.

When Jim Hanley is murdered in her garden, DI Barnaby stops getting a full night's sleep as well. Then there's the murder of a handyman, who told Connie he knows who killed the handyman. Then Connie is seen sleepwalking by Justin Cooper, who stays in her spare room one night when she's afraid to be alone.

Underlying all this is a socialite, Zukie, who is organizing the annual Frobisher Night Auction and causing havoc. The denouement takes place at the party.

Okay episode, with Joyce and Barnaby adding some humor to the episode, Joyce upset that she can't get a full night's sleep and purchasing earplugs.

Not one of the best, but not the worst, either.

A blast from the past

[ariavannie · 6/10 · 13 November 2020]

I could have sworn the location is the same as the home of the Bennets from the TV show Prode and Prejudice with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth in 1995. As well as an old tune was heard in this episode of Midsomer Murders, a tribute to the reveered shows of Pride and Prejudice, a theme song if you will. You could put that down as a fun trivia!

I was loving this ... until the last ten minutes

[boxyfella · 7/10 · 14 July 2021]

Somebody appears to be terrorising Connie, the village schoolteacher, played wonderfully by the delightful Nancy Carroll, and then bodies start turning up in her summer house and garden, but why is somebody killing these people and why are they apparently trying to drive Connie mad?

And those questions are the reason for the big problem with this episode. There appears to be no reason for any of it. OK, I understand the producers don't want to give it away and keep people guessing, but this was taken to an extreme here. They gave virtually nothing away. The killer, when revealed, was a peripheral character at best, having had only a minute or two of screentime.

And the motive for the first killing in particular, seemed to be plucked out of thin air as there had been no evidence that the killer and victim had had any kind of interaction whatsoever. Likewise the motive for terrorising poor Connie came out of the blue and had not been hinted at before. All of this was revealed in a rushed exposition in the last few minutes. And how could Barnaby have possibly have known these motives? How did the police manage to get in the killer's house and access the computer at the end? And who knew DC Stephens was such an IT whizz? But having said all that, fine performances from the aforementioned Nancy Carroll and Paul Kaye and Suzanne Burden are the making of this episode.

"You know Jane, sometimes you can be very negative." Average episode.

[poolandrews · 5/10 · 21 April 2010]

Midsomer Murders: The Great and the Good is set in the small Midsomer village of Badger's Drift & starts one night as schoolteacher Connie Bishop (Nancy Carroll) is heard screaming her head off through her bedroom window saying that there's an intruder inside her house. Several villagers investigate but no-one else in found inside Connie's house although it is reported to the local police where DCI Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) hears of the incident & since Connie is a personal friend he reassures her by giving her his personal number to call whenever she needs to. That same night Barnaby gets a call from Connie who again says someone has broken into her home, Barnaby & the police arrive at Connie's house & make a shocking discovery as at the bottom of her garden local counsellor Jim Hanley (Tim Wylton) is found dead with his throat slashed. Barnaby now has a murder on his hands to solve a puzzle involving sleepwalking, strange noises & the mysterious past of Connie's house...

Episode 7 from season 12 this Midsomer Murders mystery was directed by Richard Holthouse & while The Great and the Good has a few interesting ideas I can't really say it's anything more than average. The idea that someone could commit brutal murders while sleepwalking is a prominent theme in The Great and the Good, the only problem is the chief suspect Connie Bishop is a personal friend of Barnaby & he doesn't think she did it so basically everyone watching also know's she didn't do it which renders the idea a little pointless. The motives for murder here are also very weak, basically it comes down to money nothing more & nothing less which is as dull & unoriginal a motive as they come. What happened to the dark twisted motives from the earlier seasons of Midsomer Murders? The production team seem to be on auto-pilot these days & rarely are there any truly memorable episodes now. The plot isn't that complex here, there's a lack of suspects & the killer when eventually revealed seemed a somewhat random choice. The use of hi-tech sophisticated remote controlled computers, bugging devices & transmitters also gives the episode a far fetched feel.

The Great and the Good looks as good as any other Midsomer Murders episode but the series can't just keep relying on it's visual style & lavish production values, the actual stories themselves are getting worse or at the very least no better. There are two murders here including the slight of a gory slashed throat. The cast are good, Nancy Carroll as the vulnerable schoolteacher is good while Suzanne Burden as ruthless social social climber Zukie is amusing.

Midsomer Murders: The Great and the Good is a passable episode, the motives are as weak as they come & the somewhat random choice of the killer feels lazy. The Great and the Good had the potential to be better than it turned out, not bad but not great either I suppose.

Only the marquee was the Tops

[xmasdaybaby1966 · 6/10 · 13 December 2020]

The final episodes in each series have seemed to struggle since being extended to 7 or 8 episodes and this is no exception. Too many coincidences make for an inplausable ending which strangely is unravelled by Tom to Joyce rather the writer letting the culprit explain themselves or being adequately spoken to by Tom. If they didn't have time to unravel the reasoning in this episode then they have no chance when the next series comes along with shorter running times to accommodate the additional commercial breaks ITV had now been allowed. It does seem strange that this show is generally filmed through the autumn and winter. Daffodils being clearly on show assumes this was filmed in March or April. Most shows are made during the long summer months but, living near Stratford upon Avon at the time, perhaps John Nettles spent his summer months with The Bard.

The not so great and the not so good

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 19 February 2017]

As has been said by me a number of times, 'Midsomer Murders' is one of my most watched and most re-watched shows. It is nowhere near as good now and the Tom Barnaby-era wasn't alien to average or less episodes, but when it was on form or at its best boy was it good.

Season 12 mostly was a very mixed bag, with none of the episodes being disasters but the best ones ("Small Mercies" and "The Black Book") being only decent. No 'Midsomer Murders' low-points but no classics either. Despite being for me the weakest of the season, that is still true for "The Great and The Good". Not an awful episode, nor is it a great one, instead somewhat average.

There are strengths here in "The Great and The Good", as is always the case in even the weakest episodes (have yet to see an episode with no redeeming qualities). The production values as always are just great, the idyllic look of it contrasting very well with the story's grimness, and quaint and atmospheric photography, as well as a genuinely creepy look in places. 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.

John Nettles and Jason Hughes are both superb, individually and together (their chemistry, and the chemistry with Daniel Casey and John Hopkins before Hughes, being a huge part of their episodes' charm and what keeps it afloat). Jane Wymark is similarly amusing and charming. Can't fault the supporting cast either, with a deliciously loathsome Suzanne Burden and an affecting Nancy Carroll. Parts of the script are thoughtful and humorous.

However, the story could have been much better. There is the odd bit of creepiness and some good ideas, not used to full potential due to too much of it veering on the wrong side of ridiculous and senseless. The final solution is underwhelming, with unbelievably flimsy and clichéd motives (the "they killed for that" kind) and a killer practically anonymous for most of the episode that the reveal feels almost random.

Parts don't feel explored enough, and "The Great and The Good" also feels somewhat dull and pointless due to never once doubting Connie's innocence.

To conclude, not bad or awful but not particularly good and certainly not great. Average fare. 5/10 Bethany Cox

Just Too Much to Be Possible

[Hitchcoc · 5/10 · 18 May 2016]

At the center of this episode is a schoolteacher who is being gaslighted. A she sleeps at night, she begins to walk. Unfortunately, late at night she is suddenly under attack and people must come to her aid. At some point, it appears she is crying wolf. Soon two men are murdered when she has been around them. She seems to be quite a prize in the community as man seem to be taken with her. This is really interestingly presented and there are enough suspects to keep us involved. The problem is that when we finally get to the conclusion, the way that everything is explained is about as hokey as anything presented in this series. When the whole thing concludes, sit back and ask yourself if it bears any semblance of reality. This season is rather suspect.

A third disappointment in a row

[enkiddu-725-703632 · 2/10 · 3 May 2010]

After "The Creeper" and "Small mercies" this is the third episode in a row that evoked in me nothing but disappointment. I totally agree with previous reviews, the episode is very weak, the plot improbable, the sleepwalking theme not elaborate and far-fetched, the circle of suspects very narrow so that there is almost no-one to choose! The traditional romantic affair with one woman and too young handsome guys is just tiresome. As it was mentioned in one of the previews above, the whole story with special equipment for driving Connie mad is absolutely implausible. I don't even speak about the identity of the murderer - when he was revealed I could hardly remember who he was because he had appeared before only a couple of minutes! And I didn't understand anything about the motives 'cause English is not my mother tongue, but, honestly, I didn't have any wish to re-watch important moments to understand correctly the sense of the plot - I was too tired of it. And that intrigues me because Hoskins' scripts are usually very good. But I must admit - I enjoyed the performance by Nancy Carrol and Bertie Carvel, though their relationship didn't convince me very much - staying for the night in a woman's house for no sex - ha-ha, even kids will not believe it. On the whole this season seems to be the most weak of all - no decent episodes to remember and to re-watch!!! One must immediately save my favourite series!

Very disappointing.

[harrykivi · 5/10 · 19 November 2022]

"The Great and the Good" is written by my favorite writer in "Midsomer Murders". His name is David Hoskins and he has written some fantastic scripts (like "Hidden Depths", "Tainted Fruit", "Ghosts of Christmas Past"). This episode is easily his weakest. It's not bad, it is just very underwhelming.

Let's start with the good, shall we?

. The production values of the episode are great as usual. The direction's decent and the music fits the scenery. John Nettles and Jason Hughes are very enjoyable in the leads, have always liked Jane Wymark too, but in the fine guest stars Nancy Carroll stands out the most.

. The mystery has some charming humor and interesting ideas here and there. The creepy atmosphere is well-done and some characters ( Connie and Zuckie for example) are compelling.

But.....

. The murder mystery could have been, agreed, far better. Most of the characters in this story are dull and there could have been much more twists and turns in the narrative. The subplots needed more to them as well and the solution (Howard being the killer) is extremly disappointing. Not only is the character very uninteresting, the motive for the murders is very weak too.

Overall, a very average episode. Even "The Glitch" offered more.

5/10 HK.

Forgettable episode

[james_89 · 4/10 · 8 February 2010]

This episode is one of the poorest Midsomer Murders. It has a weak plot with bland characters and the solution is rushed and the motive uninspired. As a huge fan of the show i was disappointed. I was not overly fussed who did it as no one in the plot really stands out. It could have been good, i liked the idea of someone believing themselves to be committing murders in their sleep, but it just isn't pulled off very well in the end. Also there are few clues given to actually help you solve the mystery yourself. There is no suspense and no real big name guest stars, other than Paul Kaye who is wasted and could have been put to much better use in a much better episode.

Watchable enough, but don't expect much and you wont be disappointed.

A rare DNF for me

[depaysement · 1/10 · 19 October 2020]

I managed half an hour of this before giving up in boredom and irritation. Connie the screaming schoolteacher was completely unconvincing, the villagers were just dull, creepy and unlikable instead of being bizarre and unlikable in the usual Midsomer fashion, and Barnaby and Jones hardly put in an appearance to start with. What a waste of time.