Investment in a secret invention leads to an apparent suicide in Midsomer Magna, and a plan to steal valuable falcon eggs leads to another death.Investment in a secret invention leads to an apparent suicide in Midsomer Magna, and a plan to steal valuable falcon eggs leads to another death.Investment in a secret invention leads to an apparent suicide in Midsomer Magna, and a plan to steal valuable falcon eggs leads to another death.
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Did you know
- TriviaAbout 40 minutes into the episode the Macpherson sisters are listening to Mozart's Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, K. 581. This piece is best known to many American viewers as the piece Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester, III was trying to teach the North Korean musicians in the final episode of M*A*S*H.
- GoofsDespite the common belief that African elephants are untrainable, zookeepers state that they are more intelligent than Indian elephants and, certainly trainable, as Hannible's ride over the Alps demonstrated.
- Quotes
Mallory Edmonton: When somebody dies, somebody the birds had respect for, it's important to tell them.
Naomi Sinclair: I think they probably know now.
Mallory Edmonton: Death matters to them like life.
- ConnectionsReferences The Dam Busters (1955)
Featured review
Season 6 ends on a high
Despite not being anywhere near as good now, 'Midsomer Murders' is still a show visited and re-visited with great pleasure. There are episodes better than others, with a fair share of disappointments especially in the later seasons, like with any show in existence, but when 'Midsomer Murders' was good it was good to outstanding.
"A Talent for Life" was a good, if not quite great, start to Season 6, followed by a decent "Death and Dreams" that sadly also got bogged down in instances of ridiculousness. "Painted in Blood" was a departure, less grim and low-in-body-count, but nonetheless a good one. Next was, for me, the best of the season "A Tale of Two Hamlets".
"Birds of Prey" isn't quite as good, but is still a very good episode and a close second best to "A Tale of Two Hamlets" as far as Season 6 episodes go. Agree though that the motives for the murders are somewhat bland and clichéd for a show that can dream up some devilishly over-the-top and twisted motives (that is when it didn't get over-outlandish or convoluted like it did later). The conclusion is clever if also somewhat too easily wrapped up.
As always, the production values are top notch, with to die for scenery, the idyllic look of it contrasting very well with the story's occasional grimness, and quaint and atmospheric photography. The music fits perfectly, and the theme tune one of the most memorable and instantly recognisable of the genre. Agreed too that the music during the African spear murder scene was cool and a very clever fit.
Meanwhile, the script is smart and thought-provoking with some nice quirky humour (such as the booking-a-holiday subplot with Joyce), a suitable grimness and colourful characters. Nothing felt inconsequential, everything had a point, everything intrigued and any loose ends were tied together nicely.
The story is hugely compelling, and never simplistic and never losing any of the maturity of most of the previous episodes. There is a lot going on mostly without being cluttered or rushed (remarkable for an episode that as ever is heavy in exposition), and that nothing is what it seems, or very few people are who they seem adds to the complexity, while there are no out of kilter scenes. The twists, red herrings and turns, in classic 'Midsomer Murders' tradition, keep coming, with several neatly interwoven subplots, and rarely in an obvious or press-the-rewind button. The characters are colourful, eccentric and not what they seem.
John Nettles as always is a joy as Barnaby, with Daniel Casey contrasting with him with ease, their chemistry as always a huge part of the episode's charm. Jane Wymark charms, with her subplot bringing some welcome humour, her chemistry with Nettles is as ever great. Everybody else does a fine job too with no obvious weak links.
Overall, a very good episode, Season 6 ends on a high. 8/10 Bethany Cox
"A Talent for Life" was a good, if not quite great, start to Season 6, followed by a decent "Death and Dreams" that sadly also got bogged down in instances of ridiculousness. "Painted in Blood" was a departure, less grim and low-in-body-count, but nonetheless a good one. Next was, for me, the best of the season "A Tale of Two Hamlets".
"Birds of Prey" isn't quite as good, but is still a very good episode and a close second best to "A Tale of Two Hamlets" as far as Season 6 episodes go. Agree though that the motives for the murders are somewhat bland and clichéd for a show that can dream up some devilishly over-the-top and twisted motives (that is when it didn't get over-outlandish or convoluted like it did later). The conclusion is clever if also somewhat too easily wrapped up.
As always, the production values are top notch, with to die for scenery, the idyllic look of it contrasting very well with the story's occasional grimness, and quaint and atmospheric photography. The music fits perfectly, and the theme tune one of the most memorable and instantly recognisable of the genre. Agreed too that the music during the African spear murder scene was cool and a very clever fit.
Meanwhile, the script is smart and thought-provoking with some nice quirky humour (such as the booking-a-holiday subplot with Joyce), a suitable grimness and colourful characters. Nothing felt inconsequential, everything had a point, everything intrigued and any loose ends were tied together nicely.
The story is hugely compelling, and never simplistic and never losing any of the maturity of most of the previous episodes. There is a lot going on mostly without being cluttered or rushed (remarkable for an episode that as ever is heavy in exposition), and that nothing is what it seems, or very few people are who they seem adds to the complexity, while there are no out of kilter scenes. The twists, red herrings and turns, in classic 'Midsomer Murders' tradition, keep coming, with several neatly interwoven subplots, and rarely in an obvious or press-the-rewind button. The characters are colourful, eccentric and not what they seem.
John Nettles as always is a joy as Barnaby, with Daniel Casey contrasting with him with ease, their chemistry as always a huge part of the episode's charm. Jane Wymark charms, with her subplot bringing some welcome humour, her chemistry with Nettles is as ever great. Everybody else does a fine job too with no obvious weak links.
Overall, a very good episode, Season 6 ends on a high. 8/10 Bethany Cox
helpful•154
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jan 18, 2017
Details
- Runtime1 hour 40 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 anamorphic
- 4:3
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