A number of murders near a government safe house in Midsomer appears to be connected to a group of British spies stationed in East Berlin during the Cold War.A number of murders near a government safe house in Midsomer appears to be connected to a group of British spies stationed in East Berlin during the Cold War.A number of murders near a government safe house in Midsomer appears to be connected to a group of British spies stationed in East Berlin during the Cold War.
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- TriviaAs a skilled amateur cricket player (he plays for the Lord's Taverners), Peter Davison found it very difficult to play cricket badly as required for the story in this episode. "It takes some skill to keep missing the ball like I did!"
- GoofsThe sign on the East German security checkpoint is complete gibberish ("Halt Sicherheit - Nicht ohne Behörde"). Translated correctly back into English, it says "Stop Safety, Not without Office". Most likely, the sign was supposed to say "Stop - Security zone, No entry without proper authority" ("Halt - Sicherheitsbereich, Kein Zutritt für Unbefugte").
- Quotes
[to Jones, having been chosen to be the umpire in an upcoming cricket game]
D.C.I. Barnaby: There are 42 basic areas in cricket rules. And they are split into numbered sub-headings, which produce thousands, thousands of sub-sub-clauses. I will never forgive you for this.
- Crazy creditsThe closing credits show Kirsty Dillon playing the part of "WDC Stephens". In this episode, "WPC Stephens" (per DCI Barnaby's own words) is promoted to Detective Constable (or "DC" without a "W", again in Barnaby's own words). There is no rank of "Woman Detective Constable" and by this time, even the use of WPC has been deprecated in the UK, replaced simply by "PC" regardless of gender. So while it's factually incorrect to use "WPC" and "WDC" in the real world, that's not how things are done in the reactionary county of Midsomer. An inside joke to be sure.
Featured review
Secrets, spies and "The Beast of Midsomer"
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.
The third episode of the twelfth season, the first and second being "The Dogleg Murders" and "The Black Book" (both decent), "Secrets and Spies" seemed interesting on paper (how many other 'Midsomer Murders' episodes have stories dealing with espionage and some mysterious beast) but doesn't use its ideas to full potential. It's watchable and interesting, but what could have been great with the right execution doesn't quite come off.
Like with too many episodes around this period, "Secrets and Spies" does take too long to get going (the exposition varying in intrigue and relevance) and can get pedestrian due to some drawn-out padding. It also doesn't anywhere near enough with "The Beast of Midsomer" and MI6vs. Barnaby ideas, potentially good ideas that are under-cooked (the former) or completely neglected when it begins to get somewhere (the latter). The solution, despite a promising build-up, gets far-fetched with an unsurprising murder identity and motives that are hard to buy.
However, 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 horror-like look. 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.
"Secrets and Spies" script is uneven, with intrigue, humorous comedy and drama that doesn't fall on the wrong side of sentimentality and such, but some of it is bland, under-cooked and occasionally confused. The story is not too simplistic yet is executed in a way where you can just about understand what's going on. There is a dark creepiness and tension in spots and an intricacy that's nice.
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). Can't fault the supporting cast either, Peter Davison clearly enjoying himself.
In summary, above-average but uneven and under-explored. 6/10 Bethany Cox
The third episode of the twelfth season, the first and second being "The Dogleg Murders" and "The Black Book" (both decent), "Secrets and Spies" seemed interesting on paper (how many other 'Midsomer Murders' episodes have stories dealing with espionage and some mysterious beast) but doesn't use its ideas to full potential. It's watchable and interesting, but what could have been great with the right execution doesn't quite come off.
Like with too many episodes around this period, "Secrets and Spies" does take too long to get going (the exposition varying in intrigue and relevance) and can get pedestrian due to some drawn-out padding. It also doesn't anywhere near enough with "The Beast of Midsomer" and MI6vs. Barnaby ideas, potentially good ideas that are under-cooked (the former) or completely neglected when it begins to get somewhere (the latter). The solution, despite a promising build-up, gets far-fetched with an unsurprising murder identity and motives that are hard to buy.
However, 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 horror-like look. 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.
"Secrets and Spies" script is uneven, with intrigue, humorous comedy and drama that doesn't fall on the wrong side of sentimentality and such, but some of it is bland, under-cooked and occasionally confused. The story is not too simplistic yet is executed in a way where you can just about understand what's going on. There is a dark creepiness and tension in spots and an intricacy that's nice.
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). Can't fault the supporting cast either, Peter Davison clearly enjoying himself.
In summary, above-average but uneven and under-explored. 6/10 Bethany Cox
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- TheLittleSongbird
- Feb 16, 2017
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