Midsomer Murders - My Favourite Episodes - Series Five

 


Spoiler warning – there will be some spoilers here, so read on with caution if you have not seen all the episodes.

My praise rings out for Ring Out Your Dead. There is an excellent mix of comedy, drama and mystery. However, once you discover why the dastardly deeds, it stretches things a bit. Mind you, people have been killed for less. 

Graham Crowden was delightful playing another eccentric old duffer (he played Tom in Waiting for God), though it turned out not as barmy as it first seemed. Carmen Du Sautoy vamps it up enough as Rosalind to make the character sexually intimidating but not terrifying. Daniel Casey excels at showing Troy's fear and attraction to her. He's like a mouse caught in a delicious trap. The comedic scenes between Rosalind and Troy are as sweet as they are funny. 

Our killer, Maise Gooch, is one of the most benign-looking characters they've ever had (even more so than Richard Briers in Death's Shadow) and confirms that it is the quiet one you should watch. Gemma Jones plays her very well most of the time, but sadly, probably through no fault of her own, descends into over-the-top acting at the end. It did taint the episode. 


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