Wednesday 17 February 2016

MIDSOMER MURDERS: HARVEST OF SOULS (ITV)

[Spoiler-Free] As the annual "harvest fayre" arrives in the Midsomer County village of Whitcombe Mallet, the owner of an equestrian centre is trampled by his horse. Except that someone encouraged the animal with a gunshot.

The 18th series of Midsomer Murders, the venerable ITV detective drama, ends its "extended" six-episode run with a very good episode written by Caleb Ranson and directed by Nick Laughland. DCI John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) and DS Charlie Nelson (Gwilym Lee) have to unravel a feud from the past between two families in and around the fairground on the village green.

One of suspects of the case is Butch Nevins, owner of the daredevil rider Wall of Death attraction. John and his wife Sarah (Fiona Dolman) prepare their holiday but the hotel doesn't take dogs and Sykes hates kennels. Kam (Manjinder Virk) and Charlie compete to keep the dog while the Barnabys will be away unless... Harvest of Souls boldly features some dialogues in French, an inventive murder and a Volkswagen camping van.

Overall this eighteenth series surprisingly managed to bring back a bit of dignity to Midsomer Murders. Anyway, there will (of course) be a Series 19. This final episode drew 4.9m/22.7%, giving this series an average of 5.2m/23.9%. Actor/director Seán Gleeson, Michael Higgs, Michelle Holmes, Amber Rose Revah, Helen Schlesinger, the great Meera Syal and David Yelland are amongst the guest stars of this episode.

Midsomer Murders is produced by Bentley Productions Ltd, an All3Media company, for ITV. Phil Hunter is the producer. Jo Wright exec produces. Music composed by Jim Parker.

http://www.midsomermurders.org/
http://www.visitmidsomer.com/

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