Not having read any of author Caroline Graham's modern "English village" mysteries (I'm afraid I'm still stuck in Christie-land), I came to Midsomer Murders, the long-running series of TV mysteries based on the books and characters in Graham's novels, totally blind. I must have missed these on A & E and The Biography Channel, but I'm glad I caught up with them here on Acorn Media's three-disc set, Midsomer Murders: Set Eight. Starring the reserved, unflappable John Nettles as quintessential English "everyman" Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, the Midsomer Murders: Set Eight mysteries are straightforward, determinedly "square" affairs that I found a welcome relief from all the flashy CSI nonsense clogging up TV today.

Originally premiering in 1997, the series continues to this day. The three mysteries contained in the Midsomer Murders: Set Eight include The Maid in Splendour (Jan, 2004), The Straw Woman (Feb, 2004), and Ghosts of Christmas Past (Dec, 2004). Evidently, the series concerns the middle England county of Midsomer, an affluent, rural (and fictional) district that has an incredibly high body count (like Jessica Fletcher's Cabot Cove in Murder, She Wrote) among its well-to-do, snobby residents. DCI Tom Barnaby, of the CID (Criminal Investigation Department) is the chief detective for all the various murders that occur on a seemingly weekly basis in the county, and he's aided in his inquiries (during this particular season) by Detective Sergeant Dan Scott (John Hopkins), a cocky city kid, and a slightly disdainful assistant who's somewhat leery of the gruff taskmaster Barnaby.

Barnaby is an interesting addition to television detectives in that he sports absolutely no engaging quirks or personality traits that are cued to make him unique or special. He is, by design, the most ordinary of men - an ironically distinctive quality when you compare him with other TV detectives. He's married (quite happily). He has a good relationship with his normal-acting daughter. He's extremely good at his job, but he doesn't have supernatural powers of deduction (like say, a Poirot). He lives a quite, peaceful life in the county, and appears to enjoy his lot in life. He is, then, the exact opposite of the intense, tortured policemen that we so often see on TV today, a stereotype that has become a tired cliched. That's why Nettle's Barnaby is such a refreshing addition to the pantheon. With Barnaby a stolidly "English" detective (in the best sense of the word "English") who doesn't distract us with calculated personality quirks, the Midsomer Murders series allows us then to concentrate on the actual mysteries, not the detective.

And they're surprisingly dense, convoluted mysteries, at that. I've written before that when I watch or read mysteries, I never try to figure them out (that's because, quite frankly, I'm too thick to do so). I always just let the mystery take me along, and participate as an observer only - not another detective. Well, I certainly couldn't figure out these stories (or at least, not until the last five or ten minutes, when everybody else did, too), so they passed my most undemanding test (if I can figure out a mystery early in the film, it must be too simple). The characters of the Midsomer Murders series are another key ingredient, and they're nicely rounded, and well drawn. It doesn't hurt that they're enacted by those always reliable British casts, either. I particularly liked John Nettles' calm, measured performance as Barnaby. The character may not be the most scintillating detective you ever saw on the screen, but Nettles has a way of putting a little glint into his eyes whenever Barnaby lights onto an important clue, or giving a subtle turn of his head when he hears something amiss in a suspect's testimony, that conveys more than enough information to the audience that this quiet, extremely moral man is thinking all the time. It's a nice, measured, assured performance, and I can see why it's aided the series' popularity in England. I imagine it's a reassuring performance, a reminder of the type of Englishman that used to be ubiquitous on movie screens and TV: the stolid, calm, moral, "English" Englishman.

DISC ONE:

The Maid in Splendour
Unrequited love, secret business deals, and passionate affairs threaten the lives of those connected to The Maid in Splendour, Midsomer Worthy's beloved local pub. When one of the pub's bartenders is found murdered in the nearby woods, Barnaby and Scott uncover a deadly clash of cultures in the gossipy village.

DISC TWO:

The Straw Woman
When a curate dies tragically at a festival revival, some villagers of Midsomer Parva suspect black magic. Barnaby and Scott unravel a centuries-old mystery, complicated by Scott's attraction to a schoolteacher who has been branded a witch by the village.

DISC THREE:

Ghosts of Christmas Past
The Villiers family has gathered to celebrate Christmas exactly nine years after Ferdy Villiers' suicide. When another member of the family dies mysteriously, Barnaby and Scott find they must investigate the past as well as the present.

The DVD:

The Video:
The 16:9 widescreen video image for Midsomer Murders: Set Eight is a particularly strong presentation, with full colors and blacks that hold in the numerous night scenes. I was impressed with the show's glossy lensing, and it looks particularly good here in this DVD transfer.

The Audio:
The Dolby Digital English 2.0 stereo soundtrack is effective and strong. There are no subtitles or close-captioning options, but the English accents are very mild, here, so no worries.

The Extras:
There are some nice extras here for Midsomer Murders: Set Eight. First off is an informative, entertaining interview with lead actor John Nettles, where he discusses the appeal of the series. Then, there's an interactive map of the fictional Midsomer County, which is kind of fun. Then, there's a text bio on author Caroline Graham, as well as filmographies for the cast.

Final Thoughts:
Decidedly low-key and straightforward, the Midsomer Murders: Set Eight mysteries are a welcome respite from the flash and noise of most detective shows on the air today. Delightfully convoluted mysteries, glossy production, well-drawn characters, and some smart performances make these Caroline Graham-inspired shows quite entertaining. No need to feel you're coming in the middle of a series; these full-length mysteries are self-contained, and perfect viewing for a rainy Sunday afternoon. I recommend Midsomer Murders: Set Eight.