Have you ever tried to think which is your favourite episode of Midsomer Murders. With over 90 to choose from it’s quite a task. Believe us, we know better than most. Over the last few days we have been trying to think of our favourite episodes and got ourselves into a bit of a tizz. So, we decided to approach the matter scientifically.
We scoured the internet and turned up a couple of top episode polls. We also incorporated a top ten we previously blogged about from the legend that is John Nettles. We figured if anyone had a real insight into the very best episode then it would be him.
So, putting the results together from polls on midsomermurders.org, mytopdozen.com and Mr. John Nettles himself, we think this is a pretty good representative list of the best ever episodes, mainly filmed in Southern Oxfordshire. They’re in no particular order (our maths wasn’t quite good enough to work that out) but here they are.
The Killings at Badger’s Drift
The pilot seems to be many people’s favourite and was also in John’s top ten. It seems like you really don’t forget your first time. This stunning start to the show saw old Emily Simpson bumped off for seeing something in the woods she shouldn’t have done. The original and the best? Tell us what you think.
Murder on St. Malley’s Day
Another very popular episode featuring at the top of the mytopdozen.com poll and winning John’s vote as the ‘most dramatic episode’. This grizzly tale from series five is about the death of a grandfather and grandson on the same day. Coincidence? In Midsomer? Don’t be ridiculous. It’s murder, of course.
Death and Dreams
Not making John’s list but proving very popular with fans, this episode from series six starts with the apparent suicide of Martin Wroth. But why would someone kill himself in such a complex way? And when another ‘apparent’ suicide turns up on an assault course, this being Midsomer, something foul is afoot.
Dead Man’s XI
Of course, not everything in Midsomer is about grim murder and mystery. It is the lighter side of the show that appeals to so many fans (how else could you get away with killing off over 300 characters without getting too depressed?). This episode exemplifies perfectly how the writers manage to take on such serious subject matter and still keep it entertaining. Winner of John’s vote as funniest episode, it’s not hard to see why.
Which is your favourite episode? Why not let us know below? And keep your eyes peeled for part two next week.