Why doesn't Tom Barnby divorce Joyce in Midsomer Murders?

Joyce was one of the few people in Midsomer who didn't commit a murder. For a police officer that's someone you hold on to.

Because there is only one person on earth more boring than Tom, and that's Joyce.

Joyce has the WORST thin, flat, skull-cap hair in the world. Don't they have hair products in the UK? Who is the hair and makeup team on this show, students from the cosmetology school for the blind? And there is ABSOLUTELY no reason why Joyce can't follow simple recipes and try to improve her cooking when she has all day every day to do so? Boring and lazy and ugly.

Joyce was way too busy with her Frau clubs to become a better cook. Also if you stumble into that many murder scenes you are not really in the mood for (good) cooking. Quite frankly I was surprised that she never got addicted to anxiety meds or become an agoraphobic.

Precisely! She makes no effort to look good, never tries to improve the cooking, complains when Tom gets phonecalls and sucking up to aristocrats!

Here is the real question: how did this devoid-of-talent woman become an actress to begin with? A cardboard cutout of her would work just as well, if not better, than the actual person.

And don't even mention those painful scenes of Cully "acting". She out to be a barmaid.

Tom Barnby, it’s Sean Cody on line 7! 😆

Joyce likes to take it up the butt. After one disappointing and boring daughter, Tom didn't want another. This way, he gets everything he wants. That's all any man wants. Everything.

The new one(detective) has a nice hotsy totsy, if I do say so myself.

There was an episode where Tom says something lewd about Joyce's tennis skirt. Talk about laughing out loud. The only thing under Joyce's skirt is Barbie non-genitalia. Like that episode of Black Mirror.

Joyce was boring as hell, but she was also innocuous.

She's no Helen Mirren but she'd do for a poke in the whiskers if Tom was sloshed.

I'm on Season 8 and this dreck by now is absolutely formulaic.

-- First off the opening scene is usually a person riding a bicycle or a conveyance of some sort. Horse, boat, car, etc.

-- Next, Tom's black Rover black car should be listed as a co-star. Scene after scene each episode of it driving around the countryside and villages.

-- Every single solitary character actor you've ever seen on PBS or BBC America has a turn on the Midsomer Murders eventually.

-- Pub, a park, dining room table, drawing room -- the location set-ups rarely vary.

-- Lotta drinking goes on in each ep.

-- Joyce IS useless and Cully not much better. Cully's "acting jobs" -- she can't act in the real one she has!

R14 have you seen the episode "The Creeper"?

Joyce wakes up and a prowler is in their bedroom. She gives chase and yells at Tom: "Do I have to do everything myself?!" Cheeky bitch! Happily she then tumbles down the stairs.

R14 - The show will grow on you and you will become addicted. I know becasue it happened to me.

The revolving door cast of Detective Sergeants is a hoot and the best part of the show after with all the village nutters.

I love this show. Excellent Mindless entertainment. Highly recommend.

You get a decent ass shot of one of the Chris Noths.

It jumped the shark for me when two actors came back as the identical cousins of another set of actors or some nonsense like that.

And r14 is correct, I think there are about 20 dramatic TV actors in all of England.

R18 that was the infamous and incestuous Rainbirds who got slaughtered in the pilot!

The hottest Sargent for me was delectable Dan Scott. I'd pull his pants down, rim him and suck his willy right in front of that old hag Joyce

R15 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Thanks for that.

Joyce was the most prolific serial killer in any show ever imagined . And she never got caught .

{quote] Joyce was the most prolific serial killer in any show ever imagined . And she never got caught .

Well, I know who I visit next.

Tom Barnaby is absolutely sexless.

His succession of Deputy Inspectors supply the manly swagger in the villages

Exactly, r16!

Just bland enough with quaint locations and no slashing. I completely love it.

Everyone is so nice and bland and not trying to impress everyone with their latest plastic surgery. It's nice, it's familiar, it's completely non-threatening. Which is exactly the sort of thing I crave during this era of chaos and uncertainty.

R23 what's your favourite episodes?

R24 - "The Axeman Cometh" guest starring Suzi Quatro and The one where some "Lord" has all three of wives (Ex-#1, EX-#2 and the current one) present and they all have excellent motives for killing him. I think this "Lord" was modeled to some degree on the recently deceased Marquess of Bath.

This episode also has some of the best British Country House real estate porn of the entire series and that is saying alot.

Another hot Detective Sergeant was Charlie Nelson played by Gwilym Lee who also played Brian May in Bohemian Rhapsody.

The dud of the Sargent is dull, slow, average Ben Jones

I have no gaydar. Would someone tell me if Gwilym Lee is gay?

His Wikipedia page does list any information on his personal life.

I watched one where she hit someone with her car and was fucking annoying the whole episode, feeling sorry for herself.

R29 - Actually she thought she hit someone with her car. It was a good but not great episode.

How does she get involved with so many activities while Tom risks life and limb?

If you enjoy television series involving typical British Village nutters (which I do) Kingdom with Stephen Fry is great.

Kingdom is set in Norfolk, England.

R31 - Plot devices. Joyce is a bell ringer and a member of the village choir.

The episode about the competing village choirs had Peter Capaldi playing a choir director as the guest villain.

It was great until they started diversity casting.

You know Joyce can't carry a tune to save her life R33.

R27 He comes back on a later episode with a scruffy beard and a tan and looks way better.

R35 - I did not notice as I was to busy watching Peter Capaldi and the British real estate porn.

R37 - I saw that episode. Ben Jones was some type of undercover agent I think.

R38 Yes!!

R39 - When things get back to normal. Come over to my house as I have the complete box set of all 21 seasons/series. Perfect for binge watching.

Please bring gourmet popcorn and wine!

Yay

It's a date R40.

I'm addicted to this show too, but I finished all the Netflix episodes a long time ago and there haven't been any new ones in a long time (same goes for Father Brown.) Are they forcing us to sign up for one of those British streaming services to get the new ones, or will they eventually make their way to Netflix?

Question for our UK brethren: Given some of the comments above about the repetitiveness of the settings, etc. -- how realistic is the show with respect to present-day rural England life? I've only been to London, which of course is a modern city, but a lot of the Midsomer episodes seem almost as if they're stuck in the '50s, if you disregard the technology and the cars. Are things really that low-key and "traditional" in the hinterlands? Are pubs and fairs still a big deal?

R43 to a certain extent in some of the counties but these villages aren't usually so homogenous. More non-White people and social housing.

R38 which was really stupid because why would they send somebody undercover into the same area they used to live and work for ages .

I love their more supernatural episodes where they leave it open whether the supernatural phenomena is real or not. I think the mentioned episode with Joyce thinking she ran someone over is one of those.

[quote] If you enjoy television series involving typical British Village nutters (which I do) Kingdom with Stephen Fry is great.

Thank you for the recommendation. I will check it out since I like Stephen Fry and his co-star Celia Imrie.

Some years ago there was a great DL thread about cozy British Murder Mystery shows with tons of great comments and recommendations. Of course, Midsomer Murders was mentioned and discussed as well.

R27 Different strokes for different folks because Ben Jones can GET IT!

Yum.

He could kill her...

Midsomer Murders has its charms but...

1) They stupidly do them all as "movies" meaning they run about an hour and an half and very few few of them have enough content to warrant that long of an episode. Many of them are very draggy because they insist on sticking to the longer format.

2) They are very very formulaic. Which is true of most TV shows especially detective shows but...you can very easily predict how the episode will turn out most of the time

3) It needs to end. The last season they did was an absolute dud....none of the 4 episodes was any good.

4) I HATED Joyce when I originally started watching but now I'm very fond of her....her bitchiness and moods are such fun.

R46 Yes, it was a ghostly episode.

Fun fact: Jason Hughes plays a gay man in the series “This Life”. Also, in that same series, Andrew Lincoln does a very quick full frontal getting out of the shower.

Jason Hughes also has a couple of sexy semi nude scenes in Midsomer including a cute butt shot.

He also looks like he'd be REALLY fun in bed.

I always thought he was much hotter than she was. I never understood why he would marry her.

R54 he sagged her once and knocked her up

I only watched one episode of MM (about a serial killer of bell ringers) and thought it very weak tea indeed. But this thread is so hilarious I think I want to binge-watch it while I'm dying of COVID-19 and hallucinating.

It is a great thread. Thanks OP.

I love this show, but I certainly don't watch it for its narrative strength. It's more of a Cotswolds/cottages/characters porn for me. Tom Barnaby has an extremely pleasant presence on screen, and a charming, mild sense of humor. I adore seeing all the English gardens, and hearing the ridiculous nighttime woodland cacophany of owls hooting and foxes screaming. (They have toned it down quite a bit after the first few seasons.) I've watched most of the series, and I'm just about to Tom's final appearances. This show is a balm to me, something lovely and light for the very end of the day. I might fall asleep, but I'll definitely finish the episode the following night. I don't even care who the murder is, I just enjoy watching the scenery.

Both Midsomer and Father Brown became hopelessly PC on Britbox. Don’t bother. Love the older episodes.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

In our house we have a running joke now about quaint little English villages from watching this. They all have a lot of people lurking and spying after midnight, the countryside is full of killers running amok, the aristocracy still acts like they are above the law and have horrible loveless marriages, and British women are all vaguely horsey looking with bad hair.

R43 - Acorn TV (The Best of English Speaking Television) has every episode oF Midsomer Murders and gets them first for USA broadcast.

Also on Acorn TV is a show called Agatha Raisin. If you like Midsomer Murders you will very much like Agatha Raisin.

I am breathlessly waiting the USA release of the latest season of Father Brown. I have no idea which streaming service has Father Brown. It man be BritBox. I will just have to wait on PBS to broadcast as I cannot get BritBox from my cabel provider.

"I will just have to wait on PBS to broadcast as I cannot get BritBox from my cabel provider."

Buy a Roku and subscribe through that.

R63 - I just bought a new big screen HD Smart TV and it is not a Roku. I have spoke with people who had problems with Roku so I went with another brand.

R64, Roku is not a TV. It's a device that you attach to your TV. It allows your TV to connect to the internet and stream shows from services. Think of it as the connection between your TV and Britbox and other services.

You can by a Roku TV as I looked at one.

It's not a television manufactured and marketed by Roku.

Roku is a product that television manufacturers can build directly into their televisions. Or, alternatively, you can buy a Roku box that you plug into a television that does not have the capability built in.

Roku does not manufacture televisions.

Sorry! I am not the smartest person when it come to electronics. The salesperson at Best Buy was really pushing hard the Roku TV or whatever thingy it is.

I have Roku. It’s great but lately I have been having some problems with it. The sound quality will be scratchy sounding sometimes. I contacted them but no response. The best thing to do is to unplug it and press the reset button. I have had it for a year now... I should not have to replace it now, would I?

Here are the makers of TV's with Roku built in.

R69 - That is why I did not buy it.

I heard there service department, even in time of no virus, was extremely difficult to get through to and even more difficult to deal with if you were lucky enough to get through to a live person.

Britbox is a streaming service like Acorn. Why would your cable provider be involved?

I've seen Agatha Raisin and enjoyed it, but are there any more episodes? Was it renewed or is it over? I know Miss Fischer's Murder Mysteries is over but apparently there's a movie coming out (or already out) but again it's on one of those services I don't have.

Who the fuck does the woman in OP's pic think she is with that haircut...Louise Brooks?!

[quote]I've seen Agatha Raisin and enjoyed it, but are there any more episodes? Was it renewed or is it over?

There are 3 seasons of Agatha Raisin. I think a total of 16 episodes total.

Loving the Australian television shows on Hulu.

R72 - I subscribe to Acorn TV through Xfinity my cable & internet provider.

Can Access Acorn TV just like Starz on Demand via my cable box.

I do not want to watch TV or stream on my computer. I want to watch TV and streamed shows on my HD big screen.

R77 does not understand streaming. Forgive him.

Joyce gave him a sense of stability

I'd respect Joyce more if she'd start shagging some publican right under Tom's nose.

And Cully! I'd like her more if she married a gaoled murderer in his prison.

I'm on Series 8, and so far, I prefer Detective Sergeant Gavin Troy over DS Daniel Scott or DS Benjamin Jones.

Troy had a sort of boyish swagger. Scott appears to be a former criminal to me and Jones is just a goofy derp.

I love the current pathologist, Dr. Fleur Perkins played by Annette Badland. She really is a hoot. The minor characters really make the show.

Troy was a homophobe.

"I love the current pathologist, Dr. Fleur Perkins played by Annette Badland."

Annette Badland is great. Did you see her in the movie Little Voice where she played the neighbor?

And that's Brenda Blethyn, who stars in another great detective show: Vera.

R84 - no but I saw her in a great episode of Agatha Raisin. Annette Badland was the perfect guest villain.

Poor Annette didn't miss many trees running through the ugly forest though.

R87 - You may be correct but the bitch can act; no question about it,

Yeah, I liked Troy as well but he hated everyone who wasn't young and straight.

The episode where the old, rich cougar's lover gets killed and she subsequently propositions Troy still makes me laugh. He was so unnerved by her that he refused to interview her again and made the inspector go himself.

For the life of me, I can't figure out why none of you all have brought up the coroner, John. I mean, he's a hot silver daddy who looks good in a suit. Very handsome man!

R89 I remember that, wasn't it the bellringer episode? I seem to remember the Coagar's lover was hot. And Troy ended up shaggibg her!

In the very first episode, Troy makes rude and dismissive remarks about the first witness they interview, an old lady who Troy dismisses out of hand. Barnaby's displeasure is clear. Then Troy makes a homophobic remark about Dennis Rainbird who tosses it back in his face. A few scenes later, he speculates that the couple doing it in the woods might have been 'a couple of arsebandits.' Barnaby stops him and expresses his displeasure. Then there is the matter of his driving. All in the first 15 minutes of the episode.

He is a young man with a lot to learn. I like that the writers slap him around a good bit.

She’s probably a freak between the sheets...

OP's question can be answered with the episode about swingers where, in the final scene, Joyce says that she would be into using a paddle to smack Tom's ass.

Can you imagine having to ride that whining old corpse? Poor Tom!

I remember that episode and was SHOCKED at Tom's spicy attitude!!

Jane Wymark was attractive enough when young in that very English subdued way. A bit like Mia Farrow.

Personally I thought she looked good enough for a cop's wife in the countryside. She reminded me of one of the characters in Wallace & Gromit with the hairdo.

R96 Yes, not bad.

R97 Way too much volume in that 'do lol. Joyce's hair looks as if she is wearing a bathing cap.

Holy shit! Is that Troy in her?

Please R100, warn us first. My eyes!!!!

"He is a young man with a lot to learn. I like that the writers slap him around a good bit."

R91 - You are so right. This type of writing, city slicker gets put in his place by country cop" really made the show. One of the big complaints about the show in the last 2-3 years is that it has become too politically correct and does not really represents "The country". I am not British nor do I live in the UK so I really have no idea. I have never seen an episode of the show that I did not enjoy but someone were better than others. To me, the more nutter the villagers are, the better the episode tends to be.

Also the episodes with the best village nutters tends to have the best country house real estate porn.

When the current Barnaby leaves the show, I think a gay couple (as The DCI and his spouse, say a dentist formally practicing in Kent) would really work.

The original creator and showrunner got into trouble for being so against so-called PC inclusion of non-whites which got him booted off the show. I don't really get the big deal about the inclusion of some black people living and breathing British countryside air.

Annette Badland is the best thing on the latest seasons. The way she gets under "new" Barnaby's skin, after years and years of Barnaby being all passive aggressive towards his sidekicks, is hilarious.

Poor Cully. She got replaced by a dog.

It's found its way to YouTube.

Yay!

There was one sidekick that didn't work well and left very quickly. I think John Nettles didn't like him.

I kind of remember him R106. He and Nettles did not click and the actor came across as having a pissy attitude.

R103 - What I am referring to in my R102 comments about being PC was not race but about stereotyping the local yocals and assorted nutters in the villages.

The local yocals and assorted nutters in the villages are the best part of the show and always end up making the "Londoners" look stupid, ridiculos and a real waste of space.

In the episodes with the "new" Barnaby there seems to be too many people "up from London with posh accents" taking center stage too often. I like the the local yocals and assorted nutters of the villages. taking center stage.

R107 - He was DS Dan Scott. He was only on the show for one season. He was not written out of the show. He just called into work one day saying he was sick and was never heard from again.

There are some great episodes where the local nutters fight against the city folk changing things in Midsomer. That conflict wouldn't exist without there being actual city folk doing stuff that pisses off the locals. I especially love the ones where the locals are all outraged, because they can't take strolls in certain parts of the land, because the new landowners claim the paths are on their private properties.

The nutty villagers was the original purpose of the show. The show has moved away from eccentrics going to village fetes.

Barnaby took such a shine on Ben Jones in the first episode the character was introduced he offered him the DS position while the previous one was sick or something. Very weird situation.

The show started in 1997. The show ran out of nutty local villagers a long time ago.

R110 - I have no problem with characters "up from London" or posh accents "chirping away".

I just do not want the "City Folk" taking center stage and not willing to participate in local pub brawls over decade old grudges.

Dan Scott was in 2 seasons and he was gorgeous! I've said it before but I would unzip his trousers and suck him dry in the village green whilst the Parson and his mistress watch.

If the show kept true to its roots the critics would be all about it being stale and boring for doing the same stuff over and over again.

Loved when Nettles showed up in Hot Fuzz as a murderous, gun toting HOA cult member.

R115 - Then you get murdered by.........???????.......?

That would make an excellent episode of Midsomer Murders.

Right, r109?

And they think American companies are harsh about firing people who call off sick! Damn.

On second thought, maybe Scott came down with the covid and had to go bye bye.

r108 The word you were looking for is YOKELS.

R120 - Thanks for heads up. My fingers were typing faster than my brain was working which seems to happen quite often with DL commentariat.

Because Mrs. Bucket isn't available

The show has been "stale" for the last 5 years.

Since we are talking about these British mystery/cop things is Touch of Frost any good? I saw the first episode and found the character rather sad. I tried watching Hinterland, it was slow and the scenery was so depressing I almost became close to suicidal. Does it actually pick up? Does the sun ever come out?

A Touch Of Frost is really good but yes the first few episodes are quite gritty and sombre. There is humour to be had once you get to know Jack's quirks though.

R61 us too! I've commented more than once that Causton, Kembleford (Father Brown) and Carsley (Agatha Raisin) must all rival inner Detroit, Mogadishu, Medellin or Bogota for murder rates. My partner and I love all these shows

R126 - I love all those shows too!

[quote] I've commented more than once that Causton, Kembleford (Father Brown) and Carsley (Agatha Raisin) must all rival inner Detroit, Mogadishu, Medellin or Bogota for murder rates. My partner and I love all these shows

They'll never top us!

R126 and there' Grantchester too, with the adorkable Leonard Finch and hot Sidney Chambers

Midsomer though is something else, a real Killing Field scattered with pretty thatched cottages, gorgeous stately homes and picturesque churches. Makes MS-13, the Bloods and Crips and the Mexican drug cartels look like amateurs, they should be going to Midsomer on study trips to see how its done

I ask the same thing about Melania, OP.

If you like Midsomer Murders, check out "The Brokenwood Mysteries". Brokenwood Mysteries is set in New Zealand with lots of New Zealand "nutters".

I have been binge watching this show the last couple of evenings and it is not bad at all.

Joyce looks like she wears dentures. And you know how good those people are at fellatio..

For years I thought Tom was saying “Corston” until I saw a sign saying Causton on the show

Thank you to the poster who suggested Kingdom starring Stephen Fry. While it's not a crime show, it was quite fun.

R133 I assumed that too.

I thought it was more like Cawston.

That social-climbing snob Joyce always wanted to move from the hoi polloi of Caston and into one of the picturesque villages where she could host tea parties, organise fetes and lick the Vicar's arse. All paid for by Tom of course.

Why did Cully think she could have an acting career in the middle of nowhere?

Cully ended up teaching at the local amateur dramatics groups.

[quote]Why did Cully think she could have an acting career in the middle of nowhere?

Cully's acting career went bust because of conflicts over nudity. The producers refused to let her do it.

"She takes her first name from a village on Lake Geneva in Switzerland, where she was conceived during her parents' honeymoon". According to some sites she was born 5 years after Tom married Joyce.

I thought "Cully" was short for something like "Colleen".

Cully had the looks and disposition of a village librarian, no way was she believable as an actress. She was the blandest member of the cast, so I suppose they had to find ways to make her interesting like marrying her off to a musician in a rock band, another unbelievable bit of writing.

Cully had a very cute actor boyfriend in the early season called Nico. He worked with Tom and Troy on a case, as preparation for an acting role. In a village called Aspern Tallow!

Yes, and then in one or two episodes, Cully was fucking one of Tom's young assistants. One of the first two of them, IIRC. It was so odd because it would have opened a complex set of circumstances that I couldn't believe that the show was ready to take on. And then... it was over.

The writers just didn't care about this role. Whatever needed to be done, they just gave it to Cully. There was no way for the actress to do anything but say the lines and cash her pay check.

The bitch is at it again. They have moved into a posher house and she is nagging Tom to get the decorating finished, whilst doing sweet FA herself!

And that annoying shrew Cully has turned up to waste space too.

Didn't there use to be a John Nettles troll here on DL who'd insist that Nettles was gay and closeted even though all the evidence points to him being completely sexless?

He's been married twice and has a kid

My favorite DS was Charlie Nelson played by Gwilym Lee. Gwilym Lee is my idea of very good looking. I have always had the hots for him.

Also, Gwilym played Brian May in Bohemian Rhapsody. I have always kinda had the hots (and still do) for Brian May too.

That old Frau has dragged him off to some luxury spa where he's no doubt paying

The thing about Agatha Raisin is that in the books she went for early retirement in her 50s. I've never seen the TV show, but telly Agatha looks too young for that. In the books, Roy is a real queen with a vicious streak at times.

BLASPHEMY!!! @#$^ BLASPHEMY!!!! #×@$¥ NOT EVEN GOING TO READ!!! ANATHEMA!!!!

That scene in "The Axeman Cometh" with Suzi Quatro getting electrocuted was absolutely hysterical.

Orlando Bloom was in one of the earlier episodes. Think there was some ass shown, not sure. His character was also murdered.

Here's still from his appearance.

Yes R153 he plays a gigolo and after sex with an older woman you see his ass as he pulls up his pants. In the daytime version I saw the other week they greatly sped up his getting up from bed so you barely saw it!

She's so unpleasant and entitled, just like the daughter.

That Wendolene Ramsbottom at R97 looks like Luvvie Dame Emma Thompson.

Eugh can't stand that frightful old snotterbox harpy Dame Emma.

No one has any comments about the current sidekick, Nick Hendrix?

He had a few scenes with exaggerated VPL in the show where he was dressed as a superhero on his off day.

Tom never divorced Joyce because she spontaneously rimmed him the second time they had sex before their marriage.

Tom was hooked -- this is GREAT, he thought! -- so he asked her to marry him.

Too bad he can now count on one hand the times she done it again during their long marriage.

Poor foolish Tom Barnaby.

She does look like the type to slip her tounge up an arse. Pity she mainly uses her ass kissing skills to social climb.

Heardly makes up for the flat, droopy boobs though.

Need to see Gwilym Lee shirtless.

She almost has a stroke every time she comes across a corpse. Tonight she found someone floating in a river with a trident in their chest. Cue next shot she's covered in a blanket, back of an ambulance getting support. You live in Midsomer bitch!

R151 - Ashley Jensen who plays the character Agatha Raisin was born 11 August 1969. So they age of the actress is almost perfect for the age of the character.

I'm the nagging suspicion that Joyce Barnaby was played by the widow of late Albert Finney.

R158 Nick Hendrix = nice bod & butterface

Midsomar had a crime rate similar to the south side of Chicago in the early 90s.

Midsomar had a crime rate similar to the south side of Chicago in the early 90s.

Remember the time Joyce was in that tunnel and it caved in? She nearly died.

Ah, good times.

I need to rewatch Poirot. Loved the sets.

Yes R168 Tom was determined to get her rescued for some reason. Maybe he'd forgot to get her insured.

Poirot is terrific, real comfort TV, in spite of all the crime!

What's the obsession here with Tom's wife? Who cares, she's actually a very minor character.

DL has turned into a very bizarre place.

[quote]What's the obsession here with Tom's wife? Who cares, she's actually a very minor character.

Not to mention the fact that she hasn't even been on the show SINCE 2011! Move on, people.

R173 - No DLers ever comment on Sarah Barnaby (played by Fiona Dolman) in series 14–present.

Does anyone have an idea why?

We stopped watching after Tom left

R175 - Why? It is definitely worth watching for Gwilym Lee.

Not to mention the cute dog.

Bump

R177 - The new dog is Paddy. The old dog was Sykes.

Still need to see Gwilym Lee shirtless.

Yes, Joyce was rather a dull character. Cully was, too. Poor Tom had such a boring family.

I've read rumors that John Nettles didn't care for John Hopkins who played DS Scott and that's why Hopkins unceremoniously left the show with barely a mention of the character.

John Hopkins was so gorgeous

John Nettles stayed on too long as Tom Barnaby.

In his later seasons, he seemed pompous and had the writers create plots where young women threw themselves at his tired old ass...

He seemed to ham it up more and more toward the end of his tenure.

And apparently dishwater Joyce's agents made ridiculous demands too - she was prominently featured in almost every episode of her last season - which became distracting and laughable...

Here she volunteering at the village fete; here she is caroling on the street; here she is working at the care home; here she is hanging out with the hookers....

How many fucking villages are there in this fucking Midsomer County?

John Barnaby and Ben Jones are a great pairing...

And Sykes is far superior to that cunt Cully

They are retired now and probably living in Spain where they are terrified of being kicked out due to Brexit.

Here is Joyce giving blowjobs to the lads in the Council Estate...

I hated the way Tom Barnaby mangled the name "Jyice"...

Joyce always looked so washed-out and thin, until she turned around...and wow, she had such a BIG ass

She never has a job!

I was watching one of the '80s vintage Miss Marples on Britbox last night, and who should show up but Annette Badland (Fleur, the coroner) as a young, chubby maid.

R191 me too! Poor Glydas!

Nettles was bored to death toward the end of his run. The only reason he stayed as long as he did was because they threw a lot of money at him. Nettles never expected the show to be as big a hit as it was in the UK, not to mention how popular it became internationally, so he never expected the show to go on as long as it has. He told the producers in 2009 he'd do two more seasons and he stuck to his guns. I imagine Jane Wymark (Joyce) and Laura Howard (Cully) were devastated by the news--no more cushy acting gig.

Who is your favorite DS? I vote for Ben Jones (Jason Hughes) or Charlie Nelson ( Gwilym Lee).

Footnote: Both are Welsh!

Because she was the only dominatrix within 200 miles. Her surprise anal was legendary.

The at sexy Detective Scott needed his cock sucked good

All things being equal and both in their prime, who would you do:

Jason Hughes or Gwilym Lee

[quote]Every single solitary character actor you've ever seen on PBS or BBC America has a turn on the Midsomer Murders eventually.

I think all the shows do this; the credits should just say "starring The PBS Players" and then any number of revolving actors from different shows could show up (oh look, there's one of the Durrells, etc.)

Tom was always smarter than his Sergeants

R198 - The slap-you-in-the-face British guest stars are part of the charm of Midsomer Murders for me.

BOOKIE'S DAUGHTER!

That's the fun part of British television. Everybody does anything. You're watching a distinguished award-winning actor in a prestige dramatic role and trying to remember which silly episode of Dr. Who you saw him in. US actors are getting more like that. Used to be with US actors there was a strict caste system. If you reached a certain level as a movie actor you wouldn't be caught dead doing TV roles.

Gwilym Lee's bisexuality is something of a poorly kept secret, as is his Bohemian Rhapsody co-star Ben Hardy's, with whom he once whisked off to Cognac for a dirty weekend.

I just saw a much younger Neil Dudgeon on an episode of "Inspector Morse." He was quite the hottie when he was younger.

We need to start a Father Brown thread. My dad had a man crush on John Light and wouldn’t let my mother delete the Flambeau episodes off the DVR. (She loves him too and loved Lady Felicia’s gowns, so it was all good.)

R205 - I have a crush on john Light. He is a wonderful actor and very pleasing to look at. Hercule Flambeau is one of my favorite TV characters.

Hercule Flambeau is up there with Terrance Myers from Murdoch Mysteries and Prime Minister Harriet Jones from Doctor Who for me.

A much younger Neil Dudgeon is also a guest star on a very early John Nettles episode of Midsomer Murders.

Best guest star of all time on Midsomer Murders is Samantha Bond IMAO. She was in at least three episode of Midsomer Murders playing three different British Nutter characters.

I also love Nancy Carol as Lady Felicia Montague in Father Brown who also did a guest star role in a very good episode of Midsomer Murders.

Favorite Episode of Midsomer Murders is "The Green Man" due to John Carlisle as Lord Fitzgibbon and "A Tale of Two Hamlets" due to spectacular number of spectacular complete British Nutter characters.

Agree with R205, someone needs to start a father brown thread.

Until I got Britbox, I didn't realize there was an earlier Father Brown series.

I've been bingeing "Inspector Morse" and "A Touch of Frost." I only have two episodes left of each. Both were VERY long-running shows. Lots of the same guest stars show up on all of these British series. I've seen a very young Samantha Bond on both. Last night there was a young Phyllis Logan (Mrs. Hughes from "Downtown.")

R209 - How is "A Touch of Frost"? What type of show is it?

Here's the Father Brown thread requested..

A Touch Of Frost started out quite gritty, mainly dealing with working class characters.

David Jason was fantastic as the rough and ready Detective who is unorthodox and disorganised yet really cares for the victims and never lets go til the case is solved.

Its an interesting counterpoint to more refined shows featuring "Gentleman Detectives" such as Inspector Morse

She's wants to buy a horse now. Social climbing hag. GET A JOB!

John Nettles original show "Bergerac" Season ! and Season II is currently running om Amazon Prime.

The show is is good (scripts & acting) if you can get past the 1980's production values. Bergerac drives a 1947 Triumph Roadster and the car is pretty cool.

R214 and he isn't lumbered with a hag like Joyce!

R215 - I always liked Joyce and Cully. I do realize I am in the minority.

R216 why?

Joyce was daft and pointless enough to be amusing, and it was fun to imagine, since she was at the scene of so many murders, that she was the secret culprit. I also love how entitled she was. You’ve been chasing murders from Badger’s Drift to Causton and Midsomer Heath, and I fed you scorched cauliflower curry for dinner? No, I will not deign to answer the phone! We know it’s for you! And don’t forget to pick up your costume for the fete!

Cully was painfully stupid. There was no way to make sense of so many of her actions. I felt bad for the actress because she had so little to work with.

I watched the first two episodes of the new series on Acorn, and while they talk about Betty, she has yet to be seen. I hope that carries on permanently.

I wanna see Betty hanging out with the local Badger’s Drift coke dealer.

(R62) On Acorn I really enjoyed Agatha Raisin, you might also want to check out "The Brokenwood Mysteries" and "Single Handed" with the hunk of a sergeant, Owen McDonald. This series is set in Ireland. I noticed so many of the series featured on Acorn are (free) on apps like Tubi, Fawesome.

Owen McDonnell

I miss Troy

(R221) Thanks for the correction, I was all "thumbs" just thinking about him. And (222) So do I, the one episode where the gay funeral director was making goo-goo eyes at Troy, later Troy telling Barnaby "that poof."

Some one mentioned, maybe on another thread, that the grown up Betty Barnaby does have a credit. I found the info: Isabel Shaw plays the "tween" Betty Barnaby debuting in Season 22 Episode 4: The Scarecrow Murders.

Paddy is back too!

You guys are too hard on Cully. That poor actress.

When the cast changed, how humiliating for her to be not just out of a job, but banished from Midsomer and replaced by a dog.

What's Joyce's most annoying moments?

Apparently in the books Joyce was a brilliant classical singer who gave up her career for Cully!

I love Joyce! But I'm laughing at your cuntiness towards her! Keep it coming!

What's there to like about her? Here she is trying to move to one of the posh little villages, old Corston isn't good enough for Lady Joyce

R229, she's cozy, ladylike and calms me down.

Next you'll be telling me Cully was a great actress and a raven beauty

Nah, Cully was a terrible actress but there's something to be said about her self-confidence to try her hand in acting when she was so bland and pedestrian. Her acting adventures have also always been a source of light comic relief in their absurdity. So Cully fits in well with the show's coziness and wacky, confident Britishness for me.

Rewatching series 2 over the Easter hols

Joyce was Tom's beard. She knew he mixed with Midsomer's closet gays. Nobody does orgy as well as repressed Brits.

How did Joyce get her rocks off then?

[quote]How did Joyce get her rocks off then?

Joyce was sexually repressed. That's why she does all the fetes and art stuff.

I'm watching Dead Man's Eleven, the earliest we're the best