Midsomer Murders & Sergeant Cribb

[John Johnson]

Drinking Games: 'Midsomer Murders'


Rule One: Down a shot, if the opening sequence is based at a village fete, country fair or local cricket event.

Rule Two: When the murderer turns out to be the vaguely recognisable guest star, who you've been struggling to put a name to all episode, down a pint.

Rule Three: Whenever the creepy theme music - or anything else performed on a theremin - is played in the background, swig some red wine from the bottle.

Rule Four: If everyone in the village fits incredibly old-fashioned stereotypes - helpful, chatty landlord, middle-class doctor, snooty posh landowners, drunkard farmers - crack into the vodka.

Rule Five: If a missing letter or will is involved in solving the case, tuck into some sherry.

Rule Six: Tuck into a second bottle of wine when the victim utters the immortal words: "Oh, it's you! What are you doing here?" shortly before being bludgeoned to death with large blunt instrument.

Rule Seven: If near enough the entire cast of the episode have been killed off by the time Barnaby and co. have got to the bottom of the case, glug some Baileys.

Rule Eight: If the episode involves a quaint community pastime - bell-ringing, brass-rubbing, amateur dramatics - help yourself to some doubles and chasers.

Rule Nine: Have a can of ale when someone utters any of the following phrases shortly before the murder: "I'm going to kill you!", "I wish you were dead!", "You're going to regret crossing me!" Have an extra can if a detective is in earshot at the time.

Rule Ten: If someone dies from cancer, a heart attack, a road accident, old age or any other everyday cause, and manages to not get murdered, polish off all your remaining drinks.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/a16 ... rders.html

[Castile]

On your recommendation, John, I ordered WALLANDER and am looking forward to this. (Also, it would be interesting to test the "drinking game" theory the next time I watch MIDSOMER but, following those rules, I doubt I'd be conscious for The Big Reveal.)

[John Johnson]

Acorn Media has announced Set 14 for 23rd February 2010. The episodes are:

Death And Dust (Series 10 - Episode 9)
Picture Of Innocence (Series 10 - Episode 10)
They Seek Him Here 9Series 11 - Episode 2)
Death In A Chocolate Box (Series 11 - Episode 3).

Set 15 is currently being planned for June.

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Midsom ... t-14/12940

[John Johnson]

Acorn Media has announced Set 15 for 1st June 2010. The episodes are:

11th Series 2008.

Blood Wedding (Series 11 Episode 2)
Shot at Dawn (Series 11 Episode 1)
Left for Dead (Series 11 Episode 3)

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Midsom ... t-15/13470

[John Johnson]

Wallander due for DVD and Blu Ray Release 19th October.





http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Wallan ... es-2/14121

[John Johnson]

WHAT EVIL LURKS BEYOND THE WELL-TRIMMED HEDGES OF MIDSOMER? The cozy villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in these contemporary British television mysteries. Inspired by the novels of Caroline Graham, modern master of the English village mystery, the series stars John Nettles (Bergerac) as the unflappable Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, with Jason Hughes (This Life) as his earnest, efficient protégé, Detective Sergeant Ben Jones. Guest stars include Tim Pigott-Smith, Ronald Pickup, Pooky Quesnel, Simon Williams, Anton Lesser, Tom Goodman-Hill, Niamh Cusack, and Judy Parfitt.


The 4-DVD release of Midsomer Murders - Set 16 is coming home on September 28th. You'll get 4 mysteries of approximately 100 minutes each, presented in anamorphic widescreen video, English Stereo audio, and with English subtitles. Extras include an episode commentary by John Nettles and Jane Wymark on "The Magician's Nephew", plus production notes. Cost is $49.99 SRP in the USA, and CA$64.99 SRP in Canada.
"Midsomer Life": After the unpopular editor of a local magazine is found dead, Barnaby stumbles upon a nest of bribery, adultery, and secrets kept too long.
"The Magician's Nephew": Barnaby must determine if witchcraft is to blame when several members of a pagan cult are killed in an unusual manner.
"Days of Misrule": Christmas comes early for Barnaby and Jones when a suspicious explosion frees them from a dreaded team-building exercise.
"Talking to the Dead": Two couples go missing from the sleepy village of Monks Barton; the locals blame ghosts, but Barnaby suspects a more earthly culprit.

[John Johnson]

WHAT EVIL LURKS BEYOND THE WELL-TRIMMED HEDGES OF MIDSOMER? As seen on A&E and the Biography Channel! The cozy villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in these contemporary British television mysteries. Inspired by the novels of Caroline Graham, a modern master of the English village mystery, the series stars John Nettles (Bergerac) as the unflappable Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby with John Hopkins (Love in a Cold Climate) and Jason Hughes (This Life) as his young assistants. Also starring Jane Wymark and Laura Howard as Joyce and Cully Barnaby. Guest stars include Diana Quick, George Baker, Simon Callow, Annette Crosbie, Elizabeth Spriggs, Harriet Walter, Peter Capaldi, and Julia McKenzie.
Midsomer Murders - Village Case Files will be available on DVD this November 2nd from Acorn Media. This 16-disc collector's edition contains 16 episodes previously released on the ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth sets. Running approximately 1590 minutes long, the video is presented in anamorphic widescreen, and the audio in English stereo. Cost is $149.99 SRP in the USA, and CA$189.99 SRP in Canada. Here's a list of the contents and package art:
Things That Go Bump in the Night
Dead in the Water
Orchis Fatalis
Bantling Boy
Second Sight
Hidden Depths
Sauce for the Goose
Midsomer Rhapsody
The House in the Woods
Dead Letters
Vixen's Run
Down Among the Dead Men
Four Funerals and a Wedding
Country Matters
Death in Chorus
Last Year's Model
BONUS:
Text interviews with John Nettles and Jason Hughes
Fascinating facts
The Killings at Badger's Drift connection
Production notes
Caroline Graham biography
Cast filmographies

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Midsom ... iles/14365

[John Johnson]

Series 2. At last!

[John Johnson]

I just purchased a couple of sets of the "newer" (post-Daniel Casey) Midsomers and one set of Sergeant Cribb on DVD - I'd never seen Sgt. Cribb - a shot-on-video, Victorian Era mystery series, and wonder if it was ever shown here in the States. Is Midsomer still in production? Telecasts seem to have dried up over here, unless I just don't get the station broadcasting them. I watched this every week without fail on
A&E but had only seen one episode with the new sidekick. Any other fans of these series? The music from "Midsomer" is cool, too, and it apparently had a CD release, but I've never been able to find it over here. How were/are these shows received in the UK? And can anyone tell me about the Murdoch Mysteries? (They popped up as a recommendation during a search at Amazon, but if they've had an airing over here, I missed them.)

As seen on PBS Mystery! Includes previously unreleased episodes "Waxwork" and "Abracadaver". From the vulgar brothels of London's fogbound streets, to the respectable royal apartments of Windsor Castle, Sergeant Cribb maintains a level head and a wry sense of humour to unravel complex crimes in Queen Victoria's England. A detective of Scotland Yard's newly formed Criminal Investigation Department, Cribb receives little support for his efforts from his superiors. Wearing his trademark bowler hat and squeaky boots, Cribb relies on his own shrewdness and the plodding assistance of Constable Thackeray to expose the vile deeds of Victorian criminals. Starring Alan Dobie, William Simons, and David Waller.
This coming Tuesday, June 14th, BFS Entertainment is streeting Sergeant Cribb - The Complete Series on DVD. The 7-disc set running 737 minutes will cost $64.98 SRP, but you can order it at a discount from Amazon.com using the button link below. Extras include Biographies, Selected Filmographies, A History of Scotland Yard, Peter Lovesey Biography, Selected Bibliography / Cast and Story Trivia.




http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Sergea ... ries/15496