MovieChat Forums > Midsomer Murders (1998) Discussion > General questions **possible spoilers**

General questions possible spoilers

posted 8 years ago by cynthiad
3 replies | jump to latest

First of all, I know nothing about England and how the police are structured there. However, many references are made to "the village" implying a small community. So, the number of murders for a small village is mind-boggling. Unless a detective is assigned a larger geographical area than just one village. Anyone?

The series isn't a stunner, but ok. But, I think I'd like the series better with more continuity of characters. Except for the few key characters, ALL characters are new each episode. It's hard to believe in a small village there would be such a large amount of people. But, I suppose for the purpose of entertainment, we're supposed to set logic aside.

One person in particular that I'm thinking of was the blond constable that Sgt. Troy is attracted to during the bird egg episode. I had hoped that she might continue and a romance develop, but no such luck. Actors are in and out in one episode.

I am also curious about Cully. In the beginning, she's pursuing acting, then I see her working in the library bus and more lately it's something else (I forget what). I may have fallen asleep and missed it, but does it ever show the transition or the reason from one to the other?

[–] caviar1234 8 years ago

You're right, continuity of characters is a big problem, in one episode the writers were even trying to make Troy and Cully a couple, and then they seem just forgot that storyline.

[–] GladysOver 8 years ago

First of all, I know nothing about England and how the police are structured there. However, many references are made to "the village" implying a small community. So, the number of murders for a small village is mind-boggling. Unless a detective is assigned a larger geographical area than just one village. Anyone?

It's not just one village though but numerous fictional villages situated within an equally fictional English county: Midsomer.

The series isn't a stunner, but ok. But, I think I'd like the series better with more continuity of characters. Except for the few key characters, ALL characters are new each episode. It's hard to believe in a small village there would be such a large amount of people. But, I suppose for the purpose of entertainment, we're supposed to set logic aside.

Again it's not just one village. Whilst recurring non-regular characters aren't necessarily a bad idea in themselves it's hard to envisage how they would work within the confines of a murder mystery. Indeed if a character was a suspect (but not the murderer) in one episode and then reappeared in another episode/another murder case.....as another suspect, would they be the murderer the second time around or even a third? Each guest cast's sole function is to be suspects for Barnaby and co to investigate, after all.

I am also curious about Cully. In the beginning, she's pursuing acting, then I see her working in the library bus and more lately it's something else (I forget what). I may have fallen asleep and missed it, but does it ever show the transition or the reason from one to the other?

Well there is some continuity here in that Cully is a struggling actress and like all struggling actors/actresses has to find alternative employment to simply pay the bills whilst frequently going for auditions, trying to get her big break. Hence her numerous jobs.

In truth of course it's simply an excuse to keep the character in the show and give her an expanded role beyond simply saying 'hi Dad'/'bye Dad' every episode! Ditto Joyce and her many, many hobbies of which are often linked in some way to the case at hand.

[–] Hungerhill 8 years ago

As already mentioned in a previous answer, Midsomer is a fictional area with numerous villages within it. The amount of murders within this rural idyll is absolutely preposterous but we don't take this as a realistic look at life in the English countryside....it's all a bit of harmless mystery and fun not to be taken seriously.