MovieChat Forums > Midsomer Murders (1998) Discussion > John Nettles

John Nettles

posted 8 years ago by crimedramafan15
17 replies | jump to latest

I have just started watching MM. My daughter got me hooked and we have been watching several episodes a day. Such fun. We watch on Netflex and are now on season 6.
Here is my question. Why did John Nettles leave the show? After reading several of the threads I fear I won't like the the episodes with out him.

[–] velcronewsletter 8 years ago

think he just had had enough and got bored

[–] crimedramafan15 8 years ago

Thanks, I figured he just wanted to move on.

[–] velcronewsletter 8 years ago

watch the new series and see what you think

[–] crimedramafan15 8 years ago

We are watching the seasons in order. We still have a way to go until we get to the new Barnaby.

[–] velcronewsletter 8 years ago

tell us what you think when you do get to it. it's a mixed bag of opinions on that topic

[–] Mehki_Girl 8 years ago

Same here. Love the English countryside. They English way of story telling. On S2 working in order.

[–] crimedramafan15 8 years ago

Yes, I agree. The countryside could be considered the star of the show. After, John Nettles of course.

[–] phoebe404 8 years ago

John Nettles WAS Midsomer Murders. The new character is awful, prickly and rude. The fun and mischief is now all gone. I find it so difficult to watch with Neil Dudgeon in the lead. Shame, this was probably one of the finest programs on TV.

[–] louiseculmer 8 years ago

I think after thirteen years he had just had enough, And he was in his sixties by then, at the right age for a policeman to retire. I personally don't like the new bRnaby nearly as much, but the series is still fairly enjoyable to watch, though not as mich fun as in the john nettles era.

[–] amorehl-93-99338 8 years ago

Oh, you'll really love the new, improved, PC version of the show!

[–] getinbusiness 8 years ago

Nettles retired, the english countryside is marvelous, part of the reason i watch the show, same for Lewis, Oxford looks lovely.

Anybody know where in England MM is shot?

[–] MrsFuzzy 8 years ago

Lots of info here: http://midsomermurders.org/midsomer.htm

[–] louiseculmer 8 years ago

it's shot in a variety of locations in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and various other places. wallingford in Oxfordshire is used for many of the scenes set in Causton.

[–] GladysOver 8 years ago

Why did John Nettles leave the show?

I'm pretty sure I can recall an interview with Nettles around the time he left in which he rightly observed that both he and his character were (or should've been) well past retirement age, with the latter somewhat implausible given that he was a serving police officer.

I should imagine that Nettles' himself is in semi-retirement these days, though he was in the most recent series of Poldark I believe.

Have to say though that with a decade starring in Bergerac and over a decade on Midsomer', Nettles has had the sort of steady, popular work/career that most intermittently-employed actors would kill for!

[–] crimedramafan15 8 years ago

Yes, I think that makes sense. I wish I had discovered him long ago. I plan to check out some of his other work.

[–] GladysOver 8 years ago

Yes, the aforementioned Bergerac is the obvious choice and in case you don't know it's another detective series made in the 1980's, set on the island of Jersey and naturally featuring a far more youthful Nettles! Unlike MM though Bergerac dealt with all manner of crime, not just murder.

It was a popular series in its day and is still fondly remembered now though Tom Barnaby and Jim Bergerac are decidedly different characters it must be said with the latter being far darker (he was a recovering alcoholic with a failed marriage) and more fallible.

Bergerac also comprises of about 90 episodes too so should keep you going for a while if you decide to watch!

I'm assuming your're not British but if you are then the show is repeated on weekdays via the imaginatively named 'Drama' channel.

[–] crimedramafan15 8 years ago

I will start watching Bergerac when I catch up on Netflix MM episodes.
No I am not English so I think I have to use Netflix.
I also watched Sherlock for the first time the other night. It was the pilot episode and very entertaining. I can't stand the American, Elementary. So, Sherlock was a pleasant surprise.