Sunday, September 14, 2014

Midsomer Murders

Somewhere in the past few years I have really become hooked on British TV. I love most of the programs on Masterpiece, especially Sherlock, and of course Downton Abby. I watch these and many others, but my primary watching is focused on Midsomer Murders. It has become my "go to" TV show. One reason is that I can never run out of episodes! If I can find nothing else of interest to watch I can always go to Netflix and settle in for a nice Midsomer Murder. Maybe it's my age, but I am really sick of the pulse racing shows and the vulgarity. The networks have allowed too much vulgarity into their programs. I think that when people, especially children, see it on TV they think it is acceptable. Yup, I've become a prude and proud of it! Where I come from they call it standards of morality. It's not that I never watch programs containing some of that stuff, but why immerse myself in something that I find distasteful. Consequently I find myself tagging along with DCI Tom Barnaby investigating the latest murders in the fictitious county of Midsomer in England. 

I heard that Netflix has recently added seasons 15 and 16 to this ever popular program. I am only in season 5! This program is also available on Amazon Prime. The program began showing in Great Britain in 1997. And the series is apparently still filming! It is amazing that they can create so many diverse murders in this beautiful rural county. 

I think part of what I enjoy in the program is the beautiful small villages  and the lovely old homes and the ever blooming gardens. Come to think of it I have never seen an episode filmed in winter! Or in the rain! It's like Camelot!

The main characters are, I guess you could say rather vanilla. Not in a bad way, just nice, normal folk who have a job to do and do it in a nice way. The stories are very creative. Last night I watched an episode about orchid fanatics and three deaths that occurred over a rare orchid worth one hundred-fifty thousand pounds (being American I have no idea how the Brits write that). I also learned that the word orchid actually means testicles because of the way the bulbs hang when removed from the soil. Hmmm. 

Another episode I remember an older couple raised marijuana in their greenhouse and made brownies, which they shared with DCI Barnaby, whose disposition improved considerably for the rest of the day! 

Yes, it must be my age, at least in part. I can sit and stitch while I enjoy this program as I relax at the end of the day. Once upon a time I was young and danced wildly in the rain for as long as the music played. Now I watch with pleasure as my grandchildren enjoy that stage of their life. Meanwhile, I am quite content to be a rather vanilla grandmother doing what I enjoy now. Just give me a Diet Coke and, um, pass me one of those brownies with the little green flecks will you?  (Ha ha. yes, just kidding!)




21 comments:

paulette said...

Marcie, you kept me in stitches with today's read!! haha I will be looking for this series!! Now I am off to whip up some brownies!!haha
P

Kyle said...

Oh, I've loved this series too for all of the same reasons. I'll have to check out the newly added seasons. Thanks.

Janet O. said...

I got a chuckle over this post as well, Marcie. But, hey, lady, if you think you are a prude, listen to this--I actually quit watching this series because the violence was more graphic than I wanted. *LOL* How's that for a prude? It is very well done and I loved the stories, but give me Rosemary and Thyme or Father Brown--what is more tame than vanilla? I can't think of a word to fit my very bland taste. : )

Mad about Craft said...

I love Midsummer Murders too. I have watched it from the beginning & yes, it is still being made - hurray!

Gayle said...

I'm a fan too - it's not the VERY best show on TV - but hubby & I enjoy watching it.....

Cindy P said...

You are so right about PBS !! I adore so many of their shows !! Do you watch Father Brown,Doc Martin,George Gently,Scott and Bailey or D.C. Banks and the Agatha Christie Mysteries ?? I can't wait for their new season to start !!

Kathy said...

Thanks for pointing out this show. I've been watching a lot of BBC shows, too. Call the Midwife is great, if you haven't seen that one, and so is North and South and The Buccaneers, all on Netflix. I also enjoyed Cranford on Amazon, but you only get one season free.

Janet said...

I've never watched this show but it sounds wonderful. I will check it out this week!

Elaine Adair said...

Thanks for your honest opinion about the bad, and the good TV programs. I have not seen them yet - and NOW I will try to watch them. I agree about the lack of morality, poor diction, terrible language, etc, of American TV - there seems to be a LOT of DuMMYInG down!

Nice to read your post and see more of your projects.

Elaine Adair said...

Me again - ladies, I think we have become our mothers AND our grandmothers!

Jill said...

I find main network televsion terrible. Such a waste of time. Thanks for sharing about this British murder series as I shall look it up. I do love English scenery also.

Katie said...

I love that program! I’ve seen all the rest but not 15 and 16. I need to find a quiet moment. :-)

Me and My Stitches said...

I'll have you know that I about fell off my chair when you asked for the brownies! Too funny! I've not seen any of the shows mentioned!

Anonymous said...

Oh Marcie I am fortunate enough to own all the Midsomer Murder DVD's they have been a very long time companion and yes many, many stiches have been sewn while in the company of the Midsomer residents, I love English series, I'm Australian.
Thanks for your blog, happy stitching and watching or listening to Midsomer, still more to come, yeah!
Lyn

Cheryl said...

I watch it too!

AnnieO said...

My mom is crazy for British TV too! I agree with the vulgarity part--I think it is too cheap a laugh to use gross out scenes and swearing for entertainment. Give me cleverness and sight gags like The Pink Panther!

Sue said...

Oh what a great post Marcie, I'm laying in bed here having a little chuckle.
I agree with you about choosing what to watch and John Neetles is easy on the eye too. He was in another crime drama before Midsomer called Berjerac- set on the island of Jersey- more beautiful scenery to enjoy there too.
We Brits are good at period dramas and glad we have an enthusiastic audience across the pond even if you are doctoring your brownies. Only joking of course. Lol

Jeanne said...

Thanks for the tip on the series Midsomer Murders. I also enjoy watching British television.

onlymehere said...

I've never heard of this and will have to watch it. I'm a true crime murder...don't want to say fan...but as morbid as it may sound the cases fascinate me. I too agree wholeheartedly about what's on TV now days and rarely, if ever, watch network TV. I've learned that I can buy a movie that Alex Kendrick is in and it will be clean and uplifting every time. He did Courageous, Fireproof, Mom's Night Out, among others. Haha, I sound like his #1 fan, and I probably am! Thanks for the information on a new show to watch while I sew.
Cindy

Rose Marie said...

You really do have some catching up to do with the series. It is one of my favourites, too.

Carole in Nebraska said...

Thanks for the heads up about this show. I'm so exhausted from chemo these days that about all I'm up to is TV and mindless things on the computer. I bought the first series on amazon and just started watching today. My husband really likes it too. Again thanks.