Inspector Barnaby Vol. 14 - DVD

Content: Inspector Barnaby investigates again. In four new cases from 2002 to 2008, Barnaby once again proves why a visit to the murderous county of Midsomer is still so much fun after all these years. In the 14th DVD box set to the series, there is once again plenty of murder, intrigue and, of course, humour of the finest British kind.

DVD1: WHOLE IN RED , Season 11, 2008

Two weddings and guaranteed more than one death: that's the motto of this episode. While Barnaby prepares for his daughter's wedding, another wedding ceremony ends in blood. For at the lavish wedding celebration of aristocrat Ned Fitzroy, the bride's maid Marina is murdered. During their investigation, Barnaby and Jones repeatedly encounter resistance from the Fitzroy family, who treat the policemen with rather snooty contempt. But then there are two more victims, the estate manager and a former servant, and Barnaby himself narrowly escapes an alleged assassination attempt. It seems quite as if the Fitzroy family has a secret that must be guarded at all costs.

DVD 2: MURDER WITH RENDITURE, Season 5, 2002

A car that bursts into flames and a homicide disguised as a robbery bring Barnaby and Troy to Midsomer Market, where the reading club made up of five women quickly becomes the focus of the investigation. For the ladies have not only been sharing literature, but also speculating in stocks together. And since the murdered Marjorie Empson was the president of the reading club and was also in charge of the finances, she seems to have made several enemies in the small circle. The circle of suspects is abruptly reduced when another member of the club is murdered.

DVD 3: THE DEATH AND THE LADY, Season 6, 2003

Widow Isobel Hewitt has been living it up - even though she was actually completely broke. But one day, the woman is found murdered at a fishing hole along with Dr. Geoff, a doctor who is said to have had many an affair in the small town. And great sadness doesn't really want to set in. And so Barnaby and Troy quickly find themselves dealing with a whole group of suspects. The only question is whether both victims were deliberately killed, or if one of them was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

DVD 4: DER TOD MALT MIT, Season 6, 2003

The name Barnaby just seems to attract murder and death. This is noticed by his wife Joyce, who has just started a painting class when the first death occurs there. The always grumpy Ruth Fairfax, who has always insisted on being allowed to paint her landscapes in the same place, is found murdered behind her easel. But even greater is the surprise that Ruth was not an elderly lady, but a woman in her 30s who had used a wig and make-up to pass herself off as an old woman. Annoyingly, Barnaby is taken off this interesting case of all things, as his wife is involved in the murder as a witness. Even stranger, however, is that the officer from the National Intelligence Team who takes over the case is never seen, and Troy has to work with his rather incompetent subordinate. But of course Barnaby can't quite keep his hands off the investigation.

Inspector Barnaby remains true to his pattern in these four episodes. Therefore, there may not be big surprises, but again damn good entertainment, which lies somewhere between dry British humor and dignified crime suspense and which, as always, with plenty of quirky characters and the one or the other original murder can come up. Whether slain by an ashtray, impaled by a dagger or pushed off a roof, Midsomer is once again a place where people die for all they're worth. If you don't mind the lively mixed sequence of the episodes and have been loyal to the Chief Inspector so far, you shouldn't miss this box set. Absolutely recommendable!

Picture + Sound: Everything as usual: especially in the older episodes from 2002 and 2003, slight blurring and image drizzle can be detected, but overall the picture quality in terms of sharpness, coloration and contrast matching is on a good TV level. Stereo sound is largely unspectacular, with dialogue and music dominating the proceedings. All this is good average, no more, but also no less!

Extras: In contrast to the last boxes, on which at least short interviews were to be seen as a bonus, there are with Vol. 14 as with the first collections only program tips of the provider as additional material. Too bad!

Conclusion: The episodes of Inspector Barnaby collected in Vol. 14 make it clear to the viewer once again in an amusing, entertaining and quite exciting way that it would not be advisable to want to move to the county of Midsomer, even if many of the picturesque dwellings there are certainly becoming vacant due to the rather extreme population decline. Again, in these four episodes from 2002, 2003 and 2008, there's murder and intregation for all it's worth. And it's so much fun that you'll gladly overlook the non-chronological compilation and the lack of bonus material. Therefore: for Barnaby fans an absolute must!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp