Midsomer Murders

It’s hard to imagine Christmas without a grisly murder or two, so thank goodness for ‘Midsomer Murders’ and this festive offering of bucolic homicide. Forget an angry reindeer or a hatchet-wielding elf, though; this is a more traditional murder with a slightly spooky seasonal twist. After a ghost-hunting party predictably ends in violent death, Barnaby and his new sidekick Charlie Nelson set off to investigate the crime.

With the usual combination of affairs, family secrets and village feuds, it’s very familiar fare for fans of the show, with two ‘special guest’ cameos coming courtesy of Les Dennis and Mark Heap. The cold, muted colours lend the village of Morton Shallows an eerie atmosphere and, while the whole ‘haunted’ theme is a bit silly, this is still an entertaining murder mystery with the usual twists and turns along the way. Not sure about Barnaby’s Christmas jumper, though.