Midsomer Murders - Destroying Angel [1997] [DVD]

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After "Garden of Death" was watchable, though not one of the best, I was really looking forward seeing "Destroying Angel". And I wasn't disappointed. "Destroying Angel" is easily one of the series's best and a great episode.

Doctor Kate Wilding ( Tamzin Malleson) (series 14–17)—Dr George Bullard's replacement as resident pathologist. Her confident, competent, no-nonsense approach has earned the detectives' respect. She is unmarried and is also a professor. Her parents, Giles and Laura, have appeared in one episode, "The Flying Club". [4] In the series 18 opener, "Habeas Corpus", Wilding has left Midsomer to take up a professorship in Brighton. She is briefly seen on-screen in a photo with Ben Jones, who had previously relocated to Brighton.In "Murder Of Innocence", it is revealed that Jones is in a relationship with firefighter Susie Bellingham. In the series 16 opener, "The Christmas Haunting", it is revealed that Jones has been promoted to Inspector and transferred to Brighton. A photo of Jones (alongside Kate Wilding, who also moved to Brighton) is shown in the series 18 opener "Habeas Corpus". DI Jones made a further appearance in episode 3 of series 19 "Last Man Out", in an undercover role - erroneously still listed in the credits as DS Ben Jones. In the end, he left Causton CID after a mini farewell party at John and Sarah Barnaby’s home at the end of episode 6 of series 15, "Schooled in Murder". David Whitely ( Christopher Villiers) appeared in "The Killings at Badger's Drift" and "Death's Shadow".

The story of "Destroying Angel" is one of "Midsomer Murders" most compelling. Clever twists and turns keep coming and coming, the characters are well-written. I agree: David Hoskins's research and effort leaps from the script. The body count is also very high here and the murders are committed in brutal manners. The puppet show aspect of "Destroying Angel" is fun, but suitable chilling at times. Tyson is drinking in his house. Annie comes in. "They found a severed hand. Why didn't you tell me last night they were searching the woods." Tyson tells her "Somebody got a bit careless. No point in fretting about it. A man plant's his seed and then decides he doesn't want to own it he should expect the worst." Annie hits him over the head with a chair, and they go to blows in the house loud enough to hear the fight outside. Amateur Sleuth: Evelyn Pope, to Great Detective levels. Not only does she orchestrate the deaths and exposure of Gregory Chambers and Karl Wainwright's murderers, but this comes after she meticulously deduces the truth of the crime by investigating what seem to be vague clues and minor inconsistencies in the murderers' behavior. Her investigation even happens during the plot: her confession at the end of the episode doubles as The Summation, as she explains all the moments through which she uncovered the murder plot within scenes from the beginning of the episode before Barnaby hit the scene, explaining her conclusions step by step. At the start Gregory Chambers is killed in the forest while looking for mushrooms. He helped out at a hotel owned by an old man, Karl Wainwright, who was dying and planned to leave his property to Gregory, Gregory's wife, Suzanna the manager, her lover, Tristan the chef, and Julia the accountant. When Karl overhears Kenneth, Julia's husband, Suzanna and Tristan talking about how they're going to sell off some of the land he can't help letting slip that he's made a new will in which they don't inherit anything. Suzanna realises that Karl really trusted Gregory and that he must have the new will. She smothers Karl so he can't make it public that there's a new will and Tristan murders Gregory the day before Karl's funeral and takes the will before Gregory has a chance to make it known. John Lightbody is gardener Steve Hope in "Hidden Depths", in "Death and Dust", he plays the role of Jason Slater.Detective Sergeant Charlie Nelson ( Gwilym Lee) (series 16–18)—When Jones was promoted, he was replaced by DS Charlie Nelson. Nelson was the first Sergeant to not serve alongside Tom Barnaby. He was a lodger at Kate's house. Nelson left the series after season 18. Sarah Barnaby ( Fiona Dolman) (series 14–present)—John Barnaby's wife is the headmistress of a local secondary school. As she has a full-time career of her own (unlike Joyce), she does not figure as much in her husband's cases; and they don't have any children (until the end of the sixteenth series), although you may consider Sykes, their dog, as their child. They have a loving marriage and celebrated their fifteen-year anniversary in "Schooled for murder". Throughout the sixteenth series Sarah is pregnant and in the last episode of the series she gives birth to their first child, a daughter, called Betty. Deer in the Headlights: Kenneth Gooders sees his drink cabinet wobbling but instead of moving he is completely frozen and thus get crushed as a result. Midsomer Murders: Destroying Angel starts as Tom (John Nettles) & Joyce Barnaby (Jane Wymark) turn up to attend the funeral of a recently deceased hotel owner named Karl Wainwright (Edward Jewesbury) & a village fête straight after. It soon becomes apparent that Gregory Chambers (Philip Bowen) who is due to perform the Punch & Judy show at the fête hasn't turned up & wasn't at the funeral either, his friend & protégé Clarice Opperman (Madeleine Worrall) presses the issue & says she is worried. Tom is also concerned & a search party is organised to scour the local woods where Gregory was know to be Mushrooming earlier that morning. Gregory is not found but his severed hand is, now Tom is faced with a murder case & plenty of suspects. Was it his unfaithful wife Suzanna (Samantha Bond)? Was it her lover Tristan (Tom Ward)? Was it someone who wanted him out of Wainwright's will? Watch it to find out.. Naked Apron: Barnaby arrives to question Colin Salter, a middle-aged, male suspect, only to find him doing a spot of baking wearing nothing but an apron.

SPOILERS FOLLOW: I'm adding this for other viewers who would like to refresh their memory about the solution without having to watch the whole thing again.

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Rupert Vansittart appeared in three episodes: as Selwyn Proctor in "Market for Murder" (2002), as Desmond Harcourt in "The Axeman Cometh" (2007), and as Alistair Kingslake in "The Dogleg Murders" (2009). Detective Chief Inspector Thomas "Tom" Geoffrey Barnaby ( John Nettles) (series 1–13)—A senior member of Causton CID, Barnaby used to work for MI6. A patient, tolerant man, Barnaby's style of investigation is methodical and fair. Barnaby is a sagacious and perceptive individual, able to recognise seemingly obscure clues. Barnaby's social life revolves around his wife Joyce and his daughter Cully, who often provide a personal connection with the crimes that he is investigating. Barnaby's parents are both deceased by the episode "Blue Herrings". In his last appearance, "Fit for Murder", we learn that his father died on his birthday, at Barnaby's current age. DCI Barnaby and DS Troy investigate the murder of Gregory Chambers who was killed when out in the woods mushrooming. He was one of four people who had recently inherited a portion of his employer's estate, principally a local hotel. With his death, his one-quarter share now passes to his wife, Suzanna, who has been having an affair with Tristan Goodfellow. It would also appear that Gregory was having an affair with Annie Tyson, who is four months pregnant. When Tristan is poisoned with a type of mushroom known as Destroying Angel and the other inheritors of the estate are put at risk, Barnaby looks to find a common connection. Doctor Kam Karimore ( Manjinder Virk) (series 18–19)—Dr Kate Wilding's replacement as resident pathologist. Evelyn is a beloved former puppet master in Midsomer Magna. Her shows of Mr. Punch and Judy were iconic from entertaining the kids, but usually placing innuendos about the villagers' worst actions and secrets she found them deserving to be ruined by. Tom Barnaby himself regarded her for exposing a husband beating his wife, which preceded a successful arrest. Evelyn was the godmother of the village aside her loving husband Woody, her two closest confidants for the show being her dear niece Clarice Opperman and local mushroomer and all around do-gooder Gregory Chambers.