DVDs in Review

Midsomers Murders Series One and Two

Title: Midsomer Murders Series One and Two

Release date: April 6 2009

Certificate: 15

Format: DVD

DVD RRP: 59.99

Rating: 4/5

The detective drama lies at the heart of American and British television - it seems impossible for us to resist a quirky investigator, his ever-suffering partner and some criminal masterminds to thwart over the course of an afternoon.

Despite taking the time to track down leads, unravel puzzling clues and emulate some crackling dialogue and locales, they somehow manage to get away with some major gaffes and suspensions of disbelief.

The fact that the fictional English county of Midsomer is an achingly small place that serves only as a haven for murderers and their victims is one prime example, but as 'Midsomer Murders' is so addictively well made, the audience tends to let this slide.

Indeed, the show has many famous followers who have been drawn in by its unique approach to realism. Johnny Depp famously quipped: "It's a great show. But who'd live in that place? You just get killed."

ITV's hit show sees Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby (John Nettles of 'Bergerac' fame) peer his head over the well-trimmed hedges of the upper classes to investigate the wrongdoings that mar the idyllic area.

Barnaby is mythological and patient when it comes to solving crimes while his partner Gavin Troy (Daniel Casey) has a somewhat blasé attitude to the most serious of offences. Naturally they make a formidable pair.

While not completely lacking in chemistry, they're no match for Morse and Lewis. Nevertheless, the show's two front men handle themselves well and give a human access point that allows the audience to skim over the increasingly preposterous crimes and frenzied characters on display.

Anyone looking for a glossy yet thoughtful way to spend their evenings should definitely check out Acorn's six-disc DVD set that houses the first two seasons (starting in 1997) and includes the feature-length pilot. The disc also contains production notes.