Artist Suzie Colebrook is electrocuted by a roulette wheel shortly after discovering a break-in at her home in Luxton Deeping.Artist Suzie Colebrook is electrocuted by a roulette wheel shortly after discovering a break-in at her home in Luxton Deeping.Artist Suzie Colebrook is electrocuted by a roulette wheel shortly after discovering a break-in at her home in Luxton Deeping.
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaUna Stubbs plays Audrey Braylesford in this episode. She previously played the role of Selina Jennings in episode 1.2, Written in Blood (1998).
- GoofsOne victim is crushed to death in a printing press, resulting in text being printed neatly all over his face and body. However, as the press closed it would not be able to print text cleanly and exactly around the curvature of his head and body. Instead, the body would show signs of extensive crush injuries and the printed text would be distorted round the curves.
- Quotes
[last lines]
Sarah Barnaby: So you're free, then?
DCI John Barnaby: Absolutely. So, um, why don't we go to the park, and then I can take us all out for a meal. A bit of, uh, quality family time.
Sarah Barnaby: Great, love to.
DCI John Barnaby: Me, too.
[the baby sneezes]
DCI John Barnaby: Ah, little...
Sarah Barnaby: Or... can I be honest?
DCI John Barnaby: Please.
Sarah Barnaby: We could just stay in.
DCI John Barnaby: Can we?
Sarah Barnaby: Why didn't you just say?
DCI John Barnaby: Why didn't you?
Sarah Barnaby: It's exhausting having a baby, isn't it?
DCI John Barnaby: Totally. And absolutely wonderful.
[Sykes whimpers and growls, holding his leash in his mouth]
DCI John Barnaby: Come on, then.
[Sykes barks joyfully]
After John Nettles retired and Neil Dudgeon and the new character of John Barnaby took over, 'Midsomer Murders' just hasn't been the same on the most part. Season 14 was a disappointment outside of "The Oblong Murders" and "A Sacred Trust", with "Echoes of the Dead" and "The Night of the Stag" being show low-points. Season 15 was inconsistent, being a case of starting promisingly and then took a three-episodes-in-a-row strange turn with "Written in the Stars" before finishing on a good note. Season 16 was mostly good, especially "Wild Harvest", with the only disappointment being "Let Us Prey".
"The Dagger Club" is a decent start to generally one of the weaker-faring John Barnaby-era seasons. While 'Midsomer Murders' is no stranger to silliness, most of the time it managed to do so without harming any credibility in the story and without being too ridiculous. Parts of "The Dagger Club" do veer on the ludicrously far-fetched (the roulette wheel murder method was clever and elaborate at first but becomes less logical), while also with a few dull moments due to extraneous padding and using themes done before many times on the show but with much more spark.
Season 17 has also been criticised for introducing diversity, many people arguing that the inclusion was needless. Initially when hearing of it, this seemed like a non-issue blown out of proportion, however seeing the Season 17 episodes one can understand the problem in that the characters in question (and this is including "The Dagger Club") add little, are not very interesting in character or personality and feel out of place (that's what people were trying to say, but admittedly some worded it badly that it can easily be mistaken for bigotry.
Barnaby and Nelson's chemistry has been better in the previous season. Nelson is not the problem, he is a likable character and Gwilym Lee plays him with charismatic charm. It was disappointing however that after Barnaby's character was starting to improve, Season 17 ended up making him too much of a supporting character (with Nelson the leading man) in his own show and he goes back to the too serious and wooden character he was when he first took over. Neil Dudgeon's acting in the role was also getting better but Season 17 saw a tendency for him to sleepwalk through the material and that's the case here. Kate is also bland and with not much personality.
However, the production values cannot be faulted as usual. It's mostly beautifully and atmospherically shot with suitably picturesque scenery. The music fits perfectly, with some lush jauntiness and sometimes an ominous quality, and the haunting theme tune is one of the most memorable and instantly recognisable of the genre.
Some of the script is gentle and thought-provoking and while the story was problematic there are enough events, colourful characters, red herrings and twists and turns (as well as a great final solution) to keep one intrigued. Apart from a couple of inevitably forced moments, Barnaby's family life subplot is sweet and amusing and again the chemistry between Barnaby and Sarah is warmer and more playful than in Seasons 14 and 15. Sykes is funny and adorable, stealing every scene he appears.
Acting is mostly good, with Una Stubbs and James Lance being terrific out of the supporting cast.
Overall, decent start to Season 17, but while not a 'Midsomer Murders' low point (far from it) it is no classic either. 6/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Mar 26, 2017
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Filming locations
- Long Crendon Courthouse, High Street, Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire, England, UK(Luxton Deeping Bookshop)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 29 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD