In the United States, a dedicated television channel broadcasts ITV's cherished detective series, Midsomer Murders, around the clock. This round-the-clock availability highlights a simple truth: worldwide audiences simply cannot get enough of the show's unique brand of murder mystery.
A Global Television Sensation
Midsomer Murders consistently tops the ratings in numerous countries, including Germany, Scandinavia, and the Baltics, cementing its status as the United Kingdom's most successful drama export. The series is broadcast in an impressive 200 territories globally, where fans are enthralled by its depiction of genteel, ever-so-polite killings set against the backdrop of a picture-perfect, fictional English county.
The drama, which originally adapted from Caroline Graham's Chief Inspector Barnaby novels, first aired on ITV in 1997. John Nettles originally led the cast as DCI Tom Barnaby until 2010, when Neil Dudgeon took over the role as his younger cousin, John Barnaby. To date, a staggering 140 episodes have aired, with a 26th series recently commissioned, proving its enduring appeal over nearly three decades.
The Secret to its Enduring Appeal
So, what is the secret ingredient that makes Midsomer Murders so universally appealing? Aficionados point to the irresistible combination of the idyllic English countryside, idiosyncratic characters, a delicious sense of camp, and bloodless, often ludicrous murders. The show is widely credited with pioneering the 'cosy crime' genre long before it became a mainstream label.
Rachel Glaister, executive vice president at All3Media International, which produces the show, provides a telling example of its global profile. 'We take Neil on international press trips every year, and this year we went to Latvia and Czechia,' she says. 'In both places, Neil was on the national news several times. It was a major news event that Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby was in town.' She recalls an event in Riga where 300 fans waited for 90 minutes just to get Dudgeon's autograph.
Executive producer Michele Buck pinpoints the show's feel-good nature as the root of its success. 'The show is totally feelgood, isn't it?' Buck observes. 'When you watch it, you're not scared by it... There's nothing about it that links it to the real world. It's proper escapism.' She adds that the engaging 'whodunit' format forces viewers to commit their full attention, providing a relaxing mental break from daily worries.
From Orlando Bloom to an Oscar Winner
Over its long run, the series has served as a launching pad for numerous actors who would later achieve major fame. Future stars like Orlando Bloom, Olivia Colman, Henry Cavill, and Hugh Bonneville all appeared in episodes before they were household names. This tradition of featuring talented actors adds another layer of interest for dedicated fans.
The quintessential Englishness of Midsomer Murders is another key part of its allure, particularly for American audiences. Set beneath perpetual blue skies, it portrays a timeless, idealised England that offers a complete escape from reality. This 'chocolate-box' vision of the country is both calming and deceptive; despite its beauty, the fictional county of Midsomer is statistically the most dangerous place on the planet, with a calculated 32 murders per million inhabitants.
The show's mischievous sense of humour is evident in its famously outlandish murder methods. Victims have been dispatched in an exploding gazebo, run over by a tank, killed by a robotic arm, and even bludgeoned by a wheel of cheese. One victim was pinned to a lawn with croquet hoops and killed by bottles of fine claret fired from a trebuchet. Neil Dudgeon's personal favourite is a death involving a victim tied to a tree, smothered in truffle oil, and mauled by a wild boar.
'We do try to make the killings outlandish, which is why people aren't frightened of them,' explains Michele Buck. 'You're not really going to be murdered by being covered in chocolate or thrown into a vat of beer, so you feel secure.' This feeling of safety is enhanced by the fact that the villains are never purely evil, fitting the charming tone of the drama.
The show's success has now expanded beyond television. A stage adaptation of the first-ever episode, 'The Killings at Badger's Drift,' is currently on a nationwide tour. In a clever piece of casting, Daniel Casey, who played Sergeant Troy opposite John Nettles in the original TV series, now stars as DCI Barnaby in the play.
Ultimately, watching Midsomer Murders is a soothing, joyful experience. As Michele Buck advises, 'Get yourself a nice cup of tea or glass of wine, sit down in front of Midsomer Murders and just be entertained for two hours. It gives you a glow. It's just joyous.' And with its empire still growing, this cosy crime phenomenon shows no signs of slowing down.
