Midsomer Murders - Talent For Life [DVD]

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Season 6 Episode 1 of Midsomer Murders resulted in a 0.00 rating in the 18-49 demographic. Midsomer Murders Season 6 Episodes... At the police station, Troy tells Barnaby he is about to take a statement. A woman wants to press charges of assault against Isobel Hewitt. Barnaby says, "Isobel Hewitt, the Jaguar-owning pensioner?" Troy replies that there was a bit of a barny at the Midsomer Fly Fishers last night. Barnaby accompanies Troy to the interview. The motive was also agreed not very interesting and pretty mundane and clichéd. Again agreed the show was at its best when the motives were either fresh, darker and more outlandish (though some, especially the Neil Dudgeon episodes, went too overboard on the outlandish to the point of absurdity and were convoluted at times too), here in comparison it was bland. A Talent for Life is the first episode of the sixth series of Midsomer Murders and originally aired 3rd January 2003.

A Talent For Life" takes place in the Midsomer village of Malham Bridge and the story starts when Isobel Hewitt slaps Margaret Seagrove in the face. Margaret wants to press charges and Barnaby and Troy come along to have a word. Isobel Hewitt brags about her slap against Mrs Seagrove and as she talks with her nephew, Melrose Plunkett and his wife Rebecca, they inform Isobel that they can not carrying on paying off her overdraft. Shortly after, Isobel Hewitt and Duncan Goff are found murdered by the river. Peregrine's instructs his man, Hastings, to take bottles of bubbly to the kitchen. People pour into the house for the after- funeral reception. There are some clever ideas spread out in the story. Especially liked the thought of Gavin Troy almost solving the case. Eureka!" Moment: Barnaby realises that the apparent Gone Horribly Right fake murder gambit must have been actual murder when he overhears someone using the phrase "in the dark": if someone was faking a murder attempt on themselves and their survival depended on being able to make a phone call for help, why would they risk dialling a number in the dark? Quentin walks over to Isobel's and they drive off riding in her red Jaguar. The race past the mobile library, which Cully Barnaby is tending. Isobel enjoys racing around an old airfield ( cue old 50's Big Band music). Barnaby hears the car racing from a distance and identifies it as Isobel's Jaguar- straight 6, twin cam. Troy says, "Come on, sir. You can't tell that from here."

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Right for the Wrong Reasons: Troy correctly guesses who the murderer is several times: he's just never right about the motive. Dixie Goff tells her daughter Angela that she wants family only at Duncan's funeral. Angela says, "Mum, don't you think some of Dad's old friends and patients would like to come, pay their respects?" Dixie replies, "I will not have a procession of his old flames filing past the grave. I will not." The detectives ring the doorbell. Barnaby asks, "Mrs Goff, we've learned that Mr Keith Scholey came round here to speak to you on the night before your husband's murder." Dixie says, "What he told me was no surprise. My husband had always had something of a wandering eye and I tolerated it." Barnaby goes to see Melrose Plunkett at Isobel's home. Quentin is upstairs valuing the furniture. Barnaby asks where Isobel's share certificate is. There is another document under the certificate. Barnaby asks, "Is this the formal agreement between yourself and Isobel for the transfer of the ownership to you of the house and furniture?" Melrose says, "Yes, it is." Rebecca calls, "Melrose! The Jaguar man's here." Barnaby says, "Your agreement with Isobel about the house, was that common knowledge in the village?" Melrose says, "Not as far as I know. She was a proud woman. She asked us not to mention it."

The solution is indeed disappointing with kind of obvious murderer and dull motives, which could have been much more compelling. I would go that far and name it underdeveloped. Ruth Scholey comes to the restaurant and finds out her husband has been killed. She tells the detectives that as far as she knew the door was fine. She had an argument with her husband earlier because she wasn't sure about the alibi she had given him. He had told her she was being disloyal. The rapport between John Nettles, his wife Jane Wymark, his daughter Cully (Laura Howard), and especially Gavin (Daniel Casey), is usually worth watching every episode. Casey has a classic remark about all the "wrinklies going at it" and whether the elderly could be suspected due to adultery. Joyce looks through a photo album and says the children looked lovely in their huge bonnets. Cully tells Joyce the photos are of children in the workhouse. Many of them never reached adulthood. Another photo shows people celebrating the end of the First World War. Malham Bridge lost 15 men, Three from one family alone. Joyce tells Cully not to let the stories get to her.When two bodies are discovered by the side of a fishing stream, Barnaby and Troy have yet more murders to solve. Isobel Hewitt had A Talent for Life that some can only hope for. She loves to drive her red Jaguar at top speed and generally enjoyed the finer things in life. Although loved by many, there were those who were not quite so charmed by her. Margaret Seagrove was convinced that she was the member of the local fishing club using weighted lures in the local stream. Her nephew and his wife, with whom she resided, saw her as a burden now that she had spent most of her accumulated capital. The second victim is the local doctor, Duncan Goff, a well-known philanderer who had affairs with many of the local ladies. The police must first determine if both were intended victims, or if one was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Keith confronts his wife, Ruth Scholey at their home. Keith says, "I'm going to ask you a question. And I'll know if you lie to me. So think very carefully before you reply."

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Cully has returned! She now runs a mobile library of sorts. Glances between her and Troy indicate their attraction is still there. Her absence goes unexplained. It seems her parents bought her a cheap car, which they call Bert. The murder plot itself was interesting, confusing to follow since everyone's a suspect. But watching it a second time when knowing the identity of the killer, makes it much more pleasant to follow what is happening, notice all the red herrings, and enjoy the script as it is. The deaths are not too gruesome and the initial motives were tame by the series' standard as being a sudden crime of passion based on a broken heart. There was a funny bit about how Troy had pegged the killer early on but was talked out of it by Barnaby's doubts. Then Troy came up with a theory that faulted someone else and Barnaby agreed, celebrating Troy's success with Cully and Joyce. However, Barnaby realized Troy's theory was wrong and once again solved it all himself. Troy was embarrassed but Tom recalled Troy's initial gut feeling as correct, and walked off with his arm around the dejected Troy. Barnaby stops by the mobile library to say hi to Cully. She is working on an exhibition of vintage photographs of the village. Troy drops by, "I didn't know libraries were your thing." Cully says, "I kind of got talked into it. I'm setting up the exhibition in the hall tomorrow. What brings you to Malham Bridge?" Troy says, "Oh, you know. Run of the mill stuff. Interviewing an old-age pensioner for assault." Cully says, "Isobel Hewitt? You won't catch her at home. She just roared through here in her Jaguar. Apparently she likes to practice skid control at the old airfield." Troy sighs, "Is your dad ever wrong?"