‘Midsomer Murders’: What’s Making Loyal Fans Quicky Abandon the Show
Certain British television shows have become popular all over the world, and not just in their native country.
One such show is Midsomer Murders, a BBC series that has been on TV for over a decade now. Fans can’t get enough of the series and enjoy eagerly following along with the character’s exploits.
The crime drama has gone through a few shakeups over the course of the series’ history, and recently, some fans spoke out about the decisions showrunners have made that could cause them to quit watching entirely.
When did ‘Midsomer Murders’ begin on TV?
It all started in 1997 when Midsomer Murders premiered on ITV. Based on a popular book series, Midsomer Murders centered around a group of modern-day English detectives.
The main character, Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, is tasked to solve difficult murder cases in the fictional county of Midsomer.
The show gained traction very quickly. Fans loved the realistic aspect of the show and the fact that the episodes rarely featured serial-killer type characters. Rather, the murders in Midsomer Murders are usually committed by a “normal” person who is driven to commit the crime through a series of sinister circumstances.
However, there is a lot more to Midsomer Murders than mayhem and death. There is quite a bit of humor in the series, of the dry British variety that fans everywhere seem to love so much.
What do fans love about ‘Midsomer Murders’?
In addition to the many plot twists and turns and the show’s humor, fans love the classic location and the realistic acting. Midsomer Murders has been able to maintain its popularity over the years and has even spawned a 20th-anniversary special that paid tribute to all of the actors who have appeared in the show over the years as well as the behind-the-scenes producers and writers.
For fans who can’t get enough of Midsomer Murders, it is available to watch in several ways. For those with cable, it broadcasts on BBC at multiple times throughout the week.
There is also the popular streaming service BritBox, which features a wide variety of premium British shows, including, of course, Midsomer Murders.
What changes has ‘Midsomer Murders’ gone through?
It is rare for any TV show to last as long as Midsomer Murders without undergoing some serious changes to the structure or cast. One of the biggest changes was in 2011, when series lead John Nettles, who played Tom Barnaby, left the show to pursue other opportunities. He was replaced by Neil Dudgeon, who joined the show playing Tom Barnaby’s cousin, John Barnaby.
While the show continued on without their longtime leader, and many fans were able to accept a new Barnaby, many have never gotten over the shakeup.
What did fans have to say about the changes?
Recently, some fans on Reddit opened up about the changes on Midsomer Murders. The original poster pointed out all the personality and character differences between Tom Barnaby and John Barnaby, and how the original Barnaby really “cared about the community.”
In contrast, the newer Barnaby “doesn’t seem to care about anyone.”
Other changes pointed out include the “terrible” character of John Barnaby’s wife, the newer, random aspect of the murderer being caught, and how annoying John Barnaby’s psychology background has become.
Some users claimed that they were now ready to completely bail on the show in favor of other BBC programs like Father Brown or Poirot.
Whether or not showrunners hear the backlash and start making some changes remains to be seen — but if they want to retain their viewership, some updates might be necessary.
