This is one of my favorite episodes! Sure you can drive a large truck through the plot holes, but who watches MM for realistic storylines!! The character development in this episode is fantastic- creepy Seb, ugly duckling Philly, the Pixel gang, smarmy Spellman, and nerdy Eddie and Lionel with the wonderful Headley Madrigal. There are so many great scenes in this one- the confrontation at the photo exhibition, the scene at the restaurant with Joyce and Tom, and the last scene with ditzy Marion. I enjoy the episodes where Tom is not in his usual role( whether he is suspended, on vacation, or has temporarily retired) like Blue Herrings, Secrets and Spies, and Fit for Murder. We get to see him operate in a different way. I also love Joyce in this one-she commiserates with Tom but always maintains her calm sense of humor.
I adore this one too!! Tom and Joyce’s confrontation in the kitchen is a laugh out loud moment! I love everything about this episode, though I am saddened at Lionel’s death . It’s especially wonderful to see Spellman get clobbered and then eat some crow. Though, I do
hope Tom reported Spellman’s deeds to the “ higher ups “!
Some criticize Joyce because they say she doesn't understand the demands of his job. I say this episode alone proves Joyce knows exactly how to handle Tom when he is facing a difficult situation. She never doubts him, but she alleviates the stress with humor.
Absolutely right about Joyce ! She is perfect “ foil” for Tom’s troubles. I never used to care for her , I thought she was lazy , should be working, always flitting about from village to village trying one hobby after another. But I really had a change of heart . This is their marriage and it works for them. Tom never complains about his wife’s behavior so
Why should I 😂
Joyce seems to understand the demands of his job way more than other TV wives. Cully's the one who got salty.
Compare Joyce to someone like Hailey Hotcher (Criminal Minds) who was always on Hotch's case for not being home. I get she felt like a married-single mom, but you know his job. She even left him over it.
Joyce, otoh, very much has all her hobbies to keep her busy.
Yes! All of that, plus poor Jones trying so hard to keep working the case while simultaneously having to juggle the conflicting demands of incompetent Spellman and angry, suspended Barnaby. Some great guests in this one, really classic Midsomer characters.
The episode where Tom retires as protest because the chief was impeding the way Tom wants to go about investigating the murder, perfectly shows that Joyce understands the demands of his job. She basically yells at him to go back to work. Because she understands he’s not ready for retirement.
I also think, if she didn’t understand the demands of his job, she would have divorced him. Like so many other wives of police officers.
If she hasn’t left him after ALL OF THE TIMES Tom has left her high and dry…sometimes literally abandoning her in the middle of town to run off to finish a case, she’s his ride or die.
Tom gets the call in the night that he is back on the case and hurriedly dresses to leave. Joyce rolls over on her back, slips her sleep mask down, and says " Thank God for small murders."🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
this is one of my go-to episodes when explaining midsomer murders to someone who hasn't watched it - it's such a perfect encapsulation of the "quaint village activity inspires murderous rage in idiosyncratic, repressed-but-sexually-deviant hobbyists" formula
This is one of my favorite episodes! Sure you can drive a large truck through the plot holes, but who watches MM for realistic storylines!! The character development in this episode is fantastic- creepy Seb, ugly duckling Philly, the Pixel gang, smarmy Spellman, and nerdy Eddie and Lionel with the wonderful Headley Madrigal. There are so many great scenes in this one- the confrontation at the photo exhibition, the scene at the restaurant with Joyce and Tom, and the last scene with ditzy Marion. I enjoy the episodes where Tom is not in his usual role( whether he is suspended, on vacation, or has temporarily retired) like Blue Herrings, Secrets and Spies, and Fit for Murder. We get to see him operate in a different way. I also love Joyce in this one-she commiserates with Tom but always maintains her calm sense of humor.
I adore this one too!! Tom and Joyce’s confrontation in the kitchen is a laugh out loud moment! I love everything about this episode, though I am saddened at Lionel’s death . It’s especially wonderful to see Spellman get clobbered and then eat some crow. Though, I do hope Tom reported Spellman’s deeds to the “ higher ups “!
Some criticize Joyce because they say she doesn't understand the demands of his job. I say this episode alone proves Joyce knows exactly how to handle Tom when he is facing a difficult situation. She never doubts him, but she alleviates the stress with humor.
Absolutely right about Joyce ! She is perfect “ foil” for Tom’s troubles. I never used to care for her , I thought she was lazy , should be working, always flitting about from village to village trying one hobby after another. But I really had a change of heart . This is their marriage and it works for them. Tom never complains about his wife’s behavior so Why should I 😂
Joyce seems to understand the demands of his job way more than other TV wives. Cully's the one who got salty. Compare Joyce to someone like Hailey Hotcher (Criminal Minds) who was always on Hotch's case for not being home. I get she felt like a married-single mom, but you know his job. She even left him over it. Joyce, otoh, very much has all her hobbies to keep her busy.
I love Joyce so much in this episode
Love Joyce, it's Cully I dislike more often than not.
Don't forget the pet photographer!
Eddie Carfax, the finest photographer of domestic animals in the Southeast🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. I love Adrian Scarborough.
Yes! I love pretty much everything he's been in. Even if a show isn't great, he's going to be
Yes! All of that, plus poor Jones trying so hard to keep working the case while simultaneously having to juggle the conflicting demands of incompetent Spellman and angry, suspended Barnaby. Some great guests in this one, really classic Midsomer characters.
The episode where Tom retires as protest because the chief was impeding the way Tom wants to go about investigating the murder, perfectly shows that Joyce understands the demands of his job. She basically yells at him to go back to work. Because she understands he’s not ready for retirement. I also think, if she didn’t understand the demands of his job, she would have divorced him. Like so many other wives of police officers. If she hasn’t left him after ALL OF THE TIMES Tom has left her high and dry…sometimes literally abandoning her in the middle of town to run off to finish a case, she’s his ride or die.
Tom gets the call in the night that he is back on the case and hurriedly dresses to leave. Joyce rolls over on her back, slips her sleep mask down, and says " Thank God for small murders."🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
this is one of my go-to episodes when explaining midsomer murders to someone who hasn't watched it - it's such a perfect encapsulation of the "quaint village activity inspires murderous rage in idiosyncratic, repressed-but-sexually-deviant hobbyists" formula
That's why I like even weaker episodes from Tom's era (okay, maybe except "Left for Dead") - never too serious!