Midsomer Murders - Murder On St Malley's Day [DVD]

Product Information

Barnaby talks to Mr Charlie Meynell. He is walking across the grass. Barnaby notices the cufflinks he is wearing. Charlie denies that he ever said he hated the Pudding Club. He denies that he said Daniel wanted to leave the Pudding Club. He also denies mentioning a row between Daniel and Marcus Heywood the night before the race. The production values are usually wonderful here. Beautiful music, clever direction by Peter Smith helps the scenery a lot.

Brotherhood of Funny Hats: The Pudding Club is an exclusive club restricted to Devington students who are pursuing careers in diplomacy. On the surface, it's just a "boy's club" that regularly eats "puddings". note In the British sense of the term, which means anything from pies to desserts. In reality, it's a front for an illegal art-smuggling ring, with the members using their positions to smuggle valuables out of foreign countries and into the school proper, to be sold off to finance the school whenever it needs the money.

Two more murders follow as Barnaby and Troy dig to find out what all these people are hiding, who met Daniel and killed him while he was racing, why did he wander off his route during the race, and why is everyone in the Pudding Club so uptight? Very good mystery with an unexpected ending, one of the better ones in the series. These stories tend to be complicated and require one to focus - it's not easy, mindless entertainment, and I like that about them. For some reason, I've always been partial to Barnaby's first partner, Troy, and it's easy to see why in this episode. He's delightful and very attractive. At the pub, a celebration is going on to welcome Charlie to the Pudding Club. Marcus says, "Quiet, please! Quiet! Right. Well we're here today to celebrate Charlie's admission to the Pudding Club. There was a time when I thought Charlie wouldn't come up to scratch. But I'm pleased to say he seems to have come good in the end." The police carry the statues and treasures out of the school. Barnaby says, "Charlie Meynell was right. The Pudding Club. He said they were like kids in a gang. In the end it wasn't about money, it was about who was in and who was out. Who was the leader. Who was top dog." Troy shakes his head. He says, "School. Supposed to be the happiest days of your life." Barnaby says, "That's what they say, Troy." Troy says, "I never did get that." They see the sign saying "Keep Off the Grass." They walk on the grass... As always, the production values are top notch, with to die for scenery, the idyllic look of it contrasting very well with the story's grimness, and quaint and atmospheric photography. The music fits perfectly, and the theme tune one of the most memorable and instantly recognisable of the genre.

Troy says, "I've just been talking to Charlie Meynell. Apparently, Marcus Heywood has gone missing." Barnaby and Troy talk to Arabella. They find out that Marcus is hiding in Arabella's room. Murder on St. Malley's Day is the fifth episode of the fifth series of Midsomer Murders. It was first shown on 22nd September 2002. There are times as well when the story gets too naive or childish with the very convenient glove/clue at the door and with leaving a potential witness to a murder alive... Midsomer murders" has been one of my most beloved shows for few years now, but the series was definitely at its strongest in the Tom Barnaby era. The 5th season belongs to one of the better ones of the show with "Market for murder for me being solid if not great, "A worm in the bud" very entertaining and "Ring out your dead" quite impressive. "Murder on St. Malley's day" ends that season in a pretty high note. Conspiracy Theorist: Dudley Carew, who believes that there's a secret and sinister purpose behind the Pudding Club at the Devington School, claiming they're an Illuminati-esque group responsible for murder and mayhem on a global scale.

At the lake, Barnaby and Troy examine the body. There are Pudding Club cufflinks. It's the missing diplomat. He must've been dead over a week. He has a massive blow to the head. Similar to Dudley Carew. The story, with the odd spot of suitable grimness and creepiness (like with the second murder that had an eerie build-up), is hugely compelling, and never simplistic and never losing any of the maturity of most of the previous episodes. There is a lot going on mostly without being cluttered or rushed (remarkable for an episode that as ever is heavy in exposition), and that nothing is what it seems, or very few people are who they seem adds to the complexity, while there are no out of kilter scenes. The twists, red herrings and turns keep coming, and rarely in an obvious or press-the-rewind button. The characters are colourful, eccentric and not what they seem. Barnaby tells Troy to ask Paul about Arabella Heywood, Marcus Heywood's sister. Ask whether he knows her and how well, but don't make a big thing of it. John Nettles manages to bring warmth to Barnaby despite the severity of his questioning and the seriousness of the case.

There is an echo of a teacher scolding.. " Don't run in the corridor, boy. Why aren't you in lessons, boy?"

Contribute to This Page

Barnaby goes to search Daniel's room and talks to Mr. Ludlow. Ludlow says he has worked at the school 35 years. His father was Porter at Devington before him. He was Porter when Sir Walter Talbot was a pupil. Sir Walter was a great man who did a lot for the school and Anthony Talbot is keeping up the tradition. Ludlow is the steward of the Pudding Club. He takes the puddings to the club room, tidy up afterwards. Ludlow denies there was a fight in the Pudding Club room the night before the race. Barnaby asks Ludlow to see if Marcus is in his room and while Ludlow is gone, Barnaby snitches a greeting card from Daniel's bulletin board. Season 5 has been a strong one, with "Ring Out Your Dead" especially being classic 'Midsomer Murders' and even the weakest "A Worm in the Bud" is still very good. None of the episodes from the fifth season reached bad level, like the previous season's "The Electric Vendetta". The motive for the killings are agreed on the far-fetched side. Wished they would have been a lot stronger for a good case like this. Barnaby assumes Winch set Paul Starkey up. Or he didn't send the message in the first place. Troy gets a call. It's Anthony Talbot. At night, the pudding club boys go to Charlie's room and carry him to the pudding club room. Anthony Talbot says, "Gentlemen! If I may have your attention, please, for one moment. The police have arrested the man who killed my son, Daniel. He's a villager. But that doesn't mean it's over. Outsiders will see this as an opportunity to snoop and pry into the affairs of the school. But you must remember that your first loyalty is to the Pudding Club. Always. Loyalty is our greatest strength." He looks at Charlie. "Carry on, gentlemen." The pudding club boys start tapping their spoons on the table. Anthony Talbot leaves, but Marcus follows him. "There's something you really ought to know about Paul Starkey, sir. It's about him and Daniel."

Sometime later, Julia puts flowers on Daniel's grave. Miranda sees her. "Don't go. You were Daniel's friend, weren't you? I'm pleased to meet you at last. What's your name?" Julia says, "Julia. I'd better go." Miranda says, "You don't have to. Stay for a bit." Julia says, "Alright."Barnaby receives the forensic report on the knife. There are no prints. The blood matches Daniel Talbot's. Traces of ammonia, ascetic acid and other chemicals: A common cleaning agent. They arrest Paul Starkey.