Midsomer Murders - A Worm In The Bud [DVD]

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At the police station, Barnaby says Susan Bartlett drowned between 10pm and 2am. No sign of struggle. Except Julie Fielding saw Susan's body lying in Setwale Wood earlier that afternoon. It doesn't make any sense. Barnaby concludes, "As I was walking up the stair I met a man who wasn't there. "He wasn't there again today. I wish, I wish he'd stay away." When two children report a body in Setwale Woods, no one believes them until their father sees it, now in a different place. The body is that of Simon's wife, Catherine, an unhappy woman who left a suicide note. It's later determined to be murder. Then there's another murder. So who's doing the killing, and why? In this episode, Barnaby gets some crucial help from the brother and sister, whose parents are tearing their hair out with worry. There is a big hole in this script, which is that no one ever says why the Bartlett farm will be lost if the housing development goes up. Harrington could not have forced Bartlett to sell his farm, yet there seems to be a great deal of angst about holding onto it. Barnaby explains to Troy, "Susan Bartlett had to be replaced by any woman who could provide a grandchild. But Harrington worked it out. He put the flowers in Victoria's garden. Not to say, "You're next." Just, "I know you did it." Troy says, "But why would Bloxham frame Simon Bartlett?" Barnaby says, "He found out what she'd done, but he wasn't part of it. Yes, she learned all about valerian from him some 40 years before. But Bloxham was trying to incriminate Simon because Simon was about to break his mother's heart by selling the farm. The farm was everything to Bloxham. He grew up there. And Victoria, she was five years younger than him, but she was like a kid sister. Hannah said she idolised him. And he loved her. But they couldn't stay kids forever. So he turned the only time he was happy into a private world. He had to protect it. Even Simon was expendable. Victoria didn't see it like that." At the pub, Caroline tells James, "There's things we need to talk about. It's not a conversation to have here." James says, "We're celebrating. There's money in the bank from now on. And every time I draw some, it's going to make me feel so very good." Caroline offers to take James home. James says, "Night, mother. Bad manners to leave a wake early, I know, but you can put a long face on with the best of them." Hannah slaps him. Hannah says to Caroline, "Can't you keep him under control?" Caroline says, "No, Hannah. That's why I left him." Caroline drops James off. The murderer drives up to James' house. They give the dog a chunk of meat. They go in the house and switch James' bottle of alcohol. Then they dump James body on a forklift.

Jonah makes a phone call to the police and reports that Simon Bartlett went to Harrington's farm and killed him. He also killed Susan Bartlett and he used the ATV to get her body into Setwale Wood. A Worm in the Bud" lulls in pacing in the middle with the-kids-playing-detectives not adding to the story as much as it could have done. Agreed also that the murders are on the bland side this time, in a show where they can be brutal and sometimes elaborate, and also on that it was an annoyance about not being given an explanation for why Susan wasn't killed straight after being made unconscious (if indicated in the episode, it was very vague to me).

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James' body is found dumped in a pond in Setwale Wood. Hannah Harrington identifies James' body. "Yes, that's James, my son. You won't need a doctor to pronounce him dead... I'll be in the yard. George is still alive. At least we might be able to save him." George is the dog. Later that evening, someone lurks outside Victoria Bartlett's home. They watch her through her window. She turns out the lights. The lurker starts cutting flowers. There are some untied endings at the end. For example, why was the first victim in the bushes six hours before she is found in the pond? That is never answered, though the murder mystery is built on this fact... Simon goes over to Bernadette's. He says, "I went to Abbey Farm last night. I didn't know someone was going to kill James. He wasn't even there. I'm frightened, Bernadette. I went to the farm. I went home. I was on my own. He could have been there dead when I was." Bernadette says, "Did anyone see you at Abbey Farm? No. Then you weren't there. And you weren't on your own, you spent the night with me. An alibi from an eminent barrister should even shut Barnaby up." Victoria overhears Simon calling Bernadette. She tells him, "If there's anything you can do to stop people believing her suicide was your fault, you should do it. I know you didn't have much time for her in life lately, but I'd like to think that in death you can do something more decent than rush off into the arms of your mistress." Simon starts to cry.

Baranby and Troy go to speak to James Harrington. He immediately goes at them, "You've got a bloody cheek. Don't think you're going to get away with it. My woods, my timber - that's what the judge said." Barnaby says, "There is a police investigation going on in Setwale Wood. Nobody is allowed in until I'm satisfied the scene has been preserved and the evidence is safe. Mrs Bartlett's body was found in a pond in Setwale Wood this morning. She was dead. The wood belongs to you." James explains that he and Susan dated in their teens. Then he went away to college and she married Simon while he was gone. His wife, Caroline, knew eventually. Recently, Susan made a play for him. James realized he didn't want her. He wanted Caroline, his sons. James says he was in the pub when Susan was killed. He says aren't husbands at the top of the list of suspects? Barnaby says, "I may not know a lot about farming, but I'm very used to separating the sheep from the goats."

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Some of the residents of Midsomer Worthy are trying to prevent James Harrington from turning Setwale Woods into a housing estate. Led by a solicitor, Bernadette Sullivan, and a local farmer, Simon Bartlett, who also happen to be having an affair, they have not had much success in court. When Bartlett's wife, Susan, is found dead in the woods, Barnaby and Troy must first determine if her murder is related to the planned development or something as yet unknown. The information provided by two inquisitive children, who see the investigation as a fascinating game, proves invaluable in solving the crime. At court, the judge says, "I understand the feelings of the Midsomer Worthy community. Setwale Wood has been a place of recreation for generations. Children play there, people walk their dogs, picnic, and I'm sure all sorts of things. But none of that alters the fact that the land belongs to Mr Harrington. As for this long list of objections, nothing warrants an injunction to prevent Mr Harrington selling his wood, or Whitley Estates felling it." The audience sighs. Midsomer Murders" has been one of my most beloved shows for many years now, but I haven't had the time to review episodes when the show was at its best. But now I do. I am going to start with the 5.season, which is a consistently good series with "A worm in the bud" being a pretty good episode overall. The people of Midsomer Worthy are attempting to keep James Harrington from razing Setwale Woods and turning it into housing. This apparently means that the farm owned by Simon Bartlett will be lost. He teams up with an attorney, Bernadette Sullivan, to stop Harrington. In fact, they team up in more ways than one. However, 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.

Simon grew up alongside James Harrington, son of Victoria's friend Hannah. When James went to college, Simon began dating and eventually married his ex-girlfriend Susan. However, Susan was unable to conceive children and suffered from depression. Victoria, who wanted nothing more than for Simon to conceive an heir to the farm, realized that she would never get her wish as long as he was married to Susan. One of the people that know about valerian locally is Jonah Bloxham. As Barnaby closes in on Bloxham, Bloxham is found in his blazing house. He is just about alive and taken to hospital. In his burnt out house Barnaby finds the remains of a photo of a child. Later he finds the remains of a similar photo on the bonfire of Victoria Bartlett, Simon Bartlett’s mother. Victoria Bartlett is not at here home, but the children have seen her being taken away at gun point by Hannah Harrington, James Harrington’s mother. Barnaby and Troy exit the courthouse. Simon Bartlett and James Harrington get into a fight. Barnaby goes over and breaks it up. James goes to a playground and speaks to his wife, Caroline Harrington. He has won the court case and will sell his farm and then they can put their separation behind them. Caroline says she can't trust him as long as Susan Bartlett is around. Simon and Bernadette have words. Simon doesn't care about a court case against Harrington anymore. Bernadette says Simon will get Abbey Farm when this is all over. Ever since they've met Simon banged on about what you could do with more land. Bernadette says she can make that happen. Simon says, "Can't you wait till she's buried?" Bernadette retorts, "What is the period for abstaining from carnal knowledge of your mistress when your wife dies? If she'd walked out you'd have thrown a party. It's the same woman."

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Barnaby interviews Bernadette. She says Simon was with her. They were having an affair. Bernadette says Susan was depressed. Still, it's a good episode with a good ending. The best scene is the children boarding a bus for Causton and going to see Barnaby at home. He isn't there, but Joyce is, and the little boy isn't interested in the mystery -- he just wants food. Barney and Troy go to interview Bernadette. She immediately says, "Simon Bartlett is my client. I'd like to know precisely why he's been arrested." Barnaby says, "You're under a misapprehension as to why you're here. You provided Simon Bartlett with a false alibi for the night of James Harrington's death. You won't need legal advice from me to understand the implications of that." Barnaby goes to Mrs Harrington's house. Victoria says the flowers will grow again. Barnaby wants to know if there Is anyone she would regard as being an enemy or someone her son would? Victoria says people often fall out with each other but she doesn't know anyone who would do such a thing.