Ring Out Your Dead

I too noticed the time on the clock as always being 6.25. It was mentioned in the goofs. What is the reason for it? Maybe too, like other titles there could have been an explanation of the murder and how it was done at the end. It was an interesting episode and I have a feeling that the writer tends to portray quite a few women as murderers, or should I say, murderesses. I find it absolutely bizarre that a person could murder innocent bell-ringers just because her ancestor was murdered by 'bell-ringers' who are unrelated to the present ones. The judgmental old man was super. As was the character of Peter, who was only interested in winning at all costs. He was thoroughly insensitive to the deaths around him. Super film all round!

Bell-ringers are being murdered, and the question is, why? In this 2002 Midsomer Murders from season 5.

The church bell-ringers of Midsomer Wellow are preparing for a big bell-ringers' competition. As rehearsal begins, blood starts falling on the face of one of the ringers, Emma Tysoe (Lyndsey Marshal).

It turns out to be blood from the body of Greg (Dugald Bruce Lockhart), who was somewhat of a playboy. Well, there are a few people who could have wanted him dead, including his soon to be ex-wife.

But when there's another murder, and another - with a message near each, going back to the history of the church, it seems like someone is determined to knock off all those bell-ringers.

Interesting story tied to an old tale about the church itself which Barnaby and Troy attempt to untangle. As an amusing sideline, Troy finds himself in a flirtation with an older woman who is very up front about her sexuality, and had been a lover of the first victim.

Entertaining, with some good performances, particularly by Gemma Jones as Maisie Gooch, Graham Crowden, and Hugh Bonneville.

This is your typical Midsomer Murders episode of the time, the early 2000s where we saw the best, it's totally changed now.

Very summery episode, stunning houses and gardens, great to see Hugh Bonneville and Gwen Taylor, brilliant performances.

The conclusion is extremely silly but it wouldn't be Midsomer Murders without this. The usual over the top characters but strangely, this episode presents some rather more down to earth ones as well. Strange that we don't see Dr Bullard in this one, he isn't called in for any of the deaths.

As usual, Joyce Barnaby getting involved and causing a nuisance, most entertaining.

This doesn't rank in the top 10 by any means but worth a watch.

For many Americans, the past time of ringing church bells, much less, cut throat competition in it will seem a little screwball, and indeed, there are moments of burst out laughing in this episode.

There are also scenes of scariness, walk in the dark while something ominous pursues you, like bits from an old 1960's Hammer horror film. And even a few moments of real human pain and tragedy.

And in a sometime tradition of this series, the motive for the murders is totally off the wall wackiness with the murderer the last person you'd ever suspect.

Anyway, the scenery of a series that seems at times to come from House And Country Magazine is pleasant to look at.

All in all, a pleasant way to past an evening in front of the telly.

This is an interesting episode. As is often the case, there is a piece of weird history that lies just beneath the surface. It has to do with the ringing of church bells in a competitive way. I had no idea it was a competition. But this is England, and, of course, I don't know what sort of ancient "sports" they involve themselves in. It turns out that there is an angry faction, including and old man, a deacon, who resent the fact that the church is used for something "secular." But again, there is that history. The show begins with a man who is murdered and dropped into a well (these well seem to be a natural place to put bodies). There is a subplot with Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), who has designs on the old man's money. It is a neat episode because of the subject matter.