The Night of the Stag

Barnaby and Jones investigate the murder of a local revenue agent where the phrase "shake him like a British nanny" is somewhat apropos. As far as a murder mystery it was rather run-of-the-mill but the second act really stank.

So, a bunch of fat, ugly, drunken neanderthals dress up with antlers and go "a courting" to the neighboring village. Though apparently in the one village some of the local sluts actually welcome the attention there were also a couple attempts at outright rape (including the leading "stag" offering up his own daughter). If that is what passes for local culture I say evacuate the few decent folks and just napalm the rest. Who scripts this crap?

Fabulous story line and brilliantly cast and acted.

Some of the new woke may not like the subject and try to cancel culture but this is excellent. What beautiful scenery to boot.

First 3/4 was mildly interesting. But, the end went "Bullwinkle". So utterly ridiculous. The actors had to be embarrassed taking part in this rubbish. Worst MM by far. This is an insult to the John Nettles era.

I watched Night of the Stag during its original transmission, it's the first episode of the series I switched off before the end as I couldn't bare to watch it. I find myself agreeing quite a lot with the other reviewer on here, I find the whole thing in very bad taste,

I originally had a score of 1 out of ten, on rewatching I've upped it to a 3, the first twenty minutes or so weren't so bad, but after that it turns into a complete and utter mess, I can't even believe it made it through an edit, the last fifteen/twenty minutes are literally unwatchable, even Warren Clarke couldn't save it. The village used looks very pretty, it is the best thing about it.

When this went out I was in fear that Midsomer Murders had run its course, there were definitely a few eyebrows raised after this went out, how contrasting to next week's 'A Sacred Trust,' which is a belter.

A miserly 3/10

In all the years of Midsomer Murders, they've made many good episodes and a few poor ones that disappointed. But this is the first episode that I can truly say was absolutely dreadful to the point that it left both my wife and myself with really bad tastes in both our mouths and that we both felt deeply offended by it. Angry and embarrassed for the actors who had to take part in it, in fact. I hope the producers in the U.K. received numerous letters and emails of complaint after it aired thereabout the content and the story-line as it was so awful. What were Dudgeon and Clarke thinking in agreeing to take part in this drivel? It was beyond belief.

I won't say more as it may be viewed as a spoiler but I'll close by saying that I can think of better ways to pass an hour and a half: like resting on a bed of nails while someone piles weights on your chest.

Sorry, but rating it a 1/10 really is giving it too much credit.