Send in the Clowns

The Circus comes to Town, Midsomer true to form, it's not long before we get murder.

It wasn't the best I would say, a slightly disappointing end to what has actually been a very good series, now we've actually gotten to see it.

Your belief needs to be suspended permanently here, after one murder you think the Circus might have ended, but they keep on going.

I wonder if a wet midweek night in January was the right time to put this out, would Halloween not have been better? If so they could have played on the kitsch, clown horror element.

The cast do a good job, Neil Stuke and Jason Watkins in particular, but let's face it they are up against it with the material they've got to with here.

The major plus side I thought being the regular cast, very assured performances from all, with some great humour from Fleur.

Better than some, but one of the weaker entries in this series. 6/10

Sarah (Fiona Dolman) sees an ad for Joe Ferabbee's circus and tells Barnaby they have to take Betty. Turns out Barnaby is afraid of clowns, but he says he will brave it.

Despite his son wanting to modernize with darker themes, Ferabbee has a traditional circus with illusionists, trapeze artists, and clowns.

While a clown duo is performing, Sarah takes Betty to the ladies' room so they miss one of the clowns actually being killed. That clown had just told his partner he was leaving the show.

It's discovered later that the real shot came from a rifle at a different trajectory, not from the prop gun. Joe Ferabbee's estranged brother Curtis, who believes the land the circus sits on belongs to him, is missing such a rifle.

Later, Curtis himself is found dead. Then, a supporter of the circus is murdered when he volunteers for an illusionist act - one that Joe always volunteers for. Was Joe the intended target?

In order to solve the murders, Barnaby and Winter have to sort out the different issues and personalities involved: The brothers' estrangement, the fight for the land, a secret love affair, a robbery, and finally, the death of a trapeze artist years earlier, whose daughter and sister are currently with the circus. There's a lot going on, including some illegal selling.

Finally, Fleur and Sarah want to help Barnaby's fear of clowns before Betty's clown birthday party.

Not the best episode, with some vomitous scenes taking place in an abattoir. However, Fern again provides the humor, and the final line did make me laugh.

Few things about the circus were curious. Don't circus's travel as opposed to this stationary one? How could a stationary circus survive? Yet alone produce somewhat well paying jobs to bright, articulate people who are satisfied to live in meager trailers for years, and years? The dedication to the circus by the loyal oddballs made me think of some Monty Python skits. Once you get past the circus thing it was a very well written episode. I enjoyed the work of the stunning Joni Kamen as Sophia Bellini, and Lorraine Burroughs as Freya Ferabbee. The ending worked well, but got a little too sappy. Neil Dudgeon's fear of clowns comforted by Paddy the dog was a funny subplot.

So far I've liked all of the new seasons with John Barnaby. I don't know why people are still hating on him. He and Tom are different, and handle things differently. I think Neil is doing a great job, if dislike his role so much, no one is forcing you to watch it.

Keep that remote in your hand for whenever 'fleur' shows up so youj can skiop or mute it. The woman is insufferable. Both the actor and the character. Only a few such anomalies exist similar to this...courtenay cox being one of the most odius of all time...bea arthur another (the woman could light a plate of spaghetti on fire with that stare)...albert dekker, one of the all time weirdo's of hollywood...willem defoe: so incredibly freaky any footage of him on a dvd will automatically destroy your hard drive...and fleur and the nasty-ass broad who plays her not only exceeds all these but also establishes New Standards for Odiousness...