Midsomer Murders - Talent For Life [DVD]

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Joyce looks through a photo album and says the children looked lovely in their huge bonnets. Cully tells Joyce the photos are of children in the workhouse. Many of them never reached adulthood. Another photo shows people celebrating the end of the First World War. Malham Bridge lost 15 men, Three from one family alone. Joyce tells Cully not to let the stories get to her. Dixie Goff tells her daughter Angela that she wants family only at Duncan's funeral. Angela says, "Mum, don't you think some of Dad's old friends and patients would like to come, pay their respects?" Dixie replies, "I will not have a procession of his old flames filing past the grave. I will not." The detectives ring the doorbell. Barnaby asks, "Mrs Goff, we've learned that Mr Keith Scholey came round here to speak to you on the night before your husband's murder." Dixie says, "What he told me was no surprise. My husband had always had something of a wandering eye and I tolerated it." The biggest problem however is the pacing. I am not one of these people who do not appreciate character building, but in this case the story does take too much time to settle down and get compelling. Mainly because of unfocused storytelling. Out on a country road, Joyce Barnaby drives up to where Cully is stranded, her car broken down. Cully transfers photo albums to Joyce's car. Cully says, "Thanks, Mum. I really do appreciate this. You're a lifesaver. The man from the garage said he'd be at least two hours and I've got to get these up." Joyce asks, "Have you got enough for a good show, do you think?" Cully says, "I hope so. Still got a few more promised. People have been coming for the gossip as much as anything." Joyce asks, "About the murders?" Cully says, "Loads of theories, most of them ridiculous." Right for the Wrong Reasons: Troy correctly guesses who the murderer is several times: he's just never right about the motive.

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 occasional 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. Ruth Scholey comes to the restaurant and finds out her husband has been killed. She tells the detectives that as far as she knew the door was fine. She had an argument with her husband earlier because she wasn't sure about the alibi she had given him. He had told her she was being disloyal. At the police station, Troy tells Barnaby he is about to take a statement. A woman wants to press charges of assault against Isobel Hewitt. Barnaby says, "Isobel Hewitt, the Jaguar-owning pensioner?" Troy replies that there was a bit of a barny at the Midsomer Fly Fishers last night. Barnaby accompanies Troy to the interview.

Barnaby discusses the case with Troy, "What we've got to do first is establish whether they were murdered together and for the same reason, or whether one of them happened upon the murder scene and was killed to protect the identity of the killer. In which case we need to know which of the victims was the real target." Troy asks, "There's no way they could have had a thing going? I know they were getting on but you never know with these wrinklies. Maybe Quentin got jealous. Decided to do them in. He's weird that bloke." Barnaby smirks at Troy.

The following actors and actresses who appeared in this episode have also appeared in the following episodes: Barnaby and Troy stop by to speak to Cully. She is working on the photography exhibit. Cully tells them she heard something else about Doctor Goff. Keith Scholey's mother died of cancer last year. Apparently Keith blamed him, said his mother would've survived if he'd diagnosed it sooner. He made official complaints and they came to nothing. Keith said it was a cover up. Troy wonders, "There's no way they could have had a thing going? I know they were getting on but you never know with these wrinklies." The next morning, Rebecca is clearing out the trash at Isobel's house. Leo comes to look at a table at Quentin's antique shop. Quentin asks Leo what he meant yesterday when he said Keith had bullied Ruth into lying for him? Leo says he couldn't accept Keith wasn't involved. The motive was also agreed not very interesting and pretty mundane and clichéd. Again agreed the show was at its best when the motives were either fresh, darker and more outlandish (though some, especially the Neil Dudgeon episodes, went too overboard on the outlandish to the point of absurdity and were convoluted at times too), here in comparison it was bland.Barnaby goes to see Melrose Plunkett at Isobel's home. Quentin is upstairs valuing the furniture. Barnaby asks where Isobel's share certificate is. There is another document under the certificate. Barnaby asks, "Is this the formal agreement between yourself and Isobel for the transfer of the ownership to you of the house and furniture?" Melrose says, "Yes, it is." Rebecca calls, "Melrose! The Jaguar man's here." Barnaby says, "Your agreement with Isobel about the house, was that common knowledge in the village?" Melrose says, "Not as far as I know. She was a proud woman. She asked us not to mention it." A Talent for Life" is one of the good solid episodes. At the same time it is just missing the extra missing that could have made it great or even a classic. "A Talent for Life" signalled the first time, and one of not many times, in the history of 'Midsomer Murders' where the identity of the murderer was not that surprising and easily guessable too early (personally suspected them very strongly before the halfway mark). Not necessarily due to suspects being too few, but there could have been more and the motives more imaginative than here.

Season 6 Episode 1 of Midsomer Murders resulted in a 0.00 rating in the 18-49 demographic. Midsomer Murders Season 6 Episodes...At the photography exhibition, Cully and Joyce look at the photos. Barnaby drives up with Quentin in the car. Troy asks, "What's happening, sir?" Barnaby says, "There's been a development. Quentin Roka was our man after all. He's just confessed to the murders. All three. It seems your first hunch was the right one. You see, it suddenly occurred to me that if Gwen Dobson, the local gossip, didn't know about Melrose owning Isobel's house, then it was possible no one else did either. Maybe not even Quentin. It's a long story. Of course, I couldn't have got there without Troy working out the business with the fridge. Good work. You thought it was Quentin from the word go. See the lesson in all this? Always follow your first instincts." Troy says, "I'll get the car, shall I?" Barnaby tells Cully he'll see the exhibition some other time. Barnaby calls, "Hang on, Troy. I'm coming with you." and puts his arm around Troy's shoulders. Keith confronts his wife, Ruth Scholey at their home. Keith says, "I'm going to ask you a question. And I'll know if you lie to me. So think very carefully before you reply." Meanwhile, the script is smart and thought-provoking with some nice humour and colourful characters. Nothing felt inconsequential, everything had a point, everything intrigued and any loose ends were tied together nicely. When two bodies are discovered by the side of a fishing stream, Barnaby and Troy have yet more murders to solve. Isobel Hewitt had A Talent for Life that some can only hope for. She loves to drive her red Jaguar at top speed and generally enjoyed the finer things in life. Although loved by many, there were those who were not quite so charmed by her. Margaret Seagrove was convinced that she was the member of the local fishing club using weighted lures in the local stream. Her nephew and his wife, with whom she resided, saw her as a burden now that she had spent most of her accumulated capital. The second victim is the local doctor, Duncan Goff, a well-known philanderer who had affairs with many of the local ladies. The police must first determine if both were intended victims, or if one was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. The solution is indeed disappointing with kind of obvious murderer and dull motives, which could have been much more compelling. I would go that far and name it underdeveloped.