User Reviews

I agree with the other posts about the tame and slow plot. I rather found that a relief though, instead of sitting through so many absurd and graphic murders.

There is the razor blade incident which is apparently Joyce's first time as witness to death, as she takes it very hard. It will be one of many that she is witness to as we know, she gets quite used to dead bodies and murderers in the coming seasons.

The Catholic church features again, this time in a polite and quiet manner which was again refreshing.

Cully tells Troy (on their first meeting no less), "this is not the theater" at the start of the play which I found confusing. Was she already being so pretentious?

This episode finds Troy actually being praised for his input into the case rather than mocked, another nice difference!

A smaller story line about a gay couple, a bit of skin shown, an adulterous affair, greed, pride, theft, and the murders, of course, round out this episode. Ignore all that and you've got the wholesome justice-fighting and cozy warmth of Barnaby's home life to make it worth the view.

Before the credits have begun we see somebody being murdered followed by a body being dumped in a river. The body is later discovered by anglers and Barnaby and Troy are soon on the case. It is soon established that the victim, Agnes Grey, had advanced cancer so it seems odd that somebody would go to the trouble of murdering her. Meanwhile the local amateur dramatic society, led by the abrasive Harold Winstanley is putting on a performance of Amadeus in which Joyce Barnaby is acting; as is Esslyn Carmichael; cousin of the murdered woman. During the opening night an 'accident' leaves one of the cast dead on stage! There are plenty of suspects as the dead man was not popular due to his bullying nature.

After watching more recent series of Midsomer Murders it was interesting to go back to the first series; of course we have the large cast of larger than life characters who could be the killer or the next victim. It takes a while before the second death comes but when it does it is quite shocking… although that might be because the sight of a straight razor has me cringing before it gets near anybody's throat! The cast put on a fine performance; including Bernard Hepton and Nicholas Le Prevost as Winstanley and Esslyn… two rather unpleasant characters and always excellent Janine Duvitski who played the put upon stage manager. The story was entertaining although the original murder is forgotten for much of the time; especially after the on stage death. One flaw though was the murder weapon; it seems unlikely that a drama would use a real razor even if it was meant to have the blade taped over… still it is Midsomer not the real world so such details can be excused!

I love "Midsomer Murders," especially the character of Barnaby and his family, and this episode, "Death of a Hollow Man" has my favorite of his associates, Sgt. Troy (Daniel Casey).

However, I couldn't follow this one. I thought it was just me until I read the other reviews. The first murder is in the first scene, a person praying who is hit over the head. This apparently was Agnes. That really confused me because I thought it was a man.

Then Agnes' cousin is killed during a production of Amadeus. Barnaby sees a connection - though Agnes had terminal cancer, the murderer couldn't wait.

As far as the motive, I don't actually know what it was except that it had something to do with religious artifacts and Agnes, as it turns out, left a fortune.

Loved seeing the bits of Amadeus, and I liked the acting. I just wish I knew what it was all about. The murder of Agnes isn't mentioned again until the very end of the episode - for the rest of the film, it's forgotten.

Midsomer Murders: Death of a Hollow Man starts as Agnes Gray (Denyse Alexander) is brutally murdered with a crow bar. Jump forward a week or so & her body is found in a pond, DCI Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) & Sgt. Gavin Troy (Daniel Casey) are on the case. Meanwhile in Causton a theatrical production of Amadeus is being staged by bad tempered elderly director Harold Winstanley (Bernard Hepton) with locals used as the cast & crew. One such local on the cast is Barnaby's wife Joyce (Jane Wymark) who has a small role, it's the opening night & Tom along with their daughter Cully (Laura Howard) are in the audience. Esslyn Carmichael (Nicholas Le Prevost) is the star & he is due to act out a suicide on stage by running a doctored straight razor across his throat, however someone switches the safe razor for a real one & Esslyn dies on stage from a self inflicted slit throat. Barnaby gets the case & since Esslyn was a cousin of Agnes he suspects a link & there are no shortage of suspects...

Episode 3 from season 1 this Midsmer Murders mystery was directed by Jeremy Silberton & is another classic episode when the show had an edge almost as sharp as the razor Esslyn uses to cut his own throat. The script by Caroline Graham based on her own novel of the same name serves up a typically absorbing & intriguing plot that is yet another dark & complex murder mystery with a mature tone, I must admit I loved the clever method used here when the murderer actually makes Esslyn kill himself with the razor blade on stage. I think it's a great idea & a great method for murder, I did feel the murder of Agnes was overlooked & almost ignored to some extent as it mostly concentrates on Esslyn. As usual the character's are very good, there are some nice red herrings & a good helping of suspects for armchair detectives to shift through. Things come together nicely at the end with a neat explanation & a suitably elaborate motive. My only real problem is the length as I think at almost 2 hours it can drag a little in places.

This episode was shot mostly in & around Buckinghamshire this looks nice enough even though there isn't much scenery on show. It's well made with good production values as this is a prime time series over here in the UK. There's nothing graphic in this episode apart from a bit of bad language as both murders are tastefully done. The acting is strong in this episode with everyone doing a fine job.

Death of a Hollow Man is a great Midsomer Murders mystery, it has just about everything you want from an episode except maybe the traditional English countryside setting which the show is famous for. Well worth a watch for mystery fans.

DCI Barnaby and his wife, Joyce (played by John Nettles and Jane Wymark), are volunteering in the Causton Players' latest amateur dramatic production, Peter Shaffer's Amadeus at the Corn Exchange. Meanwhile, Barnaby and Troy (played by Daniel Casey) are investigating the brutal murder of Agnes Gray (played by Denyse Alexander) and later her only living relative who happens to be the leading man in the play, Esslyn Carmichael (played by Nicholas Le Prevost), is murdered on stage on the opening night in front of a full house. The question is are the two murders related? If so, how? But there are numerous suspects amongst the cast and crew as well, including Esslyn's ex-wife, Rosa (played by Sarah Badel), who resented him for marrying the much younger Kitty (played by Debra Stephenson) who is pregnant with his child. However, Esslyn had discovered that she was having an affair and was about to start divorce proceedings against her so she also had a strong motive for killing him. Then there is the play's pompous and delusional director, Harold Winstanley (played by Bernard Hepton), who allowed Esslyn to pretty much take over the entire play, but why?

The third episode in the first season of this long running rural whodunit series isn't quite up to the standard of the best in the series, but it is still good fun to watch all the same. Caroline Graham who adapted her own novel for the screen laces her script with some glorious black humour and the characterisations are all good even if some of the performances threaten to go over the top. Basically, all of the cast and crew associated with the shambolic amateur play are at each others throats and any one of them could have easily committed the murders. Bernard Hepton is of exceptional note as Harold who has completely lost all semblance of reality, both about the limitations of his own talents and what is going on around him. There is a priceless line where he is asked by the investigating police: 'Are you sure you know what's going on here, Sir?' 'Certainly, someone has sabotaged Amadeus!', he replies without appreciating that a brutal murder has just happened. Angela Pleasance (daughter of Donald Pleasance) provides good support as Harold's long suffering, put upon wife. Nicholas Le Prevost is also very good as the cold hearted businessman, Esslyn, as is Debra Stephenson as his young, faithless and gold digging wife Kitty. John Nettles offers his usual excellent performance as the intelligent, down to earth, thoughtful and contented family man DCI Barnaby while Daniel Casey is noteworthy as his young sergeant Gavin Troy. The rural Home Counties settings are as impressive as always, well photographed to provide maximum dramatic effect and all other production values are of a high standard indeed. The assured direction is again by Jeremy Silberston.

As a huge fan of the Midsomer Murders series, I was very disappointed with this particular episode. As usual, the characters are excellent - vibrant, well developed, a diverse mix of the eccentricities of country-folk, but the time spent on them allows the actual plot to suffer tremendously.

The initial murder is forgotten for the majority of the episode, to the point that it took me by surprise to see it being investigated again after more than an hour into the show. I'd actually forgotten it had taken place, and even then the segue to refocusing on it was vague and tenuous. The eventual motive for both the murders remains murky, as there was no clue throughout the nearly 2 hours of the episode that even hinted at it, let alone allowed the viewers the opportunity to deduce it for themselves. All we have to go on is a hasty explanation offered by Inspector Barnaby himself after he has already identified the murderer, referring to arrangements, relationships and motives that never surfaced at any point of the investigation - even now I'm not too sure what it was all about.

In my opinion, a murder mystery needs to give the viewer the opportunity to solve the crime themselves during the course of the show, or at least keep changing their guesses as new clues are revealed. This one did not. In fact, precious few clues were revealed at all. It was as though the red herrings that are part and parcel of a typical Midsomer Murders episode (and usually thoroughly enjoyed) took center stage, while the murders themselves became a trivial afterthought.

After a wonderful start of Midsomer Murders, with both "The Killings at Badger's Drift and "Written in Blood" being classic episodes, "Death of a Hollow Man" is a step down in quality. "Death of a Hollow Man is not a bad episode, it is just that "The Killings at Badger's Drift" and Written in Blood have a better script and story.

"Death of a Hollow Man" starts with the murder of Agnes Grey. She was about to light a candle in a dark room, when someone creeps up on her and smashes her head. Her body is then disposed in a lake.

The Causton playhouse is about to start their last rehearsals for their set up of the famous play "Amadeus" by Peter Schaffer. The actors come in one by one. Rosa Carmichael, Nicholas Bentley, Kitty Carmichael and Esslyn Carmichael, who once was married to Rosa. The director, Harold Winstanley loves what he do, and is clearly fond of the theatre. Esslyn is playing the lead role Salieri, but believes that Nicholas is masking him at every turn. Kitty says he does so, but Harold rejects the claims and says it is up to him to decide whether Nicholas is masking Esslyn or not. Joyce is also a part of the cast, and talks to Tom about it, as she looks forward to the play.

Esslyn is Agnes Grey's cousin and agrees to identity her body. He talks with her solicitor and are aware that he will not inherite anything from her, because she wanted her money to go to charity. What he does get, is an envelope from Agnes adressed to him, that was to be opened after her death. Barnaby wants to know which person Agnes was and Esslyn tells him that she did the same job for twenty five years before she took an early retirement. Agnes spoke excellent French and Italian, and her degree was art history.

Esslyn opens the envelope from Agnes. For someone, the content only means bad news, and Esslyn makes a phone call to the person in question, and says he never wants money, but something else that Esslyn knows the person is aware of. Esslyn gives a final deadline the next following Monday.

It turns out that Kitty is having a fling, which Esslyn knows nothing about, until Rosa spies on Kitty and calls to tell Esslyn about it. Esslyn wants to divorce Kitty instantly, even though she is pregnant. Esslyn reassures that the child will be provided for, but Kitty has to provide for herself.

During the second act of the play, Kitty and Esslyn are having a fight and she is angry with him. She slaps him, they struggle and he throws Kitty to the floor. In Salieri's last scene, Esslyn's character is about to commit suicide. Esslyn takes a razor and slits his throat as Joyce and David Smy watch. The suicide turns out to be quite real when Esslyn himself falls to the ground.

As the case closes, it is revealed that Harold is the murderer. He killed Agnes Grey because she wanted to come clean after their art theft. Esslyn found out, and tried to blackmail Harold about it. He was about to expose Harold, unless Esslyn got full control of the new theatre. Harold could not take any risk, and made sure that Esslyn was killed.

"Death of a Hollow Man" is not as interesting as the previous two episodes, and sometimes, the story feels a bit boring. It is a good episode and I really like the setting with Amadeus and a setup of a play, but for some reason, the first murder of Agnes Grey is completely forgotten during the episode, and then at the end, it all comes back and they need an explanation of why she was murdered.

From the supporting cast, Ed Waters, Debra Stephenson, Nicholas Le Prevost, Janine Dutvitski, Bernard Hepton and Sarah Badel are the fare strongest. Ed Waters is a joy to watch and his character Nicholas Bentley becomes Cully's boyfriend. Debra Stephenson and Nicholas Le Prevost plays Kitty and Esslyn, and does a good job, but I think Kitty is a bit more interesting than Esslyn, a character I feel is a bit too bland, and we never get to know him properly. Janine Dutvitski and Sarah Badel play colourful characters and we get to know their personality throughout the episode. Bernard Hepton is a wonderful actor and is credible in his interpretation of Harold Winstanley, even though I have to say that his character feels bland as well.

The solution feels a bit underwhelming and the murderer's identity is not that surprising. I feel that it could have been other characters in the story that could have had stronger motives for killing Agnes and Esslyn.

"Death of a Hollow Man" is a fine third episode of the first series of Midsomer Murders, but after an astonishing start with "The Killings at Badger's Drift" and "Written in Blood", "Death of a Hollow Man" is a step down in quality. 7/10 Hossy Christie.

Enjoying all episodes but Toms wife is a bit ridiculous re death of Esslyn. Not believable!

I really liked this episode, but, no matter how many times I have seen this episode, I keep reminding myself, "Oh..yeah, a woman died first." Because that is the very first thing you see (she gets beaten to death while praying to the Virgin Mary). I enjoy the fact Tom and Joyce are together in regards with the play (Amedeus) and the cast of characters: the awful stage director with his equally awful lead man (Harold and Esslyn), the tart of a wife Kitty (who was getting her cat petted by someone else), the gay bookshop owner and his bi partner, the put upon stage manager, Deirdre (Janine Duvinski is great here), a young actor named Nico (a friend of Joyce's from the play and the love interest of Tom and Joyce's daughter, Cully), the ex wife (whose sex life with Esslyn-told by Kitty-was like "humping a tranquilized cart horse"). All of these cast of characters (and a couple of others) are prime suspects for the murder of the lead, Esslyn (someone pulled a switcheroo on the blade his character was going to use to slit his throat). In front of Joyce (in front of a live audience). Who could it be? The tart Kitty? The man who is having the affair with Kitty? The cart horse ex? The man, David, who likes the put upon Deirdre? Nico, the admirer/love interest of Cully? A LOT of people had a reason for killing (or wanting) Esslyn dead. You really, imho, didn't need the first murder. That is what I think confused a lot of ppl about this particular story. Just showing the Virgin Mary and not a murder (of Agnes) and the story of a very vain, name calling director and his as equally vain lead man and THAT death, it would have been fine. To try to connect those two murders together was a stretch (because even Barnaby couldn't find a reason as to the WHY but the WHO and HOW).

Anyway, after seeing this a few times, I do enjoy this and I don't agree with someone who said that they thought Joyce overreacted with the death of the throat cutting scene...this woman was in a drama play for months with these people so, she knew all of them and then, to hear and see the throat cutting, the blood, all of that, next to you? In front of you? Of COURSE you are going to scream. And to see that? Yea...I would scream and probably pee a little, to be honest with you. And, also, watching this episode made me WANT to watch the great movie, Amedaus with the great F. Murray Abraham!

Another thing: to have Cully tell Gavin "This is not the theatre..."what the hell is it then? Because it sure as he looks like a theatre to me!

Good parts: the death scene of Esslyn.

The play itself (I did like it, tbh). The love between Deirdre, her father, and her admirer, David. The 1st time meeting of Troy and Cully. Some very funny banter between the bookstore owners.

Bad parts: The murder in the first scene. It barely made sense with the rest of the storyline. Cully saying that what her mom was in was not theatre (because it WAS). There were only 2 murders. The outcome of the murderer (the WHY and what happened to them were NOT satisfying).

Gave this a 6 because it wasn't bad and, no matter what, this is better than the episode, "Blood on the Saddle". That was awful (but John Nettles bum in those jeans looks wonderful).

This is the most tenuous episode of all the Midsomer Murders I have viewed. I worked so hard to figure out what was going on! I had to watch it 3 times, and at an hour and 42 minutes, that's a lot of time. It was such a challenge to excavate the fact that the first victim, Agnes and the perpetrator were in cahoots with exporting / importing stolen (?) religious artifacts--and I don't even know if that is true.

I felt like an anthropologist trying to find the right pieces to a shattered pot! As one reviewer said the first murder is all but forgotten and, when the inspectors finally get to it, the conclusion is nebulous.

I am new to this series and love the characters, the settings, the ambiance, the music and the details of daily life, including that of Barnaby and his wife. As this is only the 3rd episode I've watched, I can only compare it to the first two. The plots of 1 & 2 were convoluted, intriguing, clever and ultimately satisfying in their denouement. However, this 3rd episode left me feeling frustrated and dissatisfied. There is no need to repeat the plot reviewed by the others here. Suffice it to say that for the crimes committed there was no motive, no connection and no explanation for them. There was some hasty attempt to explain at the end but it made no sense and was delivered in a way that made no sense by a character who made no sense. I was waiting for CID Barnaby to explain what had happened, but he never did. I am relieved to hear from another reviewer that this is the vaguest episode of the series. Thus: everything and everyone was delightful except for the plot. Oh, and there was a mysterious "romantic" connection that was never fleshed out - and felt like a mere extraneous plot device, and a posthumous floppy disc of evidence that was not fully explained. I wish the producers could redo this potentially excellent episode and fill in the blanks.....

If I had a very sharp knife/razor would I press hard enough and along my lower neck to cause damage? I could draw blood by lightly cutting upwards. On the stage it would look the same.